First there was Shadizar - City of Wickedness, which allowed
you to adventure in Zamora's (some would say Thuria's) wickedest city.
In their second boxed set for the Conan RPG, Messantia -
City of Riches, Mongoose Publishing takes us to the capital of Argos, one of the most powerful seafaring nations of the Hyborian
Age.
There is, of course, a poster-sized map of the city (with
237 key locations indicated) and over 90 counters and cards representing various local characters.
Book I: Game Master's Guide contains 96 pages of facts
concerning daily living in Messantia and its surrounding environs (with lots of advice on running a campaign or introducing
the city to your current campaign). There are section on the most powerful Guilds and Merchant Houses in this coastal city
as well as its most notable citizens (not all of them law-abiding).
Book II: Secrets of the Streets personalizes Messantia.
You can create a local legend (Prestige Class), aquire the necessary survival skills (Skills and Feats), engage in deadly
debates and rise from Slave to Hero. A Bestiary of Argossean perils from the saga is also provided.
Book III: Vengeance of the Golden Skull contains a
series of six encounters that will serve to familiarize you with Messantia and its culture. Your Nemesis is the Order of the
Golden Skull, an organization of assassins. The aforementioned character counters and six mini-maps (on three smaller posters)
help bring this adventure to life.
Enough here to keep you busy for quite some time...
Mongoose also publishes OGL Ancients, a Greco-Egyptian sourcebook
that spans the mythical to early historic periods of the classical world. Those wishing to further flesh out Argos (as
well as Shem and Stygia) can easily adapt the information in this resource to their campaign.
