®

KNOW, OH PRINCE, THAT BETWEEN THE YEARS WHEN THE OCEANS

DRANK ATLANTIS AND THE GLEAMING CITIES, AND THE YEARS OF THE
RISE OF THE SONS OF ARYAS, THERE WAS AN AGE UNDREAMED OF...

The Art of Robert E. Howard’s Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of features a selection of some
of the most incredible art associated with the classic barbarian hero ever assembled into one set of
covers. With one of the most successful gaming Kickstarter campaigns of all time, Conan set out to be
the definitive treatment of Conan in games: central to that was recruiting a stellar lineup of artists for
covers and interior illustrations.

The Art of Conan presents a variety of art drawn from the incredible core rulebook and the expansive
line of sourcebooks and supplements, organized by book, allowing players and fans of amazing
sword-and-sorcery art to enjoy this fantastic art on its own.

■ Stunning art from new and renowned ■ Heroic vistas, exotic places, gorgeous
Conan artists. landscapes, and thrilling action sequences.

■ Beautiful two-page spreads of cover art, ■ Monstrous creatures from and inspired by the
interior illustrations, and archetype images. Conan stories.

Though The Art of Conan contains no game rules or content, the art contained within is suitable for any fans of
incredible fantasy art and especially for fans of Robert E. Howard’s epic adventurer, Conan the Barbarian.

®
ISBN 978-1-912200-25-2

9 781912 200252
MUH050444
Printed in Lithuania
 Robert E. Howard’s

THE ART OF CONAN

Line Development Additional Graphic Design & Layout
Jason Durall Dan Algstrand & Malcolm Wolter
Assistant Line Management Publishing Director
Matt Timm Chris Birch
Art Direction Operations Director
Richard August, Jason Durall, Chris Lites, Jeffrey Rita Birch
Shanks, Katya Thomas & Mischa Thomas Managing Director
Writing Cameron Dicks
Jason Durall Head of RPG Development
Approvals Sam Webb
Mark Finn, Patrice Louinet & Jeffrey Shanks Production & Logistics Management
Editing & Proofreading Peter Grochulski
Jaym Gates Video Producer & Production Management
Cover Artwork Steve Daldry
Brom Sales Management
Interior Artwork Rhys Knight
Daren Bader, Gio Baroni, Jorge Barrero, Simon Bisley, Sales Executive
Aleksi Briclot, Carl Critchlow, Shen Fei,
Cole Leadon
Michele Frigo, Chaim Garcia, Phroilan Gardner,
Toma Feizo Gas, Tomás Giorello, Nick Greenwood, Marketing Executive & Public Relations
Tom Grindberg, Joel Chaim Holtzman, Alex Horley, Panayiotis Lines
Robert Jenkins, Dominik Kasprzycki, Customer Service Management
Matthias Kinnigkeit, Fares Maese, Eli Maffei, Lloyd Gyan
Antonio José Manzanedo, Esteban Maroto,
Diana Martinez, Val Mayerik, André Meister, Office Management
Paolo Parente, German Ponce, Paolo Puggioni, Shaun Hocking
Gunship Revolution, Sanjulián, Mark Schultz, With Thanks to
Liam Sharp, Martin Sobr, Steve Stark, Justin The Robert E. Howard Foundation, Professor John
Sweet, Timothy Truman & Kitti Wong Kirowan, Fred & Jay at Cabinet Entertainment
For a full list of artist credits for the
entire Conan line, see page 112 Published by
Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. 3rd Floor,
Graphic Design & Layout
Ashbourne House, 35 Harwood Road,
Jen McCleary & Michal E. Cross London. SW6 4QP, United Kingdom

Legal
© 2020 Conan Properties International LLC (“CPI”). Conan, Conan The Barbarian, Hyboria and related
logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of
CPI. All rights reserved. Robert E. Howard and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses
thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of Robert E. Howard Properties, Inc. All rights reserved.
The 2d20 system and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
2015–2020. All 2d20 system text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked
names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended.
This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with actual people and events, past or present, is purely
coincidental and unintentional except for those people and events described in an historical context.
Printed by Standartu Spaustuve 39 Dariaus ir Girėno str., Vilnius, LT-02189, Lithuania.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Chapter 10
THE ART OF CONAN . . . . . . . . 2 CONAN THE SCOUT . . . . . . . 58
Chapter 1 Chapter 11
ADVENTURES IN AN AGE CONAN THE KING . . . . . . . . . 65
UNDREAMED OF . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Chapter 12
Chapter 2 JEWELED THRONES
PLAYER'S GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . 11 OF THE EARTH . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Chapter 3 Chapter 13
CONAN THE BARBARIAN . . . . 13 THE BOOK OF SKELOS . . . . . 78
Chapter 4 Chapter 14
CONAN THE THIEF . . . . . . . . 19 ANCIENT RUINS & CURSED
Chapter 5 CITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
CONAN THE MERCENARY . . 25 Chapter 15
Chapter 6 NAMELESS CULTS . . . . . . . . . 93
CONAN THE PIRATE . . . . . . . 30 Chapter 16
Chapter 7 HORRORS OF THE
CONAN THE BRIGAND . . . . . 38 HYBORIAN AGE . . . . . . . . . . 99
Chapter 8 Chapter 17
CONAN THE WANDERER . . . 45 KULL OF ATLANTIS . . . . . . . 106
Chapter 9
CONAN THE ADVENTURER . 52
 INTRODUCTION

THE ART OF CONAN

It was covered with strange, grotesque carvings, depicting men and

animals, and half-bestial creatures that might have been gods or
devils. The style of art differed so strikingly from that of the rest of
the valley, that Conan wondered if it did not represent a different
era and race, and was itself a relic of an age lost and forgotten…

—“Servants of Bit-Yakin”

I
n early 2016, Modiphius Entertainment launched the case, the artwork is sometimes overlooked at the game table,
Kickstarter campaign for Robert E. Howard’s Conan: due to the nature of game books as references and manuals.
Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of, heralding the devel- However, the art gracing the covers and interior pages
opment of a new game line featuring the classic barbarian of these books is anything but secondary, produced by an
hero. A resounding success, the campaign funded more all-star lineup of industry professionals, a veritable “who’s
than twenty books and a gamemaster’s screen, as well as who” of Conan artists, including cover paintings by Brom,
a wide range of maps, game board tiles, cards, dice, and Sanjulián, Simon Bisley, Alex Horley, Val Mayerik, Daren
other game aids and accessories. Bader, Carl Critchlow, Tim Truman, Mark Schultz, Phroilan
This game line distinguished itself with three core ele- Gardner, Paolo Parente, Tom Grindberg, Estaban Maroto,
ments: the primary source would be Howard’s writings, and Liam Sharp, and many, many others.
disregarding the vast array of pastiche materials; the content With such a roster, it is only natural to produce a book
would be developed alongside Howardian scholars; and spotlighting this art as well as an insight into the devel-
the game line would boast production and art of a quality opment process that led to the distinctive visual style of
rivalling the best in the industry. Toward this end, many the game line itself.
famous artists associated with Conan were commissioned
to do covers and interior art.
The use of art in a roleplaying game is an essential aspect JOSE “GIGIO” ESTERAS
of its appeal. No number of words can convey the same —CARTOGRAPHER
impression as a single well-executed image, and good art As befitting a character whose first appearance in print
can aid immeasurably when it comes to immersing players had him correcting and adding to a map, one of the
and gamemasters into the setting. One of our goals with first artists assigned to the game’s development was a
the art for the Conan game was to have an aesthetic that cartographer, Jose Esteras. A relative newcomer to the
depicted the Hyborian Age the way Howard really described industry, his boundless enthusiasm and endless reservoir
it, firmly rooted in history, versus the more stylized and of patience helped immensely as the map took shape.
fantastic representation from past books, comics, games, Based on the original Howard sketch and a careful
book covers, and movies. evaluation of the texts of the published stories, as well
Since the Kickstarter campaign ended, the team has as alternate and discarded drafts, aided by Conan expert
been hard at work fulfilling the Kickstarter’s pledges, result- Larry “Deuce” Richardson, Esteras’ map corrects errors
ing in an award-winning and critically-acclaimed line of made by past Hyborian Age cartographers, disregards
roleplaying game sourcebooks and associated game aids. any locations not mentioned by Howard, and as such,
Maintaining the game’s visual excellence is an essential part is the most accurate map of Conan’s world ever made.
of that development process. Unfortunately, as is often the
 CHAPTER 1

ADVENTURES IN AN AGE UNDREAMED OF

“Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and
the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an
Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue
mantles beneath the stars—Nemedia, Ophir, Brythunia, Hyperborea, Zamora
with its dark-haired women and towers of spider-haunted mystery, Zingara
with its chivalry, Koth that bordered on the pastoral lands of Shem, Stygia with
its shadow-guarded tombs, Hyrkania whose riders wore steel and silk and gold.
But the proudest kingdom of the world was Aquilonia, reigning supreme in the
dreaming west. Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed,
sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic

mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.”

—The Nemedian Chronicles, “The Phoenix on the Sword”

T
he Conan core book contains all the rules needed to
play the game, launching players and gamemasters BROM
into the visceral, thrilling world of heroic sword-and- The following two-page spread presentsin its unadorned
sorcery of a flavor that can only be found in the world of greatness the incredible wraparound cover for the core
Conan. A meaty 448-plus page full color hardcover, it walks book, also used for the Conan Gamemaster Pack and the
players through character generation, skills and talents, 2017 Free RPG Day adventure The Pit of Kutallu. The choice
the game system, combat, equipment, sorcery, a thorough to use Brom for the cover was easy —his work is some
gazetteer of the Hyborian Age world, gamemaster guidance ofthe finest to ever grace any roleplaying product, and his
and life between adventures, monsters and mortal foes, a worldwide popularity and excellence would guarantee
full introductory adventure, and a roster of potential player the attention the line deserved.
or non-player characters inspired and created by backers Though this painting doesn’t directly depict any spe-
of the Kickstarter. cific scene from Howard’s stories, it encompasses many
of the quintessential elements that make the Conan
stories so primal: a giant monster, the savage barbar-
ian enveloped in its coils yet dominant, and a beautiful
woman fighting alongside him, all in a hazily defined ruin.
The primarily green color palette of the piece makes it
distinctive and dreamlike at the same time, with the
figure of a loincloth-clad Conan a stark contrast to the
foul darkness he is surrounded with.
6 Chapter 1
adventures in an age Undreamed of 7
8 Chapter 1
adventures in an age Undreamed of 9
10 Chapter 1
 CHAPTER 2

PLAYER'S GUIDE

Conan wiped the sweat-smeared dust from his face with a blood-
stained hand. He had fought all through the day, first on foot with
the pikemen, then in the saddle, leading the charge. His surcoat was
gone, his armor splashed with blood and battered with strokes of
sword, mace and ax. He loomed gigantically against a background
of blood and slaughter, like some grim pagan hero of mythology.

— The Hour of the Dragon

T
he Conan Player’s Guide is an abbre-
viated version of the core rulebook, PAOLO PARENTE
providing the player creation process,
One of the few single-page covers in the game line, this
condensed versions of the basic system and
image of Conan is a classic: defiant and openly confront-
combat rules, and personal equipment. Its
ing the viewer, ready to dispense violence at a moment’s
purpose is to be a lower-cost entry point
notice if need be. Perhaps he is leading the massive host
into the world of Conan, containing all
arrayed around him, perhaps he stands defiant, ready to
the rules most players need to play in one
cut his way through their ranks or die trying.
smaller resource.
 CHAPTER 3

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

To the people of the exotic climes, the north was a

mazy half-mythical realm, peopled with ferocious
blue-eyed giants who occasionally descended from
their icy fastnesses with torch and sword.

—“Queen of the Black Coast”

C
including Conan’s own Crom and the Nordheimer Ymir,
o n a n wa s m a ny
Father of the Frost-Giants. Featured are descriptions of
things in his lifetime,
barbaric practices such as sea- and land-raiding, shield
and it made sense for
walls, shipboard combat as practiced by the coastal Vanir,
the design of the game line to
riddle-games, ritual dueling, and the cultural gather-
reflect that. Nine of the source-
ing known as the Thing. Notable personalities from the
books in the Conan line serve to expand the
book are Conan himself at the time of his rough origins,
player options in the core rules, provide
King Cumal of Cimmeria, King Tomar of Hyperborea,
support in the form of systems, and flesh
Old Gorm, and other characters created by Howard
out the regional and country descrip-
such as Hengibar the Wanderer and Gor the Strong One.
tions, described in terms of the overall
theme of each book. Each book reflects
what the barbarian hero was doing at that
juncture of his career, as well as focusing on PHROLIAN GARDNER
the region he was in.
American concept artist Phroilan Gardner has worked
Conan the Barbarian was the second of
with Blizzard on the computer game Diablo III and the
these sourcebooks completed, but tech-
online roleplaying games World of Warcraft and League
nically the first in line. Upon re-examin-
of Legends. His art is also featured in the collectible card
ing the conventional Conan chronology,
game for World of Warcraft.
we realized that his adventures in Cimmeria
Depicting a scene from “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter”
took place before his journey to the deca-
with Conan and two ambushing frost-giant brothers of
dent countries of the dreaming west, and
Atali, daughter of the Nordheimer god Ymir, the skewed
that the book about his origins should
plane and darkness of this cover makes it seem almost
go first before the previously-planned
as if the barbarian hero stands in between the real world
first sourcebook, Conan the Thief.
and the Nordheimer’s after-world of Valhalla, or the bleak,
This sourcebook contains detailed descriptions of
fog-shrouded eternity of his own people.
Conan’s homeland of Cimmeria, Hyperborea, and his
Nordheim — the rival kingdoms of Asgard and Vanaheim.
The grim and implacable gods of the north are described,
16 Chapter 3
conan the barbarian 17
18 Chapter 3
 CHAPTER 4

CONAN THE THIEF

Native rogues were the dominant element—dark-

skinned, dark-eyed Zamorians, with daggers at their
girdles and guile in their hearts. But there were wolves
of half a dozen outland nations there as well.

—“The Tower of the Elephant”

C
onan the Thief describes the barbarian’s journey southwards to the so-called
“civilized” kingdoms of Nemedia, Brythunia, and finally, Zamora the Wicked.
There, he put his native climbing ability, quick reflexes, keen senses, and adept
sword-hand to good use as a professional thief. The sourcebook describes those
aforementioned countries, with gamemaster advice handling heists, thieves’
guilds, and other guidelines for handling campaigns set on the other side
of the law.
As mentioned prior, Conan the Thief was the first completed sourcebook,
but moved to second position due to our evaluation of Conan’s personal
chronology. This had the unintended effect of making Conan the Barbarian,
completed afterward, a slightly more polished book and much easier
to produce, once the development path was forged.

SIMON BISLEY
It is no small task to attempt to depict an image so
memorably executed by Frank Frazetta, but comics
legend Simon Bisley was well up to the task with his
stark and brutal struggle between Conan and the man-
ape Thak — enshrouded in the voluminous red cloak of
the villainous Red Priest, Nabonidus — in a scene from
“Rogues in the House”.
Bisley’s work also graces the cover of Conan the
King (page 65).
22 Chapter 4
conan the thief 23
24 Chapter 4
 CHAPTER 5

CONAN THE MERCENARY

His harness proclaimed him a veteran of the Free Companies, who were
of all races. His head-piece was a plain morion, dented and battered. The
leather and mail-mesh of his hauberk were worn and shiny as if
by many campaigns, and the scarlet cloak flowing carelessly
from his mailed shoulders was tattered and stained. He
looked the part of the hired fighting-man, who had known
all vicissitudes of fortune, plunder and wealth one
day, an empty purse and a close-drawn belt the next.

— The Hour of the Dragon

C
onan the Mercenary
focuses is on the LIAM SHARP
fighting life, sup-
British artist Liam Sharp is known primarily
porting campaigns based
for comic art — particularly British comics
around sell-swords set in
such as 2000 AD, and a host of work for
Khoraja, Ophir, Koth, and
Marvel Comics and DC Comics, Heavy Metal,
eastern Shem — all kingdoms
and forming his own publishing house, which
where mercenaries have plenty
he called Mam Tor. He has since done pro-
of work. Conan spent many for-
duction work for computer games and film.
mative years in these lands, testing his bat-
His contribution to the Conan line fea-
tle-hardened skills and learning the rudiments of
tures Conan fighting a pitched battle against
command and tactics.
an army of foes, while reddish stone moun-
From a mechanical standpoint, this source-
tains loom in the background.
book begins the path toward the larger scheme
of things. The Conan corebook focuses on
individual, character-based combat, while
Conan the Mercenary presents rules for skirmishes: fights
with larger groups of non-player characters, battles in
which the player characters will almost assuredly face
their enemies with a host of lesser allies. It also includes
rules for siege engines, the terrors of any battlefield.
28 Chapter 5
conan the mercenary 29
 CHAPTER 6

CONAN THE PIRATE

“Lick your wounds, bullies, and break out a cask of ale. You’re
going to work ship as she never was worked before. Dance
and sing while you buckle to it, damn you! To the devil with
empty seas! We’re bound for waters where the seaports are
fat, and the merchant ships are crammed with plunder!”

—“The Pool of the Black One”

D
espite his land-bound birth, Conan returned
to the sea time and again, his wide range of TOM GRINDBERG
talents making him a natural at piracy. At
Comics artist Tom Grindberg was a long-time
several points in his career, the Cimmerian rose to
contributor to British comics such as 2000 AD,
claim the captaincy of a ship — even a small fleet
before branching out to work with DC Comics
of them — and he raised hell from shore to shore,
and Marvel Comics. No stranger to Conan,
from the Western to the Vilayet Sea.
Grindberg has worked on many Marvel Conan
Conan the Pirate covers all the information
comics and magazines.
gamemasters need to run piracy-based campaigns,
His cover for Conan the Pirate is a dynamic
including descriptions of coasts to plunder, myths
one, depicting a fierce shipboard battle between
told by superstitious sailors, monstrous sea crea-
Conan and Bêlit versus a desperate pirate crew.
tures, a rogues gallery of pirate captains, and
combat rules for handling ship-to-ship combat,
greatly expanding the arenas within which player
characters can fight.
conan the Pirate 31
34 Chapter 6
conan the Pirate 35
36 Chapter 6
conan the Pirate 37
 CHAPTER 7

CONAN THE BRIGAND

On the broad steppes between the Sea of Vilayet and the borders
of the easternmost Hyborian kingdoms, a new race had sprung up
in the past half-century, formed originally of fleeing criminals,
broken men, escaped slaves, and deserting soldiers. They
were men of many crimes and countries, some born on the
steppes, some fleeing from the kingdoms in the west.

—“The Devil in Iron”

L
ike piracy, the life of the bandit was one Conan period-
ically set his talents to. He was at his most infamous
when in the lands of the near east: Khauran, Turan,
Zamboula, and along the shores of the Vilayet Sea, home
to many bandit companies. It is also in this region that the
northern barbarian experienced his first taste of the east, a region
he was to explore later in his life.
Conan the Brigand gives gamemasters the tools to expand their campaigns
to cover brigandry and all it entails, from managing a brigand band and establishing
hideouts throughout the countryside to evading the authorities, conducting raids,
looting, and keeping wastrels in line. People from many different countries enter
this dangerous path, and this sourcebook provides guidance for brigands from
anywhere across the continent.

DAREN BADER
Bader is primarily a concept illustrator and art director for the vid-
eogames industry, working with companies like Disney, Nintendo,
and Rockstar Games. He also works in the roleplaying game industry,
also doing art for trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering.
His contribution to the Conan line is a moody, evocative piece
depicting Conan and his kozaki encountering a monstrous foe in the
dusky hours before nightfall. This was his second cover for Conan,
after Jeweled Thrones of the Earth (page 72).
conan the brigand 39
42 Chapter 7
conan the brigand 43
44 Chapter 7
 CHAPTER 8

CONAN THE WANDERER

Now the Lemurians enter history again as Hyrkanians. Through

the centuries they have pushed steadily westward, and now a tribe
skirts the southern end of the great inland sea — Vilayet —
and establishes the kingdom of Turan on the southwestern
shore. Between the inland sea and the eastern borders
of the native kingdoms lie vast expanses of steppes and
in the extreme north and extreme south, deserts.

—“The Hyborian Age”

C
onan the Wanderer covers the east of the continent, addressing the fates
of the nomads who roam the great steppes and rugged hills of the area.
Here, more than anywhere else, the influence of the pre-Cataclysmic
race known as the Lemurians is found.
It is easily the most speculative of the Conan sourcebooks, as it primarily
describes a few areas that were only mentioned in the original Conan stories
or were not very deeply explored. If Conan visited Vendhya, Khitai, Sabatea,
or Kosala, it went unchronicled by Howard.
Despite, this, Conan the Wanderer delves deeply into these countries,
addressing the traditons and cultures that lie open to exploration by Hyborian
adventurers from the dreaming west.

ALEX HORLEY
Italian artist “Alex Horley” (real name Alessandro Orlandelli)
grew up reading the stories of Robert E. Howard and thrilling at
the tales of Conan, so his presence upon the cover of this book
was inevitable. He began his career doing covers for computer and
roleplaying game magazines, quickly graduating to work for Marvel
Comics, Dark Horse, DC Comics, and Heavy Metal. He has worked
on Magic cards and other collectible card games and worked with
Rob Zombie doing film storyboards.
His cover features the Cimmerian hero in the depths of the
jungles of Khitai, while Yaggites loom overhead.
46 Chapter 8
48 Chapter 8
conan the wanderer 49
50 Chapter 8
conan the wanderer 51
 CHAPTER 9

CONAN THE ADVENTURER

“Yonder in the unknown vastness” — his long finger stabbed at the

black silent jungle which brooded beyond the firelight — “yonder lie
mystery and adventure and nameless terror. Once I dared the jungle
— once she nearly claimed my bones. Something entered into my blood,
something stole into my soul like a whisper of unnamed sin.”

—N’Longa, “The Hills of the Dead”

S
eventh in the series of a format that had been heavily revised when it came time
regional sourcebooks, to prepare this book for publication.
Conan the Adventurer It was a challenge to present such a broad and diverse
presents Stygia and the group of cultures, in an area larger than perhaps all the rest
lands south of the Styx — of the Hyborian nations combined, with enough informa-
Kush, Darfar, Keshan, Punt, tion to spur the imagination. Thus, this book by necessity
Tombalku, Zembabwei, and offers the broadest treatments of these lands. A wide cast
the other Black Kingdoms of characters from the Conan stories fill out the pages, and
— areas Conan explored in new archetypes, talents, and mysticism abound.
depth during his adven-
tures, whether as a pirate,
a war-chief, or a desper-
ate rogue seeking to swindle MARK SCHULTZ
kings. It is perhaps one of the American writer and artist Mark Schultz is no stranger to
more dramatic areas in Conan’s the world of Conan, having done a considerable amount
career, for it was here that Bêlit, of work for various deluxe editions of Robert E. Howard’s
the Queen of the Black Coast, work. His first published work was for a Kull story, and
the great love of his life, met his work graced the pages of Savage Sword of Conan
her fate. soon after. His own creation, Xenozoic Tales, brought
Despite being near the him great acclaim, and he wrote for the epic newspaper
end of the line of source- comic strip Prince Valiant.
books, this was one of the Schultz’s cover for Conan the Adventurer features
first completed. However, the iconic moment in Conan’s life where the ghost of
it was based on an earlier Bêlit returns to him to aid the battle against a group of
set of the Conan rules and fearsome hyena creatures.
conan the adventurer 53
56 Chapter 9
conan the adventurer 57
 CHAPTER 10

CONAN THE SCOUT

Seldom a menacing figure appeared, but the sentries knew

that they too were watched, fiercely, hungrily, with the
mercilessness of ancient hate. The forest beyond the river
might seem desolate and vacant of life to the ignorant eye,
but life teemed there, not alone of bird and beast and reptile,
but also of men, the fiercest of all the hunting beasts.

—“Beyond the Black River”

I
t was on the Aquilonian Conan the Scout addresses the frontier of the Hyborian
frontier that Conan found world, the edge of the dreaming west — the regions of the
his foot upon the path to a Bossonian Marches, Gunderland, the Westermarck, and
throne, for his adventures upon finally, the rugged and untamed area inhabited by one of
the frontier earned him fame the most ancient races in the world, the Picts. Additionally,
and promotion into the armies it describes the balkanized Border Kingdom in considerable
of Aquilonia. Once there, he was detail, with a system by which the gamemaster can generate
able to marshal support in his bid minor kingdoms as desired, reflecting the area’s volatility
for the throne, which he claimed and disparate nature.
by right of his sword. Due to the vagaries of scheduling, this book was also
among the earlier completed, soon after Conan the Mercenary
saw print.

CARL CRITCHLOW
As the creator of Thrud the Barbarian, British comic illus-
trator Carl Critchlow is no stranger to muscle-bound
sword and sorcery heroes. A long-time contributor
to White Dwarf Magazine, where Thrud appeared as a
monthly comic series, Critchlow also did work for 2000
AD before branching out to extensive work in roleplaying
games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons, The Wheel of
Time, and Star Wars.
His cover for Conan the Scout depicts Conan and young
Balthus in a scene drawn from “Beyond the Black River,”
arriving at the site of a Pictish massacre.
conan the scout 59
60 Chapter 10
62 Chapter 10
conan the scout 63
64 Chapter 10
 CHAPTER 11

CONAN THE KING

What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they
fail when the broadswords sing;
Rush in and die, dogs—I was a man before I was a king.

— The Road of Kings, from “The Phoenix on the Sword”

C
onan the King, the pinnacle of Conan’s career, circles back to the role in which
readers first encountered the Cimmerian barbarian in Howard’s stories.
Completing the set of nine Conan the… sourcebooks, Conan the King is a
guide to the flower of the west, Aquilonia, and also addresses the means by which
gamemasters can run court-based campaigns, with player characters either as the
immediate agents of royalty, or with one or more of them as king or queen of Aquilonia.
Within that sourcebook are archetypes suitable for courtly campaigns, rules for
social manipulation and conflict, plot seeds that concern kingdom-level events,
rules for holdings and titles, and finally, the fulfilment of the grand plan begun in
the core rules, continued in Conan the Mercenary, and expanded in Conan the Pirate:
the means by which to run battles between entire nations, where empires are won and lost.

SIMON BISLEY
Simon Bisley needs no further introduction (see page 19).
Depicting Conan as a truly barbaric king, this piece showcases
Bisley’s gonzo energy and rich use of color. Though the “dragon”
referred to in Hour of the Dragon was metaphorical, this one
is, or was, clearly real.
This was technically Bisley’s third Conan cover, after Conan
the Thief and another yet to appear, making him the only artist
to do three covers for the line.
68 Chapter 11
conan the king 69
70 Chapter 11

NEED SOMETHING FOR THIS

PAGE
conan the king 71
 CHAPTER 12

JEWELED THRONES OF THE EARTH

In writing these yarns I’ve always felt less as creating them than
as if I were simply chronicling his adventures as he told them to
me. That’s why they skip about so much, without following a
regular order. The average adventurer, telling tales of a wild life at
random, seldom follows any ordered plan, but narrates episodes
widely separated by space and years, as they occur to him.

— Robert E. Howard, letter to P. Schuyler Miller

O
ne of the earlier books to appear, Jeweled Thrones of the Earth was intended as an immediate means
of getting Conan campaigns jump-started, with ready-to-play adventures spread across the Hyborian
continent, featuring diverse themes and environments, even taking players through time and to
alternate dimensions.
For those interested in trivia, “The Red Pit” was the first adventure written for Conan, and was used as a
demo and playtest and later expanded for its appearance in this volume. Similarly, “The Ghost of Thunder
River” was largely improvised, and was the line editor’s first experience running Conan for the Modiphius team
while on a visit to London. A recording of that session was made available during the Kickstarter campaign
for fans to experience the team playing the game.

DAREN BADER
Introduced on page 38, this was Bader’s first
actual cover for the game line, featuring Conan
fighting a group of savage foes while a serpen-
tine monster lurks in the background. When
asked about a second cover— that of Conan
the Brigand — Bader leapt at the opportunity.
jeweled thrones of the earth 73
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jeweled thrones of the earth 77
 CHAPTER 13

THE BOOK OF SKELOS

He desired to learn if this island were indeed that mentioned in the

mysterious Book of Skelos, whereon, nameless sages aver, strange
monsters guard crypts filled with hieroglyph-carven gold.

—“The Pool of the Black One”

M
uch adventuring in the Hyborian age is from
a vantage point of heroic figures who view
sorcery as evil and corrupt, much as Conan’s
own experiences rarely provided any positive examples
of magic use. However, this aspect of the setting is perhaps
one of the most interesting, as different as it is from the magic
one sees depicted in most roleplaying games.
The Book of Skelos expands the sorcery rules dramatically from those
presented in the corebook, allowing for more diverse sorcerer player char-
acters, and giving gamemasters a variety of tools for creating campaigns
based on sorcerous cabals like the Black Ring, as well as creating unnatural
artificial life, a goal of many would-be gods.

VAL MAYERIK
It is an already-used cliché to say that this person needs no intro-
duction, but Val Mayerik is just such an individual. A legend in
comics, Mayerik’s early work at Marvel was on a comic adaptation
of John Jakes’ Brak the Barbarian, and soon after he was contributing
to the monthly Conan comic. Later, he created Howard the Duck,
whose origins were also tied in with a parody figure of Conan.
He has worked for almost every major comics publisher in the
industry and done many Conan covers over the years.
This wraparound features a pivotal scene from The Hour of the
Dragon, where Xaltotun attempts to sacrifice a young maiden to
sinister purpose.
the book of skelos 79
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the book of skelos 85
 CHAPTER 14

ANCIENT RUINS & CURSED CITIES

On every hand rose the grim relics of another, forgotten age:

huge broken pillars, thrusting up their jagged pinnacles into the
sky; long wavering lines of crumbling walls; fallen cyclopean
blocks of stone; shattered images, whose horrific features
the corroding winds and dust-storms had half erased.

—“Black Colossus”

A
ncient Ruins & Cursed Cities presents a wide
range of ready-to-use locations for Conan SANJULIÁN
gamemasters to use as sandbox-style adven- Cover artist Sanjulián is a legend in fantastic art,
ture areas or as springboards for more scripted and his association with Conan is perhaps second
adventures. This book, more than any other in the only to Frank Frazetta’s. Having Sanjulián onboard
line, draws from the incredible wealth of Robert E. was a tremendous boon to the credibility of the
Howard stories, with locations featured in many line and helped with recruiting others to provide
of his other stories, locations surviving across the their own artistic talents.
uncaring eons. The cover for Ancient Ruins & Cursed Cities was
As such, this is both a gamemaster toolbox and originally considered for the corebook, but for
a delightful tour across the massive pseudo-history a variety of reasons we decided to go with the
created by Howard, with guest appearances by areas simpler piece by Brom. Nonetheless, the team
created by his good friend H.P. Lovecraft. Rounding was so excited about working with Sanjulián and
it out is a system for creating ruins and populating with his work that another cover commission
them with stories and characters, expanded rules soon followed.
for traps and hazards, and a variety of magic items
and treasure hoard creation tables.
ancient ruins & cursed cities 87
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ancient ruins & cursed cities 91
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 CHAPTER 15

NAMELESS CULTS

Von Junzt spent his entire life (1795–1840) delving into forbidden
subjects; he traveled in all parts of the world, gained entrance
into innumerable secret societies, and read countless little-known
and esoteric books and manuscripts in the original; and in the
chapters of the Black Book, which range from startling clarity of
exposition to murky ambiguity, there are statements and hints
to freeze the blood of a thinking man.

—“The Children of the Night”

T
his book, named for the famed Cthulhu Mythos tome created by Robert
E. Howard and popularized by H.P. Lovecraft, is unabashedly the Conan
game line’s equivalent of the legendary Deities & Demigods sourcebook for
Dungeons & Dragons.
A theory about the Hyborian Age is that there is no compelling proof that
the gods actually exist at all, though the number of times Mitra intervenes
in Conan’s life, and the variety of demonic monsters and ageless enchant-
ments, point to them having some sort of reality.
Inside these covers are detailed descriptions of the dei-
ties of the Hyborian Age and the cults that worship them, as
well as additional options for player characters seeking to
become priests. Additionally, the book covers the structure of
most cults, and provides a variety of relics sacred to them.

PHROILAN GARDNER
The second time his work has graced the line, Gardner’s
cover for Nameless Cults, though not based on any specific
story, contains all of the elements of a classic Conan yarn:
a huge demon, a seductive temptress, and a horde of
sinister, looming cultists, all menacing the barbarian hero.
96 Chapter 15
nameless cults 97
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 CHAPTER 16

HORRORS OF THE HYBORIAN AGE

“There are creatures,” said Pelias, “not alone of earth and

sea, but of air and the far reaches of the skies as well, dwelling
apart, unguessed of men. Yet to him who holds the Master-
words and Signs and the Knowledge underlying all, they are
not malignant nor inaccessible. Watch, and fear not.”

—“The Scarlet Citadel”

T
he bestiary for the Conan game line, Horrors
of the Hyborian Age contains over a hundred
monsters and foes the gamemaster can chal-
lenge player characters with. Ranging from elemen-
tals to natural animals, demonic entities, undead,
dinosaurs, and new takes on classic monsters, this
showcases the diverse range of Howardian foes.
Rounding the book out are player character
options for those archetypes focused on the natu-
ral world, new creature qualities and abilities, and
additional rules for dealing with monsters in play.

SANJULIÁN
This is the second cover Sanjulián produced for
the line. Instantly recognizable, it spotlights
the gritty, exotic world of the Hyborian Age,
presenting the barbaric hero flanked by foes.
102 Chapter 16
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104 Chapter 16
horrors of the hyborian age 105
 CHAPTER 17

KULL OF ATLANTIS

Three men sat at a table playing a game. Across the sill of

an open window there whispered a faint breeze, blowing
the filmy curtains about and bearing to the players the
incense of roses and vines and growing green things.

Three men sat at a table—one was a king—one a prince of an ancient

house—one was the chief of a terrible and barbaric nation.

“Score!” quoth Kull, king of Valusia, as he moved one of the

ivory figures. “My wizard menaces your warrior, Brule.”

— Untitled Fragment

O
ne of the “musts” of the game line was a
sourcebook featuring Kull, the barbarian JUSTIN SWEET
king of Valusia, whose adventures preceded
As Justin Sweet is the artist associated most
Conan’s and paved the way in Howard’s own mind.
closely with Kull, it was a no-brainer to license
Kull had never received any treatment in a roleplay-
the use of his amazing artwork featuring the
ing game, and his world was a marked counterpart
character. Rather than just a cover, however,
to Conan’s. Where Conan’s is deeply described, with
Modiphius obtained the rights to use a variety
highly recognizable approximations of real-world
of Sweet’s paintings and pen-and-ink illustra-
cultures, Kull’s own age is dreamlike, more evocative
tions featuring Kull, giving a unique look and
in tone than the visceral action of the Hyborian Age.
feel to the book.
This sourcebook presents the Thurian Age of Kull
in all its glory, offering players and gamemasters the
chance to play in this world, whether as a campaign
set there or as a temporary visit, drawn across time as
Kull was himself. Furthermore, many resources con-
tained within this book are also applicable to Conan
games, and can be used without modifications.
Sharp-eyed readers may notice, also, that the
visual treatment in Kull of Atlantis differs slightly
from that of the main Conan line, signifying a shift
in tone and a reference to the bygone age.
108 Chapter 17
Kull of Atlantis 109
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Kull of Atlantis 111
 AN ARMY OF ARTISTS

F
rom the launch of the Kickstarter, a primary goal of this game line has been to feature an amazing array of
artists, from industry favorites to talented newcomers. Everyone at Modiphius would like to publicly thank
these artists for their excellent work depicting the Hyborian Age of Conan as it has never been depicted before.

Art Direction Character Sheet Art

Richard August, Jason Durall, Chris Lites, Jeffrey Francesca Baerald
Shanks, Katya Thomas & Mischa Thomas
Cover Art
Cartography
Daren Bader, Simon Bisley, Gerald Brom, Carl
Jose “Gigio” Esteras & Tobias Tranell
Critchlow, Phrolian Gardner, Tom Grindberg, Alex
Layout and Graphic Design Horley, Val Mayerik, Paolo Parente, Sanjulián,
Dan Algstrand, Michal Cross, Jen McCleary, Thomas Mark Schultz, Liam Sharp, Justin Sweet, and
Shook, Mark Whittington & Malcolm Wolter the art teams at Funcom & Monolith.

Interior Art
Daren Bader, Gio Baroni, Jorge Barrero, Frédéric Bennett, Simon Bisley, Aleksi Briclot, Felipe Cavalcanti,
georges Cl4renko, Carl Critchlow, Michal E. Cross, Shen Fei, Johan Fredriksson, Michele Frigo, Chaim
Garcia, Phroilan Gardner, Toma Feizo Gas, Gary Gianni, Tomás Giorello, Nick Greenwood, Tom Grindberg,
Per Ø. Haagensen, Josh Hass, Patrik Hell, Mike Hoffman, Joel Chaim Holtzman, Alex Horley, Tomasz
Jedruszek, Robert Jenkins, Dominik Kasprzycki, Matthias Kinnigkeit, Kekai Kotaki, Brian LeBlanc, Victor
Manuel Leza Moreno, Fares Maese, Eli Maffei, Antonio José Manzanedo, Esteban Maroto, Frédéric Le
Martelot, Diana Martinez, Ed Mattinian, Val Mayerik, André Meister, Naïade, Richard Pace, Paolo Parente,
Grzegorz Pedrycz, German Ponce, Paolo Puggioni, Suebsin Pullsiri, Christian Quinot, Grant Regan, Gunship
Revolution, Seth Rutledge, Sanjulián, Mark Schultz, Liam Sharp, Adrian Smith, Martin Sobr, Steve Stark,
Jessada Sutthi, Justin Sweet, Michael Syrigos, Rodrigo Toledo, Alex Tornberg, Timothy Truman, Justin
Usher, Fang Wangli, Mateusz Wilma, Kitti Wong, and the teams at Funcom, Marvel Comics & Monolith.

Our apologies to any whose names have been inadvertently overlooked.

 OTHER CONAN TITLES
Conan the Adventurer Ancient Ruins & Cursed Cities
Conan the Brigand The Book of Skelos
Conan the King Horrors of the Hyborian Age
Conan the Mercenary Kull of Atlantis
Conan the Pirate Nameless Cults
Conan the Thief Conan: The Exiles Sourcebook
Conan the Scout Conan: The Monolith Sourcebook
Conan the Wanderer The Art of Conan

CONAN ACCESSORIES
Gamemaster Screen Encounter Card Deck
Geomorphic Tile Sets Location Card Deck
Q-Workshop Dice Set Sorcery Card Deck
Doom & Fortune Card Deck Story Card Deck modiphius.com/conan

© 2020 Conan Properties International LLC (“CPI”). CONAN, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, HYBORIA and related logos, characters, names,
and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of CPI. All rights reserved. ROBERT E. HOWARD and related logos,
characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of Robert E. Howard Properties Inc. All rights reserved.
The 2D20 SYSTEM and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. 2015–2020. All 2D20 SYSTEM text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.