Interest Check: There Will Be Blood! [d20 Conan]

"Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars - Nemedia, Ophir, Brythunia, Hyperborea, Zamora with its dark-haired women and towers of spider-haunted mystery, Zingara with its chivalry, Koth that bordered on the pastoral lands of Shem, Stygia with its shadow-guarded tombs, Hyrkania whose riders wore steel and silk and gold. But the proudest kingdom of the world was Aquilonia, reigning supreme in the dreaming west."

In an Age undreamed of, there are more stories to be told than there are grains of sand on the beach. Tales best related over a cup of fine wine and a leg of mutton. Legends told in darkened taverns and traded across flickering campfires. These are some of those stories...

WARNING: This campaign would be sword and sorcery at its very best; with larger-than-life heroes and vile villains. It would not be politically correct! This is fiction in the high Conan-esque fashion, with wenches to be had, wine to be consumed, and yes, there will be blood! Enter in with the understanding that this is high adventure intended for adults, and I will not be cutting back on the gore and sex. The forums will be private so that innocents don't get scarred.

Now, with that being said, is there any interest?

I am interested, though, I am not familiar with the system and have surface knowledge on the genre. Also, what is the desired posting frequency and what is best in life?

Good on you @WhtKnt! I recently took advantage of the Conan Humble bundle and am in one Pbp. I would like to join you also.

Posting rate will be two to three times a week. Generally, I respond as fast as the players do. Realistically, I check every day, but I have a very busy life and can't always respond immediately. My weekends are very busy, and it's unusual that I get a chance to post any lengthy discussion (like today). But although it might be a little slow, I am in it as long as the players are interested.

The system is, for all intents and purposes, D&D 3.5. There are a few differences, but not many. The major differences are:

* No wizard, sorcerer, or priest classes. These are replaced by the scholar, who can learn spells but does so differently than what you are used to.

* No races beyond human. Instead, characters gain certain benefits based on the society from which they hail.

* Natural healing is greater to compensate for the general lack of magical healing.

* Magical items are suitably rare and those that do exist are often burdened with curses or corruptive properties.

* The focus is on character development and personal power rather than the accumulation of magic.

* Wealth is a major motivating factor but never seems to stay with the characters for very long. Generally, the adventurers find a fabulous horde, claim it for their own, and then spend it on wine and baser pursuits.

* It is not a given that you have a grand destiny to fulfill. You will have to wrest it from the cold, dead hands of those who seek their own path to power, carving your name into the annals of history with blood.

* Often, foes are not mere obstacles to be defeated. They are larger-than-life monsters and sometimes retreat is the better part of valor. If you merely charge forward without hesitation, you will not last very long.

* Travel time is largely convenient. If an adventure takes place in a particular location, often the adventurers just happen to be near there.

Overall, it captures the feel of R.E. Howard's world near perfectly!

Oh, yes. "To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

I was weaned on Robert E. Howard which means I started reading about Conan over 50 years ago. I'd love to play although I'm not familiar with the system. I will learn it, though, if I can get access to it.

I would love to play! I'm a huge fan of the Conan books and the raw style of sword and sorcery in general. Count me in!

Which edition of the Conan d20 will you be using?

It's not a problem, Aldrusian. It plays a lot like any other game of D&D; roll a d20, compare to a target number. If you get the number of above, you succeed. If below, you fail. That's the gist of it.

I'd like to play either a Zamorian Thief, Zingaran Pirate, or Stygian Scholar...

*A Zamorian Thief with the Dabbler feat seems very interesting...

My posting abilities vary from several a day to once a week, so slow-ish games are what I tend to look for.

I am definitely available for daily posting but also happy to go at the DMs pace. I've been looking for a Conan game for a while now so this opportunity is very exciting!

I am in a few of your games so do give priority to others but if you end up with any spaces I would love to join - am a big fan of the Conan stories from way back

I'll be using 2nd edition d20 Conan, but there aren't too many differences between them, I don't believe. I would say that I have an interest, so I'll set up a forum and some threads. We'll probably start after Christmas, as I believe that everyone's lives are very busy until then. That said, feel free to get on the forum and discuss character ideas, or whatnot.

Sword and sorcery inspired by the writings of L. Sprague de Camp! Where do I sign up?

Yeah I picked up the 2nd edition Conan d20 and it seems VERY much like d&d 3.5 as you said, with the exception of the magic system.

The Temptress class looks very cool (bard like) but in an NC-17 game I wonder if that might get awkward...

I'll be another backup if a spot opens up. Looks like you probably have enough interest to fill the game already.

I am full right now, agable, but if a spot opens up, I will be sure to invite you.

Like many D20 open license game extensions, they inflated the power level of things a bit. Two of the big changes are that the weapons are a LOT more lethal and armor provides for damage reduction. After that, things are very much the same. It would have been nice if they had consolidated some of the skills like Pathfinder did though, or at least increased the skill points that classes can get or somehow change that mechanism a bit.