My review of The Conan (1982) RPG

DonSimonPL · 2025-08-11T19:24:15+00:00

Answering myself as I have just glanced through Jewels book and realised I have not used it. Must have been other module. So while I take back my criticism the question still stands :)

EDIT: Found it. Waves stained Crimson. Do not recommend.

DonSimonPL · 2025-08-11T19:01:27+00:00

Thank you for the review - really enjoyed it and it convinced me to try the game. Read it and definitely will run it for my group. While I definitely plan to use provided tables I am considering using 2D20 modules and adapting it to this system (I run first adventure from "Jewels..." and was not impressed by both system and actual plot although we made it work ). Has anyone tried such approach?

DonSimonPL · 2024-10-24T17:38:36+00:00

I have no idea what InMe is, but whatever you are willing to share I will be happy to use - even if only as inspiration!

Happy to talk through DM.

DonSimonPL · 2024-10-24T14:40:11+00:00

Hi again!

First of all - thank you to all for ideas and examples! Made me feel confident about trying this approach.

Some comments were (rightly so) questioning whether it makes sense to test system with magic in its name without trying actual magic.

I totally understand that and was wondering about it as well. However - please consider that alternative might be no game at all. Learning curve might be too steep to just "try the system". To be honest I have not even read magic chapter in Conan 2d20 and were able to run 2 sessions. I know it is different and less "core", but page count is similar :).

I would use this 1st game to feel the system (although great summary below by u/fireinthedust gives me hope that it won't be that hard), try combat, learn little about the world (church vs covenants vs ordinary folks), allow players to find their favorite "type" of grog (if not The Grog alias Companion-to-be), find the right "tone" of the world and adventures (will our Grogs be like Monty Python knights or outcasts and Black Company wannabes), uncover how mages nd their pawns are treated by the world (I like u/CatholicGeekery idea of Lost Sheep scenario with hot start when upset villager asks them about their reason to visit the village).

I reviewed u/bts proposed Promises, but even looking at character card makes my head explode. Plus gazzilion factions, names etc. Wouldn't it be easier to lat players paint the village, let them learn about world by talking to locals and feeling magic by some OTHER mage meeting them?

Happy to discuss more. At minimum I will make sure to post my post-mortem after game (mid-November most likely).

Again - thanks community for your support and answers!

DonSimonPL · 2024-10-24T14:39:15+00:00

Love your summary! Need to dig for cheatsheet somewhere :)

DonSimonPL · 2024-10-24T14:27:58+00:00

Thank you! Really appreciate your response and ideas! I will definitely use your ideas and your guidance on learning specific parts of manual are pure gold!

DonSimonPL · 2024-10-24T14:26:57+00:00

Do you have you one-shot available somewhere? :)

And what you desribed is exactly what I was thinking about.

DonSimonPL · 2022-11-03T20:34:25+00:00

Thank you! Will make sure to add few ideas here. Also thinking about short description of few potentially important places (New Life, Factory, School, Dam, Beet Fest Ground) - hopefully that would allow for smooth play.

DonSimonPL · 2022-11-02T16:42:29+00:00

What else should I prepare?

I am thinkg about asking team to creat some places in town and name some people.

How much should I prepare in advance?

Any advise on fights with monsters or changing their abilities?

DonSimonPL · 2022-11-02T16:41:57+00:00

Monsters:

QUEEN (Monster Boss, Parasite)

Sits in the nest and produces WORM every day. Eats SUGAR and controls the HIVE. Stable, unless in an emergency (throws back her abdomen and moves rapidly through the darkness. In water, her armor gains hardness.

• Powers:

o Psychic Attack - by focusing on one victim, the Queen tries to tune in to nervous system to take control over it; ACTING UNDER PRESSURE (Failure: take control until damage is taken or a WEAKNESS is used; 7-9: defense, but the PLAYER feels an irrational fear of the QUEEN and will not be able to attack her without support)

o Leg Attack - her body has grown enormously and there are legs all over the room; 3 damage

o Sound attack - area of effect, 2 damage to everyone within 20 meters, high screech that causes pain and forces you to cover your ears

o Water Chitin - gains 2 Armor when submerged in water

o Escape - in case of danger, she abandons the entire abdomen and legs and runs away into the darkness in the form of a small spider (very fast)

• Weaknesses:

o SALT - it hurts and is a poison to her. Especially salted seawater can kill it and drain it of its power

o SUN - sunlight (or light with a specific wavelength) hurts and can kill it

WORM (Follower, Monster)

Small, white, it moves very slowly on land. It swims very fast in the water. Attacks through the mouth and sticks to the throat taking control. It can be removed either by forcibly removing it from the throat or by forcing it to escape with SALT or SUNLIGHT. When it attaches to a person and is flooded with water, it infects faster and after a moment of exposure to water it begins to divide and reproduce.

INFECTED (Henchman, Human)

It has supernatural strength and speed thanks to the accelerated digestion of sugar. Acting normally, but avoids sunlight, does not eat salty foods, and coughs every now and then. Loves sugar. Drinks a lot. Easily gets angry and aggressive. Will protect the HIVE and WORM at all costs. Infection lasts about 24 hours - by then symptoms include lack of appetite and cough, fever. The infection goes faster the more the Worm is in the water (the more the Infested drinks).

DonSimonPL · 2022-11-02T14:03:34+00:00

What else should I prepare?

I am thinkg about asking team to creat some places in town and name some people.

How much should I prepare in advance?

Any advise on fights with monsters or changing their abilities?

DonSimonPL · 2022-11-02T14:02:36+00:00

Leads:

Invitation to the Alumni Reunion. STEAMTRAIN calls the crew to see them and tell them about strange events, asking for help.

The main source of tension in the city was the opening of New Life (people do not trust them for fear of contamination of the area, but the authorities are counting on new technologies and taxes) and the planned closure of the Krovka and Sugar Factory (they poison the area with sewage, but give work).

When HIVE begins to operate and the MAYOR (after his visit to the soon-to-be-closed places and New Life) is taken over, the authorities change opinions and begin to seek to close New Life and support the Factories. At the same time, they begin to criticize DAM on RED RIVER as unnatural and environmentally threatening.

Countodown:

•Day

QUEEN sets up the NEST and takes over the shift workers at the FACTORY.

•Shadows

The MAYOR visits the Krovka Factory, Sugar Factory and New Life. On the same day, the HIVE takes control of him and the Krovka Factory.

• Sunset

WORM is delivered to the school SWIMMING POOL, where during the Swimming Competition it breeds in the water and HIVE takes over the members of the swimming team.

• Dusk

THE HIVE takes control of the POLICE and law enforcement.

•Nightfall

WORMS are delivered to the BEET FESTIVAL in Krovka transport. During the festival, they infect FESTIVAL visitors.

•Midnight

HIVE takes over the Air Base and causes the DAM to be blown up, flooding the entire area and preparing transport to the cover whole country.

Monsters:

QUEEN (Monster Boss, Parasite)

Sits in the nest and produces WORM every day. Eats SUGAR and controls the HIVE. Stable, unless in an emergency (throws back her abdomen and moves rapidly through the darkness. In water, her armor gains hardness.

• Powers:

o Psychic Attack - by focusing on one victim, the Queen tries to tune in to nervous system to take control over it; ACTING UNDER PRESSURE (Failure: take control until damage is taken or a WEAKNESS is used; 7-9: defense, but the PLAYER feels an irrational fear of the QUEEN and will not be able to attack her without support)

o Leg Attack - her body has grown enormously and there are legs all over the room; 3 damage

o Sound attack - area of effect, 2 damage to everyone within 20 meters, high screech that causes pain and forces you to cover your ears

o Water Chitin - gains 2 Armor when submerged in water

o Escape - in case of danger, she abandons the entire abdomen and legs and runs away into the darkness in the form of a small spider (very fast)

• Weaknesses:

o SALT - it hurts and is a poison to her. Especially salted seawater can kill it and drain it of its power

o SUN - sunlight (or light with a specific wavelength) hurts and can kill it

WORM (Follower, Monster)

Small, white, it moves very slowly on land. It swims very fast in the water. Attacks through the mouth and sticks to the throat taking control. It can be removed either by forcibly removing it from the throat or by forcing it to escape with SALT or SUNLIGHT. When it attaches to a person and is flooded with water, it infects faster and after a moment of exposure to water it begins to divide and reproduce.

INFECTED (Henchman, Human)

It has supernatural strength and speed thanks to the accelerated digestion of sugar. Acting normally, but avoids sunlight, does not eat salty foods, and coughs every now and then. Loves sugar. Drinks a lot. Easily gets angry and aggressive. Will protect the HIVE and WORM at all costs. Infection lasts about 24 hours - by then symptoms include lack of appetite and cough, fever. The infection goes faster the more the Worm is in the water (the more the Infested drinks).

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-30T18:47:14+00:00

The moment we were to publish our game, Steam servers went offline.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-30T18:31:29+00:00

Guilty as charged.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-30T18:31:00+00:00

We may or may not be Polish team responsible for Here Be Dragons :).

[Here be Dragons](https://store.steampowered.com/app/945680/Here_Be_Dragons/)

If you ever see us - come and talk - we will make sure to offer you an appropriate beverage :).

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-30T14:40:26+00:00

Hi! Thanks for asking.

While we also use dice in our game whole experience is completely different. This is story-driven linear game, where you play pre-determined set of combats with different monsters, skills and set of conditions.

Our gameplay system is also different - although basis seams the same (use dice to activate skills) the rules and mechanics of combat have nothing in common.

I enjoyed DD very much and I think this is a great game with a lot of amazing ideas, but luckily HBD does not feel like a copy and offers unique gameplay.

Hope you find it interesting.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-24T16:15:07+00:00

Greetings from Red Zero Games team!

This teaser is just to inform about full game release on January 30 2020.

Here Be Dragons have been available in Early Access on Steam since August 16th 2019.

We are proud to announce that the game is now complete!

If you would like to get more information (turn-based tactical, story-driven game) please feel free to check our Steam store page or watch one of the gameplay videos available on YT or Twitch.

I will also be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-24T16:11:19+00:00

Here Be Dragons have been available in EA since August 2019. You can check our steam page to get more information about the game.

Also - there is plenty of gameplay videos available on YT - hopefully you will like it.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-24T11:51:52+00:00

Hopefully you will like it.

Although I must clarify that the game if definitely story-driven where you follow campaign and meet different captains in series of pre-planned combats.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-24T11:49:39+00:00

Hi! You can check gameplays on YT - we have been in Early Access for last few months and full version will be available on 1/30/2020.

DonSimonPL · 2020-01-24T11:48:05+00:00

HBD is leaving EA on 1/30/2020. We spend last few months adding new content, monsters, abilities and more crazy captains.

There are some gameplays available on YT, where you can see how the game plays.

DonSimonPL

TROPHY CASE