Lesiones y ajuste del reposacabezas

Taurans already have their own template in Conan the

Roleplaying Game. Dexterity and Wisdom will be their

primary attributes, for they are known for their woodcraft and for their ability to track. Often armed with light weapons, a Tauran is somewhat backwards to the eyes of most other Aquilonians. To create a character native to the Tauran, a few guidelines should be followed. Balthus from Beyond the Black River (Robert E. Howard) was a Tauran and can be used as an example of the type of person this land develops.

Skills and Feats

Taurans are Hyborians with the Tauran template added, and, as Hyborians, Taurans are adaptable and may choose two skills that are always treated as class skills, whatever the character class. Also, a Tauran character has Profession (farmer), Move Silently, Survival and one other skill as background skills. However, the one choice of a Tauran’s free background skill is often determined by the character’s social order. Rules concerning the Adaptable trait and Background Skills can be found in Conan the Roleplaying

Game.

Labourers: For peaceful Tauran labourers, they live

and die by their ability to produce, especially on their tranquil agrarian lands. The adaptable skill set and the open background skill should be chosen from Craft (any mundane), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Spot or Survival skills. Survival is a good choice because the competence bonus stacks with the Tauran’s racial bonus. Move Silently is also a good choice because a Tauran character also receives a circumstance bonus to this skill which will also stack with the adaptability competence bonus. Listen or Spot makes a good choice for the other skill, allowing the Tauran to perhaps be aware of ambushes in the wild. Profession (farmer) is by far the most common of the skills known by the labouring class in The Tauran. Labourers choose feats that enhance their skills, especially those enhancing their woodland abilities. Examples include Skill Focus (Knowledge (nature)), Self- Sufficient, Stealthy and Track.

Free Townsmen: Tauran free townsmen are peaceful

tradesmen and diplomatic merchants. The adaptable skill set and background skills set the character chooses from should be Craft (any mundane), Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), Perform or Profession skills. Profession (merchant) is by far the most common of the skills known by the free townsfolk in The Tauran. Other professions include

40

A Br

e

e

d Ap

a

r

t

guild masters, aldermen, bailiffs and prostitutes. Since all classes are favoured classes for this type of Aquilonian, all characters have bonus feats. Free townsmen choose feats that enhance their skills, including social skills. Examples include Skill Focus (Craft (any mundane)), Skill Focus (Profession (any)), Craftsman (from Conan: The Scrolls of

Skelos), Negotiator, Performer and Persuasive.

Aristocrats: The adaptable and background skills for

the composed Tauran aristocrat should be chosen from Diplomacy, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Ride and Sense Motive. Noble blood is an appropriate feat for aristocrats without the noble class. Taurans are renowned for their woodland skills, so feats enhancing both hunting skills and social skills are appropriate to this social order. Note that members of this social order are forbidden to take the commoner class except in extreme circumstances.

Clergy: The adaptable and background skills for the cool,

calm and collected Tauran priesthood should be chosen from Diplomacy, Knowledge (nature) and Survival skills. Mitran priests in the Tauran tend to emphasise the natural aspects of Mitra and are expected to know something of agriculture. Characters of this social order and with the commoner class must spend skill points on literacy. Feats and skills such as Heal, Knowledgeable, Leadership, Persuasive, Priest, Skill Focus (Knowledge (nature)) and Survival are common with this social order.

Honour and Allegiance

Taurans should either adhere to a civilised code of honour as detailed in the Conan the Roleplaying Game. Three allegiances should also be chosen for each Tauran character. Although allegiances vary from manor to manor, most settlers hold the following three allegiances: Aquilonia; their manor and feudal lord; any one other. Free townsmen have an allegiance to their guild and possibly to their aldermen.

Class Guidelines

Prohibited Classes: Barbarian, Nomad and Pirate are all

prohibited to a character from the Tauran at first level. Bossonia is proud of its civilisation, so native barbarians are virtually non-existent. The Bossonians live by agriculture and tend to favour walled cities or villages. The nomadic lifestyle is both unnecessary and impractical for the Bossonians. As a land-locked nation, few Bossonians will ever have the opportunity to meet a pirate; much less become one at first level. Of course, Bossonians often leave Aquilonia as mercenary soldiers, so they may have opportunity to take up these classes

later. Few will abandon their civilised nature to embrace barbarism but one always hears tales of civilised men ‘going native’, taking up with savage tribes and living their lifestyle. Some Tauran may have wanderlust and a love for living out in the wild, so they may pick up a nomadic lifestyle elsewhere. Pirates and military craft may recruit a man of the Tauran on ships as marines (soldier-pirates).

Favoured Class: The borderer is the favoured class for men

from the Tauran. This is an optimum class for this sub- race. Taurans are the best trackers and rangers in Aquilonia, earning a racial bonus to all Survival checks, as well as a circumstance bonus to other key borderer skills. Move Silently and Survival should be kept at maximum ranks. Feats such as Stealthy and Self-Sufficient are extremely appropriate for a Tauran as both are traits prised by this culture. Tauran characters are so woodland oriented that many who opt for other paths still take several levels in borderer.

Noble: Tauran nobles are land-owners and fief-holders.

They still spend a lot of time hunting and sporting, learning a fair amount of woodcraft. The Tauran noble is especially able with the hunting bow, thanks to the Hyborian special regional feature. Survival as well as Knowledge (nobility) will tend to be maximised. A Tauran noble who is not known for his hunting skills is likely to suffer some Reputation damage.

Scholar: Tauran scholars are rare. Zoologists and botanists

tend to make up a majority of these. This is not the most appropriate class for a Tauran character, but can make for an interesting choice nonetheless. On the quest for rare species, such as the elusive Poitainian satyr. Tauran scholars may make trips across the Westermarck to notate Pictish tribal customs or may simply be experts at mercantilism or some craft. Many Tauran scholars merely maximise their craft or professions, using their scholar bonus feats (in lieu of new sorcery styles) to boost their skills higher than most commoners can.

Soldier: Men from the Tauran make excellent scouts by

combining levels of soldier with borderer. By itself, the soldier class is a weak option for men of the Tauran, but when combined with borderer, the strengths of both classes can be honed to an impressive precision. Most Tauran soldiers will put ranks in Knowledge (geography) and Search, and few will bother with ranks in Ride, at least so long as they remain in the Tauran.

Thief: Men from the Tauran are not known for their

thievery, although a few borderer-thieves have made quite a living as bounty hunters, using their ability to track prey

41

A Br

e

e

d Ap

a

r

t

and shoot at them with a sneak attack to bring down that prey for money.

Prestige Class: The forest runner prestige class from

Conan: Across the Thunder River is appropriate for

characters hailing from the Tauran.

The

Westermarck