9 replies to this topic

[Strom]

The homeland of Conan himself is now detailed, for the first time. Explore the original land of barbarians, experience their culture, and develop your own Cimmerian characters. This sourcebook is packed full of in-depth detail of Cimmeria and its people, along with the hazards facing both explorers and invaders.

Preview (PDF)

[Strom]

Herv? on the Mongoose Conan forum put together this list of the chapters and contents of the newly released Cimmeria supplement for the Conan RPG:

CONAN CIMMERIA SOURCEBOOK
(134 pages, softback)

CONTENTS

CREDITS

THE CIMMERIAN WAY
Devotion To Clan
Conformity To Tradition
Honour And Prowess
Blood Vengeance
A Clean And Honest Death
Cimmerian Society
Clothing
Nobility
Priests
Warriors
Slaves
Serfs
Farmers
Love And Marriage
Property
Laws Regarding Personal Property
Homes And Dwellings
Nomadic Clans
Money
Culture And Art
Metalwork
Songs, Stories And Bards
Prostitution
Food And Drink
Trade
Calendar

THAT SOMBRE LAND
History Of Cimmeria
The Thurian Age
Hyborian Age Cimmeria
General Geography
Travel In Cimmeria
Hazards
Earthquake
Gales And Storms
Rockfalls, Avalanche And Mudslides
Quicksand
Notables Areas, Regions And Landmarks
Battle Lands
Black Mountains
Blood Glens
Breaknecks
Broken Leg Lands
Cells Heel
Crom?s Gorge
Eiglophian Mountains
Conall Valley
Field Of The Dead
Mount Crom-Ben Morgh
Field Of The Chiefs
Great Salt Marsh
Hoath Plateau
Kurnow Forest
Murrogh Forest
Spearpoint
The Curraghn
Venarium
Wounded Lands
Ymir?s Pass

SHADOWS OUT OF MEN
Rapid Clan Generator
Bain
Location
Type
Allies
Enemies
Traditions
Treasures
Chieftain
Personalities
History And Outlook
Note: all clans follow the format above
Bardh
Callaugh
Canach, Conarch Or Snowhawk
Cruiadh
Darkwolf
Galla
Gorram
Grath
Hoath
Ice Leopards
Morgath
Murrogh
Nachta
Nangh-Bronze Skulls
Raeda
Tunog
White Bulls

HUNTS AND WARS LIKE SHADOWS
Cimmerian Combat Strategy And Tactics
The Shield Wall
Taunting
Silent Intensity
Characters Fighting In A Shield Wall
Free Melee
Seeking The Thick Of The Battle
Cimmerian Forces And Strategies
Cavalry
Archers And Missile Troops
Personal Weapons And Armour

GODS OF THE EVERLASTING NIGHT
Religion In Cimmeria
Of Funerary And Mourning
Cimmerian Pantheon
Crom
Badb
Dagda
Dianchecht
Lir
Lugh
Macha
Mannanan Mac Lir
The Morrigan
Nemain
The Bridge Of Swords, The Road Of Bones And The Otherworld
Cimmerian Oracles
Cimmerian Blind Bards
Ancestors
Superstition, Taboo And Geasa
Taboo
Geasa

CIMMERIAN GAZETTEER
Character Digest
Sample Generic Cimmerians
Typical Cimmerian Oracle
Typical Cimmerian Blind Bard
Bestiary
Frost Giants
Giant Mantids
Giant White Ram-Eiglophian Warden Sheep
Giant Kin
Great Bears
Great Boar
Nordwolf
Svartheim
Spined Cat-Eraulach
Kurnow Apparitions

ROLEPLAYING IN CIMMERIA
Developing A Cimmerian Character
The Cimmerian Voice
Cimmerian Development Checklist
Cimmerian Names
Clansmen And Wanderers
Clansmen
Wanderers
Cimmerian Class Options And Notes
Cimmerian Barbarians
Cimmerian Borderers
Cimmerian Nomads
Nobles
Oracle
Soldiers
Cimmerian Pirate
Cimmerian Thief
New Skill
Perform-Taunt
Cimmerian Feats
Combat Riding
Confidence Of The Clans
Silent Intensity
Staltwart

GAMEMASTERING CIMMERIA
Timing Of A Cimmerian Campaign
Atmosphere
The Clans
Clan Enmity
Cimmerian Player Characters
Celtic Myths, Traditions And Legends

INDEX

LICENSE

Thanks Herv?!

[deuce]

I wasn't impressed with this. I really wanted it to kick a$$. It didn't. About the only thing that impressed me was Mongoose actually listed/used all the Cimmerian deities mentioned by REH. That was cool (though their interpretation wasn't, IMO).

[Boot]

I wasn't impressed with this. I really wanted it to kick a$$. It didn't. About the only thing that impressed me was Mongoose actually listed/used all the Cimmerian deities mentioned by REH. That was cool (though their interpretation wasn't, IMO).

It could be better, there's no doubt. I as a bit disappointed when I first opened the covers, but I've since found value in it. I've been using it as a background for my Cimmeria-based campaign. There are some good ideas in it and many I think you would bristle at because they're non-canonical (like the mention of the Titans). There is a lot about Cimmeria that could have been grown in the RPG universe using this book. That defintitely doesn't happen.

The major strength of the book, though, is its largest section. Several large clans are described in detail. The author (Lawrence Whitaker) did a good job of making each clan unique. Some favor your normal Conan-esque type Cimmerians, but other clans have their own "feel" that is different from the clan Conan came from. For a game set in Cimmeria, as mine is, that's gold. It helps me establish the different Cimmerian clan-cultures that the PCs meet during their travels.

An energetic GM could even take these Clan descriptions and make sub-races, with stat and/or skill modifiers, for the game. These would be adjusted Barbarian templets with maybe some other classes thrown into the mix (Borderer, Nomad).

For example, those of the Blue Fox clan get an additional +1 STR at character creation due to the fresh water and minerals that permiate their grown foods and living areas. But, these Cimmerians are highly superstitious, so they must also suffer an additional -1 INT penalty (for a total of +3 and -3). Another clan is good at leatherworking, so it's a requirement that they have at least one skill point in Craft Leatherworking and maybe they get a bonus to Animal Handling and Craft Trapping.

You get the idea.

All-in-all, I'd say that Cimmeria isn't what I wanted it to be, but it's not a total waste. There are some good ideas in the book (and some not so good ideas--why would you spend precious pages on Cimmerian weddings???? When we could be looking at weapons specifically and uniquely used in Cimmera, like the Cimmerian Dirk that is found in another supplement. Or, how about replacing the wedding stuff with Smithing rules for Cimmerian steel?), and it's a useful supplement for a game that is going to spend some time in Cimmeria.

I'd give it a "C".

[Kane]

I think Boot summed it up best.
This could have been a much better book. IMO, too much of it was created whole cloth from the writer's imaginations.
However, I doubt that anyone can honestly say they were surprised at this. All we really know of Cimmeria was supplied by Howard.
If you go through the stories and fine comb them for the little bits he gave us, it would fill, at best, two pages. And that would still be focused only on Conan's tribe. Mongoose, TSR, Steve Jackson, and any other company that gets the rights in the future, is going to have to do one of two things when it comes to Cimmeria sourcebooks. Either largely ignore the country and only give us what little Howard presented or, create their own material and accept that they are going to stray from the mystrey and granduer that Howard created.

[Cheomesh]

I took some things from it; mostly it being a gloomy land of mostly hunter/gathering based tribes with limited industry and agriculture. In my games (not that it has come up) Cimmeria is very much backwards compared to the rest of the world, only unconquered because the land is little desired and rugged - many attempts end like Teutoburg Forest.. Their equipment is sub-par (most arrows still bearing bone or flint heads, iron making up most of their other equipment with limited steel, next to no armor beyond hides and what has been captured in raids) and their armies next to impossible to congregate.

In my telling, the battle that ousted Aquilonia (Verandium? Can't recall the spelling) was only won because of poor logistical support on Aquilonia's part, sub-standard troop quality (like in Beyond Thunder River) and because of overwhelming numeric superiority on the side of the Cimmerians. Said battle cost far too many Cimmerian warriors in comparison to what they achieved; several formerly great Clans were reduced to a much lower status as a result, and the ensuing conflicts between them stamped many out. Not done much on individual clans though, so that book still has some value.

But that's just my interpretation.

M.

[Kortoso]

I've seen much worse.

[Ironhand]

Hey, Cheomesh, great avatar.

[Almuric]

Despite the Aquiromans, I rather like that cover.

[Cheomesh]

Hey, Cheomesh, great avatar.

Thanks!

The Aquiromians were a bit of a puzzler; I saw the cover to that before I started reading Conan and thought it was rather at odds.

M.