(Circa Red Nails, Jewels of Gwaluhr, the Ivory Goddess)
Medium-sized Human, 40 years old
Barbarian/Rogue/Fighter
Level 9/3/6
Hit Dice: 9d12+3d6+6d10+72 (190 hp)
Initiative: +4 (+4 Dex)
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 19 (+4 Dex, +4 chain shirt, +1 dodge)
Attacks: Longword+22/+17/+12/+7 melee
Damage: Longsword 1d8+5
Face/Reach: 5 ft x 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage, sneak attack +2d6
Special Qualities: Fast movement, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +13, Will +7
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Climb +24, Craft (blacksmithing) +5, Hide +7, Intuit Direction +9, Jump +24, Listen +9, Move Silently +13, Ride +12, Search +8, Wilderness Lore +11, Profession (seaman) +3, Swim +8
Feats: Track, Lightning Reflexes, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Improved Bull Rush
Climate/Terrain: Zembabwe, Keshan, Punt
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: By Character Class.
After separating from Valeria (they both wanted to be "the boss"), Conan went deeper into the black lands in search of lost treasure. He later picked up Muriela at Alkmeenon and traveled eastward to Punt to use the actress to swindle the Puntians out of some of their abundant gold.
Combat
Conan's fighting style has gained his well known deadliness at this period of time. His combat reflexes give him quite the advantage in mass battles, with up to four attacks of opportunity as soldiers pass through his threat zone. His Great Cleave skill allows him to further wade through lesser warriors, crushing them left and right.
Rage: Three times per day, Conan can go into a rage and increase his Strength and Constitution by +4, and gains a +2 morale bonus to Will saves. He suffers a -2 penalty to AC.
Fast movement: Conan's speed is increased by +10 feet when wearing no armor, light armor, and shields.
Sneak Attack: Conan strikes a vital spot for extra damage whenever he catches an opponent flat footed or when he flanks an opponent.
Evasion: If exposed to an effect that allows a Reflex save for half damage Conan takes no damage if that save is successful.
Uncanny Dodge: Conan retains his dexterity bonus to his AC even when caught flatfooted or surprised. He can sense danger before it even becomes apparent. Conan at this point cannot be flanked.
The painting above, the cover of the Berkley/Putnam collection, "Red Nails", is by Ken Kelly. It shows Conan and Valeria in a scene from that story. It is one of his most loved and most hated paintings - simply because of the sheer violence of it.
Also in print is Sci Fi Book Club's "The Essential Conan". It reprints the three Berkley/Putnam collections in one hardcover book. It contains "Red Nails" and "Jewels of Gwahlur".
To the left and below are original Weird Tales interior artwork that accompanied the original presentation of this story. In the first one Conan fights the "Dragon", basically a carnivorous Stegosaurus according to Howard's description, but the artist embellished a bit. It is a bit weird seeing Conan in Bermuda shorts, but that is how Howard described him for the story.
In the next one, Conan and Valeria confront Tascela and Olmec. I find it interesting that Marvel Comics drew Valeria nearly identical to this artist's version. These three drawings are, by far, some of the best Conan interior art that Weird Tales offered. Compare these to the near-sketches of the scenes from "Queen of the Black Coast" and "Shadows in the Moonlight". Again, Conan is in Bermuda shorts, but this is pre-Frazetta, who single handedly altered forever the image of our favorite Cimmerian (Thank God!).
In the bottom panel on the left, Conan and a nude Valeria duke it out with Tolkemec and his magic wand of lightning. The Marvel Comics version made Tolkemec look more menacing than this old man.
Directly below is the cover to Savage Tales #2, which contains the first part of the Marvel adaptation of "Red Nails."
