I have really enjoyed playing in Kelvin's 13th Age campaign and consequently am pondering whether one could use 13A to power a Hyborian campaign.
One of the keys behind any campaign using 13th Age is the icons - as these can end up defining much of the plot and the events within the campaign, I want to see if I can come up with some good ones for Hyboria. They will need to be personalities and factions that can conceivably be drawn into any game at the roll of a d6, thus able to exercise power across much of the campaign milieu.
Here are four for starters, more when I've had the chance to mull them over, but any suggestions welcome.
Conan (Heroic Icon)
Conan the Cimmerian, a barbarian, thief, mercenary and pirate, his escapades across the continent have left a trail of chaos and destruction behind them. He has toppled kings and sorcerors and challenged the power of the very gods themselves. Conan has now seized the throne of Aquilonia, one of the most powerful of the Hyborian kingdoms, and set himself up as ruler there. But he is an alien in a feudal land where wealthy barons and other enemies are plotting to unseat him even now. Conan has at his command one of the most vaunted armies in the western kingdoms and his reach is long. Location: Aquilonia, but known to travel, sometimes on his own, sometimes with an army.
Thoth Amon (Villainous Icon)
Thoth Amon is regarded as one of the most dangerous sorcerors of the Black Ring, a cabal of Stygian magicians. His origins remain obscure but it is known that he exercises considerable power both within Stygia and beyond. Although nominally an adherent to the Stygian snake cult of Set, Thoth Amon is also thought to be advancing his own sorcerous schemes independently of both the Setites and Stygia itself. Thoth Amon has been interested for some time in uncovering the ancient mysteries of the fallen civilization of Acheron. Location: Stygia, but known to travel.
The Bone Woman (Ambiguous Icon)
She is an ancient and powerful witch. Little is known of her origins and her agenda frequently clashes with those of other sorcerors. She sees adventurers as tools in a larger game that she is playing and her influence stretches far. Kings and emperors may be her play things. She draws on ancient magics that existed before the written word, before mighty Acheron dominated the continent of Hyboria. Her powers allow her to draw regularly on demonic entities from outside time and space. Her agents are many and can be encountered all over the world. Location: unknown. It is possible she lives in some form of proto dimension of her own creation.
The Church of Mitra (Heroic Icon)
Mitra's is the most influential and widely followed cult among the Hyborian kingdoms of the west. The priests of Mitra teach a benevolent creed that has won wide acceptance among rich and poor. They promote healing and wisdom as two of the core tenets of their faith. Temples to Mitra can be found in many of the main settlements of the Hyborian kingdoms and their priests frequently have the ear of kings and princes. Mitra's priests are recognised for their knowledge and their access to libraries houses within the precincts of their religious institutions. Mitra's followers are often intolerant of other religions. Location: Throughout the Hyborian kingdoms, but also found further afield (e.g. as missionaries of the faith).
The above are just four of what may be 13 icons in total for the Hyborian Age. I'll post more here when I have time. I think King Yezdigerd of Turan may be another possible icon, and my son has suggested Taurus, Prince of Thieves as a potential icon. Taurus doesn't work chronologically, however, as he died in the Tower of the Elephant before Conan was king of Aquilonia. Also, he seems as if he was a solo operator and not someone with a wide network (although I could always change this!)
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