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The Conall's Valley conflict

In the hash land of Cimmeria, a struggle between the Vanir and the native Cimmerians is taking its toll on the rugged lands of Conall's Valley. And you can participate! In the wild and cold lands of northern Cimmeria, at the foot of the mighty mountain known as Ben Morgh, there is a valley torn apart by ages of conflict and war. The claws of time and the teeth of ice has cut a deep rift into the earth here, creating a place known as Conall’s Valley, sheltered by towering walls of solid stone and sharp rocks. This is where a tribe of proud Cimmerians have found their home -- and their calling -- as they strive to keep their small settlement out of the cold clutches of the savage Vanir who continually tries to breach their wooden walls in order to reach Broken Leg Glen that lies beyond the valley, somewhere to the west. At the eastern end of the great rift lies the entrance to the dreaded Field of the Dead, and Vanir have set up numerous encampments throughout the valley, leaving this small Cimmerian settlement the last defense between the Vanir of the valley and the Cimmerian village of Broken Leg Glen.

In Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, players can choose to be either spectators or participants in the conflict between the Cimmerians and the Vanir. As the player follows the windy path that takes them down the mountainside from Broken Leg Glen in the west, the modest Cimmerian settlement will slowly emerge from depth of the valley floor. A long palisade of wooden poles and spikes can be seen at the eastern side of the settlement, and as a player you won’t have to go far outside these protective walls before the corpses of slain Cimmerians and Vanir can be seen littering the bloodstained battlegrounds of Conall’s Valley. Depending on your alignment or where your alliance lie, you may be disgusted by this sight and vow to use your sword, bow or magic if that is what is needed to assist the Cimmerians in battle. The opportunity will definitively arise!



"Once in a while -- and the player will see this happen randomly -- a computer-controlled Vanir hornblower will emerge from a tent in the Vanir camp to sound the attack on the fortified Cimmerian settlement," says Content Designer Thorbjørn Olsen at Funcom.

When the hornblower has sounded his horn, a stream of determined Vanir will pour out from the woods and attack the settlement. Computer-controlled Cimmerians will do their best to fight off the attackers, but as Olsen explains, the Vanir may very well overtake the defenders and storm into the village. The Vanir will most likely attack with melee weapons, while the Cimmerians are more prone to manning the palisades and fending them off with ranged weapons before they get too close. The players present in the valley can choose to be involved in the fight or they can choose to distance themselves from the conflict and simply watch from afar as the battle unfolds -- though a true Cimmerian player might have trouble shutting out the horrors and sufferings of his or her fellow countrymen! The game will not force you to do anything you do not want to do.

"When walking around in Conall’s Valley, players are wise to keep their eyes open and be weary about where they step. We’ve added a lot of hidden encounters here, with Vanir and other enemies that may ambush you on the road," explains Olsen.

You see, the ongoing battle between the Vanir and the Cimmerians is not the only thing players must be mindful of when they journey through Conall’s Valley. The area of the valley is gigantic, and players will be able to explore the woods of the valley floor or even climb the slopes of the mountain and brave whatever dangers that lurk above the cloud cover. Olsen explains the depth of this experience in vivid detail, and tells a story of how even the sound designers have stepped in to make the experience as lifelike as possible by having howling winds going past the player’s ears when they are high up in the mountain, while the rustling sounds of an inhabited forest dominates the lower parts of the valley. The heavy foliage of this forest can be inviting in its visual appeal, but true dangers lurk behind every leaf – the developers have put in place a system that allows the designers to spawn ambushes, where a hungry wolf or a prowling bear might jump the player at any time. But the system is clever, taking the attributes and experience of the character into consideration as the ambush is triggered when the player walks too close.

"Players will have to be mindful of bushes and big rocks! It is quite possible that something dangerous might be lurking in such places, and players might want to stay away from heavy foliage when traveling unless they want a nasty surprise," says Olsen.

Indeed, life in Conall’s Valley is as dynamic as it is violent. The designers are also working towards having a natural wildlife within the valley, where animals hostile to each other may also attack one another -- even without the influence of a player. You might be walking along the forest path, minding your business, when you suddenly spot a moose being felled by a vicious wolf or even a pack of wolves. In Age of Conan, all enemies have a sense of smell, hearing and even eyesight -- so be watchful as you approach any such battle, the creatures might decide to engage you instead if you come too close. Such is the dynamic nature of not only Conall’s Valley but also Age of Conan in general. The developers are trying very hard to create a believable world where every action has a reaction -- and that means not only the actions of your own character!



But Conall’s Valley is more than just beautiful vistas, dangerous forests and an age-old conflict between two rivaling factions. Upon journeying through the valley, the player might stumble upon numerous quests that are not just given out by important characters, but are also being revealed from just exploring. As Olsen explains, one might stumble upon something in the game world that triggers a quest. For instance, the Cimmerians find that being captured by the enemy is the greatest of humiliations. When in battle, they often hide their women and children in their huts and homes before they head out to the battlefield. If they see they are fighting a losing battle, it is known among Cimmerians that they might run back and kill their wife and children themselves before the enemies can do so. Olsen explains that at one point in the game, the player might come across a spear stuck in the wall of some once-inhabited hut where such an event has took place, and a quest is spawned, urging the player to revenge the fallen warrior and his family.

"Conall’s Valley is a place heavy with lore. Take for instance Kern Wolfeye, a character that we’ve taken directly from the literature connected with the Conan license. He’s in there, and that adds a lot to the experience in Age of Conan," says an enthusiastic Olsen.