Heretics of Tarantia is a Conan Roleplaying Game scenario of a different breed. Rather than hunting through a plague-ridden jungle in search of a city so old it has been forgotten by history – and would best stay that way, or tracking a corrupt sorcerer to his demon-haunted lair, bringing him to bay and slaying him to prove the might of metal over magic, Heretics of Tarantia is a story of intrigue, backstabbing, politicking and murder in that most princely of cities, Tarantia, capital of Aquilonia, the Flower of the West.

A foully murdered priest of Mitra sets the Player Characters upon a course of investigation and adventure, searching for the culprit in a quest that takes them from the greatest halls of the city to the lowest dregs. At first glance, the answer seems clear, but as the Player Characters uncover more and more information, they will learn that not all is as it seems, and that they have stumbled upon an intricate plot that could very well spell doom for Tarantia, even for Aquilonia itself.

Games Masters who are concerned that an intrigue-based scenario may not have the fevered pace and clashing of desperate sword blows so integral to the Conan stories need not worry – there is action aplenty for the Player Characters within these pages. Heretics of Tarantia, however, exercises the strength of the Player Characters’ minds as much as it does their sword arms. Those Player Characters who attempt to solve all their problems with a furious war cry and a leap into the fray may find themselves out of their depth, as there are enemies within this scenario beyond the immediate reach of sword or bowshot. Strong sword arms are needed here, certainly, but Player Characters who are to succeed must recognise there are times a carefully laid plan, or a few questions asked of the right person, can be stronger allies than a thousand blades. The time for bloody work will come at the end of the scenario, but to get there, the Player Characters must rely on cleverness, guile and intellect.

Heretics of Tarantia takes place in Tarantia, as mentioned above. It is not necessary for the Games Master to own Aquilonia – Flower of the West in order to run this scenario, but it is highly recommended. Not only will the sourcebook provide a great deal more background information than can be included in this scenario, it will serve the Games Master well by giving him the information he needs to weave Heretics of Tarantia into the larger tapestry of his campaign world.

Heretics of Tarantia is intended for a group of four to six Player Characters of approximately 5th to 7th level, though since much of it relies on the Player Characters’ problem-solving abilities, it can easily be adjusted to accommodate groups of higher or lower character levels.