Conan (Red Nails)

Chicmec

A scout for the Tecuhltli clan whose death serves as a narrative catalyst.

Characters

Valeria Discovers the City of Xuchotl

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Great Hall System

## Overview The **Great Hall System** is the primary architectural and navigational artery of the city of **Xuchotl**. Unlike traditional cities, Xuchotl is constructed as a single, massive, interconnected structure under one roof, with the Great Hall serving as the equivalent of a main street. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Orientation:** The hall traverses the entire city from the **North Gate** to the **South Gate**. * **Dimensions:** It is described as being of "heroic proportions," with a length so vast that its vista grows indistinct in the distance. * **Construction:** The floor is composed of square tiles of a red stone that smolders with the reflection of flames. The walls are made of green jade, and the vaulted ceiling is crafted from lapis lazuli. * **Illumination:** The hall is lit by clusters of **Green Fire-Jewels** set into the ceiling, which glow with a poisonous radiance, supplemented by crystalline skylights that allow filtered sunlight to enter. ## Narrative Significance The Great Hall represents the only major open space within the claustrophobic, palace-like city. It acts as the boundary between the warring factions of **Tecuhltli** and **Xotalanc**. Techotl notes that the city gates, which terminate this hall, have not been opened for fifty years, emphasizing the isolation of the inhabitants.

World & Mechanics

The Crag

Natural Landmark

Locations

Conan and Valeria Reunite

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xuchotl

City

Locations

The Halls of Silence

## Overview The **Halls of Silence** refer to the vast, disputed territory of empty chambers and corridors located between the inhabited quarters of **Tecuhltli** and **Xotalanc**. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Status:** These halls are owned by no one and are characterized by a brooding, absolute silence. They are filled with dust-free rooms of jade, marble, and ivory. * **Dangers:** The area is a constant battleground for stealthy ambushes. Both factions send warriors into these halls to hunt their enemies. * **Atmosphere:** The halls are lit by the eerie, shifting glow of **Green Fire-Jewels**, creating a "witch-fire" effect where shadows seem to lurk in every corner. ## Narrative Significance This region of the city creates a constant state of tension and paranoia. Characters must move with extreme stealth, as even the sound of steel clinking against stone or a rolling skull can betray their position to lurking enemies.

World & Mechanics

Conan

The primary male protagonist and protector.

Characters

The Dragon Siege of the Crag

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Door of the Eagle

Architectural Feature

Key Objects

The Catacombs

## Overview The **Catacombs** are the subterranean reaches of Xuchotl, serving as the resting place for the city's ancient dead and a source of dark, forgotten magic. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Contents:** They contain the bones of "terrible kings" and ancient wizards who ruled Xuchotl in past centuries. The dead are often wrapped in moldering cloths and kept in stone crypts. * **Magic:** The catacombs are the source of various occult artifacts, most notably the **Burning Skull** and the **Pipes of Madness**. The wizards of Xotalanc are known to delve into these depths to conjure or retrieve demonic entities and ancient secrets. * **Superstition:** Inhabitants believe the ghost of **Tolkemec** haunts these crypts, appearing as an ancient man with a white beard and luminous eyes. Some believe the rats that gnaw the flesh of the newly dead are actually ghosts. ## Narrative Significance The Catacombs represent the historical and supernatural foundation of Xuchotl's current misery. They link the present-day survivors to a "black century" of magic and provide the warring clans with the tools of psychological and supernatural warfare.

World & Mechanics

Derketa

A deity associated with death and poison.

Characters

Tecuhltli

City Quarter

Locations

Pipes of Madness

Musical Instrument

Key Objects

Xotalanc

City Quarter

Locations

feathered leader of the Xotalancas

A leader of the ambush party.

Characters

Stygian Immortality Ritual

## Overview The **Stygian Immortality Ritual** is the source of the unnatural longevity and persistence of the warring clans within Xuchotl, specifically embodied by the princess **Tascela**. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Origin:** Linked to the Stygian and Tlazitlan ancestors who migrated to the city. Tascela was a full-grown woman when the tribe left Lake Zuad over fifty years ago. * **The Secret of Youth:** Tascela reveals she was taught the secret of immortality by a Stygian priest who loved her. She maintains her youth by drawing the "essence" of life from beautiful young women into her own body. * **The Sacrifice:** The ritual involves a black altar, seven black candles emitting green smoke, and a gold-hilted dagger. The victim is held down while the practitioner sinks the blade through their heart, absorbing their vitality. * **Effects:** It grants perpetual youth and unnatural vitality. Tascela appears young and beautiful despite her true age. The inhabitants like **Techotl** exhibit a "weird light" in their eyes and a gaunt, corded muscularity. ## Narrative Significance This system explains how the leaders of the feud have survived for half a century. It adds a layer of horror to the city's inhabitants, suggesting they are no longer fully human but are sustained by dark, ancient Stygian sorcery. The ritual serves as the final threat to Valeria, driving the story's climax.

World & Mechanics

Conan Poisons the Dragon

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Death of the Dragon

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Olmec

The leader of the Tecuhltli clan and a treacherous antagonist.

Characters

The Black Altar

Religious Artifact

Key Objects

The Throne Room of Tecuhltli

Throne Room

Locations

Enchanted Lotus Hypnosis

## Overview A form of mesmerism utilized by the wizards and inhabitants of Xuchotl, often associated with the visual effects of the **Burning Skull** or the scent of the **Black Lotus**. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Visual Trigger:** The hypnosis is often delivered through throbbing, spectral lights or artifacts like the glowing skull. Tascela specifically uses a "mystic power" in her eyes taught by a Stygian priest to paralyze victims. * **Olfactory Trigger:** The scent of the **Black Lotus** induces a delicious, sensuous languor and deep sleep. Tascela mentions Olmec once slept in her arms beneath the enchanted lotus, which put the "chains that enslaved" him into her hands. * **Effects:** It robs the victim of the power to think or act, freezing their blood and withering their brain. Victims often sink to their knees in supine terror. Tascela's voice can sink to a murmur that glazes the eyes of her targets. * **Countermeasures:** Physical destruction of the focal point or a sudden physical shock can break the spell. However, Tascela's hypnotic gaze is so powerful it can hold even a strong-willed warrior like Valeria rigid. ## Narrative Significance This power system allows the Xotalancas and Tecuhltli to execute enemies who are physically superior, turning a standard skirmish into a supernatural execution or a stealthy abduction. It is the primary tool Tascela uses to maintain her dominance over Olmec.

World & Mechanics

The Forest

Wilderness

Locations

priest of Stygia

A historical figure in the city's lore and the source of Tascela's power.

Characters

Pipes of Madness

## Overview An auditory weapon or psychological tool used within the echoing halls of Xuchotl to disorient and terrify enemies. These pipes were hidden in the catacombs with the bones of the ancient wizard who used them. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Operation:** The pipes produce thin, weird strains of music that penetrate even heavy bronze doors. * **Effects:** The music plucks at the tissues of the brain, filling the listener with alien emotions and impulses of madness. It can paralyze a victim in a state of horrified listening or cause them to lose their sanity entirely, rushing blindly into danger. * **Countermeasures:** Warriors must thrust their fingers into their ears to avoid the effects of the skirling music. ## Narrative Significance The Pipes of Madness represent the rediscovery of ancient Xuchotlan sorcery by the Xotalancas, allowing them to breach the otherwise impregnable **Door of the Eagle** and bring the feud to its bloody climax.

World & Mechanics

Entry into the Dead City

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Apples of Derketa

Biological Weapon

Key Objects

Poisoned Spear

Weapon

Key Objects

Red Ortho

A pirate leader whose advances drove Valeria away.

Characters

The Great Hall

Corridor

Locations

Black Lotus

## Overview A lethal botanical agent used by the Stygians and their descendants for assassination, chemical warfare, and abduction. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Appearance:** A large, exotic black blossom on a jade-green stem. * **Properties:** Known for its ability to induce deep, often terminal sleep or horrific hallucinations. Its scent pervades the senses, inducing a sensuous languor that is more than sleep. * **Usage:** In Xuchotl, it is used by characters like **Yasala** to drug enemies. Tascela uses its unearthly perfumes to enslave Olmec, creating a psychological bond that lasts for decades. ## Narrative Significance It serves as a reminder of the Stygian heritage of the city's inhabitants and the deadly nature of the environment where even a flower can lead to a supernatural death or capture.

World & Mechanics

Valeria Slays the Burning Skull

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Green Fire-stones

Magical Light Source

Key Objects

The Halls of Science

Chamber Complex

Locations

Stygian king

A distant political figure.

Characters

Alliance with Techotl of Tecuhltli

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xuchotl Clan War

## Overview The **Xuchotl Clan War** is a genocidal, fifty-year-long conflict between the **Tecuhltli** (occupying the western quarter) and the **Xotalanc** (occupying the eastern quarter). ## Mechanics and Rules * **Nature of Conflict:** It is a war of total extermination. No challenges are issued; combatants spring at each other's throats in "murderous silence." Both men and women fight with equal ferocity. * **The Black Pillar:** A central ritualistic element where the victors drive a **Crimson Nail** into a black pillar for every enemy slain. * **Isolation:** The war has been contained within the city walls for fifty years. No participant has set foot outside the city in that time, and for fifteen years, no children have been born to either side. * **Territory:** The city is divided into the western end (Tecuhltli), the eastern end (Xotalanc), and the southern gate (formerly Tolkemec). The center is the uninhabited **Halls of Silence**. ## Narrative Significance The war has reduced the inhabitants to a state of "gaunt, muscle-knotted" madness. It drives the entire plot, concluding with the total destruction of the Xotalanc clan and the eventual self-extermination of the Tecuhltli when the ghost-like Tolkemec returns to slaughter the survivors.

World & Mechanics

The Eye

Magical Artifact

Key Objects

The Door of the Eagle

Doorway

Locations

The Black Pillar of Crimson Nails

## Overview A grim tally-system and monument located within the city that tracks the progress of the genocidal war. It is a black column of ebony standing behind the prince's dais. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Function:** For every member of the opposing clan killed, a heavy copper nail with a bright scarlet head is driven into the polished surface of the pillar. * **Symbolism:** It represents the singular focus of the inhabitants' lives—the eventual total extinction of their rivals. Hundreds of red dots scar its surface. ## Narrative Significance The pillar serves as a macabre scoreboard. After the final battle in the throne room, Olmec exults that twenty more nails will be driven into the pillar, marking the end of the Xotalanc clan. It stands as a testament to the city's obsession with death.

World & Mechanics

Skirmish with the Xotalancas

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Stygian officer

A victim of Valeria's violence whose death sparked her flight.

Characters

Flight through the Halls of Silence

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Stygian officer's brother

An antagonist seeking vengeance.

Characters

Pillar of Vengeance

Monument

Key Objects

The Eagle's Tier

Level/Gallery

Locations

Tlazitlan Migration

## Overview The historical movement of a "mongrel Stygian" race from the east into the region where Xuchotl was built. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Ancestry:** The Tlazitlans are a mix of Stygians and an unknown eastern race (possibly from Old Kosala) that rebelled against a Stygian king. Tascela reveals she was the cause of the rebellion, as a king desired her and her people brought her to this land to protect her. * **Settlement:** Led by the brothers **Tecuhltli** and **Xotalanc**, and aided by the slave **Tolkemec**, they conquered Xuchotl fifty years ago. They found the city inhabited by a decaying remnant of a race from the east who had enslaved black people to build the city. * **Cultural Shift:** The Tlazitlans abandoned agriculture for "air-devouring fruits" and became trapped in the city by the dragons they inadvertently released from ancient spells. ## Narrative Significance This migration explains the physical appearance of the current inhabitants and the origin of the feud, which began five years after they settled the city when Tecuhltli stole Xotalanc's wife, **Tascela**.

World & Mechanics

Black Lotus

Magical Plant

Key Objects

Dragon Siege

## Overview The forest surrounding Xuchotl was infested with prehistoric reptilian monsters, referred to as **dragons**, which effectively imprisoned the city's inhabitants for decades. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Physicality:** Titan-sized, barrel-bellied saurians with scaly snouts, yellow tusks, and spiked tails. Their scales are nearly impervious to steel. * **Behavior:** They possess "frightful patience" and are driven by the scent of humans. They were originally kept in the forest by ancient Xuchotlan magic, but the spell was broken when the Tlazitlans slaughtered the original inhabitants. * **Vulnerabilities:** They can be killed by the poisonous juice of **Apples of Derketa** if applied to the eyes or mouth. * **Current Status:** According to the dying **Techotl**, the dragons slew each other over the years until only one remained. This last dragon was worshipped as a god by **Olmec**, who fed it human sacrifices. ## Narrative Significance The dragons served as the primary reason for the city's isolation. With the death of the final dragon at Conan's hands, the physical barrier to leaving Xuchotl has been removed, though the inhabitants remain psychologically trapped.

World & Mechanics

The Battle on the Winding Stair

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Tachic

A member of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

The Catacombs

Subterranean Vaults

Locations

The Throne Room of Xotalanc

Throne Room

Locations

The Crawler

## Overview A legendary horror brought up from the black tunnels below the catacombs by the Xotalancas to aid them in the feud. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Nature:** A monstrous reptilian entity with a head as broad as a crocodile's and down-curving fangs. It is described as an "ophidian shape" that is cold as ice to the touch. * **Behavior:** It slithers and rustles, bringing a chill to the air. It is capable of trailing victims to the very doors of their citadel. * **Fate:** It was mortally wounded by Conan on a winding stair and eventually crawled back to the Xotalanc guardroom to die. ## Narrative Significance The Crawler represents the desperate lengths the Xotalancas went to in the final days of the feud, utilizing biological horrors from the city's depths to supplement their dwindling numbers.

World & Mechanics

Tascela

A powerful and enigmatic sorceress and the true power behind the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Entry into the Fortress of Tecuhltli

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Olmec's Rack

Torture Device

Key Objects

Audience with Olmec and Tascela

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Apples of Derketa

## Overview A deadly fruit found in the forest surrounding Xuchotl, named after the Stygian Queen of the Dead. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Appearance:** Large, darkly crimson globes hanging from trees with rich, vivid green leaves. * **Toxicity:** The juice is incredibly lethal; even spilling it on the flesh can cause death before a person can move a few feet. * **Usage:** Conan uses the juice to poison a makeshift spear, which eventually leads to the death of the last dragon. The Tlazitlan ancestors failed to use this resource, leading to their fifty-year imprisonment. ## Narrative Significance The fruit represents the hostile nature of the environment outside the city, but also the key to overcoming the **Dragon Siege** through primitive ingenuity.

World & Mechanics

The Secret Stair

Architectural Feature

Key Objects

The Chamber of the Torture Rack

Torture Chamber

Locations

Techotl

A guide and ally from the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Tecuhltli

The legendary founder of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

The History of the Xuchotl Feud Revealed

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Camouflaged Floor Traps

## Overview Mechanical hazards built into the architecture of Xuchotl to defend against intruders or rival clan members. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Design:** These traps are seamlessly integrated into the smoldering red tile floors or the jade corridors. They are perfectly camouflaged within the floor's slots. * **Specific Examples:** The **Chamber of Tezcoti** contains the **Burning Skull** trap. In the throne room, iron jaws can spring from the floor to seize a victim's leg. Another device is the iron rack in the lower levels, which uses a system of spikes and a suspended iron ball to slowly crush a victim. * **Function:** They serve as both defensive measures and instruments of sadistic torture. Tascela uses them to trap Conan when he attempts to rescue Valeria. ## Narrative Significance The presence of these traps reinforces the theme that the city itself is a weapon. The iron rack trap specifically highlights **Olmec's** fall from power and the internal treachery within the Tecuhltli clan.

World & Mechanics

Olmec's Chamber

Private Chamber

Locations

Tecuhltli guard

A generic defender of the Tecuhltli quarter.

Characters

The Pool

Watering Hole

Locations

Green Fire-Jewels

## Overview Known as the "petrified eyes of Golden Serpents," these gems provide the primary source of light within the windowless city of Xuchotl. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Properties:** They glow with a constant, eerie green light that intensifies in the dark. The light is described as "poisonous" and "witch-fire." * **Placement:** They are set into the lapis lazuli ceilings and walls, often in clusters. They illuminate the city's "flaming" red floors and the ivory stairs within the walls. * **Lore:** According to the people of Punt, they are the remains of prehistoric snakes. They were found in the hills to the east by the original Xuchotlans. ## Narrative Significance The jewels provide the atmospheric, nightmare-like lighting that defines the setting. They represent the lost knowledge of the city's builders and create the "dusky emerald witch-light" that accompanies every act of violence in the story.

World & Mechanics

Conan and Valeria Join the Tecuhltli Alliance

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Cactus-Dotted Plain

Plain

Locations

Tecuhltli woman

A generic resident of the Tecuhltli quarter.

Characters

Yasala Attempts to Drug Valeria

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Burning Skull

A psychological weapon and assassin for the Xotalanc clan.

Characters

The Halls of Silence

Corridor/Chamber Complex

Locations

The Xotalanca Invasion of Tecuhltli

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Final Massacre of the Xotalancas

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Ape's Tier

Level/Gallery

Locations

the dragon

A primary environmental antagonist.

Characters

Conan Discovers the Crawler in Xotalanc

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Tiger's Tier

Level/Gallery

Locations

Tolkemec

A vengeful survivor and the final threat to the city.

Characters

The Serpent's Tier

Level/Gallery

Locations

Olmec's Betrayal and the Death of Topal

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Valeria

The primary female protagonist and a formidable warrior.

Characters

The Ivory Stair

Staircase

Locations

The Death of Techotl

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Crawler

A monstrous, prehistoric predator that stalks the forest surrounding Xuchotl and is used as a weapon by the Xotalanc clan.

Characters

Conan Finds Olmec on the Torture Rack

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Topal

A warrior of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

The Roof Tower

Tower

Locations

wounded Xotalanc

A warrior of the Xotalanc clan who participates in the ambush against Techotl and Valeria.

Characters

Lake Zuad

Lake

Locations

Olmec Abducts Valeria

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Tascela Overpowers Olmec and Valeria

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xamec

A guard of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Tascela Reveals Her Immortality and Intentions

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xatmec

A guard of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Xecelan

A guard of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Conan Frees Olmec to Infiltrate Tecuhltli

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Death of Olmec

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xotalanc

A Stygian officer's brother who pursued Valeria to avenge his sibling.

Characters

Conan Trapped in the Throne Room

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Xotalanc warrior

An elite fighter of the Xotalanc clan.

Characters

Yanath

A warrior of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

The Return of Tolkemec

manuscript

Plot & Structure

The Massacre of the Tecuhltli

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Yasala

Personal maidservant to Princess Tascela.

Characters

Zarallo

Leader of a band of Free Companions/mercenaries.

Characters

The Death of Tolkemec and Tascela

manuscript

Plot & Structure

Zlanath

A member of the Tecuhltli clan.

Characters

Conan and Valeria Escape Xuchotl

manuscript

Plot & Structure