Conflict is a vital component of the Hyborian Age. Few strangers can be readily trusted, and riches belong to he or she who wields the might to take and keep them.

On The Thin Veneer, conflict should always be an in-character affair. To that end, the below rules describe a collaborative system of conflict. We hope that these rules help separate the in-character from the out-of-character.

All players on The Thin Veneer are understood to have joined this server with a willingness to engage in conflict, and a willingness to be gracious and generous about handling consequences.

1. Communicate

In all instances of conflict between characters, you are expected to communicate forthrightly and transparently as a reasonable adult. Your in-character opponent is your out-of-character friend in creating an enjoyable experience. Ask eagerly and give generously when it comes to input on conflict. If the role-play needs to bend somewhat to facilitate a fun experience for all, then this is an acceptable trade-off.

For your benefit, topics of discussion and negotiation related to conflict include:

  • Intentions.
  • Rationales.
  • Expected outcomes.
  • Boundaries.
  • Logistics.
  • Future plans.
  • Contingency plans.
  • Vibe checks.

Communication doesn’t have to be complex. While you certainly can discuss and negotiate the above topics, you don’t have to do all of these things if both parties trust each other and are eager to role-play some conflict. Then if trust or mutual understanding falters, you simply pick up communication again to re-establish these things.

Refusing to communicate out-of-character is forbidden. In your communications, assume good faith.

At no point should out-of-character communication be used to facilitate in-character advantages. See Separate IC and OOC.

2. Conflict should build story or be fun

Any reason for conflict is valid. Your character can have a blood feud with their enemy, or they can simply seek to prove themselves against an opponent. The in-character reason for conflict is not ultimately very important, even if it can inform many out-of-character decisions.

More important than in-character motivation is out-of-character enjoyment. Conflict should make a good story, or simply be fun per se, for all parties involved.

3. Declining conflict

You are allowed to decline conflict for any reason. When doing so, you should state the reason to the other party. The other party should assume good faith and not hold it against you. They may, however, make a ticket to signal your refusal. More likely than not, nothing will come of this ticket, but it helps the admins keep a finger on the pulse of conflict.

Please be mindful that declining conflict is discouraged. This is a server and setting in which conflict is an expected component of narrative enjoyment. If you are not of a mind to take part in conflict, or to do so only under rare circumstances, then this may not be the right server for you. Declining conflict as a matter of course is not allowed.

This may seem contradictory—why give carte blanche to avoid conflict on a server which encourages it? The answer is that meaningful and enjoyable conflict requires willing participation. If conflict is something which players are forced into, it risks becoming an unpleasant drag. This veto gives players autonomy, and our hope is that each role-played conflict is subsequently a story enthusiastically engaged in by both parties.

4. Thralls

Thralls are part of the Conan Exiles experience, and are allowed as part of PvP. See NPCs are not narrative agents for guidelines on involving thralls in role-play.

Like player characters, thralls should not have access to healing during PvP. And like player characters, the equipment of thralls should be reflected visually. See Reflect your character’s equipment.

Outside of PvP, you should not kill the thralls of other clans.

Thralls should not be set to ‘aggressive’ behaviour. If an aggressive thrall attacks you, you should not kill it. Run away from it, then open a ticket to report the aggressive thrall.

5. Hostile intent

If you want to initiate a scene with obvious and rapid hostile intent, such as an ambush, a robbery, a blackmailing, or a raid, you should contact the target out-of-character first to see if they are interested in being ambushed, and discover what the agreeable parameters of such an ambush are to them. This is the part where you follow the first rule to communicate.

6. PvP

6.1 Initiating PvP

Initiating PvP is mostly out-of-character conversation. At the point where role-play boils over into acts of hostility, you should type /pvp <intent>. This will pause the scene, and give you space to communicate. /pvp <intent> does not guarantee that PvP will happen. It is the start of communication, and in the course of talking, a different direction of role-play may be decided, such as surrender, concession, fleeing, verbal sparring, or reconciliation.

But assuming all parties are eager to do PvP, then the resolution method should be agreed upon. By default, the resolution method is mechanical PvP with the rules described in Behaviour during PvP, but you may agree to change the method and rules.

When all is agreed upon, and everyone is ready, you may start a countdown with /pvp start.

6.2 Checklist

When initiating PvP, you may go down this checklist.

  • Pause RP with /pvp <intent>.
  • Discuss whether everyone is happy to do conflict RP.
  • Agree on a resolution method.
  • Agree on the rules of the resolution method.
  • Verify that your equipment matches what is visually shown. You may remind people to check this.
  • Verify that your thralls’ equipment matches what is visually shown, and that they have no healing items equipped. You may remind people to check this.
  • Double-check whether everyone is ready.
  • Start a countdown with /pvp start.

6.3 Behaviour during PvP

These are the default rules that govern PvP. You may change these rules with the consent of all parties.

Intending never to play by the default rules is not a recommended or permissible attitude on this server—you should be willing to fall back to the default when there is no consensus on conflict resolution.

  • Between /pvp <intent> and the end of handling consequences, no other parties may join the PvP.
  • You may eat food and drink elixirs prior to PvP.
  • You may not use healing potions during PvP, because they can cause PvP to go on eternally.
  • PvP should take place within the same area where it started.
  • You may not flee PvP. It lasts until hostilities cease, typically when one side is defeated.
  • All thralls present at the start of PvP may participate, whether they are following or guarding. Those thralls may be defeated by the opponent.
  • You may not enter water during PvP.
  • You may not manipulate locked doors during PvP.

7. Consequences

After PvP is concluded, consequences are typically applied. They should be discussed out-of-character before being applied in role-play, and no new players may join the scene until the consequences are effected (or everyone consents to let a new player join).

7.1 Negotiation

Deciding on consequences is a negotiation of sorts. The goal of the negotiation is to arrive at fun role-play and meaningful story development for all parties. Sometimes this means letting someone escape with a scratch, and sometimes this means torturing them for information.

As a loser, your goal is to be proactive in deciding and embracing a plot-appropriate consequence. This can be difficult, but this is where you play to lift the victor. You may feel attached to your character, but remember that loss can be a good story beat for them. You get to play a part in shaping that loss.

As a victor, your goal is to be mindful of the loser’s boundaries, and to negotiate a victory that is a fun experience for all. Your character may not get all that they desired, but that’s the trade-off of having collaborative conflict.

Theft and battle injuries may always be applied as guaranteed consequences, and capture may conditionally be applied as a guaranteed consequence. You should enter PvP knowing that these consequences may be applied to you. This does not mean you should always apply these consequences, and the loser may negotiate to, for instance, remain uninjured, but suffer some other consequence instead.

7.2 Theft

To the victor go the spoils. The victor may take all items from the loser that the loser reasonably has on them, including weapons, armour, coins, and more. They may not take items which the loser is not carrying in-character, such as weapons or tools not shown on their character.

When taking armour, the loser has the right to fade that scene to black and keep some clothing which covers the essentials.

As an exception, the victor may not take items which have significant role-play significance to the loser without negotiating for it.

7.3 Battle injuries

The loser (and the victor, for what it’s worth) may have sustained injuries during battle. These injuries may be any level of severity, but this rule assumes a ‘cuts and bruises’ level of severity.

7.4 Capture

The loser of PvP may be captured as a guaranteed consequence if the loser will only be taken for a short time, typically a single scene, such as selling the loser back to their clan as hostage or being interrogated. This is contingent on the loser’s player actually having the time to role-play for that length of time and agreeing to the consequences tied to their capture. The loser should not be left without role-play during this time.

The players may also negotiate any other form of capture that is not bound to the above guidelines.

7.5 Examples

For your benefit, here are some appropriate examples of consequences from the perspective of the loser. Some of these consequences require consent as per Sensitive topics.

  • Theft of:
    • Weapons.
    • Armour.
    • Coins.
    • Sentimental objects.
    • Any other type of wealth.
  • Battle injuries.
  • Capture, including:
    • Temporary kidnapping.
    • Being taken hostage for ransom.
    • Imprisonment.
    • Enslavement.
  • Any type of bodily harm or injury, such as:
    • Being beaten up.
    • Broken bones.
    • Stab or slice wounds.
    • Deliberately inflicted pain.
    • Lashings.
  • Permanent mutilation, such as:
    • Loss of body parts.
    • Scarring.
    • Branding.
    • Burning.
  • Torture.
  • Interrogation.
  • Humiliation, such as:
    • Being made to admit defeat.
    • Recognising the victor with a title of their choosing.
    • Kissing the victor’s feet.
    • Being shaven bald.
    • Being paraded naked.
    • Public humiliation such as a pillory.
    • Making a public apology.
  • Sexual violence.
  • Destruction or defacing of property.
  • A transfer of property, such as:
    • Slaves (even if thralls cannot be transferred across clans).
    • Livestock.
    • Trophies.
    • Paying tribute.
    • Ceding territory.
  • Being made to renounce or acknowledge gods.
  • Being forced to make false testimony.
  • Being cursed.
  • Swearing an oath.
  • Swearing allegiance or non-hostility.
  • Swearing to perform a service when called upon.
  • Owing a debt.
  • Exile.
  • Arranged marriage.
  • Compelled attendance at a later date/event.
  • Death.

8. Infiltration and burglary

TODO: This rule/system is not implemented yet.

9. Attacking a settlement

Attacking a settlement works almost exactly like Hostile intent—you should communicate with the target before scaling the walls. The only difference is that the time scale is different. You should be ready for everyone to take out their calendars and schedule a date and time.

Last updated 24 Jul 2026, 20:19 +0200. history