Being a chronicle of my experiences in the murky world of "old school" roleplaying, wargaming and Miniature Painting. Likely to feature games of Dungeons and Dragons, Tomorrow's War, OSRIC, Harnmaster, Warhammer Ancients, Retinue and All Things Zombie.
Okay, I lied. This stuff forced it's way into my brain while I was in bed. I'm sure as hell not going to get any sleep till I write it all down so here it goes.
In the Hyborian Age, player characters must be human. A fact that will go without saying for anyone familiar with the setting. However, multi-class characters are very much a trope of Hyboria – Conan himself was fighter/thief after all, though it could be argued with some justification that he was dual-class character who dabbled in thievery for a bit before returning to his original fighter class.
Therefore, I'm initiating the following character generation house-rules for my Hyborian campaign:
All PC's must be human.They use the human stats and racial modifiers as listed in the OSRIC rulebook regardless of Hyborian cultural or ethnic background.
Human PC's may multi-class OR dual-class if they wish.
Multi-Class Rules:
Multi-class characters can pick up to two classes from the following four groups and combine them to create their character. However, no more than one option can be chosen from each group. For example, it is not possible to have a multi-class Magic-User/Illusionist or Fighter/Ranger. The one exception is the Houri class. The Houri class may, in fact, multi-class with another Rogue class.
Group One: Fighting Men - Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger (Note that while Paladins are a playable class they may not be multi-class characters).
Gp2: Rogues - Assassin, Houri, Thief
Gp3: Sorcerers- Demonologist (NPC), Illusionist, Magic User, Necromancer (NPC)
Gp4: Priests - Cleric. Druid.
All normal multi-classing rules apply with the following exceptions:
Weapon Specialisation:
Only single class (not multi-class) fighters may use the weapon specialisation rules. All other classes (including other, single-classed fighting men and multi-class fighters) may NOT specialise.
In my opinion, the Barbarian class as designed by Gary Gygax (published in Dragon 62 (I think) and Imagine magazine issue 2) probably comes closest to the ideal of the barbarian as noble savage, rather than frothing-mouthed berserker.
However, in my opinion, the Barbarian class as first-presented by Gary has some major flaws. For one thing, the class was not conceived with the usual Old School min/max stat requirements. Instead, players were allowed to roll a a variable amount of dice for each stat (up to 7D6 for strength) and choose the best three. So, instead of limiting the number of characters possessing this more powerful "sub-class" of fighter (as with the Ranger and Paladin) essentially anyone could roll up a barbarian and be assured of pretty good stats. It also included a number of secondary skills listed in the class description, assuming that the secondary skills system had already been adopted into the campaign.
The following home-brew character class, then, is my take on this flawed by otherwise exciting first incarnation of the Barbarian. It follows the usual format of minimum scores to qualify to the class, keeping the numbers artificially low when compared to fighters and does away with some of the secondary skills, likewise amending or deleted some other class features. it is my hope that this home-brew adapt ion stays true to the spirit of the original concept, while making a playable class that won't come to dominate an entire campaign.
THE OSRIC BARBARIAN:
Barbarians are tribal warriors, equally at home in nature as they are upon the battlefield. Though often considered "backward" by their "civilised" cousins, the brave but superstitious warriors of Cimmeria, Pictland, the Black Coast and the Frozen North are mighty and knowledgeable in the arts of war. Putting knowledge of nature and terrain to good effect, the oft times poorly armoured and heavily outnumbered barbarians continue to turn back incursion after incursion from the armies of the civilised lands.
While the warriors of Aquilonia, Nemedia and Stygia are often professionals, trained and employed solely for war, the vast majority of Barbarians, though trained as warriors from birth, are farmers or hunters first and soldiers second. They may not march into battle, wheeling and changing face at the command of a drum roll, but each man knows that his kin fight beside him. And that should he fall, his wife and children will retain honoured places within the tribe.
This fierce bond of loyalty is often enough to drive individual barbarians to mighty, near legendary feats of heroism. Such hero's often feel the need to grow beyond the small, wooden palisade that encloses their home to venture out into a larger, more troubling world.
The Barbarian Character:
Minimum Scores: Str: 14, Dex: 10, Con: 14, Int: 3, Wis: 6, Cha: 3
Hit Die Type: D12 (max 8)
Alignment: Any
Experience Bonus: Str and Con 16+
Armour/Shield Permitted: Any non-magical up to (but not including) plate-mail. Some cultures impose limits on the options available to beginning characters (Cimmerians shun metal armour, for example, at least until several near-death experiences have taught them the value of adaptation).
Weapons Permitted: Any non magical weapons selected from the following categories: 1H or 2H Sword, Any Axe, Any 1H or 2H Bludgeon, Spear, Longbow, Shortbow, Oil, Throwing Weapons. May not use the optional specialisation rules.
Weapon Proficiencies: 3 + 1 every two levels. Barbarians may not specialise.
Penalty to Hit for Non-Proficiency: -2
Class Abilities:
Magic Intolerance: Barbarians hate and fear arcane magic, and will (if given the chance) attempt to destroy any Magic-User or Illusionist based magical item if given half the chance. Barbarians do not hate and fear clerical or druidic based items however, though will be reluctant to take advantage of any permanent items of this nature themselves. They have no compulsion against drinking potions or using other, similar, one use items however. Provided, that is, their companions can convince them that the items providence is divine rather than arcane.
Barbarians may (reluctantly) fight and work alongside Magic-Users and Illusionists. They will, however most likely take every opportunity to convince these companions of the error of their ways. Even going so far as attempting to divest them of their spell-books and familiars, in some cases.
Magical Armour, Shields and Weaponry: Barbarians fear and detest magic. No Barbarian will ever willingly (or knowingly) equip himself with a magical item of this nature except in the direst of emergencies. Should a character be forced by circumstance to use such a weapon (say, when fighting against gargoyles or similar, mundane-weapon immune creatures) then he gains no XP whatsoever from that encounter, whether from combat xp or treasure xp. This penalty will continue until he has divested himself of these unclean items and undergone an hour long purification ritual in penance for his misdeeds.
Illiteracy: Barbarian characters who wish to begin the game able to read and write their native tongue must spend a bonus language slot in order to do so. Characters may also spend such a slot if the opportunity to learn this skill occurs through roleplaying and game-play. However, they must spend one such slot for every language they learn to read. Learning to speak (and read) Kushite would therefore cost the barbarian character two bonus language slots.
Wilderness Lore: In their natural environment, Barbarians can move silently, hide and climb walls as a thief of the same level -provided they are not wearing metal armour. However, they can ONLY do this in their natural environment (mountains for Cimmerians, tundra for Vanir, woods for Picts and so forth). They can learn to apply these skills in a different environment only after having spent a month of game time in the environment in question. For example, a Cimmerian who spent a month living in the Purple Lotus Swamps of Stygia would be able to climb, hide and move silently in Swamps as though they were his natural habitat. Potential habitats include: Dungeons, Urban, Forest, Hills, Mountains, Marsh, Tundra, Desert, Jungle, Arctic, Swamp and Shipboard.
Tracking: Barbarians may track with the same reliability as a ranger of the same level. However, this skill only applies in their natural habitat. Tracking in other habitats can be learned with time as for Wilderness Lore above. However, a Barbarian will never be able to track in a Dungeon, Urban or Shipboard setting.
Surprise: Barbarians in their natural habitat surprise on a D6 roll of 1-4, unless accompanied by non-barbarians within 60'. If accompanied by non-barbarians, they use the lowest surprise roll chance present in the group.
Weary: Barbarians have a base 20% chance (+5^ per level) to detect an incoming backstab. Thieves or Assassins whose back-stab attempt is detected do not gain an attack modifier against the barbarian and, if there attack is successful, do not obtain a damage multiplier.
Sixth Sense: Barbarians have a base 50% (plus 2% per level) to detect “unnatural” magical energies such as magical items, powerful spell-casters and even demons within a space they occupy. This aura extends out to 60ft unless blocked by stone walls or thick doorways. They will be unable to pinpoint the location of the source. They will only know it is "close". Likewise, the barbarian cannot identify the nature of the supernatural presence. The prickling of thumbs or hairs-raised on the back of the neck warns the barbarian that something "uncanny" is present. Nothing more. This ability functions at all times, even when asleep and unlike a Paladins detect evil ability, does not require concentration. If the Barbarian character is asleep while a supernatural creature moves into the radius of this effect, the Barbarian has a chance of awakening equal to his chance of detecting the new supernatural presence when awake.
Note that the presence of familiar magical items (such as those carried by the party) and specific creatures (such as a rangers companion or magic-users familiar) will not trigger this sixth sense after a sufficient period of acclimatization has passed (DM's fiat but one game-week is suggested).
This ability allows a barbarian to detect the presence of a magical effect such as that which creates an illusion, without being able to identify that an actual illusion is present.
Saving Throws, Attack Rolls, Attacks per Melee and so forth are as per the Fighter Class. XP progression is as per the Paladin class.
Appearance and Psychology:
The Sindarin, the elves of Harn, appear little different than men, at least to the eyes of men themselves. Near-immortal, they rarely die of disease or old age although many meat their end at the point of a sword. Over-time, the Sindarin forget skills once mastered and no longer practiced, so that a Sindarin who was once a mighty swordsman in the distant past might become little more than a fumbling amateur in later life. They also tend to forget events of long ago, recording them in song and verse for the very purpose of recalling their own history. Indeed, when a Sindarin living today claims to remember the Battle of Sorrows, many centuries ago, he is actually recalling the events as recorded in song, rather than as recalled by actual memory.
The elves of Harn can live for thousands of years, rarely appearing to age beyond early adulthood in all that time. Their rapid healing rate allows Sindarin to recover quickly from wounds that might slay a human, and as such they rarely scar even from serious wounds. However, they can die from thirst, starvation and grievous wounds. Nor can they regenerate lost eyes or limbs. While they do not visibly age as they grow older, the repeated erasure and replacement of distant memories can lead to bouts of insanity or psychosis. Even the youngest elves tend to forget seemingly unimportant details very quickly and can be very absent minded. While a human might recognise an acquaintance from years before and even recall his name accurately, a Sindarin is likely to forget even the face of a good friend or family member after a certain period of separation.
Sindarin rarely allow themselves to display extremes of emotion. It is not that they do not feel rage or anger, simply that the choose to hide them. After all, time is on their side. They can afford to out-wait an enemy rather than confront him directly. For similar reasons, a Sindarin will think nothing of spending three of four days studying a blade of grass even when his travelling companions are in a hurry. They simply do not feel the pressure of time's passage the way a human might.
When a Sindarin wearies of their existence, they board ship and sail to new plans of existence. Some human sages conjecture that this is little more than a metaphor for suicide through the medium of drowning at sea.
Sindarin History and Culture:
The Sindarin 
are a dwindling folk -only 5000 or so remain on Harn from the multitudes who once followed their God, Seim, to this world. When their god, Siem, departed Harn, he summoned the Khazdul, the dwarves of Harn, to ward and watch over his chosen children, so beginning the epoch known to history as the co-dominion, when Khazdul and Sindarin ruled over Harn jointly and in peace.
In time, the Sindarin and Khazdul welcomed the humans peoples known today as the Jarin to Harn, though in time they grew alarmed by the swift growth of the Jarin and their despoiling of the land. Yet before bloodshed could ensue, a second race of men, the Atani, invaded the islands. For a time, Jarin, Khazdul and Sindarin alike warred against the invaders, but with the death of their King, the Sindarin retreated into the Shave forest, abandoning their dwarf and human allies. They have remained there, living in isolation with only a few thousand Jarin servants, ever since.
The Sindarin are divided into family clans, all of which are considered freemen by the standards of Harn's human kingdoms. Clan councils are often called to discuss internal matters, but most problems are resolved through negotiation – there is very little crime in Sindarin society. What little there is of it is judged by a legal system derived from that the of the Khazdul, based on the concept of Vendetta. Society as a whole is governed by King Aranath and the Vulparen, his thirteen member advisory council.
The inhabitants of Evael are not taxed, and the economy exists on a basis of barter rather than currency exchange. The system is one based on trust, the exchange of favours and ties of kinship. In any human land such a system would fall apart immediately. It works for the Sindarin primarily because of their attitude to wealth (they rarely concern themselves with acquisition except for items they actually need – although even the simplest tools will be works of art in and of themselves) and also because such transactions are so few. Almost every Sindarin clanhold is entirely self sufficient save for a few imported minerals such as metals and gemstones.
Sindarin Adventurers:
It is considered almost a rite of passage for young elves to spend fifty to a hundred years travelling Evael, visiting every clanhold in turn. Some, a significant few, extend this journey further to an exploration of all Harn. Such individuals often make Trobridge Inn, a relatively well known crossroads frequented by travellers from many lands, their first stop. The Inn is an excellent place for a Sindarin youth to blend into the greater mass of humanity without revealing his true origins.
OSRIC-HARN SINDARIN:
