TEXT: 64
  Background
  Until recently, the wild regions of 
  Pictland had been left untouched 
  by the hands of civilisation.  Only 
  a few, wooden forts were stretched 
  along the Westermarck, the land that 
  stands between the golden kingdom 
  of Aquilonia and the trackless forests 
  of Pictland.  Desperate settlers from 
  Aquilonia and the savage Pictish 
  tribes that inhabit the wild forest have 
  fought over this dark and dangerous 
  land for generations.  For the last 
  few years, an uneasy peace has 
  reigned along the frontier, with only 
  a few, random skirmishes to mark 
  the passing of time.  Recently, the 
  king of Aquilonia, King Numedides, 
  has given land grants to many new 
  barons and lords who have proven 
  themselves in the brief war with 
  Nemedia.  One of these barons, 
  Trejanus, has decided to take his 
  land grant and immediately begin 
  settling a small, untouched section 
  of the Westermarck.  This area of 
  forest is south of the Aquilonian fort 
  of Schondara, east of the Black River 
  and west of the Thunder River.  Baron 
  Trejanus has only a small retinue of 
  men-at-arms, but does have a large 
  supply of gold, which he uses to 
  purchase the mercenaries he needs to 
  hold his new lands.  
  The adventure starts with it being 
  two day’s past the fi rst of a new 
  month.  The mercenaries and free 
  companions that Baron Trejanus has 
  hired are becoming restless.  The 
  supply train, carrying more food and 
  necessities for Fort Drethil, has still 
  not shown up and is now considered 
  overdue.  Baron Trejanus and the men 
  at his fort can weather several more 
  weeks without food or new supplies; 
  however the mercenaries will not wait 
  for their wages.  Baron Trejanus was 
  running low on supplies and coin and 
  had a strongbox added to the supply 
  caravan that hailed from Aquilonia 
  proper.  Over 300 golden lunas had 
  been in the strongbox, and were to 
  be used to pay the mercenaries and 
  Danger in the 
  Westermarck!
  traders that Baron Trejanus was 
  dealing with.  With the loss of the 
  money, Baron Trejanus now fi nds 
  himself in a dangerous predicament, 
  with very few options.
  The baron has no choice but to trust 
  a few mercenaries or men of his 
  retinue to go and fi nd out what has 
  happened to the supply caravan.  
  Hopefully the adventurers will return 
  with the strongbox intact, so that the 
  mercenaries will be paid and continue 
  to protect Baron Trejanus’ interest.  
  After being given their mission, the 
  party should depart immediately for 
  the road east, toward Aquilonia.
  The Picts
  Two Pictish tribes have formed 
  a temporary alliance for the sole 
  purpose of slaughtering the frontier 
  settlers.  The Black Boar tribe and 
  the Red Hawk tribe crossed the Black 
  River six days ago and ambushed the 
  We know you are all 
  crying out to get involved 
  in Conan games, so here’s 
  a little scenario to get 
  you inspired. Set within 
  the Pictish Wilderness, 
  west of Aquilonia, you 
  will have to deal with 
  savage tribes and forest 
  beasts.  Characters 
  should be 1st level, (4-8 
  players) ideally including 
  a Borderer or Barbarian 
  type character. 
  The Roleplaying 
  Game
   Eric K. Rodriguez
  
  65
  supply caravan just as it crossed over 
  the Thunder River, from the border of 
  Aquilonia.  After looting the caravan, 
  the surviving members of the war 
  party travelled swiftly back across the 
  Black River and into Pictish territory.  
  While arguing over the splitting of 
  the plundered goods, a fi ght broke 
  out, which turned deadly.  After the 
  bloody melee was over, the victorious 
  Black Boar tribesmen left with a 
  majority of the goods and went south 
  toward their territory.  The Chief of 
  the Black Boar tribesmen is Gorla, 
  a larger than average Pict, standing 
  almost six feet tall.  The real brains 
  behind the chief is a shaman named 
  Yagga, who worships the ancient god 
  of the wood and animals, Jhebbal 
  Sag.  Yagga has convinced chief 
  Gorla that there is value in striking 
  at the settlers’ caravans, denying 
  them food and water, so that sooner 
  or later they will be forced to leave.  
  Yagga was also able to convince 
  chief Gorla that the metal strongbox, 
  which Yagga has not been able to 
  
  66
  open yet, is a valuable bargaining 
  tool and that it must be of great value 
  to the Aquilonians.  When the full 
  moon of Jhebbal Sag rises in 10 days, 
  sacrifi ces will be made and Yagga’s 
  magic will be at its strongest.  Then 
  the strongbox will be opened and 
  it’s ‘magic’ used against the frontier 
  settlers.
  The 
  Adventure
  Caravan 
  Ambush 
  When the group arrives at the site 
  the smell of rotting bodies can be 
  detected up to 300 yards away.  
  Carrion birds take fl ight as the group 
  enters the ambush area.  Bodies, 
  both men and beasts of burden, 
  are spread across the caravan trail 
  in a haphazard manner.  Careful 
  examination reveals that most of the 
  bodies have crude arrows stuck in 
  them, or show signs of cuts or gashes 
  all about their bodies.  An easy Spot 
  check (DC 10) reveals that all the 
  men’s bodies are missing a tuft of 
  hair from their heads.  A character 
  with Knowledge (local) skill (DC 10) 
  can determine that many of the local 
  tribes of Picts take a slain enemy’s 
  scalp as a trophy to hang on his mud 
  and thatch hut.  A Search check (DC 
  15) shows that little was left behind 
  by the savages; however a leg can be 
  seen protruding from underneath a 
  wagon, in what must have been the 
  rear of the caravan.  Characters with 
  a combined Strength of 25 can lift 
  the wagon upright and reveal what 
  was underneath.  The group fi nds the 
  crushed body of a Pict, underneath 
  the wagon, who bears many tattoos 
  and body piercings.  A 
  character with the 
  Knowledge (local) skill 
  can make a check (DC 
  15) to determine what 
  tribe the Pict hails 
  from, and a general 
  idea of its territory.  If 
  successful, the group 
  determines that the 
  Pict is from the Red 
  Hawk.  If a member 
  of the group tries to 
  follow the Picts, a 
  Track (DC 20) check 
  will reveal a faint trail 
  heading west, back 
  toward the Black 
  River.
  Animal 
  Attack 
  While trudging trough 
  the trackless forest, 
  the group comes upon 
  a pack of wild wolves 
  feasting on the carcass 
  of a large deer.  These 
  wolves are not normal 
  wolves, and do not 
  fl ee at yells from 
  the group or simple 
  gestures.  If any of 
  the group moves 
  within 30 yards of the 
  creatures, they attack.
  Wolves: Normal, (6), 
  hit die and statistics 
  per Conan the Roleplaying Game.  
  No treasure.
  Burnt Settlers’ 
  Cabin
  Upon arriving, the fi rst thing the 
  group notices is that the cabin is 
  still smouldering.  The barn that is 
  
  67
  adjacent to the cabin is still standing, 
  and contains a few surviving livestock 
  animals, although they look like they 
  have not been tended to in days.  A 
  Search check (DC 10) reveals that 
  no bodies are to be found.  A search 
  of the burnt out cabin reveals some 
  salvageable items.  Hidden under a 
  fl oor board in the cabin, the group 
  fi nds a pouch with 10 slightly melted 
  silver coins and a gold chain and 
  locket that holds the likeness of a 
  pretty young woman.  If a search 
  of the barn is made, the group fi nds 
  several farming tools, two 50-foot 
  lengths of rope, and four sacks of 
  edible grain.  The barn also contains 
  several domestic animals, which hold 
  no value, unless the group wished 
  to slaughter an animal for food.  A 
  Tracking skill check (DC 15) reveals 
  that the war party did hit the farm and 
  continued to the west.
  Constrictor 
  Snake Attack
  After fi nding a ford to cross at the 
  Black River, the group comes under 
  attack from a giant constrictor 
  snake.  The snake should attack the 
  group when they are at a point in the 
  crossing where the water is at least 
  hip deep.  Randomly roll a dice to 
  determine which character the snake 
  falls upon.  
  Snake, Constrictor: (1), hit die and 
  statistics below.  No treasure.
  Skills: Snakes have a +4 racial bonus 
  to Hide, Listen and Spot checks and 
  a +8 racial bonus to Balance and 
  Climb checks.  A snake can always 
  choose to take 10 on a Climb check, 
  even if rushed or threatened.  Snakes 
  use either their Strength modifi er or 
  Dexterity modifi er for Climb checks, 
  whichever is higher.  A snake has a 
  +8 racial bonus on any Swim check 
  to perform some special action or 
  avoid a hazard.  It can always choose 
  to take 10 on a Swim check, even 
  if distracted or endangered.  It can 
  use the run action while swimming, 
  provided it swims in a straight line.
  Constrictor Snake
  Medium Animal 
  Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
  Initiative: +3
  Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 
  ft., swim 20 ft.
  DV: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
  Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
  Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d3+4)
  Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d3+4)
  Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Constrict 1d3+4, 
  improved grab
  Special Qualities: Scent
  Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
  Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 
  1, Wis 12, Cha 2
  Skills: Balance +11, Climb +14, Hide 
  +10, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +11
  Feats: Alertness, Toughness
  Climate/Terrain: Warm forests
  Organisation: Solitary
  Advancement: 4–5 HD (Medium); 
  6–10 HD (Large)
  Constrictor snakes are not usually 
  aggressive and fl ee when confronted.  
  They hunt for food but do not attempt 
  to make a meal out of any creature 
  that is too large to constrict.
  Combat
  Constrictor snakes hunt by seizing 
  prey with their jaws and then crushing 
  it with their powerful bodies.
  Constrict (Ex): On a successful 
  grapple check, a constrictor snake 
  deals 1d3+4 points of damage.
  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this 
  ability, a constrictor snake must 
  hit with its bite attack.  It can then 
  attempt to start a grapple as a free 
  action without provoking an attack 
  of opportunity.  If it wins the grapple 
  check, it establishes a hold and can 
  constrict.
  Tribal Battle  
  Now deep into Pictish territory, the 
  group comes upon a disturbing and 
  confusing scene.  Splayed out in 
  front of them is another scene of 
  carnage, except the dead bodies that 
  cover the meadow are Picts.  A Spot 
  check (DC 10) reveals that the bodies 
  are those of the Red Hawk tribe of 
  Picts.  A Spot check (DC 15) shows 
  that one body bears the markings of 
  the Black Boar tribe.  A character 
  with a reasonable Intelligence (DC 
  18 check) can determine that the two 
  war parties must have had a falling 
  out and fell upon each other to the 
  death, with the Black Boar tribesmen 
  coming away victorious.  A Search 
  check (DC 15) reveals several simple, 
  barbaric weapons scattered across 
  the meadows in different stages of 
  wear and quality.  Approximately 
  fi ve minutes after the group arrives 
  at the meadow, a scouting party 
  of Red Hawk Picts also arrives at 
  the meadow and attacks the group, 
  thinking them responsible for the 
  massacre.  None of the Picts speak 
  Aquilonian, let alone any other 
  language, so only a character who 
  speaks Pictish will have a chance 
  of convincing the Red Hawks that 
  the group did not have anything to 
  do with the massacre.  The Picts are 
  not friends with the white men, but 
  if a character speaks the language 
  and makes a successful Diplomacy 
  check (DC 20), then the Picts will 
  stop fi ghting, temporarily, to at least 
  listen to what the characters have to 
  say.  If the group is successful, then 
  they will convince the Red Hawk 
  tribe to go to war against the Black 
  Boars.  Although this may not have 
  an immediate affect in the adventure, 
  this will affect the happenings in a 
  continuing campaign.  If the group 
  fails to convince the Red Hawks to 
  listen, then they fi ght to the death. 
  Pict Warriors: (5), 1st level Pictish 
  barbarians, hit die and statistics 
  per Conan the Roleplaying Game. 
  Treasure: assorted animal jewellery 
  that can be traded for equivalent 
  of 5 silver pieces.  1 Aquilonian 
  crafted dagger: Average quality.  1 
  set of leather bracers, studded with 
  turquoise, valued at 30 silver pieces.
  Village of the 
  Black Boar
  Hopefully the group arrives 
  undetected and is hiding behind a 
  rock bluff that overlooks the Black 
  
  68
  Boar village.  As the day progresses 
  the characters can see that the village 
  is fi lled with activity.  Five large 
  wooden poles have been driven into 
  the ground and are covered in strange 
  markings and carvings.  A larger, 
  more ancient-looking totem, covered 
  in demonic and bestial visages, looms 
  over the fi ve smaller poles.  A Spot 
  check (DC 20) reveals the hut of the 
  village shaman and the chief of the 
  tribe.  
  If the group waits for nightfall, they 
  begin to see a grisly ceremony play 
  itself out.  Most of the tribesmen are 
  becoming increasingly intoxicated 
  by some local home brew, and can 
  be seen laying about the village in 
  various stages of inebriation.  Many 
  of the women and children of the 
  tribe are gathered in a semi-circle 
  around the fi ve sacrifi cial poles.  The 
  shaman can be heard chanting in a 
  guttural, inhuman tongue, gesturing 
  occasionally to the large totem behind 
  him.  Attached to the fi ve sacrifi cial 
  poles are what appear to be fi ve 
  Aquilonian settlers; one male, one 
  female and three children.  The group 
  notices that although most of the 
  warriors in the village are passed out 
  or extremely intoxicated, a group of 
  four warriors stand next to the chief; 
  his ever-watchful bodyguards. 
  The most successful tactic would be 
  for the adventurers to kill the shaman 
  fi rst, interrupting his ceremony and 
  causing pandemonium amongst 
  the tribesmen.  If the group causes 
  some distraction, like setting the huts 
  on fi re, then this will successfully 
  send the village into chaos, but 
  the shaman will still complete his 
  ceremony.  When he does, a large 
  black boar appears and walks toward 
  the sacrifi cial victims, intending to 
  eat them.  Yagga completely controls 
  the creature and if the characters 
  present themselves, then he will have 
  the boar attack them.  If the boar is 
  slain before it has killed the sacrifi cial 
  victims, then the demonic totem 
  bursts into fl ames and topples down 
  upon the shaman, crushing him into 
  the earth.  If this happens, whether 
  the chief and his bodyguards are still 
  alive, they fl ee into the dark forest 
  depths, never to return.  If the shaman 
  is killed after the boar is summoned, 
  then the creature goes berserk and 
  kills at random.  Chief Gorla and 
  his bodyguards will only fl ee if the 
  boar is slain, otherwise they fi ght 
  to the death.  If the combat goes for 
  over eleven rounds, then eight more 
  tribesmen become sober enough to 
  enter the melee. 
  If the characters are successful and 
  the Black Boar tribe defeated, then 
  they can search the village and fi nd 
  the following items: Lord Trejanus’ 
  strongbox, 300 golden lunas, 33 
  silver pieces, miscellaneous jewellery 
  
  This should 
  give you a 
  little taster 
  of how involving 
  adventuring in the 
  Pictish Wilderness 
  can be.  Later this 
  year, in Across The 
  Thunder River, we 
  will  be presenting 
  a complete frontier 
  campaign in which 
  to immerse your 
  Conan characters! 
  69
  valued at 100 golden lunas, and 13 
  miscellaneous semi-precious stones, 
  valued at 75 golden lunas.
  Boar: Normal, (1), hit die and 
  statistics per Conan the Roleplaying 
  Game.  No treasure.
  Non-Player 
  Characters
  Below you will fi nd all the characters 
  you will need to populate the Pictish 
  village.
  Chief Gorla: 3rd level Pictish 
  Barbarian, hit die and statistics per 
  Conan the Roleplaying Game.
  Treasure:   Hide armour made of 
  boar skin (average quality), wooden 
  spear w/stone tip (primitive quality), 
  bone handled dagger (primitive 
  quality), Zingaran mastercraft short 
  bow (Akbitanan quality), and the 
  ‘Necklace of the Boar’, a magical 
  stone necklace that allows the wearer 
  to summon the strength of a boar 
  once per week (+4 to Strength) and 
  lasts for 10 rounds.
  Chief’s bodyguards: (4), 2nd level 
  Pictish Barbarians, hit die and 
  statistics per Conan the Roleplaying 
  Game. 
  Treasure:  All four have hide armour 
  made from various animals, weapons 
  include 4 spears, 4 bone handled 
  daggers, 2 crude short bows, 2 
  weighted twine nets (all weapons 
  primitive quality), one mastercraft 
  Aquilonian short sword (Akbitanan 
  quality), and miscellaneous jewellery 
  valued at 10 golden lunas.
  Yagga, Shaman of Jhebbal Sag: 
  1st level Pictish Barbarian/3rd level 
  Pictish Shaman (Scholar), 12 Power 
  Points, hit die and statistics per 
  Conan the Roleplaying Game. 
  Treasure:  Vest made of bones, equal 
  to hide armour (average quality), 
  Steel dagger (average quality), sack 
  containing the rare Purple Lotus and 
  unique herbs and plants (valued at 
  500 golden lunas), Staff of Jhebbal 
  Sag (staff allows wielder to use 
  Summon Beast, Greater once per 
  month with a 10% chance of gaining 
  1 point of Corruption per use).
  Black Boar Tribesmen: (8), 1st 
  level Pictish Barbarian, hit die and 
  statistics per Conan the Roleplaying 
  Game.
  Treasure:  Miscellaneous jewellery 
  and trinkets valued at 20 silver 
  pieces, Stone-tipped spear (primitive 
  quality), stone dagger (primitive 
  quality), Stone Hand Axe (primitive 
  quality).
  Epilogue
  After freeing the captives, the group 
  learns that they are a family of settlers 
  whose farm was attacked and their 
  cabin burned.  The family lets the 
  characters know that they will always 
  be grateful and will always have a 
  safe place to rest and recuperate.  
  After the group makes it back to Fort 
  Drethil and returns Baron Trejanus’ 
  strongbox, they are rewarded with 10 
  golden lunas each, and given letters 
  of recommendation from Baron 
  Trejanus himself.  If the characters 
  manage to start a tribal war between 
  the Red Hawks and Black Boars, 
  award them 200 experience points 
  each.  If they free the captives give 
  them 100 experience points each.  If 
  the group manages to destroy the 
  demonic totem, give each character 
  500 experience points.  
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Deduped  Shit/3rd Party/Conan Danger in the Westermarck.pdf