CONTEST => Calling ALL Modders & Artists

[Croms_Faithful]

Current Closing Date: June 5th 2020

Greetings and a warm welcome felow Exiles.

Most of you are here on direct invitation, many others will have simply happened upon this thread. Either way, if you can create a drawing or a mod, you are encouraged to participate. Despite some initial reservations, I have decided to hold a contest, for the modders and artists within the community. I am actually forums leading campaigner for an overhaul for Crom. It has never sat well with me just how few features Crom has in this game. However, few people can envision exactly what they would even look like. It has also amazed me at just how few mods there actually are out there which offer Crom features. So friends it is up to us to be trailblazers and early pioneers for such features, and who knows, perhaps even be the catalysts for policy change at Funcom. So without any further delay, the contest in a nutshell is as follows:

…Design some hypothetical in-game features for Crom. This can include, but is not limited to an avatar, a shrine, additional weapons, some armour, an ornament or statue, banners, sonething else entirely, any or all of the above. Essentially a Crom take on all the other religions’ existing goodies. It is a hypothetical after all, let ones imagination run wild! I want to see 1) what his artifacts would look like, and 2) what the community as a whole…percieves they would look like…

When you are finished simply post your entries here directly in this thread ideally, or failing that, provide an external link. It must have images or footage, or many of us will not be able to see it. Your only requirement is a forum account so you can enter it here. You are also welcome and STRONGLY ENCOUAGED to invite any other Modders & Artists you know to compete. The winner will be decided by a vote; an anonymous community Poll in this thread. As I have no genuine idea how long it takes to create mods or artworks, I am not creating a set closing date at this time. I am open to suggestions here. I will pencil in a first bid for early next year, say…late January? This is very ammendable to change.

I know a lot of people dont even know where to start design wise, so here are a few extracted pictures and facts (Post no.2) which may serve to get you all started. You do NOT have to use these as templates if you do not wish to; this is an exercise in your own individual creativity. I am also encouraging ALL members of the community to discuss the relevant entries; Do they align with your own perceptions? Is there a different feature you would be curious to see? All are welcome to join the discussion, provided that you are courteous and respectful towards the work of the authors. *Please note: that this is not a discord thread; we are NOT here to bellyache that such features should not even exist or be in the game. Discord can be discussed here instead. Any such posts will be flagged as off topic.

NOW FOR YOUR PRIZE: I am not an employee of Funcom, just a regular forum member, so my resources are limited. However, when I became Chosen Asura, I became entitled to free DLCs. However, I respectfully declined insisting that I wanted to continue paying and contributing to new content. So your prize will be a key to unlock all of the games DLCs for you for free!! In the event we recieve no entries, I will hang onto the keys, and give them to another deserving community member at another date.

[Croms_Faithful]

LORE RESOURCES:

-The grim Grey god, the Dark Lord of the Mounds, Chief deity of the Cimmerian pantheon, Crom and his Brood-

“…Crom’s realm of ice and cloud” ~Queen of the Black Coast.
“…dying, their souls enter a gray misty realm of clouds and icy winds, to wander cheerlessly throughout eternity”. ~Queen of the Black Coast.
“Their gods are Crom and his dark race, who rule over a sunless place of everlasting mist, which is the world of the dead”. ~The Phoenix on the Sword.
“They (Cimmerians) did not practice Human sacrifice, for it was their belief that their gods were indifferent to the fate of men”. ~Notes on the various Peoples of the Hyborian Age.

[NOTE: many of these are heavily summarised events due to length]

*Crom came to power by defeating the ancient demon Shuma-Gorath. In an act of desperation, the early humans who suffered beneath him cried out to Crom for aid. He instructed them to read from three Iron-Bound Books. Upon doing so, Crom appeared as a Flame-headed Storm Cloud, overwhelmed overwhelmed and subdued the demon with Lightning, then imprisoned him in what was renamed Ben Morgh (Mount Crom).~Conan the Barbarian 1#260.
*Conan and a group of Cimmerian captives freeling from Hyperboreans invoked the ‘Wrath of Crom’ in order to defeat them. Following a summoning ritual, a great chasm opened in the up ground, and a Leigon of Undead Warriors emerged and slew the hapless Hyperboreans.~Savage Sword of Conan #157.
*Conan and a band of Kozaki raiders are trapped by a snowstorm and avalanche. His former allies having turned on him, starving and freezing, Conan is close to death. Suddenly he is called before Crom (pictured b&w depicted seated upon a Throne, with Idols, a Greatsword, Spears and Armour present!) and his Undead Warriors, who admonishes him to live. Conan awakens with renewed vigor.~Savage Sword of Conan #110.
*Facing a dishonourable and unworthy death at the hands of a malevolent sorcerer, Crom intervenes to save him from certain death, so he may have a more glorious one. Conan slays the sorcerer and later makes only his second Sacrifice ever to Crom (a goat) as restitution.~King Conan #8.
*Crom and a Statue of him seated on a throne are found in a cave on Ben Morgh where he watches over the Burial Mounds, known as the Fields of the Dead, wander aimlessly for all eternity.~Conan the Valorous.
*When a boy is born a Ritual asks the gods grant it the Power to Strive and Slay.

*Crom was originally slated to cause a Powerful Purge Creatures to appear if called upon. And to have his own avatar which would directly strike enemy avatars with Lightning.~Conan Exiles. (early development)
*Crom was known to hurl Star Metal Meteorites at his enemies Ymir and his Frost Giant children in battles…AND a group of Cimmerians who were foolish enough to ask him for direct aid during one of those battles.~Age of Conan.
*Star Metal is also percieved by the Cimmerians as a gift sent by Crom.~Conan the Adventurer.

[Croms_Faithful]

So summoning: @TwoJay, @Testerle, @Hosav,

[Croms_Faithful]

@Multigun, @Vattende, @Mikey,

[Croms_Faithful]

@Yojimbe, @Mavelle, @Snowhunter,

[Croms_Faithful]

@Alex02, @108Saimon, @DrNash,

[Croms_Faithful]

@Tephra, @Joshtech, @Raskhaul,

[Croms_Faithful]

@Lexa, @Cooki3, @Sibercat

[Trappist01x]

Where would I start design wise? And what kind of religious items would be part of every tier?

[TwoJay]

Idea/suggestion
CROMS name is bound to steel.

As a religious item there could be a special „Anvil of Crom“ on which a player could hammer special holy weapons, blessed by Crom, using a special steel, which ingredients have to be rare and can only be found at the highest mountains at lost places.

(Found this concept drawing on the internet)

[Gavinrad]

DAMN ! I am soooo ready to see what the community will come up with ! Bookmark this topic right now ! Awesome idea that you’ve got here my dear Croms (I mean, it’s from you, of course it’s awesome) !

[CodeMage]

Personally, I like that Conan Exiles keeps Crom absent and aloof, like in Howard’s source material, but I’m bookmarking this thread, because it’s bound to have breathtaking and inspiring art in it.

[Croms_Faithful]

@Trappist01x

Where would I start design wise? And what kind of religious items would be part of every tier?

That is entirely up to your own creativity Trappist01x. But for the record, I would advise to think of some common features that all gods in Conan Exiles have, then image what Croms versions of each would look like if they were included in the game. For example, each religion has a weapon or two, some armour pieces, a placeable, a shrine and an avatar. Now just try to visualise to yourself what Croms version of each would look like good buddy. But you are certainly not obligated to do all or any the items I just listed. You may focus on one of them if that is your preference, or devise an entirely new item(s). The Lore post (number 2) is there to give you some ideas to work with and themes to extract. For example the colour grey, the symbol of the mound, hurling lightning & meteors, connection to the undead. (I am going to go through and hi-lite some keywords ASAP). You may for example, build an avatar or weapons based on the images provided. Or have his avatar as a Purge of Undead Warriors. Or you may even ignore these completely, tear up the rule book and design him or these features exactly how you personally would rather see them depicted. You are NOT obligated to draw from these lore descriptions if you do not want to; they are purely optional, and there to help those who may be experiencing creative blocks. Again, you have no creative restrictions! Do what and however you as a person envision.

[Trappist01x]

Well, I had a lot of fun with this actually. Only did weapons because I don’t know verticality and body anatomy enough for a drawing.
But here’s the T2 Axe (Available when at the second altar)
These are alternate designs of Axe of Crom

“In a dangerous land, one must be equipped with only the finest.”

[Trappist01x]

Crom’s Guard
Shields:

“When faced with a great enemy, it is wise to use something durable against it.”

The third design I wanted to look like a Star Metal meteorite. I like that design the most.

[Trappist01x]

The T3 Star Metal Two Handed Sword: Might of Crom

“Forged with mysterious Star Metal, this weapon is blessed by Crom and bestowed upon his greatest and most loyal followers.”

[Trappist01x]

I should also note that the shield offers protection against the Frost Giant’s ColdSnap effect.
This good enough for ya Crom? lol.

[Gavinrad]

I really like the name of the sword : Might Of Crom sounds so, Cromish Thumps up for your work ! If I had to vote for one design each :

• Axe : the third one
• Shield : the first one
• Sword : the first one

In my opinion, Crom related stuuf should be “crude” and without a whole lot of decoration, it’s Crom, it’s brutality. I chose the third axe for this reason : it’s simple, but it looks deadly, whereas the first one for example looks a bit to fancy for Crom and the second has less abruts angles and looks to “smooth”. Same goes for the shield. When I imagine a shield for Crom, I see a wood plank with metal on it, big ol’ sturdy sh.t. For the sword, I really like the first one for the lang handle and the sturdy looking guard : it’s not fancy, not roundish. But your drawings are all really nice and I mean it !

PS : As a personnal side note, I really like your handwriting. Mine is like the one of a 4 years old kid

[Trappist01x]

Thanks! And what’d you think of my Star Metal meteor shield?

[Starwalker]

Crom should not have a shrine, and neither should he have priests. He is worshipped in the heart, not in places, if at all. A lot of Cimmerians do not want his attention because if he looks down on them he is likely to test them by throwing some obstacle at them…
Be true to Crom and he will not need to turn his attention to you