The Hyborian Age is named for the Hyborian kingdoms, the pre-eminent powers of the age, which are the most culturally and technologically advanced lands on Earth, their kings' thrones maintained through longbows, plate armour, and feudalism. These kingdoms make war against one another more often than against the real threats all around them, the wild Picts, raiding northmen, and avaricious Hyrkanian nomads, as well as the dread sorceries of Stygia to the south. Beyond Stygia and the plains of Shem lies the continent of Kush, black and unknown, a land of jungles and deserts; far to the east are more kingdoms, perhaps almost as a advanced as the Hyborian lands, but little more than legend: Vendhya and Khitai are the most prominent. The Conan RPG allows players to take the on the roles of characters from this rich and vivid world, whether Hyborians or any of the other myriad races who people the tales of Conan. As Howard's hero did, they can learn the skills of the thief, the mercenary soldier, the desert nomad and other roles on their way to greatness. By playing the Conan role-playing game, you can create a character who lives both in the mythical land of the Hyborian Age and in your own imagination and that of your friends. One player will take the role of the Games Master, controlling the people and creatures who dwell within the land, whilst the other players will be valiant heroes, outright rogues, or corrupt demon-worshippers according to their tastes! The Games Master sets the Hyborian Age before the other players, allowing them to explore everywhere from the unknown islands west of Zingara to the semi-legendary kingdoms beyond the deserts and steppes of eastern Shem, from the frozen lands of the Aesir and Vanir to the lush jungles of Kush.