[Conan RPG] No Honour (prep & 1st Session)

[MojoMan]

I wanted to put up a Game prep before my game kicked off...but we know how THAT goes...
SO what follows is My Game prep, then the 1st Session of a 4 -5 session  game.

I've the honor of GMing a group of players who have never gamed together before. All but one have played D&D 3e+, the one has only known AD&D.
Wanting to try something different, yet knowing these folks were not ready for the works of Sorcerer, TRoS, or Burning Wheel - all of which I'm DYING to GM.
I choose the Conan/D20 game to run.
The amount of stress, resistance and disdain was priceless, yet expected.
I offered up the mantle of GM...

Now if you don't know - Conan is D20 with some interesting bits...
No alignments - a mechanics-backed Code of Honor for those who are so inclined.
Allegiances, corruption mechanics, and a few pages on story-based experience points. Fate points also story awarded.
Sorcery is driven by obsession, corruption, corrupt mentors, pacts with demons, acolytes - fantastic stuff!!!
With No-Takers for  the GM mantle
Conan it is!!

We scheduled a series of  meetings over lunch at work where we talk over what we intended to get out of our " twice a month,  maybe more" sessions, characters.

We are using the "Organic Method" from the DMG for generating ability scores - again, more resistance, but they came around and enjoyed the results - I feel this method helps create more personable characters.
Players must write their own 'Character hooks' with the following conditions:
The hook must place them near the caravan camp grounds at the base of the Graaskal Mts. The hook must contain an immediate conflict, resolving in 2 or 3 sessions. No trivial hooks - it must be important for the character to be involved. Protagonist worthy!! (sound familiar???) This Adventure, story Arc, Saga completes in @4-5 sessions, where we'll talk some more & figure out what we're doing next.

Here's a link to my attempt at a
One-Sheet that I gave my players.
The site is mine - and is under construction as I move from PHP-Nuke to Mambo - so be nice!
You'll notice I've lifted folks from two movies to make my R-Map.

The PCs after Spiking.
Barek the barbarian, enraged over his heart's betrothal to a Cimmerian of another tribe. He spies Deidre making time with her new Husband-to-be. A Shout & Shove ensues, leaving Bareks rival beat down and Deidre upset, storms off. Barek sets off for the great north to prove them all wrong about their choice. Only his rival is found with his neck broken, head twisted and Deidre is missing. Leaving both tribes hot on Barek's trail for vengeance and answers. This is all from a two page story from the Player, I spiked it with the death of his rival and the abduction of Deidre.

S'Dargo a thief from Zamora, having double-crossed a double-crossing boss,  makes good his escape from Aquilonia by traveling with a caravan of merchants headed to Turan. It is in the camp grounds at the base of the Graaskal mountains where he spots Natko the Black, an assassin who freelances for his ex-boss. Natko winks and sneers - life just got short for a double-crossing thief.
I got MUCH resistance from this player, not sure why he's even playing.
He came up with double-crossing his mentor for double-crossing him, then leaving town. I asked about the source of the double-crossing, "some wench" he replied, who is she? she have a name? what she do?
"don't matter - She fancied me, my mentor was jealous, she's a wench and He tried to get me killed over her."
Ok. I let it go...for now...

Far from his original crew and ship, the Argossean pirate, Eschion, is a sun-rise away from being sold yet again in slavery. First to the Turans, then Samarans, then the  Red Brotherhood, now the Hyperboreans. Chained to 8 other men in the camp grounds beneath the Graaskal mountains, he ponders his fate.
again another page of story from the AD&D player. all his idea. I left this as it was, figuring it would develop in play.

Valorian, a borderer afflicted with peace-time. Picks up a bounty of a violent murderous man wanted in Aquilonia. Valorian tracks this man into Cimmeria, where he strikes again leaving his mark's head turned backwards and eyes fixed open - mocking Valorian's pursuit.
Mostly the players idea, I altered locations to weave this and the barbarian's tale together. They could be involved with the same Antagonist. Possibly Natko the Black.

Khalide an acolyte of Master Wu of Khitan. His obsession with a woman turned him to use sorcery to gain her attentions. She's been killed during the attempt - cementing the characters believe that sorcery is a wicked, dirty thing -However, he thinks someone's on to him, and turns to Master Wu to learn more sorcery to protect himself.
All the players idea - he's playing up the paranoid man who thinks sorcery is dirty, bad - but must turn again to it to save his hide.

That's my cast - and I don't have JACK!! No R-Map, No adventure or dungeon.
I DO know we're in Hyperborea just north of the Graaskal Mts.
I originally thought to keep a R-map simple, using a few of the cast from Underworld - Selene, Lucien, Kraven & Viktor.
Turning the whole Lycan/Vampire war into a Merchant Trade war.

I'm going into Sundays game with a rough sketch of the Caravan Camp grounds at the base of the Graaskal Mts. and the following Bangs!?

!Late into the night, the entire camp is attacked by a horde of hyenas from the mountains. The assault is coordinated by a few Were-Hyena.

!A burley mass of a man, moves purposefully toward S'dargo in a Tavern-Tent. The man snatches up a chair and attacks S'dargo with it.  Having been promised the gentle touches of "The Scorned Wench" S'dargo left behind - the man begins an earnest beating of the thief, his end of the deal with the "Wench"

!Barek and Valerion enroute to the camp grounds pass a merchant with a broken rear axle. Dead wild dogs (Hyena) lie about the grounds.  A man lies sprawled face-down in the dirt...only his head is twisted  full around. Two other men are at work on a broken axle of a wagon. They recently sold their cargo of Exotic females (3) to Natko. One of the women could be Deidre. Valerion will likely key off the "Twisted Head"

!A Turan Noble offers Khalide 150 silvers for the Argossean pirate, Eschion, in his slave wagon.

That's All I got!!

[MojoMan]

No Honour : Who let the Dogs out?

We open up in a mountain pass through the Grasskal Mountains. Valerion and Barek are bound for the northlands. After much conversation they believe they are looking for the same man. On the last leg of the trip they come across a few other traders repairing a wagon, the remains of wild dogs scattered around. The men quickly draw their weapons when they see the pair, Valerion offers help in exchange for a ride to the camp grounds at the end of the pass, looking around he spots a dead man sprawled out, head twisted around. "Why'd you do that to that man" Valerion asks.
Barek then pulls his weapon. Imak, the older trader dismisses the question, and re-directs them to helping with repairs before is gets dark and more dogs come.
A third man steps out of hiding just as Barek and Valerion settle in to helping out.

In Camp, S'Dargo is relaxing in a "Beer Tent". A Filthy pair of men enter, a lanky bald man, and a hulking moose of a man, begin looking over the customers in the tent. The Moose-Man sets his sites on S'Dargo and quickly closes the distance between them, snatching up a chair. S'dargo kicks out the table toward the chair-slinging man. Moose-man is getting the better of S'Dargo, who is backed into a tent pole and taking a beating. At last S'Dargo's blade bites deep and in the end the chair proves no match for a blade. The Moose-Man is slain, leaving S'Dargo answerless, he rolls the body.
The Lanky-man, having seen enough - bolts.
S'Dargo pays the barkeep and makes his way to find a place to rest and patch himself up.

The secretive Master Wu is also in the camp grounds under the guise of a merchant. He has brought Merchant Captain Rarol and Kahlide, his acolyte with him.
Rarol has goods from Khitan and 3 slave gangs (18 men) they purchased enroute.
Eschion is amoung the slaves. Master Wu leaves instructions privately for Rarol and Khalide - mainly keep an eye on the other. He tells Khalide that Rarol is to purchase 3 exotic slaves, but nothing is to be sold until Master Wu has returned. He then makes his way off to tend his own affairs. Khalide is approached by a Turan Noble who mistakes Khalide as the merchant/owner. The Turan offers to buy the Argossean slave.
Khalide hesitates - and  declines. "That slave is not for sale.".
"I'll pay for the whole gang then" counters the Turan, thinking Khalide won't sell just one slave. The Turan offers 150 silvers for the Argosean - more than enough for the gang. "Keep the other 8 and resell them" the Turan suggests.
Khalide accepts and they  agree to conclude this transaction an hour after it is dark.

Eschion spends his time trying to befriend the other slaves and start a revolt.
He manages to get most of the slaves talking and then singing - but Merchant Captain Rarol is having none of it, and threatens to not feed anyone.
The Revolt gives way to hunger.

It is dark when Barek and Valerion find a place to rest in camp, then they begin spying on Imak. Soon after guards are seen scrambling about the western camp side, fires can be seen about the south edge of camp and the baying of hyena...lots of hyena.
A scruffy, filthy man approaches the gang of slaves, and questions their loyalties before providing them tools to free themselves. Eschion jumps at the chance to free himself and a few other slaves he's won to his side.

Low on courage after his chair-beating, S'Dargo finds a resting spot to survey the commotion from.

Barek and Valerion are attacked by a pair of Hyena as packs of the animals swarm the camp and fires are set and spread throughout the western camp.

The Eastern Camp is alerted to an attack, Merchant Captain Rarol abandons his charges and post, leaving Khalide to face the free slaves who are looking to arm themselves. He throws in with them, offering real weapons over the improvised sticks and tools, keys to unlock slaves still chained. Not to be pacified by the Master's 1st lackey, Eschion leads three men into the "Master's" tents - they pick Khalide's tent to loot first. Khalide pursues and firmly asks them to leave his tent be.
Eschion, again feeling challenged for leadership of the slaves - draws a hatchet, Khalide brandishes a locket and captures Eschion's gaze, enthralling the pirate.
Spooked by the magicked-pirate, two of the three other men scramble out of Khalide's tent. The third attempts to shake Eschion out of his stupor.
"Leave this tent, I am not to be Trifled with" demands Khalide to the last man.
Not to be ensorcelled next - the last man makes haste out of Khalide's tent.

S'Dargo makes good use of the excitement to fill his pockets from the unguarded tents about the camp.

After they put down a few Hyena, Barek and Valerion start to look for who's setting the fires...it can't possible be Hyena they speculate.
They spot at least two Dog-headed men in the camp, Barek fires an arrow, and strikes one of the dog-men, Valerion's shot goes wild. Furious the dog-man is lightening-quick all over Barek, tooth and claw. Valerion hustles for an opening to strike.

Khalide and Eschion come to an understanding and temporary truce.

And we call it a Game.
As the camp quells the hyena attacks, and begins putting out fires and damage control.

As our first game together and 1st game with the Conan RPG, it was surprisingly smooth.
Some good PC-Npc interactions.
Very Nice PC-PC work between Khalide (Master perceived) and Eschion (Slave)
Nice Scene Framing, not much downtime between scenes, I used whatever combat was in progress to cut away from scenes that were ending, or to allow thinking time for non-combat scenes that were escalating, i.e.; Khalide & Eschion Showdown in Khalide's tent.

Player feedback - was great, they liked how things turned out, a few rules questions left open that we found answers too post-game. Date set for next Session. Dec 12th.

SOOOO - What's Next!!
LOL!
From the R-Map, Luchien Fox has met S'Dargo, very Brief Conversation.
Barek and Valerion pursue Natko the Black.
Don't know much about S'Dargo's scorned Wench, other than she's taken to seducing men into beating on him.
Everything is still loose, perhaps Away to loose?? I went in with the "No Honour" topic, against a Merchant War background. Looks like I'm getting something different...which I'm okay with, I think...do I go with it??
or reign it all in somehow??

I think next session, I have to bring Barek's love-interest in, Deidre has already been abducted, she could easily be up for sale here in camp...
Unsure what Natko's next move is - He knows Valerion's chasing him, and he's been leaving the twisted bodies for Valerion to find.
Have NO idea what I'm doing with Eschion and Khalide.
but I KNOW the beatings get worse for S'Dargo, this time maybe the Scorned wench makes her presence known.

your comments, criticisms please...

[stingray20166]

Sounds like the game went well, so this is pedantic -- but it might help later.  And mind you that I am but a simple novice, having only studied Forge-fu for the past year or so.  

!(1)Late into the night, the entire camp is attacked by a horde of hyenas from the mountains. The assault is coordinated by a few Were-Hyena.

!(2)A Turan Noble offers Khalide 150 silvers for the Argossean pirate, Eschion, in his slave wagon.

Bang 1 is not a bang.  Bang 2 is a bang.  The difference?  The player has a choice in the second -- betray a fellow or not?  

Bang 1 is an event, which is fine especially for Conan.  But there is no real choice offered to the players there.  Fight or run away, I suppose, but that doesn't make for riveting story-telling.  Now, what if they had overheard that Captain Rarol was a were-Hyena and was planning to hand them over to the rest for a feast?  

But, hey -- the game was a success so no worries, mate!  That little bit just jumped out at me and I thought it might help you in your prep for the next session.

Nick[/code]

[MojoMan]

Nah, You're right!
I wanted the Hyena attack in, but it is definatly an event.

I'm assembling Bangs for next Session...here's where I am at:
Group
Cursoe (with Celyn nearby) offer up bounties for Hyena heads, and is taking on hired-swords for a hunting trip. Celyn has found the tracks of a large pack headed to the Grasskal mts. She'll be Leading the Hunt.
This might be old habits dying hard...I'm after a little cave/lair romping and a showdown with a Were-Hyena. Celyn suspects the Hyena attack is Lucien's doing - and sets out to investigate it - she expects the hired-swords that go will be canon fodder.

S'Dargo
Rhane (The Scorned Wench) approaches S'Dargo, refers to him by name, is very flirtatious & famliar with him.
I'm thinking She wants to re-unit with him since they are now both far from Aquilonia where things fell apart.  She's High-Strung emotionally though, requires much attention!


Barek
Deidre goes up for Auction, along with another Brythnian woman.
Bidders include Master Wu, Corsoe, a few other less notables.

Barek Spots barbarian hunters from Conor's (his rival) tribe ride into camp.

Eschion
Boxer (a slave friendly to Eschion from session 1) returns for Eschion's help, 4 of the slaves have been re-claimed by another Merchant.  1 of them friendly to Eschion, the other a comrade to Boxer.
I'm thinking Rarol(were-hyena? Thanks Stingray!) has gone into business for himself and is re-catching the slaves.

Valerion
Spots a man positioning a prone body, between tents.
A plant set by Natko. He knows he's being trailed, he's studying his pursuer

Khalide
The Turan Noble returns, scarred a bit from battle. has the 150 sps for Eschion.2 men accompany him to take posseion of Eschion.
I already know he was willing to sell Eschion...now will he follow up??

Now in all this Open Session dancing - I LOVE not knowing where the train is headed - I had not anticipated Eschion & Khalide facing off. It's all that is talked about this week amoungst the group.
There's friction and the Players are diggin' it.

Here's my Fear.
This was to be a short  'campaign' - 4-5 sessions. to get our feet wet with Conan RPG. Yet, I do not know how or where it ends.
Is it just the resolution of each Players Hooks/Kickers?
And as yet, they've not really interacted with my R-Map NPCs.
Is this Bad??
Is it out of control???
Am I just paranoid???

[rafial]

Yet, I do not know how or where it ends.

No, you can't with this style of play, but my experience is once things start getting complicated, a dramatic crescendo is reached rapidly.  The problem I've experienced is not getting to the climax, but recognizing in the moment that the climax has occured, so you can wrap up quickly without dilulting the impact.  In my own experience, I've tended to let things go on too long afterwards, and then realized "hey we peaked an hour ago".

So I guess my advice is just "keep your eyes opened".

[Alan]

Here's my Fear.  This was to be a short  'campaign' - 4-5 sessions. to get our feet wet with Conan RPG. Yet, I do not know how or where it ends.
Is it just the resolution of each Players Hooks/Kickers?
And as yet, they've not really interacted with my R-Map NPCs.

About where it ends: I think you'll find that your players are aware of the story-arc quality of events as well and will work toward a climax.  Keep an eye out for complications that engage your players and pull on those.  Like Rafial said, events tend to rise to a climax; the trick is sensing when it happens.

If these are true Kickers, you'll want to give the players plenty of license to make the Kicker issue central to their activities - ie the focus of events.  If you want PCs interacting more, try tangling the kicker threads even more.  You've made a start of that with the assassin.

The trick of involving r-map NPCs (so I've heard) is making _them_ involved in a PC's kicker background somehow, then having each of them treating the PC as if he or she were a key player, threat, or tool, constantly luring the PC into involvement.

One side comment: if S'Dargo's player was reluctant to detail his scorned woman, that might be a signal that that issue doesn't really engage the player.  You might find an attempt to insert her into play will not engage him either.  

On the other hand, I had a great Howardesque idea: Rhana is a powerful princess of Zamora, who doesn't just want romance - she has some other reason for wanting either revenge or to bring him back.  Maybe he has special influence with someone in the theive's guild, or he's the only one who knows the whereabouts of an ancient badge of office which is the only way a woman can be accepted as queen - or maybe it's a Sorcerous Stygian manuscript.  

The contrast of powerful woman to thief would add pulp melodrama and might perk your player's interest.

[MojoMan]

I see your point about the S'Dargo PC. I was never quite sure what to do with him.  He did dismiss my attempts to flesh out the woman. His background consisted of these facts:
He got the jump on his guild boss's double-crossing and acted first.
The aftermath resulted in the destruction of that guilds resources and network and was absorbed by other guilds or factions. The Guild Boss escapes with his life. S'Dargo runs to the north.

Soooo...If I'm listening
S'Dargo's next bangs could be:
Princess Rhana IS after S'Dargo for the location of a Sorcerous Stygian manuscript. She approaches S'Dargo openly, wanting to entice him into a deal.

Later - Knowing about Rhana's intentions, Natko the Black, offers to buy S'Dargo a drink, he wants to discuss S'Dargo's future payments to him(Natko) -  having lost an employer (S'Dargo's Ex-Guild Boss) and aware of  S'Dargo's potential riches, Natko is cutting himself in on whatever S'Dargo makes on dealing with Rhana.

AND
Khalide then gets this Bang:
Cursoe consults Khalide showing him a Stygian manuscript.
He wants a second opinion on its authenticity.
I'm thinking there are 3 copies of the script - like the Book of the 9 Gates of the Kingdom of Shadow. You'll need all three for it to be of any use.

AND
possibly for Valerion
Making his way thru camp Valerion witnesses  S'Dargo parting ways with Natko. I'm leary of this, as this could turn into an attempt to capture Natko by Valerion - which is right, I think...am I fighting old habits here?? Natko was a accidental NPC,  He's growing into his own,and I like him.
The thing is to get out of the way and let it happen, yes??

I believe These Bangs potentially get Khalide and S'Dargo together and/or S'Dargo and Valerion/Barek together, and links back into the R-Map.

Am I listening ??
BTW - I loved the Powerful woman to thief contrast, hope S'Dargo does to!!

[Alan]

That is a great example of weaving threads together!

Am I listening ??
BTW - I loved the Powerful woman to thief contrast, hope S'Dargo does to!!

I hope you're using "am I listening?" loosely, because my actual suggestions were meant as examplar, not proscriptive.  

I apologize for the following schizo reponse, but after reading more detail on S'Dango's original setup, I'm having second thoughts about amping up the Rhana connection.  I think the player's initial input pointed to a conflict with the escaped guild boss.  The player may prefer the thematic tone of a male vs male conflict.  

What's most important in an rpg like this is that you respond to what jazzes the player.  And you're better positioned to judge that than any remote advisers.

In fact, you might just ask the player before continuing your planning.  I know a lot of GMs have been taught to keep future events secret from players, but bringing the player in on an authorial decision like this can really help the kind of play I think you're aiming for.  Ask the player which direction he'd prefer.

[MojoMan]

I hope you're using "am I listening?" loosely, because my actual suggestions were meant as examplar, not proscriptive.  

Intended More Rhetorical, and certainly loosely.
A Eureka - I believe I have it!

S'Dargo's player, is difficult in all areas of life as I know him. At his core, he is in the habit of forcing folks to decide for him.  Even in his resistance to create a kicker, I had hope to gleam some clue about what he'd like to play.
I may have gotten his clue wrong - and perhaps it is time he & I had that talk.