GURPS Hyboria

Players create 150-point adventurers at the beginning of their career, seeking a life of adventure and fortune rather than that of a tradesman or farmer.

Campaign Background

Campaign name: GURPS Hyboria, a GURPS Back-to-Basics campaign

Starting year: 1300 A.A. - The year of the serpent, in the month of the griffin, during the reign of King Conan of Aquilonia.

Genre: Fantasy

Realistic or cinematic? Grittematic™

General theme of campaign:

Are there multiple planes of existence? Yes, but don't worry about it.

Campaign World: Hyboria.

Campaign’s base city, nation, empire, or planet: Tarantia, capital of Aquilonia

Society/government type: Monarchy

Control Rating: CR4

Exceptions to general CR:

Tech level: TL3

Exceptions to general TL: Cimmeria and Hyperborea are TL2.

General mana level: Normal

Do areas of higher/lower mana exist? Yes.

Brief description of important neighboring powers, political/economic situation, etc.: See GURPS Conan for descriptions of thenations and people of Hyboria.

Information for PCs

Starting point value allowed for PCs: 150

Disadvantage limit (including Quirks): -75

PC races allowed: Human

Age Limit: 16-21 years of age

Especially appropriate professions: Farming, Fishing, Leatherworking, Merchant, etc. It's medieval, so every young man and woman has knowledge of or is trained in some practical profession or skill. (Note: while a character may hail from a culture where young men are taught fighting skills, there is no such thing as a "warrior" profession.)

Starting Wealth: Characters begin at Wealth -1 (Struggling), so starting wealth is 1/2 average, or $500.

Starting Wealth levels allowed: -1

Starting Status levels allowed: None above 0

Languages available (dialects in parenthesis):

Hyborian (Aquilonian, Argossean, the argot of the Border Kingdom, Corinthian, Nemedian and Ophirean).

Hyrkanian (Hyrkanian and Turanian)

Atlantean (Antillian, Cimmerian, Nordheimr and Pictish)

Shemitish (Kothic and Shemitish)

Brythunian

Zamoran

Zingaran

For the purposes of gaming and roleplaying, the GM defines Hyborian as "common tongue," i.e. the common parlance throughout the central kingdoms.

Cultural Familiarities available: Each nation has a distinct culture of its own. Beginning characters are unlikely to be familiar with any culture other than that of their origin.

Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills

Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills: Wealth -1 (Struggling) is required.

Especially appropriate Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense

Especially appropriate Disadvantages: Callous, Chauvinistic, Code of Honor (Pirate's), Compulsive Behavior, Curious, Greed

Especially appropriate Skills: Climbing, Hiking, Merchant, Scrounging, Survival, Urban Survival

Disallowed advantages, disadvantages, and skills: Most supernatural abilities are not allowed in humans. Players are restricted from spending more than 20% (30 points) on supernatural abilities, and these are subject to GM approval.

Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts: Allies will not be allowed. Patrons must be earned. Contacts are subject to GM approval.

Special Abilities Allowed for PCs

Exotic/supernatural traits: Most supernatural abilities are not allowed in humans. Players are restricted from spending more than 20% (30 points) on supernatural abilities, and these are subject to GM approval. Exotic traits are not allowed.

Cinematic skills: Non-supernatural, non-exotic cinematic skills are allowed.

Are PC mages allowed? Yes, but not advised. Magicians are commonly regarded as evil or untrustworthy, no matter their true intent or purpose. (However, this feature can be a benefit if applied properly. Clerical magic rules apply. Contact the GM if you wish to build a magician.)

Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits? Yes. Contact the GM if you wish to build a spellcaster or sage.

Are PC psis allowed? No.

Are any of the powers from Chapter 6 off limits? Yes. All of them.

Are PC gadgeteers allowed? Yes.

Are there special limits on gadgeteering? No.

Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities: Trained magicians must take Unusual Background for 10 points.

Legal or social restrictions on these abilities: Magic is outlawed throughout most of the Aquilonian Kingdom.

Rulebooks and Resources

GURPS Basic Set 4th edition (required).

See also

GURPS Conan. Assuming it's still available, this PDF of the classic resource for 3rd edition GURPS is valuable but not necessary for players.

The Hyborian Age d20 Campaign Site . Good descriptions of Hyborian kingdoms. Obviously, ignore any gaming mechanics information.