Robert E. Howard's "The Bloody Crown of Conan" (1934)

US Edition, Gary Gianni

In 2002, Del Rey Books began publishing the unedited fiction of Robert E. Howard. In 2004/2005 the second volume chronicling Conan the Cimmerian was published: The Bloody Crown of Conan (the 2003 second volume in the Del Rey REH series featured Solomon Kane). This volume contains three stories written in 1934, all of them originally published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales (from September 1934 to April 1936 and edited by Farnsworth Wright). Below are synopses and illustrations from the original issues. All Weird Tales covers by Margaret Brundage unless otherwise noted.

Contents:

• "The People of the Black Circle"
• The Hour of the Dragon
• "A Witch Shall Be Born"

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The People of the Black Circle (Jan 1934)

First published in 3 parts in Weird Tales, Sept-Nov 1934.

The ancient Master of Mount Yimsha threatens his captive, Vendhya Queen Yasmina (Margaret Brundage).

 Weird Tales, Sept 1934, "The People of the Black Circle", Pt. 1

Fearing the damnation of his soul by evil shadows, the King of Vendhya asks his sister Yasmina to take his life before it is too late (Hugh Rankin).

1. Death Strikes A King: The Turanian nobleman Kerim Shah and an acolyte of the mysterious Black Seers of Mount Yimsha named Khemsa conspire to imprison the soul of the king of Vendhya. In order to prevent this horrible fate, the king has his sister Yasmina kill him with a dagger before his soul is damned.

2. A Barbarian From the Hills: Yasmina journeys to Peshkhauri hoping to pit Conan’s Afghuli forces against the Black Seers of Yimsha. She has several of Conan’s Afghuli comrades captured in order to force Conan to do her bidding. Conan sneaks into Peshkhauri and kidnaps Yasmina instead.

3. Khemsa Uses Magic: Yasmina’s treacherous servant girl Gitara conspires with Khemsa to execute Yasmina’s Afghuli hostages so that Yasmina will not be returned by the Afghulis. Gitara and Khemsa scheme to capture Yasmina themselves and blackmail Vendhya for her return.

4. An Encounter In The Pass: At the Zhaibar Pass, Conan and Yasmina run into Yar Afzal, one of Conan’s old friends, now a ruler of the Wazulis.

5. The Black Stallion: In order to turn the Wazulis against Conan, Khemsa sends an enslaved warrior to Yar Afzal  with a jade ball, which soon turns into a poisonous spider. With their leader dead from the spider’s bite, the Wazulis blame Conan. Conan and Yasmina flee the camp on a black stallion. When Khemsa arrives at the Wazuli camp, he destroys them with black magic.

Weird Tales, Oct 1934, "The People of the Black Circle", Pt. 2

6. The Mountain Of The Black Seers: When Khemsa and Gitara catch up to Conan, Khemsa attacks with his hypnotic powers. However, a red tornado appears, bringing with it Khemsa’s superiors, the Black Seers of Yimsha. They blow their rebellious acolyte off a cliff and then whisk Yasmina away back to Mount Yimsha.

After defeating Khemsa, the Black Seers of Yimsa use a red cloud to abduct Yasmina (Hugh Rankin).

7. On To Yimsha: Conan discovers the barely-alive Khemsa in the rocks. Wishing vengeance on his murderers, Khemsa gives Conan some secret advice and an enchanted girdle in order to help him defeat the Black Seers of Yimsha. Conan then runs into his Afghuli men and learns that the prisoners at Peshkhauri have been executed. They blame Conan. Conan heads the other way and runs into Kerim Shah, the Turanian conspirator who had originally ordered Khemsa to kill Yasmina’s brother, the king of Vendhya. He and Conan call a temporary truce in order to try and rescue Yasmina from the Seers of Yimsha (Kerim Shah’s ultimate goal is to bring Yasmina to Yezdigerd, king of Turan).

8. Yasmina Knows Stark Terror: Yasmina wakes inside Mount Yimsha and meets the ancient Master of the Black Seers. The evil wizard tells Yasmina that her brother was killed partly to appease the Turanians and partly for his own reasons. After having Yasmina relive her past lives in a vision, the Master transforms into a corpse and attacks her (see cover to previous issue above).

Weird Tales, Nov 1934, "The People of the Black Circle", Pt. 3

9. The Castle Of The Wizards: After overcoming attacks from wild dogs, swooping hawks, explosive gas clouds and earthquakes, Conan and his temporary ally Kerim Shah make it to the first tower on the outskirts of Yimsha. Navigating an enchanted chasm filled with poison gas, they eventually reach the castle of the Black Seers. When the four Seers begin to take mental control over his fellow warriors, Conan remembers Khemsa's advice and shatters a crystal globe, causing the Seers to wither and expire. Conan then meets the Master of Yimsha. The Master extracts Kerim Shah’s still-beating heart out of his armor with a gesture from afar. The Master’s hypnotic power almost defeats Conan’s will, but with the help of Khemsa’s girdle he is able to fight off the Master and save Yasmina. The Master escapes in serpent form.

As the Master threatens Yasmina in his snake form, Conan attacks (Hugh Rankin).

10. Yasmina And Conan: The only survivors of the castle rescue mission, Conan tells Yasmina that he wants her to accompany him north. Yasmina however, desires to remain ruler of Vendhya. Their argument is interrupted when they see Kerim Shah's Turanians (seeking Yasmina) attacking Conan’s Afghuli horde. Conan decides to help the Afghuli’s in order to win back their allegiance. Yasmina then sees a Vendhya force in the distance, in search of their lost Queen. As Conan rides down to lead his outnumbered Afghuli men against the Turanians, Yasmina rallies her own army and together they destroy the Turanians in a vice maneuver. Conan eventually departs with his Afghuli force, promising a defiant Yasmina that one day he will return for his reward.

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The Hour of the Dragon (later collected as Conan the Conqueror) (May 1934)

First published in 5 parts in Weird Tales, Dec, 1935 - Apr, 1936.

Weird Tales, Dec 1935, The Hour of the Dragon, Pt. 1

The Nemedian harem girl Zenobia has pity on the imprisoned Conan (Margaret Brundage).

1. O Sleeper, Awake!: In Belverus (Nemedia), several conspirators led by an ambitious warlord named Amalric use the Heart of Ahriman to resurrect the 3000-year-old corpse of the sorcerer Xaltotun, formerly a ruler in lost Acheron. The former priest Orastes asks Xaltotun to help them place a man named Tarascus on the Nemedian throne, after which they will overthrow King Conan of Aquilonia and place their ally Valerius on it.

2. A Black Wind Blows: After a plague kills the king of Nemedia and allows Tarascus to take the throne, Tarascus declares war on Aquilonia. The armies of Nemedia and Aquilonia gather near the cliffs of Valkia. The night before the engagement is to begin, King Conan is attacked by a shadowy being and temporarily paralyzed. Unable to lead his men into battle, a substitute warrior is dressed in Conan’s armor.

Xaltotun has a shadowy mummy attack Conan in his tent the night before the battle (Vincent Napoli).

3. The Cliffs Reel: The false king seems to be headed for a victory, but the unexpected collapse of the nearby cliffs buries and kills all of his troops. The Aquilonian forces are routed. Xaltotun finds Conan still weakened in his tent and captures Conan by knocking him unconscious with sorcery.

4. “From What Hell Have You Crawled?”: In Belverus, Xaltotun asks Conan if he will serve the ancient wizard. After Conan refuses, he is imprisoned in a dungeon. Meanwhile, Valerius is placed on the throne of Aquilonia by Amalric.

5. The Haunter Of The Pits: A Nemedian harem girl named Zenobia declares her love for Conan and gives him a dagger and keys to unlock his chains (see cover above). Since the exit door is still locked, Conan is forced to seek passage to the surface another way. On the way out he encounters and kills a giant grey ape from Vilayet.

Weird Tales, Jan 1936, The Hour of the Dragon, Pt. 2

6. The Thrust Of A Knife: While Zenobia checks for guards, Conan spies Tarascus stealing Xaltotun’s Heart of Ahriman and ordering a mercenary to throw it into the sea. After the mercenary departs, Conan tries to kill Tarascus but Tarascus escapes. With the alarm sounded, Conan flees the palace. Later he runs into a Nemedian Adventurer (free knight) and after killing him with a dagger takes his horse.

7. The Rending Of The Veil: Heading towards Tarantia in the hopes of rallying his forces, a sorcerous black raven finds Conan’s position and marks it out for Tarascus’ hunters. When Conan runs into four Nemedian soldiers harassing a local witch named Zelata, Conan saves her. In return, Zelata shows Conan a vision of conquered Tarantia, and Conan realizes that the Aquilonians have given up hope under Valerius' rule. Nonetheless, after a night of troubled sleep, he continues towards Tarantia.

While sleeping in the home of the witch Zelata, Conan has a vision of Xaltotun's face hovering over a bizarre city (Acheron) (Vincent Napoli).

8. Dying Embers: Conan secretly meets with Servius, one of his loyal supporters at a plantation outside Tarantia and is told that the people will not rise against the usurpers due to their fear of Xaltotun's sorcery. When Conan learns that his loyal Countess Albiona is to be executed that night, he decides to try to rescue her in disguise.

9. “It Is The King Or His Ghost!”: Conan reaches the the watchtower in Tarantia and kills the Nemedian executioner. He visits Albiona’s room disguised as her executioner but then reveals his true identity, after which he kills the traitors. Fleeing the palace and killing several warriors along the way, Conan is eventually caught between squads of guards. Robed figures suddenly appear, and after killing the guards whisk Conan and Albiona into a secret passageway.

10. A Coin From Acheron: The feared and oppressed priests of Asura who have come to Conan’s aid explains that they are loyal to Conan in return for his policy of religious tolerance during his rule. They prove that Xaltotun is truly who he says he is by showing Xaltotun’s ancient image on a coin. Their leader, Hadrathus, tells Conan that only with the legendary Heart of Ahriman does the King have a chance to take back his throne. Remembering that Tarascus had ordered a mercenary to take the jewel to the sea, Conan decides to try and intercept it. Meanwhile, when Valerius learns that Conan is still alive, he assigns four Khitans to search out and kill Conan.

Weird Tales, Feb 1936, The Hour of the Dragon, Pt. 3

11. Swords Of The South: Aided by the priests of Asura, Conan and Albiona reach Poitain disguised as funeral bearers. Reuniting with his ally Trocero, Conan learns that a thief named Zorathus is heading towards Zingara hoping to sell the Heart of Ahriman for a profit. Conan decides to intercept him, disguised as a Free Companion.

12: The Fang Of The Dragon: Conan reaches a Zingaran outpost and learns that Count Valbroso has captured Zorathus. Near death, Zorathus gives Valbroso the key to opening his locked treasure chest, but Valbroso is poisoned by a trick blade in the process. The Zingaran captain Beloso snatches up the Heart of Ahriman and escapes the camp. Conan pursues but is knocked out when his horse stumbles. He later awakes in a Zingaran forest to find himself amongst grey-skinned, cannibal “ghouls”. He fights off the bizarre creatures and rides off in pursuit of Beloso.

Conan fights off the ghoulish cannibals of the Zingaran forest (Vincent Napoli).

13: “A Ghost Out Of The Past”: In the merchant port town of Messantia in Argos, Conan visits an old contact from his black corsair days, Publio. Publio is disturbed to see Conan, but agrees to seek out information regarding Beloso’s possible presence in the city. Meanwhile, a Stygian galley arrives in the bay of Messantia, as well as Valerius’ four Khitan assassins.

14: The Black Hand Of Set: Publio tells Conan to seek out Beloso at the house of Servius. When he gets there, he sees that Beloso has been killed by a Stygian “black hand” blow, and the Heart has been taken by Beloso’s Stygian attacker. Racing to the dock in pursuit of the Stygian's galley, Conan is then ambushed by Publio’s men, who have orders to kill Conan and obtain the Heart for Publio himself. Conan is knocked out and left on the shore. The four Khitan assassins arrive at Publio’s house and ask him about Conan’s whereabouts.

Weird Tales, Mar 1936, The Hour of the Dragon, Pt. 4

15: The Return Of The Corsair: Conan awakens aboard the Venturer, an Argossean slave-ship. Captured on shore while unconscious, Conan is to be one of the galley's new slaves. Conan recognizes some of the black slaves as former black corsairs whom he had led as “Amra”. He frees them and they kill all of the Argossean slave masters. Conan steers the ship in pursuit of the Stygian ship.

16: Black-Walled Khemi: As the Khitan assassins pursue the Venturer in the distance, the Venturer sails past the Stygian port of Khemi and secretes itself in a marsh. A local Stygian fisherman is captured and tells Conan that the priest Thutothmes has just returned from Messantia. Conan takes teh fisherman's clothes and fishing boat and heads towards Khemi alone.

17: “He Has Slain The Sacred Son Of Set!”: Dressed under a cloak, Conan stalks the shadowy streets of Khemi. A giant serpent (“a son of Set”) appears, looking for a sacrifice. When Conan kills it, the bystanders chase him for his refusal to allow himself to be eaten. Later, Conan kills a priest and takes his outlandish costume. He joins a procession of Stygian priests heading towards a meeting with Thotothmes.

18: “I Am The Woman Who Never Died”: The procession heads into the bowels of a black pyramid. After giving the wrong hand gesture to the guardian at the door Conan is forced to slay him and then proceeds to get lost in the labyrinth. He soon encounters a beautiful woman who claims to be Akivasha, a legendary immortal woman. Akivasha turns out to be a vampire and Conan drives her away. Lost in total darkness, Conan searches for a way out.

19: In The Hall Of The Dead: Conan sees light from the glowing staff of one of the Khitans who have tracked him into the pyramid. He then emerges above Thutothmes and his followers in a hall of sarcophagi. He observes them as they try to use the Heart of Ahriman to resurrect an ancient wizard, hoping to learn how to overthrow Thoth-Amon, the head priest of Stygia. In the midst of this ritual the four Khitans arrive and challenge Thutothmes for the Heart. The Khitans and the Stygians engage in battle using sorcerous death staffs and the Black Hand of Set, until only the leader of the Khitans remains standing. Conan emerges and beheads the creature. He then sees that Thutothmes' mummy has come back to life through the Heart of Ahriman. Conan has the mummy show him the way out of the pyramid. Conan then races back to the Venturer with the Heart of Ahriman.

After beheading the last Khitan assassin, Conan reaches for the Heart of Ahriman, still lying on the mummy's chest (Vincent Napoli).

Weird Tales, Apr 1936, The Hour of the Dragon, Pt. 5

20/21: Out Of The Dust Shall Acheron Arise: In Tarantia, Valerius rules Aquilonia with an iron hand, intent on ruining it before he is ousted by Amalric. News of a border uprising fomented by the supposedly-slain Conan forces the conspirators to gathers in a secret meeting. Orastes tells the others that he fears that Xaltotun plans to destroy the modern world and bring back the evil past of fallen Acheron. Xaltotun suddenly appears and uses sorcerous dust to slay Orastes. Xaltotun then shows the remaing three conspirators a threatening letter from Conan.

22: Drums Of Peril: Xaltotun and the conspirators (Amalric, Tarascus and Valerius) amass an army to intercept Conan’s rebel force. Xaltotun comes up with a plan to trap Conan’s forces with a flood, and uses sorcery to summon a great storm overnight upriver. However, the flood somehow fails to materialize. A ragged man named Tiberias arrives, claiming to know a secret rear path which will allow a sneak attack on Conan’s position at the Valley of Lions. Amalric has Valerius take part of their army to follow Tiberias. Drums are heard in the distance, and a fog descends, which disorients Valerius. The fog eventually lifts and he sees that he has been trapped in a dead end by a band of outlaws made up of those whom he had oppressed as ruler of Aquilonia. Boulders rain down and destroy his army.

23: The Road To Acheron: Amalric has his remaining army attack Conan’s forces at the Valley of the Lions but Conan’s higher position and superior tactics gain the advantage. Xaltotun takes a slave girl to a hilltop and prepares to slay her in order to cause another earthquake to destroy Conan’s army. However, Hadrathus (the priest of Asura) and the witch woman Zelata appear and use the Heart of Ahriman to reduce Xaltotun back to a mummy. Amalric’s forces are eventually routed and Conan captures Tarascus. In return for Tarascus’ life, Conan demands the Nemedian girl Zenobia, and vows that she will be his queen.

Armed with the Heart of Ahriman, the Asuran priest Hadrathus confronts Xaltotun. Conan remembers Zenobia (Vincent Napoli).

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A Witch Shall Be Born (June 1934)

First published in Weird Tales, Dec 1934.

Queen Taramis is attacked by her evil twin sister Salome (Margaret Brundage).

1. The Blood-Red Crescent: Taramis, Queen of Khauran, is visited in the night by an evil woman who likes exactly like herself. The woman reveals herself to be Salome, her sister, who had been abandoned in the desert as an infant due to a cursed red crescent birthmark (indicating her to be one of a long line of witches born to their family). Brought up by a Khitan priest, she has now returned to impersonate Taramis, with the aid of a Kothic mercenary named Constantius and his Shemite army, which is stationed outside the city walls. Taramis is thrown into the dungeon as Salome has Constantius’ troops enter the city.

2. The Tree Of Death: When Conan, captain of the palace guard, accuses Salome of being an imposter, a battle ensues, at the end of which Conan is overwhelmed by numbers. He is then crucified outside the city by Constantius. Left alone, vultures begin to attack, but Conan bites one in the neck and kills it. Four desert Zuagir led by their outlaw chief Olgerd Vladislav come across Conan and challenge him to survive after having his cross knocked down. Eventually freeing himself, Conan returns with the marauders back to their camp.

3. A Letter To Nemedia: A man named Astreas writes a letter to his philosopher friend Alcimedes, describing the horrific rule of Salome over the people of Khauran. Salome later visits Taramis in the dungeon and torments her with the decapitated head of her councillor Krallides.

4. Wolves Of The Desert: Seven months after Conan’s escape from the cross, Conan has by this time surreptitiously gathered enough Khauran refugees to take leadership of the Zuagir marauders from Olgerd. When Olgerd tries to kill Conan, Conan breaks his arm and sends him away into the desert.

5. The Voice From The Crystal: One of Taramis’ loyal warriors, a man named Valerius, discovers that Salome is an imposter. He gathers some men in order to wait until Constantius’ army rides out to meet Conan’s desert force and then rescue Taramis from her dungeon. Meanwhile, Constantius’ spies tell him that Conan has erected siege engines in preparation for an attack. With no time to prepare enough food for a long siege, Constantius decides to ride out with his army to destroy the desert rabble in the field. During the battle Salome uses a crystal globe to contact her priest in the field. She learns that Conan’s siege engines had been fake, and that a large force of armed Khauran cavalry have appeared amidst the desert bandits and destroyed Constantius’ army.

6. The Vulture’s Wings: Valerius finds Taramis in her dungeon and tries to bring her up towards the surface, but Salome uses flash powder to blind him and his men. Salome then takes Taramis towards her ritual temple where she plans to sacrifice her sister to a monster she has been keeping there named Thaug. Fortunately, Valerius catches up to her and impales her. However, before she expires, she summonses her creature, Thaug, a giant, fanged, toadlike creature. The Shemites and Khaurans panic, but Conan and a few dozen of his cavalry arrive and kill the monster in hails of arrows. A grateful Taramis asks Conan to be her new councillor, but Conan defers since he has promised to lead the Zuagirs against Turan on a mission of plunder. He suggests Valerius in his place. Before Conan leaves Khauran, he has Constantius crucified where he had once been crucified by Constantius. The vultures descend on Constantius as Conan says farewell.

As Salome's demon Thaug descends from the temple stairs, Conan orders his archers to fire on it. Valerius stands guard over Taramis (Hugh Rankin).

Gary Gianni, 2004