A barbarian thrives on the frontier, and is
a native of the untamed places that civilizations seek to subjegate. Conan of Cimmeria, after a lifetime of wandering, found
his destiny near to home fighting the Picts, ancestral enemies of his people since the days of Atlantis.
Mongoose Publishing has done an excellent job
of bringing the Pictish Wilderness to life in this expansion to the legendary Conan RPG. The Picts are presented as a
great peril, which indeed they are. It is the Picts who will one trample the proud kingdoms of the Hyborian Age beneath their
bare feet after all is said and done.
The provinces of the Westermarch, a tenuous
buffer between the howling Pictish Wilderness and Aquilonia's Bossonian Marches, are vividly detailed with georgraphical,
military and political lore supported by colrful maps and NPCs that bring each region to life. Adventure hooks abound, and
you are provided with a wealth of information on adventuring on Aquilonia's frontier. Aside from the Picts, there are fearsome
beasts (some of them supernatural) and dread diseases to contend with.
Not the Borderer type? Prefer the savage lifestyles
of the fierce and barbaric?
Fear not: nearly half of this tome is a detailed
gazeteer of the Pictish Wilderness and contains everything you need to create a fierce Pictish Barbarian in all their glory.
The Picts are totemic and shamanistic. They
are aboriginal people with the souls of beasts who live in a mythical dream-time, a perfect setting for perpetual barbaric
adventure. Though everything needed to play a Pict is in this tome, Mongoose's Quintessential Barbarian I & II contain
lots of additional information and game mechanics that can further enhance the experience.
There is a chapter on the mysterious Ligurans,
a white race led by Druids, and sections detailing the Secrets of the Painted Men, Savage Magic and even a Bestiary of native
creatures. Prestige Classes, such as the Hunt Master and Drummer in the Dark are outlined for those who wish to make the Pictish
Wilderness their home.
This tome closes with an exciting campaign,
Defending the West: The Fall of the Westermarch. Though crafted for beginning characters, it can be easily scaled to fit the
needs and capabilities of your players. Tips for GMing and a Hyborian timeline are also provided.
Conan had some of his most savage and memorable
adventures in this setting, and now so can you. The imminent release of the Aquilonia boxed set for the Conan RPG, as well
as the upcoming Barbarians and Borderers will allow for unlimited adventuring in the northwestern portion of the Thurian continent
during the Age of Conan.
