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View Full Version : Conan RPG - need an encounter idea



Amiria
2009-11-28, 05:52 PM
The system is Mongoose Publishing's Conan D20 2nd Edition.

There are two 1st-level characters that are traveling from Numalia (Nemedia) to Messantia (Argos). Either on the Road of Kings or on/along the Red River. The characters are a Rodriguez, a Zingaran Thief and Nina, a Brythunian Temptress.

They should have some encounter on the way, something that's a bit more interesting than a generic bandit attack. With enough xp to get up to 2nd level (they are already roughly half way there, the Conan RPG doesn't give CR for monsters/encounters, it is all up to the GM).

The encounter should be a bit more tailored to thieving skills, also because the temptress wants to multiclass into thief at 2nd level.

Savageman
2009-11-28, 10:41 PM
This idea stolen from: No Country for Old Men.

If they stumble upon a battle (already done or winding down) or something (Conan's rife with evil sorcerer's right?) and find treasure/magic weapon/plot device, it can get interesting. Maybe the last survivor stumbles into them, and they trace his path back to the bloodshed, or hear a massive battle from farther off and investigate. Play it up tense; not everyone needs to be dead, and the players don't need to know exactly what they face.

Creepy stalker killer guy is at your discretion, but could be a challenge as an opposing thief, and a recurring villain.

FoE
2009-11-28, 11:49 PM
1) After passing through a burned-out village, the PCs spot a slave caravan headed to Messantia and realize an old friend is among the enslaved. An open confrontation with the slavers is foolish as they outnumber the PCs, but they can track the group until it beds down for the night, at which point the PCs must slip in and release their friend before escape.

2) The PCs pass through a village at the same time the villagers are about to burn a young woman for adultery and heresy against Mithra. The PCs take it upon themselves to rescue the girl; if they're not the chivalrous type, perhaps they run into her lover who offers them a rich reward for their assistance, or perhaps the girl offers your PCs some "fleshy delights" (I heard that phrase used in a Conan book once, no joke). Obviously they can't fight an entire village, so some clever thinking is needed to free the girl. Bonus points if the girl later turns out to be some kind of witch or changeling.

3) The PCs come across a caravan bound for Nemedia transporting dangerous animals for use in its arenas. One of these beasts — a huge wild boar, perhaps, or a giant spider from Zamora? — breaks free of its cage and begins slaughtering the travellers. The PCs spring into action but can't slay the animal, as it's extremely valuable; they need to lure it into its cage or confine it in some other way. If they slay the animal, the caravan turns on them and they need to make a quick escape.

4) Dinosaurs. Nuff said.

Amiria
2009-11-29, 09:26 AM
blah blah ...

And that's why you are my favorite enemy on the boards. :smallsmile: Good ideas.

And ...

* kill * http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/Kotzgeist/amiriasmiley.gif

FoE
2009-11-30, 01:36 PM
5) The players are staying at an inn when an opulent Corinthian noble/merchant stops in at the same time. The guy pays for a room with a gem that far exceeds his value and is adorned with a lot of expensive jewellry. He's practically begging to get robbed, so perhaps the PCs (who may be in the mood for a bit of larceny) take it upon themselves to part him with his wealth. This could take the form of seducing him, pickpocketing him or breaking into his room and making off with the goodies. Outright attacking him, however, is discouraged by the hulking bodyguards that accompany him. Bonus points if the PCs are staying in a village that is grindingly poor and they opt to distribute some of their ill-gotten gains with the townsfolk, which could grant them some good fortune later on.

Oh, and ghhhhk

Ormagoden
2009-11-30, 03:00 PM
James earl jones shows up.
He pwns your dad.
He cuts your mom's head off.
He takes your father's sword.

You get sold into slavery.
You grow up strong.
You become a gladiator.
You leave one night when your owner is drunk.
You find an awesome sword.

You crush your enemies.
You see them driven before you.
You hear the lamentation of their women.

bosssmiley
2009-12-01, 08:16 AM
James earl jones shows up.
He pwns your dad.
He cuts your mom's head off.
He takes your father's sword.

You get sold into slavery.
You grow up strong.
You become a gladiator.
You leave one night when your owner is drunk.
You find an awesome sword.

You crush your enemies.
You see them driven before you.
You hear the lamentation of their women.

You totally have your local LARP group (http://www.thecimmerian.com/?p=3371) knock off The Vikings (the 1958 Kirk Douglas vehicle) for two hours. :smallamused:

Lost city or rampaging mercenary warband. There are no 'wandering XP' in the Hyborian Age.

Amiria
2009-12-03, 02:16 PM
I went with 1), spiced with something of 2). There was a small border war between Ophir and Aquilonia and in the wake of it a village was attacked by Argos-based slavers who killed most men and robbed the young women and girls. In the village the characters found a survivor, a farmboy named Wesley Vlad who promised a reward for rescueing his bride to be. Rodriguez was rather reluctant to go against almost a dozen slavers with only a vague promise for a reward, but Nina - who had been a slave for most of her life - managed to coax him into it.

With the help of the farmboy they pursued the slavers and attacked at night. The first of the two guards went down silently but the second died rather noisely. A fierce fight erupted, the farmboy went down early (but survived, and killed one slaver). Nina actually killed the majority of the slavers (but Rodriguez had to fight the leader most of the time). Only one surviver fled into the night.

So there was victory, a happy reunion of lovers and Rodriguez even experienced some "fleshy delights" :smallwink: ... which together with the slavers weapons, armor, cash, a wagon and two cart horses was a satisfying reward.

The characters moved on to Messantia (spending all their new riches on high living on the way), joined a pirate crew, attacked the wrong stygian galley, and found themselves as sole survivors and slaves in Stygia. After another bloodcurdling adventure there they are currently fleeing towards Shem - with no money, almost no hit points and only armed with daggers. New adventures await. :smallamused:

------------

So, maybe I need some ideas for some urban adventures soon (Rodriguez' player wasn't too happy with the slaver encounter from his character's p.o.v. (too dangerous, and only a small, vague reward, none of it in advance). No good incentive for a materialistic thief). Some straightforward (or crooked) thieving in a city should be more to his liking.

chiasaur11
2009-12-03, 02:26 PM
The local thieves guild is having trouble with a couple of freelancers. Big barbarian fellow, bearded, probably from up north and a little guy who seems to know a tiny bit about magic, even if he mostly focuses on stabbing people.

FoE
2009-12-03, 04:20 PM
So the PCs are going into the deserts of Shem?

1) The PCs head into the desert and, as you can imagine, the conditions are brutal. The heat is tremendous and they have little water. (Perhaps, if you want a supernatural quality, they could even be tormented by spirits of others who perished in the desert before them.) There is no one around and soon they are on the verge of death. But then they come upon the ruins of an ancient temple and seek refuge there, finding water in an odd-looking fountain in the temple's entrance hall. The place is not deserted, however. The single inhabitants of the temple are an old madwoman whose fingernails have grown in claws ... and whose son is a monstrous apelike creature with inhuman strength. The PCs either kill the creature or are forced to flee further into the temple, where they find an altar to some forgotten god covered in priceless treasure. Now that they've got some cash, however, it's a matter of getting out before the beast finds them or its equally horrible mother, a witch who consorted with demons in her youth. Plus, there are TRAPS all over the place.

2) Same set-up as the first one, but this time the PCs find a lost and ruined city. The place is nearly abandoned, but the PCs are immediately set-upon by a series of guards in strange armour heralding back centuries. The guards seek to capture them, not kill them. The PCs escape or manage to defeat the guards, and soon after they are taken in by a local family who tells them of the city (I suggest the name Shan, but you can call it what you wish). The land around the city was a once beautiful kingdom and covered in lush vegetation … until a wizard usurped the city's ruler and replaced him (or her?) with an ancient demon. The monster drains life itself and has reduced the landscape for miles around to desert. Only this city remains, and soon the demon (which is completely indestructible) will drain the last of its few remaining inhabitants. They are compelled by their will to remain here. The only hope is for the PCs to sneak into her temple and destroy the magical gem that ties it to this plane. (If you like, the demon itself could be a succubus-type that kills with a kiss — what a way to go!) If they succeed, the city adorns them with wealth and they get to enjoy some "fleshy delights" with the few remaining hot townsfolk. (Bonus points if the local family they made contact with had an attractive eldest daughter/son.) Afterwards, they leave, as the city is kind of a dump.

3) The PCs are happened upon by a huge group of Shemite raiders, who surround them and give them the old "Your money or your life" routine. Of course, the PCs have nothing. The situation looks grim but they have a few ways out of it.

a) The Shemite raiders are feeling charitable and offer the PCs a way out by providing them some sport. This can take the form of some challenge. I like the idea of the biggest and toughest raider challenging Rodriguez to bind their wrists together and then have a good ol' knifefight; the fight ends when the 'loser' taps out. If Rodriguez fails, the Shemites decide he fought so well he gets to survive. They could even get an offer to take part in a raid on a wealthy and very well-protected caravan; the Shemites "need all the help they can get."

b) Nina seduces the Shemite chieftain. Fairly self-explanatory. Again, this could even lead to the Shemites offering the PCs to raid a caravan with them and share in the spoils.

c) Some kind of beast — a sand worm, perhaps? or a rival tribe? or a DINOOOOOOSAAAAAUUUURRR?! — interrupts the encounter and the PCs prove their valor by helping to vanquish the beast from another time. The Shemites either leave them alone (with some water as a reward) or make the "raid the caravan with us" offer.

4) While looking for employment in a city — Shadizar the Wicked maybe? — the PCs cross paths with a dying thief who literally runs into one of them. The man begs them for aid, saying he is being pursued by something that he cannot name. A few ruined warehouses are sprinkled about nearby; they can take him there. He babbles incoherently about what happened to him, but two of the items he carries give a hint: a gleaming gem of considerable value and a map of some catacombs beneathe the city, or perhaps a local temple. (The map is marked with the location of some treasure vault.) The man promptly dies afterwards, but not before rambling on about the immense treasures contained inside — piles of these gems and more! How the man died is a tip as to the treasures contained within: my suggestion is that he was bitten by some kind of massive snake and was poisoned. The "vault" is guarded by whatever you choose: humans, ghouls or even Serpent Men. (If you choose the latter, have the map contain the phrase "Ka Nama Kaa Lajerama", which can unmask Serpent Men.) If the PCs reach the vault, they find its final guardian: the creature that killed the thief, perhaps a giant snake.

5) Same set-up as before, but no map to the treasure vault. Instead, keeping the fabulous gem (or some other valuable artifact) sets the dark wizard who the thief stole it from upon the PCs' trail. He hounds them across the city as they try to find a buyer by possessing thieves and warriors who they cross paths with, or even with a summoned demon.

6) In an adventure SHAMELESSLY RIPPED OFF from an old Conan adventure, the PCs enter a city where a huge ziggurat is located. The PCs hear the building appeared as if by magic in the city a few years ago. Since then, no one's gone in or out, but the place is rumoured to be inhabited by a wizard of incredible power. A servant is ocassionally seen going around the streets buying goods with fabulous gems. The PCs get the idea of raiding the place and hear from a local thief about a "secret entrance" to the place. The wizard himself is a time traveller and has filled with ziggurat with creatures of the past ... including giant insects and cavemen and DINOSAAAAAAAAAURS! Oh my! The wizard seeks to capture the PCs and drop them into a strange well that reflects stars that should not be there — by dropping them into some unknown past, he hopes to draw out more of his "unusual specimens." In fact, they learn that the thief they got the info from is actually the wizard's servants and this whole thing has been a trap. The PCs escape and get away with some fabulous prizes, but in the midst of their bumbling, they've accidentally released a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex on the city! The PCs use a huge ballista to down the beast, and the ziggurat then fades away into the sands of time ...

Also, take note of my last post, where I posted an idea centred around thieving.

Optimystik
2009-12-03, 04:30 PM
James earl jones shows up.
He pwns your dad.
He cuts your mom's head off.
He takes your father's sword.

You get sold into slavery.
You grow up strong.
You become a gladiator.
You leave one night when your owner is drunk.
You find an awesome sword.

You crush your enemies.
You see them driven before you.
You hear the lamentation of their women.

You become a robot, followed by several varieties of cop/secret agent, followed by the governor of California. You then retire your character. (We hope.)