As a long-time player of Conan Exiles, one of the bigger complaints I come across is how The Exiled Lands are not connected to Hyboria Proper. While the purpose for the exiles being there is connected, the geography just can’t be. The devs of course have stated this a few times and that is all well and good. But I believe I have an idea on how to bridge the gap between the “realms”. It has been assumed that the Exiled Lands have a close proximity to Stygia and Darfar, so let’s start with that.
We know Thoth Amon is responsible for the Exiles being placed there in hopes they will find more relics of the serpent men. Thoth Amon basically told others outside of Stygia that he could dispose of undesired peoples and they happily obliged. This could lead to the idea that only Thoth Amon knows how to send them to the Exiled Lands.
Picture this: As you are being dragged through the sands, your captors take you to what seems to be a lone stone gate. The stone looks as old as the mountains and littered in strange markings. As you pass through the gate, what was once barren desert becomes a field of crucifixes. Most empty, some not. Your Stygian captors nail your hands and raise your cross. Before they leave, the leader of the company stares you in the eyes and spits at your blood soaked feet. When they leave as they pass through the gate they seem to disappear as they cross it’s threshold. Astonished but exhausted, your vision begins to fade. When you wake the scene transitions to the Conan Exiles opening.
Seems interesting, but why add this? Simply put, Funcom is sitting on a wealth of content from an earlier game that could be applied to Conan Exiles as a form of sequel. When you “finish” Conan Exiles, you find a way to remove the bracelet and return to Hyboria. Well, what if you could actually return to Hyboria? Your character, your progress, new world full of challenges and trials. How this can happen is if Funcom could recycle the models and maps from Age of Conan, the legendary MMO. Using a similar method of keeping each territory its own map and not connecting all of Hyboria on one map, players could bring their characters home to Hyboria with a bigger focus on combat, PvP, challenges, and story missions and less on building and crafting. Those elements would obviously still remain and be prominent in locations such as Poitain, but not as much in locations such as Cimmeria or Stygia. Though the building in such locations could be possible with “lot building” or limited building on select spaces that could require a permit or deed to access. This could serve as massive content for CE players and a new hope for AOC players.
“The Return to Hyboria Expansion would serve as a form of sequel. After you leave the Exiled lands you would have access to Western Hyboria for phase one which would stretch from Darfar and Stygia to Cimmeria. Other locations on the map could slowly be rolled out as new expansions post date. Many may be asking, “Why don’t they just make a new game?”. The simple answer is, I don’t want to take players away from Conan Exiles and I do want Age of Conan players to have a second chance. Imagine being able to join Conan in his siege of Tarantia! Defending Cimmeria against the Vanir! Drinking with the pirates of Tortage! The opportunities would be endless.