Volume Two

The God in the Bowl and Other Stories

”Green to civilization, and entirely lawless by nature, Conan the Cimmerian entered the
southern lands in the reaches of Brythunia. Ere long, however, he found his way to the larger
towns of Nemedia, where he made a rough living as a thief..."

-Kurt Busiek, Dark Horse Conan #7

The God in the Bowl (Issues #7-#10)

The Story So Far

Traveling South from Brythunia Conan enters Nemedia- the first truly 'civilized' land has ever
encountered. Here he lives off the land by stealing food and clothing from the hapless villagers
he runs across until he enters the city Bertinus where a short incident involving a city
magistrate, a set of stolen regalia and two hapless thieves force him to considering moving on
again. This incident recommends him to a foppish and deeply indebted young noble named
Aztrias who engages him to steal a Zamorian goblet from the treasure house of Kallian
Publico. Little does Conan know though that greater intrigue than mere robbery passes
beneath that darkened roof that night nor that his steps are dogged by mysterious assassin
intent on embroiling Conan in her mistress's schemes.....

I may never understand why you [people] love to wall yourselves away from the world in
dirty, smelly warrens.....still there are a few things to recommend you."

-Conan, Conan #8

Conan the Wanderer

[as of Issue #7]

Male Cimmerian Level 3 Barbarian/Level 1 Soldier

Hit Dice: 4d10+12 [42 hit points]
Initiative: +7 [+4 Dex; +3 Reflex]
Speed: 30 feet
Defense Value: Dodge 15; Parry 15
Damage Reduction: None
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attack: Broadsword +8 melee [1d10+6; 19-20 x2 critical; AP 7] (1)
Full Attack: Broadsword +8 melee [1d10+6; 19-20 x2 critical; AP 7]
Special Attacks: Crimson Mist; Versatility
Special Qualities: Bite Sword
Saves: Fort +9 (2); Ref +7; Will +6 (3)
Abilities: Str 18; Dex 18; Con 17; Int 16; Wis 15; Cha 17
Skills: Balance +6; Bluff +9 (4); Climb +13; Craft [blacksmith] +5; Hide +8 (5); Intimidate
+7 (6); Jump +9; Listen +7 (5); Move Silently +8 (5); Spot +7 (5); Survival +9 (5); Swim
+8
Feats: Brawl; Endurance; Fighting Madness; Power Attack; Sleep Mastery; Track
Reputations: Brave [Brythunia- 5, Cimmeria- 3]; Criminal [Nemedia- 7]; Villain [Aerie- 7]
Code of Honour: Barbaric

Languages Known: Aquilonian, Brythunian, Cimmerian, Hyperborean, Nemedian,

Nordenheimer, Pictish

Equipment: Broadsword, cheap Tunic, Loincloth

(1) Conan prefers to use his Broadsword two-handed. His statistics reflect this.
(2) Conan's Endurance Feat gives him +4 to all appropoiate saving throws.
(3) Includes the effects of Conan’s Barbaric Code of Honour which also gives him an additional
+3 against Corruption tests. He also receives a +2 bonus against Fear and Terror checks due
to his Fearless special ability.
(4) As a Cimmerian Conan suffers a -2 racial penalty to the verbal use of this skill. He suffers
no penalties for non-verbal uses of this skill such as Feinting.
(5) As a Cimmerian Conan gains a +2 bonus to these skill checks in Cold or Temperate Hill
and Mountain Terrain.
(6) Conan uses the Bully verson of Intimidate which allows him to use his Strength as an
ability Modifer for this skill.

After his disasterous adventures in the northern reaches of Hyboria Conan decides to drift
aimlessly about the southern reaches of Brythunia and enters into Nemedia. Low on supplies
and lawless by nature he exists by stealing what he needs from others, little understanding
ideas such a property and laws. His curoisity leads him to Belarius where after being splashed
by mud by the city magistrate Attarus he decides to teach the arrogant nobleman a lesson. He
is forced to run off when the town watch arrives, but breaks into Attarus's mansion that night.
After swiftly disabling the ineffectual guards, Conan at first thinks to slay the man but then
decides steals his gold ornaments as killing such a coward would be of little satisfaction to
him.

Ignorant of civilized rule Conan fails to recognize the ornaments as sacred regalia which are
easily recognizable and thus unsellable. The town watch begins to hear rumors of a thief
stupid enough to try and sell Attarus's crown and scepteropenly and Conan spends a frantic
night staying one one step ahead of them by ducking from alley to alley, wineshop to
wineshop.

In a small nameless tavern he meets a pair of low- rent thieves named Triagio and Viartus
mugging a hapless merchant. Concocting a plan born of desperation he tells the two of he
theft, tempting them to steal the regalia- just as the city watch bursts into the tavern. Having
slipped into a side room, he watched with amusement as the sputtering thieves are dragged
away to rough justice.

Little did Conan know that two others in the bar were silently evaluating his performance. The
first was the nephew of the governer of Numalia- a foppish fool named Aztrias Petanius who
was more fond of drinking, women and gambling than he was wise. Deep in debt he had
concocted a foolish plan- that with the help of his friend Tinna he wuld hire a thief from
Belarius and have them steal a prized bejeweled Zamorian goblet hidden in the treasure house
of Kallian Publico and sell it to pay off his debts. Seeing in Conan a useful tool he offers to hire
Conan for the theft and to pay him well for it. This particular job would prove to more difficult
than either man realized.

The other one watching him that night was Janissa, an assassin oathed to the mysterous
sorceress known only as the Bone Woman- a sorceress who watched Conan for purposes yet
unrevealed in a game that had been going on for centuries.....

”Stupid oaf! You think yourself a warrior? You think you can give me advice? You’re a fool- a
fool who let yourself become addled by drink in Vantia- in a unfamiliar town!”

“Vantia! That was the town’s name! But how- ?”

“Who do you think struck you from behind, hm? Left you passed out in a pool of cheap wine?”

-Janissa and Conan, Conan #11

Janissa the Widowmaker

[First Appearance Conan #7]
Female Zingaran Level 10 Swordmaiden [Level 5 Soldier/Level 5 Temptress]
Hit Dice: 5d10 + 5d6 + 20 [74 Hit Points]
Initiative: +12 [+5 Ref; +5 Dex; +2 synergy bonus]
Move: 30 feet
Defense Value: Dodge 20 (1), Parry 16
Damage Reduction: None
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+10
Attack: The Bone Woman’s blade +13 melee finesse [1d10+2; 18-20 x2 critical; AP 8] (2)
[see upcoming post on New Magic Items] or Throwing Blade +13 ranged [1d6+2; x3 critical;
AP 4; 10 foot range increment] [see upcoming post on New Weapons]
Full Attack: The Bone Woman’s blades +13/+8 and +13/+8 melee finesse [1d10+2/1d10+1;
18-20 x2 critical; 8 AP] or Throwing Blades +13/+8 ranged [1d6+2; x3 critical; AP 4; 10 foot
range increment]
Special Attacks: Art of Distraction, Sneak Attack +3d6 (1) (3), Weapon Familiarity
[Greatsword]; +1 racial bonus to attack with Arming Swords or Broadswords
Special Qualities: Aura of Authority; Binding Contract; Comeliness; Formation Combat-
skirmisher; Savior Faire; Spurn Seduction; Title (4); Vigilance
Saves: Fort +7; Ref +10; Will +11 (5)
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 19
Skills: Balance +14; (3); Bluff +19 (5); Climb +14; Diplomacy +6 (3)(6)(7); Disguise +9 (6);
Escape Artist +15; Gather Information +13 (6); Hide +25 (1); Heal +3; Intimidate +25 (5)
(6)(7); Knowledge [local] +6; Knowledge [nobility] +4; Knowledge [tactics] +7; Listen +21
(8); Move Silently +25 (1); Perform [virginity] +5 (6); Profession [sailor] +4 (3); Ride +7;
Sense Motive +16 (3); Sleight of Hand +15; Spot +21 (8); Survival +4; Tumble +23, Use
Rope +8 (3)
Feats: Acrobatic; Cleave; Combat Expertise; Exotic Weapon Proficiency [moonblade] [see
upcoming post on New Weapons]; Improved Feint; Light Footed; No Honour; Noble Blood;
Power Attack; Sneak Subdual

Reputation: Brave [Hyborian Kingdoms- 15]

Code of Honour: No Honour
Allegiance: The Bone Woman
Corruption: 3
Insanities: Socipathy (minor) [See upcoming post on New Insanities]

Languages Known: Aquilonian, Brythunian, Corinthian, Demonic, Hyrkanian. Kothic,

Nemedian, Ophirian, Shemtish, Zamorian, Zingaran

Possessions The Bone Woman’s blades; an Akbitanan Poniard and twelve Throwing Blades
hidden about her outfit; the smaller stone of a set of crystal balls of speech and vision;
Merchant class halter-top and loincloth

(1) Includes Light Footed Feat

(2) When using one of the Bonewoman’s blades alone Janissa often uses it double handed. If
she is doing so, increase her attack damage by 1
(3) Includes racial bonus or penalty
(4) Though technically a minor member of Zingaran nobility, Janissa does not use her original
name and makes no use of her Title
(5) Includes Aura of Authority special quality and the No Honour Feat. Due to the No Honour
Feat and her own Corruption Janissa only possesses a +5 saving throw against Corruption.
(6) Includes effect of Corruption
(7) Includes synergy bonus
(8) Includes Vigilance special ability

Background

”You’d hear my tale then? Hear my story? Hnh. How is it such tales begin? ‘Once upon a
time’? Very well then Conan of Cimmeria, One up a time there was silly, stupid girl….”
-Janissa, Conan #11

The woman who would later be known as Janissa the Widowmaker was born the daughter of a
prosperous merchant named Lestario. Blessed with wealth and cursed with a lack of sons,
Lestario sought to marry his daughters into the nobility that his heirs might be of royal linage.
Two of daughters proved tractable to this plan, their thought consisting of little else save
wearing fancy clothes, attending dances and marryingrich young lordlings. The third daughter
was of a different temperament. Rather than be married off like good traded and sold, she
longed for freedom, to be a warrior and to earn her way in the world by her skills and
determination rather be an expensive ornament to a jaded noble. So one night she stole one
of her father’s horses she fled his estate seeking a sorceress reputed to live in the hills to
implore her aid.

So the daughter of Lestario discovered the Bone Woman and spoke her wish to be powerful,
skilled and the equal of any man in battle. There the woman who would be known as Janissa
struck a deal with the Bone Woman. In exchange for making her a warrior of great prowess
she would serve the Bone Woman for a length of time equal to twice the time her training
time. The Bone Woman’s method of training would be quite different than what he girl
expected. After being rendered unconscious by the Bone Woman’s powdered Yellow Lotus
Mash, the girl found herself sealed in a deep cave whose only entrance was far out of reach.
From that entrance the Bone Woman tossed a single weapon- one of the magical blades that
bears her name- and bade the girl make good use of it as her first lesson was upon her. A few
moments later a foul creature, a minor demon of vile countenance leapt from the shadows. It
easily overcame the girl and bore her to the ground, tearing at her garments. Under the Bone
Woman’s cold gaze the demon repeatedly raped the girl repeatedly until she passed out from
the pain. When she awoke the Bone Woman crouched over the girl with food and water.
“Rest.” the Bone Woman said. “Regain your strength [and] think on your mistakes, on what
you might have done better. There will be two them tonight.”

”…and the girl began dully to comprehend that someday, somehow, there might be an end to
her ordeal. But it did not come. It did not come.”

-Janissa, Conan #11

So it continued. By day the girl would heal and recover from the assaults of the night before
and practice with weapon she had been given. At night the demons would come their number
increased by one. The demons fought not to kill, but to overcome the girl and violate her at
their will. When the girl killed the first one, the Bone Woman treated her wounds with magical
herbs and taught her knowledge of strategy and tactics. The next night she killed two before
being overcome by their numbers. As the girl killed more, the Bone Woman used her bone
melding spell to speed the girl’s recovery. As the number of demons who died at the girl’s
blade grew, the Bone Woman granted the girl the magical blade’s twin.

In the nearly lightless pit, time had no meaning. Every ounce of softness, mercy or
compassion melted away from the girl, making her a hardened killer with little equal, thus
fulfilling the Bone Woman’s promise. Demon after demon fell to her blades until no more did
any bear her down to the ground and violate her. She slew horde after horde for a month until
the entire cave was an abattoir strewn with bodies of unclean beings Then the Bone Woman
deemed her warrior’s training complete and the girl took the name Janissa. And she serves the
Bone Woman’s whim to this day, the time of her service to that immortal sorceress not yet
complete.

Appearance

The Corruption of her mentor has not left Janissa untouched. Prior to meeting the Bone
Woman, she had a larger, more voluptuous figure and bore auburn brown curls and light
brown eyes. After her harrowing, her hair became straight and blood red and her figure spare
of any softer flesh. She also bears a scar from her ordeal in the demon pit from her left eye to
her lip. Her eye color is so dark that the seem bottomless pits when she is angered or her
bloodlust is stirred, which is often. Blood red lips often part in a sardonic smile to reveal
perfect ivory teeth. Yet she retains a striking, almost frightening beauty and dresses in a
provocative manner in order to distract the men she battles. She disdains armor, electing
greater mobility and the ability to fade from view if a conflict turns against her. If she needs to
move among people without attracting notice she often doffs a heavy cloak to disguise her
outré gear and appearance. Unknown to most people the ruby set in the pommel of her
Poinard is the smaller stone in a set of crystal balls of speech and vision she uses to keep in
touch with her mistress.

Combat

”Pff, I thought you break me in two…?”

“And perhaps I can. But you have more skill than I’d expect from a woman.”

“Most men I’ve faced wouldn’t admit to that. Then again, most don’t live long enough.”

-Janissa and Conan, Conan #11

Janissa is assassin, little interested in the rules of fair combat or chivalry. If she means to take
the life of an opponent she will make use liberal use of her Sneak Attack, setting her target up
for it by using surprise, Art of Distraction, Improved Feint or the Stunt Attack combat
maneuver. She’ll often make use of her Throwing Blades to strike down opponents in the
beginning of combat via Sneak Attack before engaging in melee. On larger or heavily armored
targets opponents she’s make use of her Power Attack Feat using her blade two handed to
maximize the Feat’s effectiveness. If faced with a large number of lesser skilled opponents she
revels in the opportunity to use her Cleave Feat to gorge her bloodlust.

Janissa values her own skin- she will make use of Combat Expertise and/or fight Defensively if
she feels hard pressed. Her high Tumble skills allows her to move about a fight with little
chance of ever suffering an Attack of Opportunity allowing her to come and go in a battle as
she pleases. She had no compunction against retreating from greater opponents to seek a
better opportunity to attack them later.

Roleplaying Notes

”What do I care? What do I care if Kalanthes wins through- or if Thoth-Amon guts him and
eats him and lays waste to the world? I do the Bone Woman’s bidding, as I swore to.”

-Janissa, Conan #12

Janissa is a functional sociopath. Human life, ideals, laws and even common courtesy have no
meaning to her. Even the survival of the human race is irrelevant to her. Only the will of Bone
Woman motivates her. If order to protect and aid a person important to the Bone Woman’s
goals she does so. If ordered to kill a person she does it. If ordered to knock a Cimmerian
barbarian unconscious, take him to another town and leave him for the watch to find she does
so. What purpose it serves she cares not. The Bone Woman has effectively stripped her
humanity from her. On the other hand Janissa has never been known to kill a person
completely out of hand or without reason showing an core of iron hard control and the ability
to defer her bloodlust if needed. Her life is certainly violent enough that she has ample
opportunity to satisfy her need for conflict during the fulfillment of her duties.....

Yet Janissa is likely to appear in a game as an ally rather than enemy to PCs. The Bone
Woman often desires to thwart the ambitions of other, more powerful sorcerers and rather
than opposing them directly she helps their enemies. Often this involves sending Janissa to
watch over those devoted to the downfall of her enemies, either covertly eliminating threats to
them or placing useful allies in their path or more overtly as a bodyguard. Janissa often hold
little regard for such ‘do-gooders’ and is merciless in scorn and ridicule to what she sees as
their naiveté, inexperience and incompetence. Often such ‘allies’ can begin to hate her worse
than the one she is protecting them from.

Should Janissa survive long enough to fulfill her term of service to the Bone Woman and
regain her freedom, few could guess at what she would do were she free to act of her own
violation.

”Tell her I tried. I was unable to sway the Duke’s advisors. They are too loyal. I have returned
the money. I have paid more, as apology! Can she not leave me be? Can she not- But no. She
does not send you to talk. Kill her, men. Let that be an end to it.”

-Dion Pirenus, Conan #7

Dion Pirenus
[First appearance Conan #7]

Ponitainan Aquilonian Level 6 Courtier (1)

Hit Dice: 4d6 [16 Hit Points]
Initiative: +1 [+2 Reflex; -1 Dexterity]
Movement: 30 Feet
Defense Value: Dodge 11; Parry 14
Damage Reduction: None
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Dagger +5 melee [1d4+2; 19-20 x2 critical; AP 3]
Full Attack: Same
Special Attacks: +1 to attack with Hunting Bow
Special Qualities: Adaptability [Bluff, Profession (merchant)]; Enhanced Leadership; Lead By
Example +2; Rank Has It Privileges; Social Ability [refuge]; Title; Wealth;
Saves: Fort +2; Ref +1; Will +7
Abilities: Str 14; Dex 9; Con 11; Int 15; Wis 14; Cha 14
Skills: Appraise +10; Bluff +15 (2)(3); Diplomacy +16 (4)(5); Disguise +5 (6); Forgery +13
(6); Gather Information +16 (5) (7); Intimidate +12 (2)(5); Knowledge [local] +11;
Knowledge [nobility] +11; Listen +5; Professikon [merchant] +16 (2)(8); Sense Motive +13
(7); Spot +5;
Feats: Deceitful, Investigator; Negotiator, Persuasive; Skill Focus [Profession (merchant)]
Code of Honour: None
Reputation: Talented [Poitain- 8]

Equipment: Concealed Dagger; Noble class turban, robe and shift

(1) This class were created on the Mongoose Forum by geordiekimbo. Further information on
the class can be found here:
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?
t=12274&start=0.
(2) Includes Adaptability special ability
(3) Includes Persuasive Feat
(4) Includes Negotiator Feat
(5) Includes synergy bonus
(6) Includes Deceitful Feat
(7) Includes Investigator Feat
(8) Includes Skill Focus Feat

Dion Pirenus was a merchant of some account in the Aquilonian province of Poitain. In his
youth he rose suddenly from the ranks of common merchants suddenly with a series of very
timely investments that paid very handsomely. With this money he established a name for
himself, gained control of certain tradestuffs within the province and became a sometimes
advisor for the local nobility over matters of trade and taxation.
Few knew however that the source of Dion’s initial success was not born of his shrewd skill
and solid intellect- of which he possessed a not inconsequential amount- but of a deal made
with the ancient sorceress known as the Bone Woman. To her skill with the arts of divination
the mere forecast of which commodities would be of value in the near future was child’s play.
In return for her help she would ask certain favours of Dion to affect policy in the province of
Poitain to be more to her liking. Fearing her power and the skill of her pet assassin Janissa the
Widowmaker, Dion obeyed these instructions to the best of his ability but secret longed to be
free of her influence.

In Conan’s sixteenth year of life, Dion influence proven to be too little to sway the local Duke’s
advisors into a policy more to the Bone Woman’s liking. He repaid the Bone Woman’s agent
with interest in attempt to apologize to her for his failing, but her rightly feared her wrath
would descend upon him nonetheless. He retired to his refuge- a villa high in the Poitainan
Mountains that had once served as a fortress in the province’s past. He also took the
precaution of hiring a large number of soldiers to guard his fortress and devised an ambush
for Janissa for when she arrived. In the end all of Dion’s precautions proved to be futile.
Janissa easily infiltrated his villa, fought through his ambush and slew him where he hid in the
highest tower of the villa.

Hyborian Sentry (1)

Hyborian Level 1 Soldier

Hit Dice: 1d10+1 [7 Hit Points]

Initiative: +4 [Improved Initiative]
Speed: 30 feet
Defense Value: Dodge 10; Parry 12
Damage Reduction: 5 [Leather Jerkin and Steel Cap]
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: War Spear +3 melee [2d6+3; x2 critical; AP 5; Reach] or Shortsword +3 melee
[1d8+2; 19-20 x2 critical; AP 3]
Full Attack: Same
Special Attacks: Weapon Familiarity [Greatsword]
Special Qualities: Adaptability [Listen, Spot] (2)
Saves: Fort +3; Ref +0; Will +2
Abilities: Str 14; Dex 10; Con 13; Int 10; Wis 14; Cha 10
Skills: Knowledge [nobility] +2; Listen +10 (3); Perform [Guard Mount] +4; Profession
[Soldier] +4; Search +4; Spot+10 (3)
Feats: Alertness; Eyes of the Cat; Improved Initiative
Code of Honour: None (2)
Reputation: Brave [City or Fortress- 1]
Advancement: As Soldier

(1) Statistic for Sentries reflect soldiers in similar roles throughout the Hyborian Kingdoms.
Dion Pirenus’s men were Poitainan Aquilonians
(2) As the religion of Mitra is prominent among the Hyborians individual Sentries may possess
the Faith special quality and/or a civilized Code of Honour at the Gamemaster’s discretion.
(3) Includes Adaptability special ability and Alertness Feat

A common type of soldier found in every Hyborian army, town, city, fortress, palace or
wealthy merchant’s home Sentries are soldiers meant to detect unlawful entry to an area.
Found equally on the picket line of an invading army or the banquet hall of a feasting noble
family a Sentry’s job is to keep their eyes and ears open for any sign of trouble and to give
the alarm if they find it. They also man checkpoints in and out of secure areas in order to
screen incoming guests and search them for concealed weapons or other contraband. Because
they often interact with prominent individuals in somewhat tense moments most Sentries have
pocked up a little knowledge of the proper forms of address and custom of the elite to avoid
offending the wrong people at the wrong time. As they often occupy ceremonial posts they
also are well practiced in the cadence and maneuvers of the formal guard mount of their
station.

Sentries are taught to fight and are competent at it but are hopelessly outmatched by
profession mercenaries, veteran line soldiers or skilled assassins- as Janissa the Widowmaker
demonstrated so readily. Like many civilians Dion Pirenus erred in having a great number of
Sentries to watch over his stronghold but having no heavier type of troop ready to reinforce
them. Thus Janissa defeated his entire guard corps in short order and with great pleasure.

Dion Pirenus’s Villa

Long before the unification of Aquilonia the various provinces of that nation were smaller
warring nation fighting with each other for mastery. In those times Poitain was among the
greatest of those countries, having the most fertile land, borders defended by nearly
impassable mountain ranges in west and south, doughty and fierce knights. It was the last to
be incorporated into the larger Aquilonian empire and was a matter or statecraft, not war. Its
absorption was rather recent in terms of that nations history. Some Poitainains still believe
that Poitain should have remained a separate kingdom and await an opportunity to divide from
Aquilonia safely.

In those troubled times before unification, the Poitainains warred also with the Zingaran. At
that time the Zingaran forces occupied land far west of their current borders into land now
occupied by the Poitainains. After cementing their alliance with the Aquilonian empire Poitain
turned its full attention to the Zingarans and drove them back beyond the Alimane river. The
land was resettled by Poitain lords and became part of the larger nation.

In the process of this shifting of borders a number of fortifications of both Poitainain and
Zingarain make that once occupied strategic points along the former front were now within the
nation’s borders. These structures were no longer important to Poitainains and were
abandoned to the decline of the ages. Generation later a shrewd merchant named Dion
Pirenus purchased one of the fortifications of Zingaran make from a rather impoverished noble
family. Though Dion has several houses within the important cities of Poitain, his dealings with
rather powerful individuals- the most dangerous being the sorceress known as the Bone
Woman- made the possession of a defensible structure a wise investment.

Dion had the structure refurbished and redesigned it with an eye to the aesthetic. Thought still
defensible it lacked the dour lines and forbidding air that many fortifications possess. He also
has the fortification manned with a number of sentries to keep out undesired visitors. The villa
however could hold over ten times the men Dion could afford to hire and could not withstand a
true siege or assault in it’s current state. Its walls are seemingly sheer to eyes of men such as
Dion but are filled with cracks and seams that could utilized easily by a skilled climber. The
villa contains several towers and domes that are lightly furnished with some of Dion’s prized
works of art and oddities acquired in his life.

After failing the Bone Woman, Dion retreated to his with as many men as he could hire to
protect himself from the coming of her assassin Janissa the Widowmaker. The villa was no
deterrent to a person as skilled as Janissa. Dion Pirenus’s life was measured only in the time it
took Janissa to reach his villa.

Adventure Hook: Hearing of the death of Dion Pirenus and his men, a party of PCs may be
tempted to raid the villa for the treasures of Dion ere his heirs arrive to take claim of the villa
themselves. Though Janissa slew all the men within the walls of the villa what else might have
also arrived? Ghouls are know to stalk the wilds in that region and other more foul things may
be attracted to the smell of carrion. Rival thieves might also have had the same idea. The
heirs might show up as well, with forces of their own to secure the villa for themselves. A
bandit chief might fancy to turn it into his base of operations. Dion and his men spirits might
not rest so easily and haunt the halls of the villa n undying bodies or spirit. One or more of his
objects d’art may be a sorcerous and/or cursed. The Bone Woman, eager to display her own
powers might have left a curse to linger at the villa and its future inhabitants.

”You are a man of destiny, Cimmerian. For good or ill, it is within you to shake the world. But
other there are who also walk with heavy tread, and cast broad and lengthy shadows. Your
path and that of another draw close. It will prove interesting to see what comes, should these
paths cross. Yes, interesting indeed…”

-The Bone Woman, Conan #8

The Bone Woman

Female Aboriginal (1) Level 4 Hermit/Level 16 Scholar [Level 2 Barbarian/Level 18 Scholar]

Hit Dice: 2d10 + 8d6 + 30 [78 Hit Points]
Initiative: +11 [+8 Reflex; +3 Dexterity]
Movement: 30 Feet
Defense Value: Dodge 20; Parry 18
Damage Reduction: None
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+17
Attack: Staff of knowledge +19 melee finesse [2d4+3; x2 critical; AP 3; Reach]
Full Attack: Staff of knowledge +19/+14/+9 melee finesse [2d4+3; x2 critical; AP 3; Reach]
Special Attacks: Versatility
Special Qualities: Arcane Sustenance; Fearless; Increased Maximum Power Points
[quadruple]; Knowledge is Power; Scholar Background [Independent]
Saves: Fort +11; Ref +11; Will + 22 (2)
Abilities: Str 14; Dex 16; Con 15; Int 25; Wis 22; Cha 22
Skills: Bluff +15 (3); Craft [alchemy]+29 (4); Craft [herbalism] +33 (4)(5); Craft
[weaponsmith] +31 (4); Diplomacy +15; (3)(5); Hide +12 (6); Heal +20 (5)(7); Intimidate
+19 (3); Knowledge [arcane] +27; Knowledge [geography] +18; Knowledge [history] +18;
Knowledge [nature] +18; Knowledge [nobility] +18; Listen + 14; Move Silently +12 (6);
Sense Motive +22; Spot +14; Survival +20 (5)(6)(7)
Feats: Craft Magic Item; Craft Major Magic Item; Craftswoman; Diviner [see upcoming post on
New Feats]; Iron Will; No Honour; Permanent Sorcery, Ritual Sacrifice; Self Sufficient,
Tortured Sacrifice, Track

Reputation: Talented [Zingara, Hyrkania, possibly others- 26]

Code of Honour: No Honour
Alligance: None
Corruption: 8
Insanities: Sadism [major] [see upcoming post about New Insanities]

Base Magical Attack Bonus: +15 [+9 natural; +6 Cxharisma]; +17 with spells of the
Divination style of Sorcery
Base Power Points: 15 [9 natural; +5 Wis]
Maximum Power Points: 60
Sorcery Styles Known: Cosmic Sorcery; Curses; Divination; Immortality; Necromancy;
Summoning
Spells Known: Agonizing doom; astrological prediction; bone melding [see upcoming post on
New Magic]; curse of Yizil; death touch; dream of wisdom; dream projection [see upcoming
post on New Magic]; eternal youth; eyes of the dead; gelid bones; greater sorcerous news;
lesser ill-fortune; life drain; master-words and signs; projection; psychmetery; raise corpse;
sorcerous news; summon demon; summon essence; the stars are right; the time is right;
visions; visions of torment and enlightenment; witch’s vigour

Equipment: Staff of knowledge; Robe; at least one of a set of crystal ball of speech and vision,
ten doses of powdered Yellow Lotus Mash. Due to her skill and great age, the Bone Woman
likely has created or has access to a large variety of herbal, alchemical and enchanted items
that she can draw upon as needed.
(1) See upcoming post on New Races
(2) Includes Iron Will and No Honour Feats. Due to the No Honour Feat and her own
Corruption the Bone Woman has only a +11 saving throw against Corruption. The Bone
Woman has a +2 morale bonus to all Fear and Terror checks due to her Fearless special ability

(3) Includes effects of Corruption

(4) Include Craftswoman Feat
(5) Includes synergy bonus
(6) As an Aboriginal the Bone Woman has +2 racial bonus to all skill checks with this skill in
Hill Terrain
(7) Includes Self-Sufficient Feat

[The above is an estimate of the Bone Woman abilities, powers and resources from the scant
knowledge of her. It may undergo revision if future chronicles reveal more of her nature]

Not much is known about the mysterious individual known as the Bone Woman though
legends about her abound. Those few who have seen her projection, or even more rarely her
living form, describe her as an ancient and withered crone with thin wispy hair and lean,
almost emaciated brown skinned body. Her eyes appear clouded by cataracts and she leans
heavily on her gnarled staff. Few that are wise would think her powerless though.

The truth is that the Bone Woman is the last surviving member of the ancient Aboriginal races
that preceded the Hyborian Age humans. Achieving the means of immortality through her art,
the Bone Woman has survived these long millennia on the edges of human civilization,
watching and brooding over the fates of men and other things. Of all the living sorcerers in the
world, she is one that is most gifted in the art of Divination. She sifts through the fates of men
and nations with her greater sorcerous news spell looking for individuals and events of great
potential, seeking to bend their fates to her own goals. What these goals are and why she
does this is unknown. She has grown so old that money, status, wealth or the other physical
trappings of the world have no further meaning to her. She could likely buy kingdoms or
command kings as puppets if she put her mind to it. Perhaps this game of hers is the way she
prevents her mind from succumbing to the long ennui of the ages.

The Bone Woman likes her privacy though. Though many of heard of her, she knows if
someone is seeking her well in advance and can take steps to remain hidden if she desires to.
Those seeking to find information about her magically learn that she has used greater
sorcerous news to eliminate all traces of her past and movements. If a person does stumble
upon her it is because she wishes them to find her.

From time to time the Bone Woman takes a champion. Her usual method is to take a
malleable youth of high potential and mold them with brutal means into a ruthless killer. She
is never so course as to kidnap them or force them in her service but to let them find her and
agree to her methods of their own free will. Her methods are severe- Janissa’s ‘training’ was a
typical example. She is careful not to kill these potential champions out of hand- most injuries
suffered will be not be life threatening but greatly painful and humiliating and the Bone
Woman’s skill with healing is great enough to prevent them from dying unless she desires
them to. A few of her potential champions commit suicide rather than submit to her will. Those
champions that do survive typical wield the magical weapons that bear her name in her
service.

On other occasions when a person of great potential but far too willful to break arises from the
common lots of men, the Bone Woman seeks to suborn them to their will by offering them
‘advice’ and giving ‘favours’. Then she will begin to ask favours from these people and slowly
but surely draw them into her web of manipulation until there are little but her puppets. Her
current interest is the career of the young barbarian Conan. Sensing that the priest Kalanthes
might need more assistance than Janissa could provide in his opposition to Thoth-Amon, she
manipulated events so that Conan was hired by Kalathes as an additional bodyguard. This
proved to be true. Without Conan’s assistance Kalathes would most likely been slain by Thoth-
Amon and Thoth-Amon would have gained the mystical weapon known as Eye of Tik-Pulonga-
making the Stygian far more powerful than the Bone Woman felt was safe. The Bone Woman
predicted that Kalathes would succeed in destroying the gem but that Conan would be slain in
the conflict between the two. That Conan survived surprised her greatly and spoke to the
great potential he possessed. In a dream projection the Bone Woman tempted Conan with
providing him her support and protection. Conan refused her and she departed relatively
peacefully. She is likely not done with the Cimmerian giant and it is a good bet that she and
her champion will cross paths with him again.

Roleplaying Notes: The Bone Woman makes an excellent ally, enemy or even interested
neutral in any campaign. Most adventuring parties will be doing something of interest to her
and she’ll gladly help, hinder or manipulate them as the circumstances call for. This will also
likely mean that her current champion Janissa will be watching them from the shadows……

New Race

Aboriginal

Mankind has had many branches of evolution, but not all have blossomed so readily as the
Hyborians and their ilk. There are many previous examples of men both extinct and extant. Of
these are the earlier races known collectively as the aboriginal tribes. The aboriginals came
from many different terrains and had widely differing characteristics in skin color, hair and
eyes. They were on average slightly smaller and leaner than the more modern races of man.
The retained a hunter gather lifestyle, preferring to remain in harmony with the land and as a
rule never develop agriculture or the more advanced forms of civilization that come with it.
Later races of men pushed the aboriginals from their lands and into the more desolate corners
of the earth. Although most people assume the aboriginals are extinct if they know of them at
all a few tribes still exist in small pockets of isolated communities that maintain little to no
contact with the rest of the human race. The Bone Woman however is the last remaining
member of her tribe who has kept herself alive by dark magic for centuries. It should be noted
that there are several aboriginal tribes alive today, the most notable being the few tribes still
alive in the deserts of Australia.

Culture: Aboriginals retain a Stone Age hunter gather society for the most part. Every able
man of the tribe capable of holding a spear is a hunter and ever woman capable of pulling a
plant out of the soil is a gatherer. Each day those members of the tribe that do not raise
children or guard their home leave to collect as much food as they can. Marriages are usually
arranged though occasional love match can occur. Unlike the Picts Aboriginals are not war-like
for the most part, preferring to avoid contact with others than fight pitched battles. Hunters
are expected to defend the tribe, but offensive raids and attacks on rival tribes are almost
unheard of. An aboriginal society usually has an informal informal ruling council including
several chiefs and in most cases a shaman.

Names: There are no recorded instances of aboriginal names in the Hyborian world. The Bone
Woman’s nickname was given to her by those who have heard of her unique bone melding
spell.

Religion: Aboriginals are animists, worshipping the spirits within nature itself and the
ancestor sprits of their tribe. A shaman acts as the emissary to these spirits on behalf of the
tribe, speaking with the spirits and appeasing them on behalf of the tribe so that might not
grow angry and withdraw their favour. This almost never involves human sacrifice or the
darker aspects of sorcery. The Bone Woman is an rather prominent exception to this
tendency. Ceremonies usually involve fasting, dancing and singing and usually community
events. Few aboriginals have any contact with Outsiders, considering them unclean. A shaman
found to be consorting with these beings will be killed if possible, fled from if not. It is unlikely
the Bone Woman enjoyed a good relationship with her former tribe.

Racial Features: All of the following are racial features of the aboriginals.
- -2 Intelligence; +2 Constitution. Aboriginals lack a literate culture and are poor at book
learning. The harsh environments they dwell in tend to harden their bodies early in life.

-Illiterate. Aboriginals lack a written language. They start the game without the ability to read
and write but may pay 2 skill points and gain the resources to learn that skill in order to get it
at later date.

-Native Terrain. Aboriginals are masters of living in harmony their native environment, capable
of vanishing into the underbrush or living off the land indefinitely. Upon character creation, a
native terrain must be chosen for the character from the following list to represent the terrain
their tribe lives on: Forest, Hills, Mountains, Plains or Swamp. In this environment this
aboriginal has a +2 racial bonus to all Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot and Survival
skill checks.

Background Skills: Hide; Move Silently; Spot; Survival

Favoured Class: Barbarian

Prohibited Classes: Noble, Pirate

Automatic Language: Tribal Dialect- each tribe possesses their own unique tongue. There is
no ‘common’ aboriginal tongue.

Bonus Languages: Other local barbarian tribal dialects, the languages of the neighboring
civilized, countries about them.

New Feat

Diviner
Requirements: Divination Sorcery style; Base Magical Attack Bonus of +1 or higher

The mysteries and illusions of Space, Time and Fate are easily understood by the character.
They receive a +2 competence bonus to their Magic Attack roll for all spells from the
Divination style of Sorcery.

New Weapon

Moonblade
Exotic One Handed Melee Weapon
Cost: 150 silver luna
Damage: 1d10
Critical: 18-20/x2
Armor Piercing: 2
Hardness: 6
Hit Points: 8
Weight: 2 lbs.
Type: Slashing
Finesse: Yes

A nearly unique weapon a moonblade is not a product of any known culture. Likely it a design
of a earlier culture that the Bone Woman pirated or perhaps it a product of her own extinct
people. A moonblade combines the properties of an Arming Sword and a Scimitar to create a
weapon well suited to killing but with several flaws. The blade rises out the hilt straight for a
foot and a half and then curves in a crescent shape for three feet and ends in a narrow point.
While this provides a unique leverage that gives the weapon an excellent damage potential it
requires a good deal of practice to use properly. The thin blade and abrupt curvature of the
blade also make it significantly weaker that a traditionally forged blade.
The only known example of moonblades are the Bone Woman’s blades.

New Magical Weapons

The Bone Woman’s Blades

Cost: In valuable
Damage: 1d10
Critical: 18-20/x2
Armor Piercing: 8
Hardness: 19
Hit Point: 36
Weight: 1 lb.
Type: Slashing
Finesse: Yes

Enchanted: The Bone Woman’s blades are enchanted and inflict damage on creature
normally immune to physical damage such as those that are only harmed by fire and silver,
out of phase, immaterial etc.

Preservation: The Bone Woman’s blades do not rust, tarnish or age in any way.

The only known examples of moonblades known to exist, the Bone Woman’s blades are
typically the property of her current champion. As of Conan’s sixteenth year of life this is
Janissa the Widowmaker. The blades are made of a metal with a coppery golden sheen that is
far harder that conventional steel, even Akibitan steel itself thus compensating for the fragile
design of the moonblade. The weapons are plain and utilitarian, hilted in gray bone and
unadorned. They are among the most prized possession of the Bone Woman- should someone
defeat her champion the Bone Woman will not cease hunting them until she recover her
property. On more than one occasion she took the new bearer of the blades as her new
champion- whether said individuals wishes to or not.

New Spell

Bone Melding [Advanced Spell of the Necromancy style of Sorcery]

Power point Cost: 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Eight hours
Range: Touch
Subject: Self or one other creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Prerequisites: raise corpse Base Magic Attack Bonus of +6 or greater
Skill Check: Heal DC 20

Bone melding is a rather morbid method of healing used by necromancers in the Hyborian
Age. The material component is a bone of a eleventh level or greater character which is
strapped over the same bone of the spell’s target and left against the skin for the spell’s
casting time. If the caster’s skill check is passed, the bone gradually dissolves into the person,
transmitting the portion of the life energy of the bone’s original owner into the target. This has
the effect of restoring all hit points and Attribute damage lost by the target. The effect is
rather unsettling though to those unaccustomed to this sort of thing. Many choose to sleep
through the entire process.

New Spell

Dream Projection [Advanced Spell of the Divination style of Sorcery]

Power Point Cost: 2 per minute or 4 per minute

Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Distant [1000 miles plus 100 miles per level of Scholar the caster possesses]
Effect: One dram image of the sorcerer
Saving Throw: Special [see below]
Prerequisites: Astrological prediction; dream of wisdom; visions; ten ranks of Knowledge
[arcaca]
Skill Check: Knowledge [arcane] DC 10 +1 per 100 miles distant the target is beyond the first
100 miles.

Dream projection is a spell designed to allow a projection of the sorcerer’s own psyche to
invade the dreams of another. For this spell to work, both the target of this spell and the
sorcerer casting it must either be asleep or meditating. Like projection this image can take two
forms. For a cost of two Power Points per minute the sorcerer can appear as a duplicate of
their own self within the target’s dreams. At a cost of four Power Points per minute and if they
possess at least 3 points of Corruption can take the form of a black visage of shadow with
multiple demonic visages peering from within it. If the latter image is used, the target must
make a Corruption save for every full five minutes the image remains in their dreams. To the
sorcerer’s eye the target appears in their dreams as a image of their waking self.

In either case the sorcerer may interact with the dreamer by talking with them, but cannot
use any spell upon or engage with a War of Souls with the target. If the target wishes to
prematurely end the spell’s effect, they may make Will save opposed by the caster’s magic
Attack Roll to ‘push’ the caster’s image out of their mind once per round. The caster can of
course end the spell anytime they wish. If the target of this spell is protected by a warding of
any sort, the caster must penetrate it as usual for the spell to take effect.

New Insanity

Sociopathy

The person suffering from Sociopathy begins to lose their connection to their fellow human
beings. The become objects to the character- objects to be used and discarded when no
longer needed. To them the feelings and well being of any other than themselves is irrelevant
and people are only important so long as they serving a purpose for the character. At mild
levels the afflicted character becomes rude, surly and demanding. At minor levels the
character become capable or committing abuse, theft, betrayal and even murder with no
remorse. At major levels the character become incapable of functioning in a society and
becomes either a brutal and demanding tyrant of whatever they can control or a vindictive and
spiteful loner who inflicts their pain upon others. At severe level the character is little more
than a walking, talking remorseless killing machine that slays all that it can before it is put
down.

Sociopathy is a common affliction of humanity.

New Insanity

Sadism

Sadism is the uncontrollable desire to inflict harm on others by physical or mental means,
usually as a form of control and power. Sadists scar and maim all that come into their hands
but they rarely outright kill as a Sociopath does. After all a dead thing can no longer feel pain.
At mild levels the character usually secretly causes discomfort and irritation to others. At
minor levels the person inflicts ‘accidents’ which cause pain and injury to others. At major
levels the abuse becomes too severe to cover up any more and person is obsessed with
gaining power over others so they can torment them. At this level the afflicted character
usually has a place of confinement to hold those it is tormenting. At severe levels the
character thinks of little more than breaking down the wills of others through long-term
confinement, torture, rape and mutilation.

Sadism is also a common affliction of humanity.