Vladar's Blog

The Age of Conan: Bossonian Marches
Gary Gygax Gary Gygax Day special

Last October, we decided to do a short detour from the ongoing Mystara campaign to try out The Age of Conan1 supplements for the OD&D using the Chainmail combat resolution systems (Troop Type and Man-to-Man). Here's a small adventuring region that we have played in.

Contents

The Map ↩
Bossonian Marches map with hex coordinates Bossonian Marches map
Bossonian Marches, 5-mile hexes.

☞ Download Hexfriend2 source file.

I've decided to run this game in Bossonian Marches at the shores of the Thunder River3 — a borderland region of high mountains, wild forests, and primordial swamps of the Pictish Wilderness. Recently, a sizable band of Picts began sending raiding parties to the other side of the Thunder River to attack Bossonian villages. The garrison stationed at the nearby Aquilonian outpost is not even nearly big enough to deal with the raiders, so any help from the adventuring types is welcome.

These adventure modules were used to populate the region:

Name Abbr. Comment
The Necropolis of Nuromen4 Nuromen The source for the general layout of the region.
The Ruins of Arbel Monastery5 Arbel Additional low-level dungeon.
The Uncharted Swamp6 Swamp The swamp west of the Thunder River.

It's more than enough for a short playtest, but you'll certainly need some additional adventuring sites and lairs when the characters level up and decide to explore the surrounding wilderness.

Note on Monster Stats ↩

The information in the original materials is spread across multiple booklets that heavily reference each other. For the full statistics, I would recommend consulting the sources in the following priority:

  1. Supplement 2: Blackmoor
  2. Supplement 1: Greyhawk
  3. The Original D&D booklets
  4. Chainmail

Those monsters that do not appear therein can be found in Monster Manual.7

Troop Type (TT) Attack/Defence per HD and Morale Rating (MR) are taken from ODND and Chainmail or extrapolated in the lack thereof (the latter are marked with ^).

Wilderness Encounters ↩

Mostly from The Necropolis of Nuromen. Some entries and monsters are replaced to better fit the setting. Others are left as they are (Nuromen, pp. 3-4).

Check once per day, 2-in-6 chance.

d10 Bossonian Road Number d12 Woods Number
1 bandits 2d6 1 giant ants 1d3
2 young black dragon 1 2 bandits 2d6
3 prospectors 1d6 3 wolves 2d4
4 bossonians 1d8 4 man-apes 1d4
5 beastmen 1d4 5 cockatrice 1
6 pict scouts 2d4 6 bossonians 1d8
7 pict raiders 1d6 7 pict scouts 1d4
8 giant rats 1d4 8 pict scouts 2d4
9 giant spiders 1d2 9 pict raiders 1d6
10 soldiers 2d6 10 ape-thing 1
11 cave bear 1
12 giant spiders 1d4

Monster Statistics Reference

Monster AC MV" HD TT MR Total Notes
Bandits 7 12 1 LF 4^ 100 Lair in L13.
Beastmen 5 9 1+2 HF 7 20 Secretly working for Lothar (L13).
Bossonians*† 7 12 1 LF 6 --- Migrating from the ruined village (M9) or hunting picts.
Cave Bear 5 12 5 AF/HF 30^ 5 In woods — 40% in lair with Treasure Type C.
Cockatrice 6 9/18 5 -/HF --- 1 Turns opponents to stone by touch on a failed save.
Giant Ants 3 12 2 HF/AF 12^ 20 Anthill at J11 with Treasure Type C.
Giant Rats 7 9 1/2 LF^ 2^ ---
Giant Spiders 6 6 2 HF^ 10^ 10 Venomous, save with +2 bonus.
Man-Apes 5 9 3+1 HF 7 20 +1 to surprise. Descended from the nearby mountains.
Ape-Thing 5 9 4+1 HF 8 10 +2 damage. Lone creatures migrating from the deep woods west of the Thunder River.
Pict Raiders 9 12 1+1 HF/LF 5 50 Treasure: 2d6 gp each.
Pict Scouts 9 12 1–1 LF 4 --- Treasure: 1d6 gp each.
Prospectors† 7 12 1 LF 5 30 Traveling between the castle and the mountains.
Soldiers† 4 9 1 HF 7 20 Patrol from the castle (N11).
Wolves 7 18 2 LH 6 ---
Young Black Dragon‡ 2 9/24 6 HH --- 1 Searching for a suitable home, considering Law's End (L10). Tends to avoid fights.

* Troop Type system: +1 with bows; Man-to-Man system: +2 with bows.

† Generally friendly.

‡ Can see invisible within 15". Impervious to missile or melee in normal combat. 6+ on 2d6 → Acid breath 6" × 1/2" line, 3/day.

Locations ↩

Hex Location Notes
J11 Anthill (giant ants) Treasure Type C
L10 The Ruins of Law's End Nuromen, pp.4-13
L13 The Lair of Lothar Nuromen, p. 13
M9 Bossonian village recently raided by the picts
N11 Camlann Castle Nuromen, p.2
Q13 Arbel Monastery Arbel
X17 Zimrilas Nuromen, p.1
--- The Swamp Swamp

The Ruins of Law's End ↩

📝 NOTE: Room 2 — Underground Courtyard has a typo: the descriptions of the northern and southern doors should be switched around.

First Level Wandering Monsters

d12 Monster Number Total
1 Bandits 1d4 6
2 Giant Centipedes 1d4 ---
3 Bossonians 1d2 2
4 Gelatinous Cube 1 1
5 Pict Scouts 1d4 10
6 Green Slime 1 1
7 Giant Rats 2d4 ---
8 Shrieker 1 1
9 Skeletons 1d4 ---
10 Skeletons 1d6 ---
11 Stirges 1d4 ---
12 Zombies 1d2 ---

Second Level Wandering Monsters

d12 Monster Number Total
1 Giant Centipedes 1d6 ---
2 Ghoul 1 1
3 Pict Scouts 1d6 10
4 Grey Ooze 1 1
5 Rust Monster 1 1
6 Shadow 1d2 2
7 Skeletons 1d4 ---
8 Skeletons 1d6 ---
9 Giant Spider 1 1
10 Troglodytes 1d4 ---
11 Yellow Mould 1 1
12 Zombies 1d4 ---

Monster Statistics Reference

Monster AC MV" HD TT MR Notes
Bandits 7 12 1 LF 4
Bossonians 7 12 1 LF 6 Generally friendly, exploring the upper level. Troop Type system: +1 with bows; Man-to-Man system: +2 with bows.
Gelatinous Cube 8 6 4 LF^ --- Touch causes a die of damage and paralyzes on a failed save. Immune to lightning, cold, paralyzation, fear, and polymorph attacks.
Ghoul 6 9 2 LH/HH 10 Paralysis on a failed save. Killed victims become Ghouls.
Giant Centipedes 9 6 1/2 LF^ 3 Venomous, save with +4 bonus. Centipedes save with -1 penalty.
Giant Fire Beetles 4 9 1–1 AF/HF^ 3 2-4' in size, emit soft steady glow.
Giant Rats 7 9 1/2 LF^ 2
Giant Spider 6 6 2 HF^ 10^ Venomous, save with +2 bonus.
Green Slime --- Nil 2 --- --- Eats wood and metal but not stone. Turns flesh to Green Slime in 1 turn. Immune to lightning and weapons, but can be harmed by fire, cold, and the Cure Disease spell.
Gray Ooze 8 1 3 --- --- Corrodes metal, does 2 dice of damage to exposed flesh. Immune to cold and fire, harmed only by lightning and cutting weapons.
Harpies 7 6/15 3 LH^ 7^ Lures men who fail their save vs. magic, then charms them on touch.
Pict Scouts 9 12 1–1 LF 4 Treasure: 1d6 gp each.
Rust Monster 2 12 5 LF/AF^ 8^ Hits by or upon a Rust Monster cause even magical weapons and armor to rust and fall to flakes.
Shadow 7 9 2+2 LF^ 10 Strength drain. Harmed only by magical weapons. Immune to Turning, Sleep and Charm spells. Strength-drained victims become Shadows.
Shrieker 7 1 3 --- --- Light within 3" or movement within 1" will cause a piercing shriek lasting 1d3 rounds with a 50% chance of attracting wandering monsters per round.
Skeletal Arm 4 6 1/2 LF^ --- Flies into the air, attacking with a rusty sword.
Skeletons 7 6 1/2 LF^ ---
Stirges 7 18 1 LF^ 3 Attacks as a 4th-level fighter. On hit, attaches to its prey, draining the blood each round.
Troglodytes 5 12 2 HF^ +2 to surprise. Emit disgusting smell, temporarily reducing Strength score by 1 per round for 1d6 rounds to those who failed their save vs. poison.
Wight 5 9 3 LH/HH 10 Level drain, immune to normal missiles, ×2 damage from magic missiles. Killed victims become Wights.
Wraith 3 12/24 4 LH/HH 13^ Level drain, immune to normal missiles, 1/2 damage from silver-tipped missiles, one die of damage from magic missiles. Killed victims become Wights.
Yellow Mold --- --- --- --- --- Does 1 die of damage to exposed skin. On rough contact, 50% chance of 1"×1" cloud of asphyxiating spores, save vs. poison or die. Harmed only by fire.
Zombies 8 6 2 HF ---

The Lair of Lothar ↩

Monster Statistics Reference

Monster AC MV" HD TT MR
Bandits 7 12 1 LF 4
Beastmen 5 9 1+2 HF 7
Cave Bear 5 12 5 AF/HF 30
Lothar* 4 6 6 HF ---

* Lothar has a +1 magic shield, subtracting 1 from all attacks against him.

Arbel Monastery ↩

📝 NOTE: To match the setting, kobolds become the snakemen, and ogre — the ape-thing.

Crypts Wandering Monsters

d6 Monster Number
1–5 skeletons 1d3
6 ghoul 1

Catacombs Wandering Monsters

d6 Monster Number
1–3 snakemen 1d3+2
4–5 skeletons 1d3+1
6 giant spider 1

Monster Statistics Reference

Monster AC MV" HD TT MR Notes
Ape-Thing 5 9 4+1 HF 8 +2 damage.
Ghoul 6 9 2 LH/HH 10 Paralysis on a failed save. Killed victims become Ghouls.
Giant Rats 7 9 1/2 LF^ 2
Giant Spider 6 6 2 HF^ 10^ Venomous, save with +2 bonus.
Green Slime --- Nil 2 --- --- Eats wood and metal but not stone. Turns flesh to Green Slime in 1 turn. Immune to lightning and weapons, but can be harmed by fire, cold, and the Cure Disease spell.
Shield Skeleton 6 6 1/2 LF/HF^ --- long sword +1
Skeletons 7 6 1/2 LF^ ---
Snakemen 7 6 1/2 LF 5

The Swamp ↩

Monster Statistics Reference

Monster AC MV" HD TT MR Notes
Frogmen 9 12 1 LF var.
Frogmen Leaders 7 12 2 LF 5
Giant Centipedes 9 6 1/2 LF^ 3 Venomous, save with +4 bonus. Centipedes save with -1 penalty.
Red Frogs 7 6 1hp --- 2
Wights 5 9 3 LH/HH 10 Level drain, immune to normal missiles, x2 damage from magic missiles. Killed victims become Wights.
Young Swamp Mammoth 5 12 9 HH Attacks as 4 Heavy Horses.
Zombies 8 6 2 HF ---

Picts Roster

📝 NOTE: The brigands became the pict raiders who are currently harassing Bossonians on the other side of the river.

Leader AC MV" Level HD Fighting Capability Notes
Chief 6 12 F6 6 Hero +1 or 6 Men sword
Raiding Leader 7 12 F4 4 Hero sword, bow
Patrol Leader 7 12 F3 3 3 Men or Hero –1 sword, bow
Camp Leader 8 12 F3 3 3 Men or Hero –1 sword
Shaman 9 12 MU5 3 3 Men Charm Person, 2 × Magic Missile, Ventriloquism ; ESP, Phantasmal Forces; Suggestion
Pict AC MV" HD TT MR Notes Total In Camp On Patrol On Raid
Scout 9 12 1–1 LF 4 sling, club 8 3 2 3
Spearman 9 12 1+1 LF 5 spear 20 11 2 7
Archer 7 12 1 LF 4 bow, hand axe 15 3 2 10
Elite 6 12 2 HF 6 sword 10 10 --- ---
Bodyguard 6 12 3 HF 6 sword 3 3 --- ---

Discuss this post on Reddit

The Age of Conan, Dungeons & Dragons, and Chainmail covers

  1. https://grey-elf.com/↩

  2. https://hexfriend.net/↩

  3. https://www.reddit.com/r/ConanTheBarbarian/comments/1dlrqg6/map_of_hyboria/↩

  4. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110292/blueholme-the-necropolis-of-nuromen?affiliate_id=850783↩

  5. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/514265/the-ruins-of-arbel-monastery?affiliate_id=850783↩

  6. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/265138/off-track-the-uncharted-swamp?affiliate_id=850783↩

  7. https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17002/Monster-Manual-1e?affiliate_id=850783↩

#adventure #chainmail #conan #dnd #guide #odnd #osr #ttrpg