''Conan Unchained!'' is a 1984

adventure module An adventure is a playable scenario in a tabletop role-playing game. These can be constructed by gamemasters for their players, and are also released by game publishers as pre-made adventure modules. Different types of designs exist, including ...

for the ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (T ...

roleplaying game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...

that centers on an adventure of the fictional hero

Conan the Barbarian Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...

and his companions.

Plot summary

''Conan Unchained!'' is a scenario set during Conan's days as a Kozak raider and pirate on the Sea of Vilayet. The module includes rules for playing in the Hyborian Age with ''AD&D'' rules and provides character descriptions of Conan, Valeria, Juma, and Nestor from the ''Conan'' novels.''D&D Module CB1: "Conan: Unchained!" - Part 1''
from SomethingAwful.com Some of the scenes include being captured by Kozaks and traveling to a mysterious Island to rescue Princess Amrastisi.''D&D Module CB1: "Conan: Unchained!" - Part 2''
from SomethingAwful.com

Publication history

CB1 ''Conan Unchained!'' was written by David Cook, with art by

Jeff Butler Jeff Butler (born February 26, 1958, in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American illustrator and comic book artist. Butler worked with the art department of TSR, Inc. for 5 years, illustrating products for the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role- ...

, and was published by TSR in 1984 as a 32-page booklet with an outer folder. Its TSR product code is TSR 9123.

Reception

Steve Hampshire gave the module a mixed review in '' Imagine'' magazine. Hampshire felt that the module did have "some uniquely 'Conan' features", such as an almost total absence of normal AD&D monsters, which were replaced by humans. Although he thought the plot was "simple and derivative", Hampshire noted that the module provided some interesting settings and encounters. Hampshire stated that the module played well in general despite some minor glitches, and felt the module would be good for introducing players to the Conan universe, but added that further installments in the series would need stronger plot lines.

Rick Swan Rick Swan is a game designer and author who worked for TSR. His work for TSR, mostly for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, appeared from 1989 to 1995. Swan also wrote ''The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games'' (1990), published by St. Martin's Pr ...

reviewed the adventure in ''

The Space Gamer ''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...

'' No. 73. Swan felt that designer David Cook gave a good shot at what he thought was "a pretty cheesy assignment" by adding new rules such as a Fear Factor for monsters to inspire terror, Luck Points to allow

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...

s to perform heroic feats, and a healing rule to mend wounded characters faster. Swan felt Cook had approached the Conan universe with respect although it "isn't a particularly good choice for the ''D&D'' system" due to its more grounded world building and lack of magic. Swan concluded by saying that "Conan and ''D&D'' go together like peanut butter and tuna fish—it can be done, but you can bet there's going to be a funny taste."

Credits

* David Cook: Design * Anne Gray: Editing *Elizabeth Riedel: Graphic design *Kitty Thompson: Graphic design *

: Interior art

References

External links