For some reason ($$$), Conan Unchained got a sequel. Conan Against Darkness! also came out in 1984, was also a marketing tie-in for Conan the Destroyer and was also pretty forgettable. Or as forgettable as a D&D modules with an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie still on the cover could be. Which, I guess is not that forgettable, since I am writing about it right now.
There is no continuity between the two Conan modules – you have a selection of completely new pre-generated characters to choose from, including Conan in his king of Aquilonia period. Thoth-Amon is the villain and is somehow totally unmemorable, despite being one of Conan’s most interesting adversaries.
A digression, because it is actually more interesting than this module.
Thoth-Amon is a sorcerer in the original stories by Robert E. Howard and appears in person in only one, “The Phoenix on the Sword.” In it, he is more of an accidental villain and has a lot in common with our favorite barbarian. Later writers turned him into the archfiend his name likely conjures up (see Kurt Busiek’s comic book treatment for Dark Horse). Weirdly, he resembles in all things but name James Earl Jones’ Thulsa Doom, the villain in Conan the Barbarian. Thulsa Doom is actually the name of another Howard villain, from the Kull stories, who looks a good deal like Skeletor. It is a popular myth that the He-Man action figure line was born out of a license to make toys for Conan the Barbarian (there was a lawsuit about this, but He-Man won, as he usually does).
Back on topic: The art is good at least, with Jeff Butler being joined by Jeff Easley. Big fan of stipple shading. Not a big fan of how that evil sorceress lady is standing on the balls of her feet though. What’s up with that?
