Conan: The Thousand Eyes of Aumag-Bel - RPG Review

Review and Game Master tips for The Thousand Eyes of Aumag-Bel, appearing in the Jeweled Thrones of the Earth by Modiphius Entertainment. It's a city and dungeon adventure with a fantastic opportunity to employ some non-combat skills in the 2D20 Conan game.
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Guest Starring Jack the NPC

[@juiceboxconfessions]

Anytime I hear “Hello internet, Seth Skorkowsky” I know I’m in for a good time.

[@Simmons8519]

What a coincidence!!! Same here!

[@RPGmodsFan]

Know, oh prince, that [AFTER] the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, [a Modern Age] ... ...Hither came Seth, a Skorkowsky, light-haired, sullen-eyed, pen in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled papers of the Earth under his leather gum shoed feet.

[@PFiction24]

Let me tell you the days of high RP!

[@AAron-gr3jk]

I like your very conversational reviews laced with your actual experience of it. So many reviews focus on the product, not the played experience. thank you

[@harbinger8208]

Had to save a city just to get his beer.

[@Tony-dh7mz]

Isn’t it always the case?

[@tomcat-ek3bh]

I am a simple man. I see a video from Seth, I watch it.

[@chrisschuber9149]

I came here to post this

[@Tony-dh7mz]

The Godfather Original Theme Song, “Come, sit down, break pizza”

[@OtocinclusAffinis]

9:14 grandpa with a selfie stick.

[@Tony-dh7mz]

“And I wuz all like, Grrrrr, come at me bro” AshtagStabbyTuesday

[@HandOvDoom2112]

Love the videos! Due to your coverage of Conan by Modiphius I have taken the plunge and bought the core book. I haven’t had a chance to dig into it, or find a gaming party, but the 2d20 system intrigued me. I would love to see a video done on the Conan 2d20 system to help me wrap my mind around it. I am very appreciative of the Call of Cthulhu 7h Edition breakdown you did! Whenever I hear someone say they didn’t like the 7 edition-especially the chase rules-I want to ask them if they ever watched your video series! Thanks so much for making my workdays bearable by watching your videos!

[@CToast]

Yeah, Seth makes me wish I had friends who wanted to play things that aren't Pathfinder

[@HandOvDoom2112]

Candy Toast Completely understand. I am gonna try my local game store and if that turns up dry-then I might have to look into an online platform.

[@jasonmabry8526]

I love the way you reviewed this. I hope you make videos for all of the adventures in the book!

[@aiwaloki]

Another great video to your collection. Keep up the great work. I look forward to your next one.

[@josefernandobellavista4445]

Awesome video! Thank you for the extra ideas!

[@carlomarx]

Thanks, Seth! This is a great review of a great adventure! Ran this as a one-shot intro to the system, and it ended up being the launching point for a year-long campaign. Highly recommended.

[@Graham-ce2yk]

Good review. Something that popped into my head while watching it, was a rumor table constructed by Marcus Rowland for an Oriental Adventures scenario he wrote for Dungeon Magazine. The scenario involved investigating an abandoned village. If the players tried to ask for information about what happened there at the villages en-route the GM had to use a three column table rolling once for a). What happened , b). What treasure & c). What threat and then improvise the rumor from those three elements every time they asked someone. If the players asked a group for information the GM would have to do this for each member of the group. It's a scene I could imagine with one person telling one story and others interjecting with their own details. Something like that (Focused on Aumag-Bel and his power of course.) would be perfect for this scenario, but it takes time to construct so it's definitely a thing to be prepared in advance, but it would definitely be worth it.

[@Captain1nsaneo]

No treasure? Aumag-Bel invested! You don't get to rule a city for centuries without diversifying your capital portfolio.

[@squeethemog213]

This was intriguing. Definitely pulling some ideas here for my own campaign :D

[@briancline7349]

Just had a thought... since Jack gives us the player’s perspective for the adventures, shouldn’t he be “Jack the PC” instead of “Jack the NPC”, given that that is more in line with what he is supposed to represent?

[@sbell1115]

Fantastic timing! I just bought the book. Your playtest review will be invaluable. Thank you.

[@HandOvDoom2112]

Great video! Look forward to running this one day.

[@Lobsterwithinternet]

I was actually waiting for something to knock over Jack’s flagon again there at the end. Missed opportunity.

[@johnnapier8830]

I didn't even know there was a conan rpg. Would have probably never known if this video wasn't made so, you have my eternal gratitude.

[@AAron-gr3jk]

and it's a good one. great art, interesting mechanics, rules medium, and the lore was added by Conan scholars. Modiphius is a top notch company and is also doing Dune next. so exciting

[@sollytom6266]

Hey! Jack didn't need a Barbarian Straw this time! LOL

[@theldun1]

Great review Seth.

[@CinKaiDRocks]

These videos are great! Thank you Seth. Have you ever contemplated releasing these as podcasts pn Itunes? I would love to listen to these at work.

[@MaxWriter]

Another great review. Thanks for these. I envy your talent.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Thanks, man.

[@tobor88]

I guarantee you if I tried that thieving orphan chase scene with my group all those kids would end up dead.

[@ChrisMoneymakerDHRG]

You do really great review videos. When I finish the adventure I am writing now,; I’ll have to see if I can get you to review it, Seth.

[@arjunchoong8012]

Hi everyone - we are up to 32K subscribers, just 68K to go before we get a full-length movie starring Seth and only Seth! Spread the word!

[@arjunchoong8012]

Wow, we are up to 33K!

[@thorinpalladino2826]

Ah, the old load bearing villain trick.

[@diego1544]

Great Review

[@Oldkingcole1125]

More Conan! Yes!

[@AAron-gr3jk]

cannot get enough, buying all the books

[@bryanstephens4800]

Sounds like a great system

[@magua9563]

So does the necklace actually end up doing something or did I miss that part? Like, I know I should just buy the module but what about the necklace made his servants snatch it from the players?

[@SerithValComnion]

Would you ever consider reviewing mophidius' Infinity RPG?

[@evilscientistrecords]

14:23 I soooo expected an arrow hitting the tankard!

[@Dexroid]

Great stuff seth. Any plans on doing more conan rpg adventure reviews in the future?

[@SSkorkowsky]

No plans. After playing several adventures, we came to the conclusion Conan 2D20 wasn't our jam.

[@Dexroid]

@@SSkorkowsky okay, good to hear. I'm going to test out the two free one shots, and see how the crew likes it. Keep up the entertaining and informative videos. I'm on a spree watching your adventure reviews of games systems I don't have any plans on playing 🙃

[@robbabcock_]

Sounds like a good one!

[@zterrans]

I had taken a brief look at the game, but never taken the time to properly learn 2d20. Keep fearing just the pitch for it will turn off the group when core mechanics are mentioned, though the setting and lore could probably grab them.

[@SSkorkowsky]

There's 2 free Quickstart Adeventures out there. (I prefer The Pit of Kutallu) Maybe run them through one or both of those to see how they handle the system mechanics before you invest any money into something they might not like. Pit of Kutallu: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/215555/Conan-Free-RPG-Day-2017-The-Pit-of-Kutallu--PDF?affiliate_id=1017650 To Race the Thunder: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/174829/Robert-E-Howards-CONAN-Roleplaying-Game-Quickstart?affiliate_id=1017650

[@jwilson1687]

I enjoy a lot of your thought and reviews on tabletop content..... Have you ever thought about reviewing D&D channels or campaigns? I would love to see that. I offer my campaign as tribute! lol ...Keep up the amazing work.

[@weduncan4]

The main rule book is fantastic. But the adventures in Jeweled Thrones of the Earth seem haphazardly slapped together. Logical conundrums, maps not matching descriptions and opponents locations unclear were all problems in just the first one I’ve decided to run; Caves of the Dero.

[@SSkorkowsky]

There's some definite issues. Did you see my vid on Seethers In Darkness? Huge map issues in that one.

[@weduncan4]

Seth Skorkowsky - Yes, I did and I will be using your advice/fixes when my crew tackle that adventure.

[@bradhoover1644]

Wow. One common between all the adventure reviews is the damn loot at the end (or lack of it). I am an adventurer, not a charity.

[@RVR121]

It is a game of temples that fall apart when we beat the final bosses!

[@Nikcollini]

Do you have a system explanation series for Conan like you did CoC?

[@Lobsterwithinternet]

He made one a while ago when he did his unboxing. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6LNgmOBoL2qsJI

[@SSkorkowsky]

I'll be doing a review of the Conan system soon. Probably just going to be 1 video instead of the giant 9-part beast that the Call of Cthulhu one was. I decided to wait on reviewing it until we had several adventures under our belts and had tried a good assortment of what the game has to offer.

[@Tony-dh7mz]

Well all Aumag-Bel’s assets seem to be all tied up in stocks and shares...the end.... ....now, talking about “booby traps” where’s that picture of that lady with the dragon? I mean, er, it’s a cool dragon.....

[@tcschenks]

Have you ever looked at the old 1st Edition AD&D Conan modules? I was curious if there were any comparisons.

[@SSkorkowsky]

I remember they existed, but that's all I can remember of them.

[@nolgroth]

I used to own one and...it was very clumsy. They tried to simulate the Conan genre by getting rid of clerics but having massive amounts of regeneration between scenes. The one I had was an okay adventure (from what I recall) but it failed at straddling the line between D&D and more Howardian "Swords and Sandals" genre conventions.

[@ccshade7294]

Soo...what does the amulet do in the first place? Is it a phylactery?

[@samprastherabbit]

Yet again Jack the NPC solves the riddle put before him by Crom- where to get a damn drink?

[@briand3200]

Do you think The Red Pit might be a good first adventure to this? Ie they find it as slaves while excavating limestone…

[@Freyveley]

I prayed for a new video. Luckily Crom did not care.

[@harmonlanager2670]

Aumag Bel might have wanted to possess the woman in order to consolidate his power with the power/wealth he'd inherit from the woman's father

[@NefariousKoel]

Just what I was thinking. After living in that ancient decrepit body in an old ruined palace for so long perhaps his wealth had diminished to the point where taking over a young one with a wealthy family inheritance was top of it's list. I got the impression from the scenario that performing such a permanent takeover is dangerous and rarely done, too.

[@edlaprade]

Good advice about not running this as a first adventure. Know Your PCs. About half the game groups I've been a part of for lo, these many years, would be like: "No one will sell us anything? We leave!" End of adventure. Villain monologs? Turn him into a pincushion as soon as he starts mouthing off.

[@mikewilliams4443]

Jack the NPC always says he's going to give the "player's point of view" and yet, Jack is a ... non-player character.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Yeah, but Jack is down in the trenches with them, hanging out by the water cooler, and getting the inside scoop. Think of him as a spy.

[@tazmokhan7614]

HUZZAH!!!!!.....JACK GOT HIS BEER!!!!

[@joepatterson1573]

Seth hey bud. It would be real cool if you could extend your videos to almost 20 minutes

[@danielramsey6141]

Hmm, feels like this small campaign needs some additional retooling. Specifically in the cult and the kidnapped woman.

[@orrinellis856]

Seems like a great module to do a; Gender Flip Challenge: run a module with all NPC characters an opposition changed to the opposite gender (or sex). That would definitely get rid of the weird tact on damsel.