Post by lordyam on Jul 23, 2020 5:12:38 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of the DH run on Conan the barbarian but with the benefit of hindsight I can see that there were more problems. I ran an outline by Roquefort Raider and he suggested that I upload what I have on the Fan Fiction thread. So I have decided to do just that, and now without further ado here goes.
Part 1
1.) Born on the Battlefield Arc: This is a snapshot of Conan’s childhood up until he’s 15 or 16. He meets Arianne like in canon but instead she's the daughter of the governor. Conan seduces her as part of an infiltration mission, which they use to get info. Arianne survives but she's.....pissed at Conan which will bare bitter fruit years later.
2.) Conan gets captured by Hyperborean raiders and thrown into an arena to fight for the entertainment of the crowds. He meets a few prisoners including a Hyrkanian a Zamorian and a Nemedian. They teach Conan a little bit of their language, enough you’re have a basic conversation anyway. Eventually they stage an uprising.....which is brutally put down by the witchmen. Conan the Zamorian and the Hyrkanian are the only ones who escape all the other prisoners get hacked to pieces. The Nemedian asks Conan to go to Numalia to tell his parents of his demise and that he’s sorry for having been a bad son. Conan heads south to keep his promise; the Zamorian and the Hyrkanian go back to their own homelands. The Zamorian also tells Conan to look him up if he ever goes to Zamora.
3.) God In the Bowl: Conan makes it to Numalia and informs his friends family of his fate. He decided to stick around in Numalia, and develops his thieving skills a little bit. At one point he makes Aztrias’s acquaintance.....leading to God in the Bowl.
4.) After God in the Bowl Conan is determined to not let civilization get the better of him so he seeks out the most vile cesspool on earth....Zamora the city of thieves.
Conan quickly makes his mark there, learning the ropes and conquering the tower of the elephant. He also remakes the acquaintance of the Shumiri Thief, who mentors Conan on more of the tricks of the trade. He also has his first encounter with Janissa the Widowmaker when by chance he breaks into a house at the exact time she's there to kill the owner. Hillarity ensues and both are forced toUnfortunately, Yara’s defeat has caused the monarch to start reasserting himself somewhat and Conan’s crimes are SO high profile that the guards are starting to do their job. Conan also pisses off Magistrate Surna by banging his wife. When Conan’s lady love reveals that Conan’s planning on rob bing the counting house of Silias Nestor gets captured and parleys this into Surna’s service, using his resources to run Conan out of town. Conan raids the city in the east of Zamora and manages to strike up a friendship with Nestor. They end up splitting ways and heading in opposite directions.
5.) His return to Zamora culminates in him accidentally getting Surna killed, causing him to leave for good. He and his ladyfriend make their way West to Corinthia, and Conan makes a mark in Magyar alongside Nestor, who also relocated there. The stories plays out similar to canon in DH. Because Conan stole the potions he's a target of the priest. Nestor refuses to betray Conan and so dies. Conan avenges him by murdering the priest.
Murilo helps him escape from the prison and Conan gets his revenge on Jiara for selling him out. Conan helps Murilo and winds up fighting Thak. He kills Thak and Nabonidus, before temporarily returning home.
6.) On the way north he has the journey in Yaralet. He meets Strabonus for the first time, and gains hatred of him when Strabonus gives him "a mere pittance" for his badass deeds. Ereshka however, promises that Conan has a favor he can call on at any time.
7.) Conan heads north; the events of the Cimmeria arc play out with Caollan's death at Breccan's hands. Conan is left lost and adrift and decides to head back out. This time, he decides he'll go.....east. To the lands his grandfather never visited.
8.) Conan heads to the East, and quickly gets arrested in Agraphur for theft. Due to a need for troops he’s given an option. The mines or enlistment. Conan realizes it’ll be a good opportunity to learn and so decides to take it. This is Conan’s first time as a soldier and the Turanians pretty quickly drill things into him. His swordsmanship improves and he also learns the art of the bow. He even gets some action, helping to take part in the fall of Secunderam and conquering the few remaining city states that still hold out against Turan such as Makkalet (though he is left uneasy when the younger queen is bundled off to King Yildiz). He encounters Thuthmekri for the first time; they don't have the burning hatred for the other but they DO have a profound dislike for the other.
(Note: Maybe it doesn't WHOLLY jibe with Howard since if Conan fought in Turan he might not be AS surprised that women don't fight, but than again Turan and the Hyborian nations ARE different, and you can easily have a comment to explain.)
9.) Conan’s loyalties are finally frayed when, during a raid on Hyrkanian tribes his Hyrkanian friend from Hyperborea is among the enemy. Conan can't bring himself to let the man die (both out of friendship and that Conan owes him his life) and so turns on his general (who it helps is a massive asshole) to save him (breaking him out of prison). Conan proceeds to join the tribe, developing his skills with the bow even more. He also learns a bit more about Janissa's mysterious mistress the Bone Woman (I'm combining the character with that of Jade from the Grim Grey God in that she's an all powerful master of a guild of thieves murderers and cutthroats stretching over almost all the Hyborian world). Ultimately the Turanian army hunts down and exterminates the tribe; Conan is able to flee with his life.
10.) While returning Conan collapses from exhaustion in the desert. He's found and saved by Kalanthes of Hanumar and his entourage; Kalanthes takes Conan in and helps save his life. Conan recognizes the name and tells Kal the story about the Snake monster in Numalia. Kal explains that he is returning to Hanumar with a dangerous artifact.....the Eye of the Serpent (and yes this is the Jewel Ka-nuub stole back in the Thurian age) so that he can destroy it; if Thoth gets the jewel it's essentially game over. They've lost men to Thoth's agents and Conan (feeling indebted to Kal, needing to get back West anyway and wanting to earn money) agrees to help escort him the whole way there. This takes a long time but during this Conan and Kal become friends (Kal teaching Conan more languages and how to read and write.) Janissa also appears again, having been instructed to protect Kalanthes since Thoth getting the eye would ruin her own plans). Conan and Janissa get to know each other more (Janissa doesn't reveal the FULL details of her past but Conan can sense regret in her even if she doesn't want to admit it.)
Throughout it all they're harried by the Dark Riders, Thoth Amon's elite death squad. Things climax in Hanumar when Ammuphis Typh (the commander) and Sahn Amon (the only other survivor and the demon summoning specialist) launch a last ditch attack to claim the eye and kill everyone in the city. Conan and Janissa are able to defeat the two massive demons that Ammuphis summons (it's like how in Tower of Tara Teth when Conan and J are both fighting the massive mantis things and they throw their blades at the other's monster) and manage to save Kalanthes's chief bodyguard Taharqa from Ammuphis by fighting together as a team. Kalanthes completes the ritual and destroys the eye, creating a backlash that knocks out Sahn-Amon and banishes the rest of his demonic horde. The Bone Woman appears to Conan in a dream and offers him a job. Conan says no, sensing that he'll only be the Bone Woman's slave. He takes Kalanthes Gold but parts on amicable terms with him.
11.) Conan uses the gold to buy weapons and armor and heads south to fight in the mercenary wars. He winds up in service to Lord Amalric. This leads into Black Colossus. Thoth would be....cursorily involved. He meets with Thugra and notices Conan. He gives Thugra a warning to not underestimate Conan. Thugra doesn't listen....and gets his ass kicked. Conan and Yasmela have a romance for a time but things don't work since they're VERY different people. Conan gathers up a crew of mercenaries to raid Kuthchemes (since all that gold SHOULD be enough to pay off the ransom. Some of the mercenaries (notably Sergius and Aratus and Ivanos) get greedy and try to betray the rest of the crew by making off with the gold they've recovered for themselves. Needless to say they fail. Sergius and his few survivors are forced to retreat into the desert to save their own skins; Conan doesn't pursue them
At this point Conan leaves (unbeknownst to either Yasmela is pregnant with Conan's child at this point). He heads into Argos which leads into the events of Queen of the Black Coast.
12.) During this time Conan makes more of a mark; he has a second run in with Thutmekri (the guy from Jewels of Gwahalur) and another encounter with Kalanthes in retrieving an artifact from the Well of Skelos so that Thoth Amon can't get his hands on it. This prompts a heated clash between the Black Corsairs/Kalanthes's agents, Thoth Amon's agents and a monster who lives in the well. Kalanthes blesses them to protect them from Thoth Amon's wrath, so Thoth decides to attack them with the navy. Conan and Belit burn Stygia's navy in the dock of Khemi to head this off, making off with a LOT of gold while they're at it. He and Belit hit a rough patch when Belit comes down with a dangerous illness (the one good arc Bryan Wood did that wasn't based on the original). They restock at the fires of the Ultimate South and ultimately reconcile in dramatic fashion during a raid on Abombi. Sadly Belit ultimately dies as per the original story. Conan sadly walks off into the jungle.
Part 1
1.) Born on the Battlefield Arc: This is a snapshot of Conan’s childhood up until he’s 15 or 16. He meets Arianne like in canon but instead she's the daughter of the governor. Conan seduces her as part of an infiltration mission, which they use to get info. Arianne survives but she's.....pissed at Conan which will bare bitter fruit years later.
2.) Conan gets captured by Hyperborean raiders and thrown into an arena to fight for the entertainment of the crowds. He meets a few prisoners including a Hyrkanian a Zamorian and a Nemedian. They teach Conan a little bit of their language, enough you’re have a basic conversation anyway. Eventually they stage an uprising.....which is brutally put down by the witchmen. Conan the Zamorian and the Hyrkanian are the only ones who escape all the other prisoners get hacked to pieces. The Nemedian asks Conan to go to Numalia to tell his parents of his demise and that he’s sorry for having been a bad son. Conan heads south to keep his promise; the Zamorian and the Hyrkanian go back to their own homelands. The Zamorian also tells Conan to look him up if he ever goes to Zamora.
3.) God In the Bowl: Conan makes it to Numalia and informs his friends family of his fate. He decided to stick around in Numalia, and develops his thieving skills a little bit. At one point he makes Aztrias’s acquaintance.....leading to God in the Bowl.
4.) After God in the Bowl Conan is determined to not let civilization get the better of him so he seeks out the most vile cesspool on earth....Zamora the city of thieves.
Conan quickly makes his mark there, learning the ropes and conquering the tower of the elephant. He also remakes the acquaintance of the Shumiri Thief, who mentors Conan on more of the tricks of the trade. He also has his first encounter with Janissa the Widowmaker when by chance he breaks into a house at the exact time she's there to kill the owner. Hillarity ensues and both are forced toUnfortunately, Yara’s defeat has caused the monarch to start reasserting himself somewhat and Conan’s crimes are SO high profile that the guards are starting to do their job. Conan also pisses off Magistrate Surna by banging his wife. When Conan’s lady love reveals that Conan’s planning on rob bing the counting house of Silias Nestor gets captured and parleys this into Surna’s service, using his resources to run Conan out of town. Conan raids the city in the east of Zamora and manages to strike up a friendship with Nestor. They end up splitting ways and heading in opposite directions.
5.) His return to Zamora culminates in him accidentally getting Surna killed, causing him to leave for good. He and his ladyfriend make their way West to Corinthia, and Conan makes a mark in Magyar alongside Nestor, who also relocated there. The stories plays out similar to canon in DH. Because Conan stole the potions he's a target of the priest. Nestor refuses to betray Conan and so dies. Conan avenges him by murdering the priest.
Murilo helps him escape from the prison and Conan gets his revenge on Jiara for selling him out. Conan helps Murilo and winds up fighting Thak. He kills Thak and Nabonidus, before temporarily returning home.
6.) On the way north he has the journey in Yaralet. He meets Strabonus for the first time, and gains hatred of him when Strabonus gives him "a mere pittance" for his badass deeds. Ereshka however, promises that Conan has a favor he can call on at any time.
7.) Conan heads north; the events of the Cimmeria arc play out with Caollan's death at Breccan's hands. Conan is left lost and adrift and decides to head back out. This time, he decides he'll go.....east. To the lands his grandfather never visited.
8.) Conan heads to the East, and quickly gets arrested in Agraphur for theft. Due to a need for troops he’s given an option. The mines or enlistment. Conan realizes it’ll be a good opportunity to learn and so decides to take it. This is Conan’s first time as a soldier and the Turanians pretty quickly drill things into him. His swordsmanship improves and he also learns the art of the bow. He even gets some action, helping to take part in the fall of Secunderam and conquering the few remaining city states that still hold out against Turan such as Makkalet (though he is left uneasy when the younger queen is bundled off to King Yildiz). He encounters Thuthmekri for the first time; they don't have the burning hatred for the other but they DO have a profound dislike for the other.
(Note: Maybe it doesn't WHOLLY jibe with Howard since if Conan fought in Turan he might not be AS surprised that women don't fight, but than again Turan and the Hyborian nations ARE different, and you can easily have a comment to explain.)
9.) Conan’s loyalties are finally frayed when, during a raid on Hyrkanian tribes his Hyrkanian friend from Hyperborea is among the enemy. Conan can't bring himself to let the man die (both out of friendship and that Conan owes him his life) and so turns on his general (who it helps is a massive asshole) to save him (breaking him out of prison). Conan proceeds to join the tribe, developing his skills with the bow even more. He also learns a bit more about Janissa's mysterious mistress the Bone Woman (I'm combining the character with that of Jade from the Grim Grey God in that she's an all powerful master of a guild of thieves murderers and cutthroats stretching over almost all the Hyborian world). Ultimately the Turanian army hunts down and exterminates the tribe; Conan is able to flee with his life.
10.) While returning Conan collapses from exhaustion in the desert. He's found and saved by Kalanthes of Hanumar and his entourage; Kalanthes takes Conan in and helps save his life. Conan recognizes the name and tells Kal the story about the Snake monster in Numalia. Kal explains that he is returning to Hanumar with a dangerous artifact.....the Eye of the Serpent (and yes this is the Jewel Ka-nuub stole back in the Thurian age) so that he can destroy it; if Thoth gets the jewel it's essentially game over. They've lost men to Thoth's agents and Conan (feeling indebted to Kal, needing to get back West anyway and wanting to earn money) agrees to help escort him the whole way there. This takes a long time but during this Conan and Kal become friends (Kal teaching Conan more languages and how to read and write.) Janissa also appears again, having been instructed to protect Kalanthes since Thoth getting the eye would ruin her own plans). Conan and Janissa get to know each other more (Janissa doesn't reveal the FULL details of her past but Conan can sense regret in her even if she doesn't want to admit it.)
Throughout it all they're harried by the Dark Riders, Thoth Amon's elite death squad. Things climax in Hanumar when Ammuphis Typh (the commander) and Sahn Amon (the only other survivor and the demon summoning specialist) launch a last ditch attack to claim the eye and kill everyone in the city. Conan and Janissa are able to defeat the two massive demons that Ammuphis summons (it's like how in Tower of Tara Teth when Conan and J are both fighting the massive mantis things and they throw their blades at the other's monster) and manage to save Kalanthes's chief bodyguard Taharqa from Ammuphis by fighting together as a team. Kalanthes completes the ritual and destroys the eye, creating a backlash that knocks out Sahn-Amon and banishes the rest of his demonic horde. The Bone Woman appears to Conan in a dream and offers him a job. Conan says no, sensing that he'll only be the Bone Woman's slave. He takes Kalanthes Gold but parts on amicable terms with him.
11.) Conan uses the gold to buy weapons and armor and heads south to fight in the mercenary wars. He winds up in service to Lord Amalric. This leads into Black Colossus. Thoth would be....cursorily involved. He meets with Thugra and notices Conan. He gives Thugra a warning to not underestimate Conan. Thugra doesn't listen....and gets his ass kicked. Conan and Yasmela have a romance for a time but things don't work since they're VERY different people. Conan gathers up a crew of mercenaries to raid Kuthchemes (since all that gold SHOULD be enough to pay off the ransom. Some of the mercenaries (notably Sergius and Aratus and Ivanos) get greedy and try to betray the rest of the crew by making off with the gold they've recovered for themselves. Needless to say they fail. Sergius and his few survivors are forced to retreat into the desert to save their own skins; Conan doesn't pursue them
At this point Conan leaves (unbeknownst to either Yasmela is pregnant with Conan's child at this point). He heads into Argos which leads into the events of Queen of the Black Coast.
12.) During this time Conan makes more of a mark; he has a second run in with Thutmekri (the guy from Jewels of Gwahalur) and another encounter with Kalanthes in retrieving an artifact from the Well of Skelos so that Thoth Amon can't get his hands on it. This prompts a heated clash between the Black Corsairs/Kalanthes's agents, Thoth Amon's agents and a monster who lives in the well. Kalanthes blesses them to protect them from Thoth Amon's wrath, so Thoth decides to attack them with the navy. Conan and Belit burn Stygia's navy in the dock of Khemi to head this off, making off with a LOT of gold while they're at it. He and Belit hit a rough patch when Belit comes down with a dangerous illness (the one good arc Bryan Wood did that wasn't based on the original). They restock at the fires of the Ultimate South and ultimately reconcile in dramatic fashion during a raid on Abombi. Sadly Belit ultimately dies as per the original story. Conan sadly walks off into the jungle.