FATE: Conan – Red Nails
One seriously swordy pair, one ancient city of warring tribes, depraved lifestealers and maniac magicked minions. And a really big lizard.
Draft 1.0 April 21, 2013 – Blue Tyson
SETTING
A dead city with two warring tribes who refuse to leave the city, who live in fear of ghosts, wizards and dragons. And an ever youthful princess.
ISSUES
Will the dragon get them?
Who will win the war?
Are the wizards and ghosts real?
THE PLAYERS
Conan
Gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth
Sandalled feet, do your thing
Magic sucks
Money is for spending
Never shy with a sword
F: Amazing +5
A: Remarkable +3
S: Excellent +2
E: Remarkable +3
R: Good +1
I: Remarkable +3
P: Incredible +4
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Remarkable (+3)
Other Skills
Unearthly (+7) Sword
Fantastic (+6) Knife, Shield, Spear
Incredible (+4) Alertness, Intimidation, Survival
Remarkable (+3) Leadership, Warfare
Excellent (+2) Burglary, Contacts, Ride, Stealth, Swim
Good (+1) Deceit
Valeria
Red Brotherhood Pirate
Celebrated In Song and Ballad
Excessively Brave Aquilonian
F: Incredible +4
A: Remarkable +3
S: Good +1
E: Remarkable +3
R: Good +1
I: Remarkable +3
P: Remarkable +3
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Remarkable (+3)
Other Skills
Fantastic (+6) Sword, Knife
Incredible (+4) Alertness, Intimidation, Survival
Excellent (+2) Burglary, Contacts, Ride, Stealth, Swim
Good (+1) Deceit
Derketa Fruit
Amazing (+5) Poison
A Survival or other such skill check can notice these fruits in the area surrounding the dragon confrontation.. The poison in which can pretty much kill anything.
Dragon
Bench-legged Monstrosity About the Size of a Mastodon
F: Good +1
A: Good +1
S: Remarkable +3
E: Amazing +5
R: Feeble -2
I: Good +1
P: Poor -1
Other Skills
Remarkable (+3) Body Armour: Physical [scaly hide]
Excellent (+2) Claws, Teeth
THE PLAYERS
Burning Skull
Scary Masked Warrior
F: Good +1
A: Good +1
S: Good +1
E: Good +1
R: Good +1
I: Good +1
P: Good +1
Resources Good (+1)
Popularity -Good (-1)
Other Skills
Incredible (+4) Intimidation
Excellent (+2) Disguse, Sword
Burning Skull contains old wizard brain bits, being an actual skull used as part of a mask.
Techotl
Unbalanced Tlazitlan Survivor
Not down with the depraved royalty
F: Good +1
A: Good +1
S: Good +1
E: Good +1
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Excellent (+2) Sword, Spear
People of Xotalanc
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Good +1
E: Typical +0
R: Poor -1
I: Poor -1
P: Poor -1
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Sword
People of Tlazitlan
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Spear, Sword
Stair Slitherer
Giant snake
F: Typical +0
A: Good +1
S: Typical +0
E: Excellent +2
R: Poor -1
I: Poor -1
P: Poor -1
Other Skills
Good (+1) Frost Touch
Prince Olmec
Prince
F: Excellent +2
A: Good +1
S: Excellent +2
E: Good +1
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Excellent (+2)
Popularity Excellent (+2)
Other Skills
Remarkable (+3) Sword, Spear
Tascela
Princess of Tecuhltli
Overly youthful witch
F: Incredible +4
A: Remarkable +3
S: Excellent +2
E: Remarkable +3
R: Good +1
I: Good +1
P: Remarkable +3
Resources Excellent (+2)
Popularity -Excellent (-2)
Other Skills
Incredible (+4) Intimidation, Sword
Excellent (+2) Poison [Paralysis]
Yasala
Maid of Tascela
F: Typical +0
A: Excellent +2
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Good +1
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Excellent (+2) Deceit, Drugs, Stealth
Xatmec
Unfortunate Tlazitlan Guard
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Spear, Sword
Xotalancan Red Nails
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Good +1
E: Good +1
R: Poor -1
I: Poor -1
P: Poor -1
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Spear, Sword
Yanath
Tlazitlan Guard who accompanies Conan
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Spear, Sword
Topal
Tlazitlan Guard who accompanies Conan
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Typical +0
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Typical (+0)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Spear, Sword
Tolkemec
Supposedly dead Tlazitlan ruler
Possible Ghost
Definitely Crazy
Likes tittering and aging people to death
F: Typical +0
A: Typical +0
S: Typical +0
E: Typical +0
R: Poor -1
I: Typical +0
P: Typical +0
Resources Poor (-1)
Popularity Typical (+0)
Other Skills
Good (+1) Wand of Mummification
Wand of Mummifaction (+5) Withering Death Effect
PLAYERS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE STORY SHOULD NOT READ THIS PART
ONE PC VERSION
The player is Conan, or other very capable PC of their own. Valeria is another option. If Valeria is chosen, replace the possible roles in the sequence of kidnapping/drugging to be Conan and increase Tascela’s fighting and strength one rank each on the ladder to be equal and greater than Conan’s resepectively.
TWO PC VERSION
Conan and Valeria. So the sequence may differ quickly apart from being cornered by the dragon and quickly seeing the dead city.
MULTIPLE PC VERSION
May support the adventuriing pair – or save them from a dragon would be a good share a journey hook. Or if multiple PCs they could take the place of Conan and Valeria easily as long as some combat capability.
1. Conan meets Valeria in the wilderness
2. Cornered by a dragon that is basically impervious to normal weapons thanks to its skin
3. Find dead city in which two tribes fight an ongoing feud
4. Valeria meets the Burning Skull and finds it is a man in a mask
5. Techotl and Xotanc men attack – will grapple
6. Stair monster – actually a giant snake
7. Meet the prince and princess of Xuchotl – story of Tecuhltli stole the wife of Xotalanc over five decades ago
8. Yavala tries to drug Valeria – who whips her
9. The Xotalanca attack with a demon fifer – on successful sorcery roll gain surprise
10. Attackers of generic crazed men and women of the Xotalancas – The Red Nails – enough to outnumber opponents significantly until reinforcements, including Conan, Valeria, Olmec and Tascela can arrive
11. After victory, Conan goes scouting with two guards for more Xotalancas. The City has five levels, named after animals/birds.
12. They find the corpse of the stair slitherer…a giant snake
13. One of the guards tries to kill Conan…sucks to be him
14. Techotl arrives saying Valeria has been kidnapped
15. Conan rushes back and on the way finds Olmec in a death trap
16. Tascela poisoned Olmec and kidnaps Valeria, by surprise and because she is stronger
17. Olmec offers to help Conan ambush Tascela if he will free him.
18. But of course he trys to pearl harbour Conan and gets his neck snapped thanks to a Valeria warning
19. Ritual altar time! Valeria is to be sacrified to extend Tascela’s life.
21. Crazy wizard Tolkemec arrives and interrupts, mummifying Tascela’s Poor (-1) ritual attendants left and right.
22. Conan arrives and must get past a bear trap style device from the floor! Excellent (+2) strength.
23. Two heroes in trouble vs a magic wand maniac and a lifedrainer. Although Tolkemec wants to kill Tascela as well!
THE LADDER
Being a big Marvel Super Heroes fan from way back, this is how I like to think:
Value Adjective
+13 Cosmic 5 (Class 5000)
+12 Cosmic 3 (Class 3000)
+11 Cosmic 1 (Class 1000)
+10 Legendary Z (Shift Z)
+9 Legendary Y (Shift Y)
+8 Legendary X (Shift X)
+7 Unearthly (Epic)
+6 Monstrous (Fantastic)
+5 Amazing (Superb)
+4 Incredible (Great)
+3 Remarkable (Good)
+2 Excellent (Fair)
+1 Good (Average)
+0 Typical (Mediocre)
-1 Poor
-2 Feeble (Terrible)
-3 Awful 0 (Shift 0)
-4 Abysmal
FASERIP – basic human attributes
Physique is split compared to Core, into a Strength component and an Endurance component, the latter of which should be used for the Stress track. Reason is native intelligence.
Fighting (Fight)
Agility (Athletics)
Strength
Endurance
Reason
Intuition (Notice)
Psyche (Will)
Secondary
Popularity is a measure of charisma, reputation and public influence. If you like, bad people can have a negative popularity ladder equivalent. Supervillains, mass murderers, ruthless thugs in The Ball, etc.
Popularity
Resources
REFERENCES
Short Novel
Red Nails http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32759/32759-h/32759-h.htm
Author
Robert E. Howard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard