This morning brings an epic care package: a complete Conan: The Hyborian Age bundle containing the core book, GM screen, two adventure books, glossy map pack, character pads, and a host of Conan accessories—by Crom!
I’ve always had a real affection for Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian. It was one of my formative fantasy series and, as I’ve often remarked, my introduction to the Cthulhu Mythos itself. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft were correspondents and liberally sprinkled quotes, references, lore, and even each other into their respective worlds.
Sword and sorcery crossed with cosmic horror was an irresistible combination as far as I was concerned, and I devoured Howard’s output and the follow-ons by L. Sprague de Camp and numerous others. Those epic Frazetta covers were something else too. My enjoyment was not hindered in any way by the first Conan the Barbarian film either, which I snuck into the cinema to see when I was underage. Frankly, it just blew me away. When I hear that epic Basil Poledouris Anvil of Crom theme, I cannot deny the inner barbarian stirring in my soul!
So it was both an honour and a privilege to write for this new incarnation of the big Cimmerian with Monolith’s new Conan: The Hyborian Age TTRPG. It’s a fast-paced, rules-light-ish RPG designed by Matt John, with lore master duties by Jason Durall, which really captures the flavour and spirit of the world and positively revels in epic tales of high adventure. The art is amazing, the maps from Glynn Seal’s Monkey Blood Design incredible, and the production values both rich and gorgeous. It’s a tribute to the amazing work of Chris “Shep” Shepperson and everyone at Monolith for producing such a magnificent game!
I’ve written two adventures for the Tales of the Hyborian Age adventure books, Volumes 1 and 2, plus The Hyborian Age Gamemaster’s Companion. The first adventure, The Skull of Salazar Bheg, sees the PCs pursued by a band of fifty angry bandits through the deserts of Koth. Salvation appears in the form of a lost city, but when the PCs take refuge inside, they are sealed in and must navigate its warring inhabitants and face a sorcerer long dead who arises once again.
The second, The Citadel of Xonn Vuxhill, starts with a brawl in a tavern in the Border Kingdoms, but sees the players enlisted to escort valuable cargo through the badlands. When they are ambushed and it is stolen, their “cargo” turns out to be a young sorceress whom they must pursue. However, when they reach a forgotten citadel, a rescue is anything but straightforward, with undead minions and a ravening were-beast awaiting.
Being a GM can be challenging, so it’s a pleasure to be able to lighten the load and lend a hand, and I had a great deal of fun researching and writing The Hyborian Age’s Gamemaster’s Companion. Along with advice and guidance on running adventures, it also features a host of tools and tables to randomly generate everything from arms and equipment to stories, places, and even whole adventures in the Hyborian Age.
I always find these immensely useful as a GM, as they can spark the kernel of an idea, give an existing one an unusual spin, or take the story into new and unexpected places you wouldn’t have found on your own. I hope it proves useful to any aspiring Conan GMs—do let me know how it helped you out.
So here is an epic new Conan RPG to enjoy, which I can’t recommend highly enough if you’re in any way a fan of the big Cimmerian and the superb backdrop of the whole Hyborian Age. In fact, even as fans finally get their hands on this superb RPG, I can reveal that I might not be totally done with the Hyborian Age yet. I’d better not say any more for now in case Zamoran assassins are put on my tail.
So that must remain a story for another day!
If you’re a fan of tales of stirring high adventure, why not check out my own series, The Seraph Chronicles, where one man confronts the might of the mythos down the ages. Or perhaps you’d prefer the Mon Dieu Cthulu! series, battles against the mythos during the glory and honour of the Napoleonic age? Both, and my other work are available on Amazon UK and US, or even better on Books to Buy above.