Campaign System

Wounds

Each Hero rolls a die for each Energy Gem in his Wound Zone (including those that began the game in the Wound Zone).  This system is also used for a Hero who has all his Energy Gems in the Wound Zone at the end of a scenario, such a Hero is not considered dead, although he or she is likely to suffer very serious injuries.

The colour of the dice rolled depends on how many Energy Gems the Hero has in his Reserve and Fatigue Zones combined.

If 7+, he or she rolls yellow dice
If 5-6, he or she rolls orange dice
If less than 4, he or she rolls red dice

For each full three hits obtained on the dice, the Hero will begin the next scenario with one Energy Gem in the Wound Zone.  If further wounds were received in previous scenarios, the effects stack.  This may lead to all energy gems being in the wound zone...which means that the Hero has passed into legend...


Recovery

At the start of a scenario, a Hero may attempt recovery if the scenario allows it.  This will typically depend on the time between scenarios, whether the Heroes were pursued or able to rest, and so forth.  Several recovery attempts may be allowed by a scenario, and a scenario may offer bonuses or penalties to recovery attempts.

The players may also decide that a Hero is too badly hurt, and trade his or her participation in the scenario for an additional recovery attempt (or one attempt, if none were allowed).  This choice may have consequences for the campaign narrative.

For Recovery, a Hero rolls one yellow die for each Energy Gem he or she has, that is not in the Wound Zone.

For each full 3 hits rolled, one Energy Gem is moved out of the Wound Zone.  However, if no hits are rolled, the hero's health has declined, and he or she takes an additional wound.

Exemple : Bêlit has accumulated some troubling wounds during her punishing adventures along the Black Coast, and has two Energy Gems in her Wound Zone.  Since she if (relatively !) frail with only 9 Energy, she thus has 7 that are not in the Wound Zone.  This allows her to roll seven yellow dice.  She obtains 5 hits, which allows her to recover one Energy Gem.

Exemple : Shevatas was very badly wounded in a previous scenario,  and has eight Energy Gems in his wound zone, and thus two that are not.  He rolls two yellow dice for recovery, hoping against hope to roll at least three hits....conditions were poor, and he rolls no hits.  His wounds have festered, and he now has nine Energy Gems in his wound zone.  Future recovery has now become impossible without any bonus (a single yellow die cannot yield 3 hits), and in any case will be dreadfully long.  The player decides to retire Shevatas.  In the harsh world of Conan it is unlikely his final days will be prosperous...

 

Loot and Equipment

Heroes retain any loot they started the scenario with, and any they discovered during the scenario (even if they gave it to another Hero during the course of the scenario).  Any equipment that was dropped during the scenario and not picked up during it, is permanently lost.

Heroes may freely exchange Equipment cards, but no Hero can simply give a card to another.  This represents the individuality of Heroes, who are unwilling to give unless they get, unless in the heat of battle.


Each Hero must begin the next scenario with all the Equipment he has retained, unless he chooses to abandon it beforehand.  Equipment abandoned in this way, or dropped (but not thrown) during the action is permanently lost to the Hero and the group.  This avoids Heroes accumulating hoards of goodies and requiring complex rules for managing the storage and transport of their loot !


Spells

Each Hero with the Spell User skill who takes part in a campaign, has a list of spells that he knows.  Before each scenarios, he selects one spell with which he is equipped; randomnly picks three spells and chooses one with which he is equipped; then takes all of the spells he knows but has not yet equipped, and randomnly picks one of them.

Each Spell User thus enters into a scenarios with three spells.

Some scenarios may, for play balance, not allow certain spells.  These are set aside before the Spell User begins the process of selecting his three spells.


XP

When a Hero delivers the killing blow to a creature of the Overlord with multiple wounds, he gains 1 XP.

When a Hero takes part in a scenario that the Overlord loses, he gains 1 XP, unless all his Energy Gems were in the Wound Zone before the end of the scenario

Scenario specific rules may award XP.

A Hero who reaches a multiple of 10 XP, must choose to either add an additional Energy Gem to his starting number at the beginning of each scenario (to a maximum of 15), permanently increase the exertion limit of an Action by 1 (to a maximum of 5) or, if a magic user, either improves the manner with which spells are picked, learns an additional spell, or (at 30 XP) increases one level of magic skill.

Another option, easier to manage and perhaps more fun, is to allow a Hero who reaches a multiple of 10 XP to benefit from some "world advantage", which affects the narrative of future gameplay or gives the character an appropriate item and/or special rule.

Retirement

If a player considers that a Hero is too badly wounded to continue the campaign, or believes it would be coherent for another reason, the Hero can be Retired.  He or she can no longer participate in the Campaign, and may not rejoin it.  In a world setting, he or she retains all XP and all advantages acquired from XP.  It is presumed that, by the time the Hero participates in a new campaign, all wounds have been healed.  He or she will no doubt, however, suffer some permanent negative effects.

In general, unless the Campaign rules specify otherwise, a player may choose a new hero without retiring the one he or she is currently using.  The player is encouraged to contribute to the Campaign narrative and explain where the new member of the group came from.



Allies

In a campaign, Allies may either be anonymous or named.  If they are anonymous, they participate in a scenario as per the scenario rules, and then disappear from the Heroes existence.

If they are named, however, they will remain with the Heroes into the following scenario, unless the campaign narrative states otherwise.

Only Allies with multiple wounds will be named, but not all such Allies will necessarily be named.

A named Ally who is killed during a scenario is permanently out of the campaign, either dead or too heavily wounded to carry on.

Otherwise, Allies wounds automatically heal between scenarios and they do not gain XP.