Conan – The Howard-verse

Conan the Barbarian Quotes: What Is Best in Life?

Iron_Davith — Thu, 21 May 2026 11:20:32 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

What is best in life? The famous Conan the Barbarian quote

Without a doubt, the most famous Conan quote is this one:

“To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.”

It is Conan’s answer to the question: “What is best in life?”

I was lucky enough to see the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film in the cinema again a few years ago, and the whole crowd absolutely roared at this part. It is brutal, iconic, and somehow perfect.

But did you know it is not actually a Robert E. Howard quote? More on that below, but for now…enough talk! Let the generator choose a quote.

Howard-Verse

Voices from the Hyborian Age

A random line from the works of Robert E. Howard – press the blade for another.

Loading the chronicles…

Read free on Gutenberg Buy on Amazon

Quotes are drawn verbatim from Howard’s published stories. Many of the full tales can be read free at Project Gutenberg, depending on your location.

Random Robert E. Howard quote generator

You can use the generator above to summon a random line from Conan, Kull, Solomon Kane, Bran Mak Morn, Red Sonya or the wider worlds of Robert E. Howard.

Some quotes are from Howard’s original stories. Others come from the Conan films and related sources. I’ve tried to label the source clearly where possible.

What is best in life?

The line works because it is so simple. Conan is not giving a clever answer, or a civilised answer, or even a particularly sane answer. He is giving the answer of a man shaped by slavery, violence and revenge.

That’s the 1982 film’s Conan in a nutshell: brutal, mythic, almost elemental.

Howard’s original Conan is broader than that. He is still savage, of course, but he is also witty, suspicious, practical, poetic and much more talkative than the film sometimes suggests. That is part of the fun of comparing the movie quotes with the original Robert E. Howard stories.

The origin of the “to crush your enemies” quote

The “to crush your enemies” quote was not written by Robert E. Howard.

It appears in John Milius’s 1982 Conan the Barbarian, but its deeper origin seems to be Harold Lamb’s Genghis Khan: The Emperor of All Men. In Lamb’s book, Genghis Khan gives a similar answer about the greatest happiness in life: defeating enemies, taking their goods, and hearing the lamentation of their women.

That connection is actually very fitting. Howard admired fierce historical figures, and Harold Lamb was one of the historical adventure writers he respected. The film also gives Conan a loyal companion named Subotai, echoing one of Genghis Khan’s greatest generals.

So the famous quote is not straight from Howard, but it still belongs in Conan’s cinematic legend.

Thanks to The Barbarian Keep for this detailed extra information.

Conan book quotes vs Conan movie quotes

One thing worth knowing: the most famous Conan movie quotes are not always the same as the best Robert E. Howard Conan quotes.

The 1982 film gave us lines and images like “What is best in life?”, Conan’s prayer to Crom, the Riddle of Steel, the Wheel of Pain, the Tree of Woe, Thulsa Doom’s speeches, and Valeria’s “Do you want to live forever?”

Howard’s original stories are very different. His Conan is not silent. He is a thief, pirate, mercenary, king, drinker, fighter, wanderer and occasional philosopher. He can be funny, cynical, poetic and surprisingly sharp.

That is why I wanted this page to include both sides – the famous film lines and the stranger, richer quotes from the original stories that make them so great.

A personal favourite Conan quote of mine is: “I know this: if life is an illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content.”

If that doesn’t show the world that Conan isn’t just a stupid brute, I don’t know what will.

The next, another favourite of mine, is from The Tower of the Elephant. “Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing”.

A very fitting quote indeed!

Crom quotes and Conan’s view of the gods

Crom deserves his own mention.

In Howard’s stories, Crom is not a comforting god. He gives men strength at birth, then leaves them to use it. Conan does not expect kindness from him, and he certainly does not waste much time praying.

That is why Crom quotes work so well. They sum up something essential about Conan: no begging, no soft promises, no easy rescue. Just strength, fate, steel and the will to survive.

The famous prayer to Crom from the 1982 film is not a direct Howard quote, but it fits the mood of the film perfectly.

It’s quite different from the books however, where Conan does not pray to Crom.

In fact, Conan specifically says “What use to call on him? Little he cares if men live or die. Better to be silent than to call his attention to you; he will send you dooms, not fortune! He is grim and loveless, but at birth he breathes power to strive and slay into a man’s soul. What else shall men ask of the gods?”.

Robert E. Howard quotes beyond Conan

Conan is the giant at the centre of the Howard-Verse, but he is not the whole kingdom.

Robert E. Howard also created Kull, the brooding Atlantean king of Valusia (Kull chronology here); Solomon Kane, the grim Puritan wanderer; Bran Mak Morn, the tragic king of the Picts; and Red Sonya of Rogatino, the original Howard character who later inspired Red Sonja.

Their quotes have a different flavour, but they often circle the same themes: civilisation and barbarism, courage and doom, lost kingdoms, violent justice, strange gods and the thin line between man and myth. I’ve included many of the best in the quote generator above.

Famous Conan quotes often misattributed

A few quick notes, because Conan quotes and Howard characters are often mislabelled online:

“What is best in life?” – the question asked to Conan in the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film.
“To crush your enemies…” – the answer given by Conan in the 1982 film, likely inspired by Harold Lamb’s Genghis Khan passage.
Conan’s prayer to Crom – from the 1982 film. In the books, Conan does not really pray to Crom.
“By this axe I rule!” – King Kull, not Conan. It was also the original title of the story that Robert E. Howard later rewrote into The Phoenix on the Sword.
Red Sonya – Howard’s original character from The Shadow of the Vulture. Red Sonja came later and was created by Roy Thomas, the writer of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian comic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Conan’s most famous quote?

Conan’s most famous quote is probably: “To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.” It comes from the 1982 Conan the Barbarian film.

What is best in life?

In the 1982 film, Conan answers that what is best in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.

Did Robert E. Howard write “to crush your enemies”?

No. The quote is from the 1982 film, not Howard’s original Conan stories. It appears to have been inspired by Harold Lamb’s Genghis Khan: The Emperor of All Men.

What are the best Crom quotes?

The best Crom quotes come from Howard’s stories and the 1982 film. In the stories, Conan describes Crom as grim, distant and unlikely to help men who pray to him.

Is Conan’s prayer to Crom from the books?

No. Conan’s famous prayer to Crom is from the 1982 film. It fits the spirit of Howard’s grim Crom, but it is not a direct quote from the original stories.

Are Conan movie quotes the same as Robert E. Howard quotes?

Not always. Some movie quotes are inspired by Howard’s themes, but many of the most famous film lines are not direct quotes from the original stories.

What are good Conan quotes for a tattoo?

This is down to personal taste of course. Short lines such as “By Crom”, “I live, I burn with life”, and “I was a man before I was a king” might fit better for tattoos than longer Conan quotes. Just check the source first, because many Conan quotes online are misattributed.

Books Like Conan the Barbarian (What to Read Next)

Iron_Davith — Tue, 12 May 2026 15:26:52 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

You’ve read Conan. Possibly all of it (although there are a lot of Conan pastiches!).

Now the next question is harder: what actually comes close?

For me, the honest answer is nothing. Howard was a singular talent, and Conan is a character who transcends his genre.

But there are great books that scratch similar itches – books that deliver the same primal thrill of a lone warrior against impossible odds, the same exotic worlds, the same rush of steel meeting sorcery.

This guide is organised by what you might be looking for. Whether you want more Howard, the opposite of Conan, or something modern that captures the same spirit, there’s something here for you.

Quick Picks

If you’re in a hurry, here’s where to go based on what you loved about Conan:

If you want…	Read this
Closest to Conan	Kull of Atlantis (Robert E. Howard)
Darker and more tragic	Elric of Melniboné (Michael Moorcock)
Best modern (ish) equivalent	Legend (David Gemmell)
Best duo adventures	Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (Fritz Leiber)
Best savage world	Imaro (Charles R. Saunders)
Near-perfect modern S&S	The Witcher short stories (Andrzej Sapkowski)

Each of these is covered in detail below.

Tier 1: Must Reads

These are essential. If you loved Conan, you need these books.

Kull of Atlantis (Robert E. Howard)

Same creator. Closest DNA to Conan.

Kull is Howard’s other great barbarian king – an Atlantean savage who seizes the throne of Valusia thousands of years before Conan’s time. Where Conan is a wanderer who becomes king almost by accident, Kull is a philosopher-king tormented by questions of reality and illusion.

The famous story “The Shadow Kingdom” arguably invented sword and sorcery as a genre and is one of my favourite S&S stories of all time.

If you’ve only read Conan, Kull is the obvious next step. Same raw energy, same vivid prose, but with a more introspective edge. Kull reading order is here.

Best place to start: Kull: Exile of Atlantis (Del Rey) collects all the Kull stories in their original versions.

Elric of Melniboné (Michael Moorcock)

The opposite of Conan. Still essential.

Elric is everything Conan isn’t: a sickly albino emperor, dependent on drugs to survive, wielding Stormbringer – a demon sword that drinks souls and will eventually destroy everything he loves. Where Conan embodies primal vitality and freedom, Elric represents tragic fate and doom.

Moorcock deliberately created Elric as an inversion of Howard’s hero, and the result is one of fantasy’s most compelling antiheroes. The prose is more literary than Howard’s, the themes more philosophical, but the action is still relentless.

Best place to start: Elric of Melniboné (Titan/Gollancz editions) – the first novel in chronological order.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (Fritz Leiber)

The definitive duo. Foundational sword and sorcery.

A giant Northern barbarian and a small, clever thief. Fafhrd is the brawn, the Mouser is the cunning – though both are deadly swordsmen. Their adventures in the city of Lankhmar and beyond are funnier and more sophisticated than most sword and sorcery, but still packed with danger and dark magic.

Leiber actually coined the term “sword and sorcery” and his work defines the genre as much as Howard’s. If you want the buddy-adventure version of Conan – two rogues against the world – this is it.

Best place to start: Swords and Deviltry – the origin stories of both characters and their first meeting.

The Drenai Saga – David Gemmell

The best bridge between classic sword and sorcery and modern heroic fantasy.

David Gemmell wrote characters who feel like Conan’s descendants: lone warriors facing impossible odds, brutal combat, moral clarity mixed with grit.

His most famous character, Druss the Legend, is an aging axeman called out of retirement to defend a fortress against overwhelming hordes. Sound familiar?

Gemmell’s prose is more modern than Howard’s – longer novels rather than short stories, more developed character arcs – but the spirit is the same. His heroes are men of action who solve problems with steel and willpower. They fight because it’s right, even when winning seems impossible.

The Drenai saga spans eleven novels across different time periods, but you don’t need to read them in order. Each stands alone.

Along with Robert E Howard, Terry Pratchett and Joe Abercrombie, David Gemmell is one of my favourite authors.

Best place to start: Legend – Gemmell’s debut and most celebrated novel. Druss at his peak, defending the fortress of Dros Delnoch against the Nadir hordes. This is the fantasy equivalent of the Alamo, and it’s magnificent.

Also recommended: My favourite Gemmell series overall is the Rigante series, and it certainly contains S&S aspects (mixed with epic fantasy).Waylander (assassin seeking redemption), The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (Druss’s origin story) and the Skilgannon stories are all more than just worth reading.

The Troy trilogy is also exceptional. The list goes on…

Imaro (Charles R. Saunders)

Conan’s spiritual brother. African sword and sorcery.

Saunders coined the term “sword and soul” to describe his work – sword and sorcery set in a fantasy Africa rather than a fantasy Europe. Imaro is an outcast from his tribe, born to a banished mother, who grows into the greatest warrior in a land famous for great warriors. The parallels to Conan are deliberate and acknowledged.

What makes Imaro special is the setting. The world is as vividly realised as Howard’s Hyborian Age, but drawn from African mythology and culture rather than European. If you’ve exhausted the usual pseudo-medieval settings, this is a refreshing change.

Best place to start: Imaro – the first novel, collecting and expanding Saunders’ original stories.

Tier 2: Strong Recommendations

Not quite essential, but excellent choices depending on your tastes.

Kane (Karl Edward Wagner)

Darker than Conan. Cult favourite.

Kane is an immortal warrior cursed by a mad god – essentially the biblical Cain, wandering a savage fantasy world for eternity. Wagner was a horror writer as much as a fantasy writer, and it shows. These stories are bleak, violent, and atmospheric.

Wagner also edited and restored Howard’s Conan stories to their original forms, so he understood the source material intimately. Kane isn’t a Conan clone – he’s something stranger and darker.

Best place to start: Really hard to get hold of! Bloodstone or the short story collections Death Angel’s Shadow and Night Winds. Ebay is probably your best bet here.

Solomon Kane (Robert E. Howard)

More Howard. Darker and more religious.

Kane is a dour Puritan avenger, wandering sixteenth-century Europe and Africa with sword and pistol, hunting evil wherever he finds it. The tone is gothic horror as much as adventure – vengeful ghosts, bloodthirsty demons, fanatic devotion.

If you want more Howard but something tonally different from Conan, Kane is perfect.

Best place to start: The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane (Del Rey) – the complete collection.

Thongor (Lin Carter)

Direct Conan-style writing. More pulp, less depth.

Lin Carter was a Howard devotee who edited much of Howard’s posthumous work. His Thongor of Lemuria series is essentially Conan with the serial numbers filed off – a barbarian wandering a prehistoric world of sorcery and lost civilisations.

These books don’t have Howard’s depth, but they deliver pure pulp adventure. If you want more of the same rather than something different, Thongor scratches that itch.

Best place to start: Thongor and the Wizard of Lemuria.

Jirel of Joiry (C.L. Moore)

Early female sword and sorcery. Weird Tales connection.

Moore was one of Howard’s contemporaries at Weird Tales, and Jirel is one of the earliest female sword and sorcery protagonists. A fierce warrior-woman ruling a medieval French duchy, Jirel battles sorcerers, demons, and dark dimensions.

The prose is more atmospheric than Howard’s – Moore was closer to Lovecraft in style – but the action is still present. Essential reading for anyone interested in the genre’s history.

Best place to start: The collected Jirel stories.

The Witcher – Short Stories (Andrzej Sapkowski)

Near-perfect modern sword and sorcery – in short bursts.

Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter for hire – mutated, morally grey, operating on the fringes of society. The original short story collections, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, are episodic adventures with personal stakes and dark moral choices. This is exactly what sword and sorcery is supposed to be.

The later novels shift towards darker epic fantasy as the scope expands and Ciri’s destiny takes over. Still good, but a different beast. The short stories are the pure S&S hit.

I’m not really a fan of the TV show, though I’ve watched it all. I absolutely love all three video games.

Best place to start: The Last Wish – the first short story collection and the best introduction to Geralt.

Tier 3: Broader Crossover

These aren’t pure sword and sorcery, but they appeal to the same readers.

John Carter of Mars (Edgar Rice Burroughs)

Sword and planet. Same feel, different setting.

Burroughs was one of Howard’s major influences. His John Carter – a Civil War soldier transported to Mars, fighting four-armed green Martians with sword in hand – established the template that Howard would later adapt for fantasy.

Technically science fiction, but the vibe is pure pulp adventure. If you want to understand where Conan came from, start here.

For more, see my John Carter guide.

Best place to start: A Princess of Mars – the first novel, and one of the foundational texts of science fiction.

The First Law (Joe Abercrombie)

Not pure sword and sorcery. But Conan readers often love it. Myself included. This series is truly phenomenal.

Abercrombie’s trilogy features Logen Ninefingers – an infamous Northern barbarian with a bloody past, trying (and failing) to escape his violent nature. Sound familiar? Logen has clear Conan DNA, though the world around him is darker, more political, and more cynical.

The First Law is grimdark epic fantasy rather than classic S&S – the scope is larger, the structure novelistic, the tone bleaker. But Logen’s chapters read like sword and sorcery dropped into a different genre, and the action is brutal and very well-written.

I’d see this as “where to go next” rather than “more of the same.”

Best place to start: The Blade Itself – the first book of the trilogy.

The Black Company (Glen Cook)

Military dark fantasy with sword and sorcery DNA.

Cook’s series follows a mercenary company through decades of brutal warfare, serving morally ambiguous employers against equally ambiguous enemies. It’s not classic S&S – the scope is too large, the protagonists too numerous – but it inherits the genre’s grit, cynicism, and focus on survival over heroism.

If you want something grittier and more modern but still recognisably in the lineage, this is it.

Best place to start: The Black Company – the first novel.

Gotrek and Felix (William King and others)

I read most of these when I was just a young whippersnapper. I remember enjoying them a lot, and not realising the main characters were based on Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.

After the first few they got a little repetitive, but the Warhammer world is rich and interesting, and there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Best place to start: the first omnibus is great, see what you think!

If You Like Conan, Try This

A quick reference based on what specifically draws you to Howard:

What you love about Conan	Try this
The lone barbarian wanderer	Kull, Imaro, Thongor
Dark sorcery as the enemy	Elric, Kane, Solomon Kane
Episodic short story format	Fafhrd & Mouser, Witcher short stories, Jirel
Brutal combat	Gemmell, First Law
Exotic settings	John Carter, Imaro
Morally grey hero	Elric, Kane, First Law
Pulp energy and pace	Thongor, Burroughs
Modern equivalent	Gemmell, Witcher, First Law

Where to Buy

Most of these are in print and readily available:

Del Rey editions (for Howard’s work) are the definitive versions – properly edited, restored to original texts. Worth paying extra for.

Gollancz/Titan editions for Moorcock’s Elric are comprehensive and well-produced.

Gemmell is widely available in paperback and ebook from Del Rey/Orbit.

For out-of-print material (some Kane, some older editions), try:

eBay
AbeBooks
ThriftBooks

What About Comics?

If you prefer visuals, I’ve written a separate guide to the best sword and sorcery comics (to be published soon!) – covering everything from Marvel’s classic Conan omnibuses to obscure 1970s DC titles.

For Conan specifically, see my Conan comics reading guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the closest book to Conan?

Kull of Atlantis – same author, same energy, similar setting. It’s more Howard, which is exactly what you want.

Is Elric like Conan?

Deliberately opposite. Moorcock created Elric as an inversion of Conan – sickly where Conan is vital, doomed where Conan is triumphant. But both are essential sword and sorcery, and many readers love both.

What’s the best modern book like Conan?

David Gemmell’s Legend or the Witcher short stories, depending on whether you want heroic last stands or monster-hunting episodic adventures.

Is Game of Thrones like Conan?

No – different genre entirely. Game of Thrones is epic/dark fantasy with political focus. Conan is sword and sorcery with personal stakes. Some readers love both, but they’re not scratching the same itch.

Where should I start with David Gemmell?

Legend. It’s his most famous book, features his most iconic character (Druss), and captures everything that makes Gemmell special.

I Read All of Scourge of the Serpent (and you should too)

Iron_Davith — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:02:48 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

I finally finished everything. The Free Comic Book Day prelude. The Savage Sword tie-in. The build up/continuation/aftermath in CtB. All four issues of the mini-series. The Tim Waggoner novel. The Solomon Kane spin-off. Even the Fang & Spear story in Savage Sword #10.

See here for the complete Scourge of the Serpent reading order, there are various moving parts to it!

So, back to the task at hand: is Scourge of the Serpent worth your time and money? Short answer: yes. Long answer: it depends which parts you’re asking about (but still yes).

Here’s my full breakdown – part by part – with ratings, honest criticisms, and whether you should bother with the optional stuff. And little to no spoilers!

The Overall Verdict: 8/10

Scourge of the Serpent is the most ambitious thing Titan has done with the Conan licence. It spans three time periods, adapts three classic Robert E. Howard stories, and weaves them into a single narrative about Set’s influence across the ages.

It mostly works. Jim Zub is a great writer and clearly understands Howard’s world, and the core mini-series delivers exactly what it promises: epic serpent-cult action with Conan at the centre.

Let me break it down piece by piece.

A Note on My Bias

I should be upfront: I’m predisposed to love anything set in or around Stygia.

I studied Ancient History, and Egypt has fascinated me since I was a wee nipper. Howard’s Stygia – a sinister, sorcery-steeped civilisation built on serpent worship really hits the spot.

The temples, the priests, the Set iconography – it’s ancient Egypt through a dark fantasy lens, and I love it. Robert E Howard’s Hour of the Dragon is a masterpiece, and I wish we had more original Conan stories set in Stygia!

So when a Conan event centres entirely on Set and his cult? I was always going to be interested. Take my enthusiasm with that grain of salt.

The Core Mini-Series: 8/10

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1–4 is the heart of the event. Written by Jim Zub with art by Ivan Gil, it tells three interconnected stories across different ages:

Conan in the Hyborian Age, facing the serpent cult directly
King Kull in the ancient Thurian Age, confronting the original serpent men
John Kirowan in the modern era, dealing with the cult’s lingering influence

Each thread adapts a classic Howard tale. The Conan sections draw heavily from “The God in the Bowl” – one of Howard’s best short stories. There’s a prequel to it that starts in the Free Comic Book Day 2025.

The Kull material is essentially based around “The Shadow Kingdom,” the tale that introduced the serpent men to fiction. It’s one of the best sword and sorcery stories ever written. Check out the King Kull guide if you haven’t already and get reading!

The Kirowan story adapts “The Haunter of the Ring,” which I hadn’t actually read before this event and was pleasantly surprised by.

The genius is how Zub weaves them together. The serpent god Set exists outside of time, so events in one era ripple into others. It’s ambitious, and it largely pays off.

What works: The pacing is tight. The art captures the horror of the serpent cult without becoming silly. And the climax delivers – it feels like a genuine epic confrontation, not just another fight.

What doesn’t: Jumping between three time periods can be disorienting if you’re not familiar with all three characters. Kull fans will be delighted; readers who don’t know him might feel lost.

Is it good? Yes. It’s one of the strongest Conan events Titan has produced.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. The trade paperback collecting all four issues comes out in May 2026 – that’s the best way to read it.

If you’re in Europe like me, then I highly recommend Comics Bugle. They offer free delivery and have the DM editions, even the glow in the dark version! In the UK, Forbidden Planet are very reliable and have a wide range. Amazon was the joint best price I found in the US.

Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring: 8/10

This four-issue mini-series by Patrick Zircher is technically optional. It shares thematic DNA with Scourge of the Serpent but stands alone as its own story.

And it’s excellent.

Zircher writes and draws the entire thing, and you can feel his love for the character on every page. A young Kane follows the Serpent Ring of Set from the Barbary Coast through Southern Europe to Venice – a travelogue of early modern Europe with swords, sorcery, and Puritan righteousness.

The art: It’s stunning. Some of the best work in the entire Titan line. Zircher’s Kane is gaunt, grim, and utterly convincing. His work in Savage Sword of Conan is also incredible. Zircher’s line work is astounding, even more so in black and white!

The story: A solid adventure that stands on its own merits. You don’t need to read Scourge of the Serpent to enjoy it, and vice versa. It made me like Kane even more as a character.

Is it good? Very good. If you’ve never read Solomon Kane, this is an accessible starting point.

Is it worth it? Yes – especially if you want a break from Conan while staying in Howard’s world.

Spawn of the Serpent God (Novel): 7/10

Tim Waggoner’s tie-in novel sits in interesting territory. It’s officially part of the Scourge of the Serpent event – there’s a byline on the cover – but in practice, it’s almost standalone.

The story follows Conan and a thief named Valja as they’re recruited by Mitra’s priestesses to stop a sorcerer named Uzzeran, who’s creating human-serpent hybrids at a corrupted monastery. It’s dark, it’s pulpy, and it has some genuinely unsettling moments.

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a good job.

What works:

The characters are strong. Valja is a compelling companion – far more interesting than the generic sidekicks you often get in Conan pastiches. The Red Sonja: Consumed novel (not part of this event) felt flat by comparison; this book has actual personality.

The villains are surprisingly nuanced. Shengis, a low-caste Stygian slave who ends up merged with the spirit of a serpent man, is a standout. He’s not cartoonishly evil – you understand his motivations, even sympathise with him.

He’s trapped in his circumstances as much as anyone else, serving masters he didn’t choose. The internal conflict between his human and serpent natures is compelling. That moral complexity elevates the book beyond standard Conan villainy.

There’s a temple robbery sequence early on that’s wonderfully evocative of the 1982 film – naked orgy, forbidden treasure, the whole aesthetic. There’s also a nice callback to “Rogues in the House” with the appearance of Thak’s people, the mountain apes. Waggoner clearly knows his Conan.

The fight scenes are solid. And the climax escalates into something genuinely epic, with multiple gods intervening in the final battle – Mitra, Ishtar, and even Zath the spider god join forces against Set. Snakes versus spiders, ancient rivalries playing out through mortal champions. It’s more “epic fantasy” than lean Howard-style sword and sorcery – but I don’t think that’s a bad thing overall. More on that below.

What doesn’t work:

The novel spends too long away from Conan. Extended sections follow Valja, Shengis (the Stygian slave), and other secondary characters. It’s not badly written, but when I pick up a Conan novel, I want Conan.

The connection to the main Scourge event feels tenuous. Is the Eye of Set gem found in Numidia the only link? The novel works as a standalone adventure in a serpent-themed year of Conan content, but don’t expect it to be essential reading for understanding the Scourge comics.

Is it sword & sorcery or epic fantasy?

This is an interesting question I’ve been thinking about. Howard’s Conan stories are lean and punchy – but don’t mistake brevity for simplicity. Howard was a master of worldbuilding, conjuring entire civilisations in a few paragraphs. The Hyborian Age feels vast and lived-in precisely because Howard knew when to suggest rather than explain.

Novels naturally expand that. Perhaps they have to. Or maybe not. Waggoner’s book involves multiple gods, large-scale battles, and sprawling casts. It reads more like epic fantasy than traditional sword and sorcery – the scope is bigger, the stakes more cosmic.

Can they coexist? I think so. The short story and the novel serve different purposes. Howard’s originals are perfect for dipping in; novels like this offer deeper immersion. The lean intensity of sword and sorcery and the broader canvas of epic fantasy aren’t mutually exclusive – they’re different tools for different stories.

Is it good? Yes – with reservations about pacing.

Is it worth it? If you’re a completist or you enjoy Conan novels, definitely. If you only want the essential Scourge experience, it’s optional.

Fang & Spear (Savage Sword #10): 8/10

This short story in Savage Sword of Conan #10, written by Jim Zub with art by Mike Rooth, sent me down a rabbit hole I didn’t expect.

The title is a deliberate inversion of “Spear and Fang” – Robert E. Howard’s first ever published story. Not his first Conan story – his first story ever published, period. It appeared in Weird Tales in July 1925, seven years before Conan debuted. It’s a prehistoric tale about a caveman named Ga-nor and his beloved A-aea.

I’d never actually read the original. So after finishing Fang & Spear, I tracked down Howard’s debut and read it for the first time.

What a start to a career! You can see Howard’s raw talent even in that early work – the propulsive action, the primal energy, the sense of a world that’s brutal but vivid. It ends slightly abruptly, but you can see why Weird Tales bought it. The potential is obvious on every page.

Zub’s Fang & Spear returns to Howard’s prehistoric world a hundred years after its original publication. It’s a fitting tribute that rewards readers who know their Howard history – and gets the rest of us started!

I highly recommend tracking down Savage Sword of Conan #10 if you haven’t already.

This combined with REH scholar Jeff Shank’s recommendation in his Spear and Fang video also got me to buy Son of the Red God by Paul L Anderson which turned out to be truly excellent!

He’s an early story writer who gave inspiration to Robert E Howard, and I can absolutely see why. I enjoyed it far more than I expected!

Talking of Jeff Shanks, a special mention must be made here. His essays, thoughts and notes can be found throughout the Scourge of the Serpent. He explains things clearly and concisely, and even when I think I know a lot about Conan and the wider Howard-verse, I realise there is still much more to learn! His writings certainly add the snake saga as a whole!

Is Scourge of the Serpent good? Yes, it’s really good– a satisfying epic that rewards Howard readers.

Is Scourge of the Serpent worth it? Definitely, and I’d recommend the side quests, too.

Final Ratings Summary

Component	Rating	Essential?
Scourge of the Serpent #1–4	8/10	Yes
Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring	8/10	Optional but excellent
Spawn of the Serpent God (novel)	7/10	Optional
Fang & Spear (SSOC #10)	8/10	Optional
Overall Event	8/10	Yes

Should You Read It?

Yes, if:

You enjoy Conan comics and want Titan’s most ambitious event yet
You’re interested in Set, Stygia, and serpent cults
You want to see how Howard’s different characters connect across time
You’re curious about Solomon Kane but haven’t read him before
Want to experience characters from REH’s very first story

Maybe not, if:

You only want standalone Conan stories with no event complexity
You’re new to Conan – start with the ongoing Conan series or the omnibuses instead
You dislike multi-part crossovers and world-jumping

Where to Start

If you want to read everything, check out my full Scourge reading order for the complete sequence.

If you just want the essentials: grab the Scourge of the Serpent trade paperback when it releases in May 2026. That’s the core experience.

And if you’re looking for more Conan after this, my guide to the current Conan Titan Comics line covers everything else in print.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Scourge of the Serpent good?

Yes. It’s an 8/10 overall – Titan’s strongest crossover event so far. The core mini-series delivers epic serpent-cult action, the Solomon Kane tie-in is beautiful, and the novel expands the lore nicely.

Is Scourge of the Serpent worth reading?

If you’re already following Titan’s Conan line, absolutely. If you’re new, consider starting with the ongoing series first – this event rewards familiarity with Howard’s world.

Do I need to read the Tim Waggoner novel?

No. It’s optional but enjoyable. It adds depth to the serpent cult storyline but isn’t required to understand the comics.

What Robert E. Howard stories does Scourge adapt?

Three: “The God in the Bowl” (Conan), “The Shadow Kingdom” (Kull), and “The Haunter of the Ring” (John Kirowan). All three are among Howard’s best serpent-themed tales.

Is there a collected edition?

Yes – the Scourge of the Serpent trade paperback collecting issues #1–4 releases in May 2026.

Savage Sword of Conan Omnibus: Complete Guide

Iron_Davith — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:53:37 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The Savage Sword of Conan is, in my humble opinion, the best Conan comic series ever published. If I had to pick just one line of omnibuses to own, it would be these.

That might be controversial – plenty of fans would put the colour Conan the Barbarian series first. But Savage Sword offers something the regular comics couldn’t: faithful Howard adaptations, mature content, longer stories, and some of the most stunning black-and-white art in comics history.

What is Savage Sword of Conan?

Savage Sword of Conan was a black-and-white magazine published by Marvel from 1974 to 1995 – 235 issues over 21 years. The magazine format meant it wasn’t bound by the Comics Code Authority, so the stories could be darker, more violent, and include nudity.

Roy Thomas took writing duties for most of the run, supported by artists like John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. Their detailed black-and-white illustrations are legendary – honestly, some pages belong in art galleries.

Unlike the colour Conan the Barbarian series, Savage Sword doesn’t follow Conan chronologically. Stories jump around his timeline. You might get a young thief story followed by a King Conan tale. This makes each issue feel like a self-contained adventure.

Why I Prefer the Savage Sword

I think it’s a bit more faithful to Howard (but still not perfect). The colour comics mixed original stories with adaptations. Savage Sword leaned heavily into adapting Robert E. Howard’s actual prose – and it shows. The tone feels right.

It’s better for dipping in. Life is busy and sometimes I don’t want a whole saga. Because the stories don’t follow a strict chronology, you can pick up any volume and enjoy it. Perfect for reading a story here and there rather than committing to a multi-volume saga.

The art. John Buscema’s work in black-and-white is a different beast to his colour pages. Without colour, every line, every shadow, every texture has to carry weight. And the inking is breathtaking. I’ve literally spent hours poring over and comparing his work when it’s inked by Acala, DeZuniga, The Tribe or even himself!

Mature content done right. This isn’t gratuitous – it’s atmospheric. The Hyborian Age feels genuinely dangerous and primal in a way the Comics Code-approved colour series couldn’t quite capture.

The Art: Buscema and His Inkers

John Buscema pencilled the vast majority of Savage Sword, but the inkers shaped the final look as much as anyone. The B&W format meant inking wasn’t just finishing work – it was half the art.

Alfredo Alcala is the legendary pairing. His hyper-detailed inks add texture to every surface – skin, stone, cloth, shadow. The Buscema/Alcala issues in Volumes 1–4 are among the finest comic art ever produced. Gruesome, gorgeous, and utterly distinctive.

Tony DeZuniga brought a different energy. His Conan is leaner, more sun-bronzed, with zip-a-tone patterns and greytones creating depth. The Buscema/DeZuniga team dominates Volumes 3–5 and rivals Alcala’s work. Their “Beyond the Black River” adaptation is a high point.

The Tribe – a collective of inkers including DeZuniga – handled the epic “A Witch Shall Be Born” in issue #5. The result is one of the magazine’s most iconic stories.

Pablo Marcos has a distinctive wash style that’s immediately recognisable. Ernie Chan (who also inked Conan the Barbarian) brought consistency and reliability. Rudy Nebres added his own Filipino-school flourishes to the mix.

Interestingly, Buscema reportedly didn’t like anyone’s inks except his own and his brother Sal’s. But whatever his personal preferences, the collaborations produced some of comics’ greatest art.

The Savage Sword Omnibus Editions

Titan Comics (continuing from Marvel’s original omnibus line) is collecting the complete Savage Sword run in oversized hardcovers. Each volume is approximately 12–15 issues plus relevant specials.

For shopping, Amazon seems to have good prices in the US, and I always like Forbidden Planet in the UK. My fave shop in Europe is without a doubt Comics Bugle!

Are the savage Sword Omnibuses good?

The first four volumes represent the peak of the series – Roy Thomas at his most energetic, Buscema/Alcala at their finest. But quality remains strong throughout, and later volumes include interesting material like film script adaptations.

Volume	Issues	Key Stories	Notes
Vol. 1	SSOC #1–12, Special #1, Savage Tales #1–5	A Witch Shall Be Born, Red Nails, Black Colossus	Essential. Peak Buscema/Alcala.
Vol. 2	SSOC #13–28, Marvel Comics Super Special #2	Conan the Liberator, Beyond the Black River	Great double-parters. DeZuniga arrives.
Vol. 3	SSOC #29–43	Iron Shadows in the Moon, Queen of the Black Coast	Bêlit material. Buscema/DeZuniga peak.
Vol. 4	SSOC #44–57	The Slithering Shadow, Treasure of Tranicos	Strong Howard adaptations throughout.
Vol. 5	SSOC #58–72	The Devil in Iron, Moat of Blood	Quality stays high.
Vol. 6	SSOC #73–87		Solid middle-period material.
Vol. 7	SSOC #88–101	Devourer of Souls debut	March 2026.
Vol. 8	SSOC #102–116		June 2026.
Vol. 9	SSOC #117–132, Witch Queen of Acheron GN		Titan printing had quality issues – check copies.
Vol. 10	SSOC #133–145, Conan the Reaver GN		Some out-of-character Conan stories. Completists only.
Vol. 11	SSOC #146–158, Skull of Set GN	Horn of Azoth (original Conan the Destroyer script)	Film adaptation material.
Vol. 12	SSOC #159–171, Horn of Azoth GN		August 2026.

The later volumes include graphic novels that were published separately – notably adaptations of unused film scripts, which offer a fascinating “what if” glimpse at Conan movies that never were.

Volumes 13-18 will follow over the coming years.

Pricing and Availability

Each omnibus is $125 USD. They’re oversized hardcovers, typically 600–800 pages of restored black-and-white art.

Earlier volumes (1–6) were originally published by Marvel before their license expired. Titan is reprinting them, but availability varies.

Are the Savage Sword Omnibuses worth it?

In my opinion, absolutely yes. These are the pinnacle of Conan comics. You don’t need to get them all at once, I’d start with one and see if you like it (and I bet you will!).

Where to Start

If you want the classics: Volume 1 is the obvious choice. It includes some of the finest Howard adaptations – “A Witch Shall Be Born” and “Red Nails” are essential reading.

If you want a great standalone read: Volume 2 has excellent double-part stories and is often easier to find. It’s actually my favourite of all the omnibuses as it includes The Tower of the Elephant, Beyond the Black River, People of the Black Circle and many more!

If Vol. 1 is unavailable: Start wherever you can. Seriously. The non-chronological format means any volume works as an entry point. You’ll pick up Conan’s world quickly.

Savage Sword vs Conan the Barbarian

Both are excellent. The choice depends on what you want:

Savage Sword	Conan the Barbarian
Black-and-white	Full colour
Non-chronological stories	Chronological arc
More faithful to Howard	Mix of adaptations and originals
Mature content	Comics Code approved
Best for dipping in	Best for following Conan’s life

If you only buy one, and you’re a Howard purist who wants standalone stories, get Savage Sword. If you want to follow Conan from young thief to king in a continuous narrative, get Conan the Barbarian.

I own both. No regrets.

You can see how the Savage Sword omnibuses differ from the Conan omnibuses here.

And one extra to think about: the King Conan omnibus series.

The Reforged Editions

Titan has also started releasing “Savage Sword Reforged” – taking classic B&W stories and colouring them for the first time. The first volume includes “The Tower of the Elephant” and “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” in colour, and they look stunning.

These are trade paperbacks rather than omnibuses – a cheaper entry point if you want to sample the material before committing to the full hardcovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Savage Sword of Conan the same as Conan the Barbarian?

No. Savage Sword was a separate black-and-white magazine that ran alongside the colour Conan the Barbarian comic. Different format, different stories, different tone.

Do I need to read Conan the Barbarian before Savage Sword?

No. The stories are mostly standalone and don’t follow continuity with the colour comics.

Why is it black-and-white?

Magazine-format comics weren’t bound by the Comics Code, allowing more mature content. The B&W format also let artists showcase incredible linework that colour would obscure.

How many Savage Sword omnibus volumes will there be?

The complete run will require approximately 14–16 volumes. Volumes 1–12 are either available or solicited through August 2026.

Are the Savage Sword omnibuses worth $125?

In my opinion, absolutely. You’re getting 600–800 pages of restored classic material in oversized format. The art has never looked better.

Conan the Barbarian Omnibus: Complete Guide

Iron_Davith — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:17:44 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Conan the Barbarian is where it all began. When Marvel launched this series in 1970, they didn’t just create a successful comic – they defined how Conan would look and feel for generations. For me, it’s the beginning of a golden era of Conan comics.

If you want to follow Conan’s life as one continuous story, from young Cimmerian wanderer to King of Aquilonia, this is the series. The omnibus editions collect the complete 275-issue run in oversized hardcovers with restored colour art.

What is Conan the Barbarian?

Conan the Barbarian was Marvel’s flagship Conan title, running from 1970 to 1993. Written primarily by Roy Thomas for the first decade, it told Conan’s story chronologically – you could follow him from his first adventures leaving Cimmeria through his entire legendary career.

Unlike the black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan magazine, this was a full-colour comic published under the Comics Code Authority. That meant less explicit violence and no nudity, but it also meant stunning colour artwork from some of the industry’s greatest talents.

Barry Windsor-Smith launched the series with a run that’s still considered groundbreaking. John Buscema took over and made the character his own for over a decade. The colouring throughout – particularly George Roussos’s work (my favourite) – is phenomenal. These pages glow.

The Art: From Windsor-Smith to Buscema

Barry Windsor-Smith defined Conan’s look in the early issues. His detailed, almost Pre-Raphaelite style was unlike anything else in comics at the time. The first 24 issues (collected in Volumes 1–2) are essential – not just for Conan fans, but for anyone interested in comic book art history.

John Buscema took over from issue #25 and made Conan his signature character. His powerful, muscular figures and dynamic action sequences became the definitive Conan look. Buscema drew more Conan pages than any other artist, and his work here – inked primarily by Ernie Chan – is among his finest.

Just the other day someone on Reddit mentioned that Buscema’s Conan work looks more modern. I think that’s a very fair take, even if the time periods essentially crossed over!

George Roussos coloured much of the run, and his work deserves recognition. He’s quite possibly my favourite colourist, ever.

The Hyborian Age glows under his palette – rich oranges and reds for Stygia, cool blues for Cimmeria, lush greens for the Black Kingdoms. Colouring often goes unappreciated, but Roussos elevated every page he worked on.

Check out this review of issue #82, Sorceress of the Swamp for an example of his beautiful work.

The Omnibus Editions

Titan Comics (continuing and taking over from Marvel’s original omnibus line) is collecting the complete run in approximately 10 oversized hardcover volumes. If you want to know more about the Savage Sword omnibuses here instead.

Volume Contents

The first four volumes are essential – Barry Windsor-Smith defining Conan, then John Buscema taking over and making it his own.

Quality stays strongish in Volume 5, settles into a comfortable if uninspiring rhythm through Volumes 6–9, then sees a creative resurgence in Volume 10 (when Roy Thomas comes back).

Volume	Issues	Key content	Notes
Vol. 1	CTB #1-26	Barry Windsor-Smith era, early classic adaptations, Tower of the Elephant, Red Sonja debut in CTB #23-24	Foundational volume. Groundbreaking start to Marvel Conan.
Vol. 2	CTB #27-51, Giant-Size #1-4, Annual #1	Early John Buscema period, with Gil Kane also featured, plus Hour of the Dragon material.	Better described as an early Buscema-led volume, not a Barry Windsor-Smith one.
Vol. 3	CTB #52-83, Annuals #2-3	Bêlit / Black Coast / Amra material, plus Conan-Kull-Red Sonja crossover elements.	One of the key classic Conan omnibuses. Probably my fave overall.
Vol. 4	CTB #84-115, Annuals #4-5, What If? #13	Conclusion of the Bêlit / Asgulun material, fiercer post-Bêlit Conan, and the Conan-in-modern-New-York What If? story.	More aftermath and transition than pure “Queen of the Black Coast”. Amazing stuff though.
Vol. 5	CTB #116-149, Annuals #6-7, Conan of the Isles, What If? #39	New creative phase with J.M. DeMatteis, a strong Gil Kane stretch, The Creation Quest, and Conan of the Isles.	A notable shift in tone and direction for the series.
Vol. 6	CTB #150-171, Annuals #8-9, What If? #43	The full Michael Fleisher run, with John Buscema art throughout much of the volume.	Strong late middle-period material.
Vol. 7	CTB #172-194, Annuals #10-11	First half of Christopher Priest’s run, including the introduction of the Devourer of Souls thread.	Important setup volume for the late-series mythology.
Vol. 8	CTB #195-213, Annual #12, Official Handbook of the Conan Universe #1	Second half of Priest’s run, with major Devourer of Souls payoff, plus Thulsa Doom and Red Sonja elements.	A major late-run volume with big story payoffs. The Handbook is awesome.
Vol. 9	CTB #214-240, What If…? #16	Late-run transition material with Val Semeiks, Ron Lim, Larry Hama, and the Young Conan storyline.	A bridging volume with several creative shifts.
Vol. 10	CTB #241-275, material from What The–?! #12	Final stretch of the original series, including Roy Thomas’s return and the close of Marvel’s original Conan the Barbarian run.	Best framed as the original series finale.

Pricing and Availability

Each omnibus is $125 USD. They’re oversized hardcovers, typically 600+ pages of restored colour art.

Earlier volumes were published by Marvel before their license expired. Titan is reprinting them, but availability varies. Volume 1 in particular can be hard to find at retail price.

Thankfully the Titan omnibuses can be found easily now (with the last couple still to come). I generally see Amazon having good prices in the US, Forbidden Planet having a great selection in the UK and Comics Bugle being the best in Europe.

Where to Start

The obvious choice: Volume 1. Barry Windsor-Smith’s art is legendary, and you’ll experience Conan’s earliest adventures in chronological order. “The Tower of the Elephant” alone justifies the purchase.

If Volume 1 is unavailable: Volume 3 or 4. By this point Buscema and Chan have hit their stride, and you’re getting peak material. The Bêlit saga in Volume 4 is one of the series’ high points.

Budget option: Wait for the Titan reprints. Marvel’s original printings command premium prices, but Titan is steadily reprinting them at standard retail.

Why Choose Conan the Barbarian?

Chronological storytelling. You follow Conan’s entire life in sequence. Characters recur, relationships develop, and there’s a genuine sense of an epic unfolding across decades.

Full colour. The restored colouring in these omnibuses is gorgeous. If you want to see Conan’s world in vibrant colour rather than black-and-white, this is your series.

The complete saga. From young wanderer to king – it’s all here. You can watch Conan grow, change, and eventually claim the throne of Aquilonia.

Historical significance. This series launched the sword-and-sorcery comics boom of the 1970s. It’s not just a great Conan comic – it’s a landmark in the medium’s history.

If you plan to read these with your kids, they’re more suitable than the Savage Sword series, IMO. At least to start with. Funnily enough, my daughter can’t stand the Conan stories because she thinks he mean, whereas she loves Kull!

Conan the Barbarian vs Savage Sword

Both are excellent. The choice depends on what you want:

Conan the Barbarian	Savage Sword
Full colour	Black-and-white
Chronological arc	Non-chronological anthology
Mix of adaptations and originals	More faithful to Howard
Comics Code approved	Mature content
Best for following Conan’s life	Best for dipping in

If you’re choosing between them, read my full comparison of the Conan vs the Savage Sword omnibus lines. I own both. They complement each other beautifully.

There’s also the King Conan omnibuses as well!

Collecting Tips

Check the binding quality. The earlier Marvel printings and Titan reprints may vary slightly in binding and paper stock. Most collectors report no issues, but inspect copies if buying in person.

Direct Market covers. Many volumes have variant DM covers – often with classic painted art. These are the same interior content, just different cover art. Choose based on preference.

I have mostly the original covers (because they were cheaper) but I probably prefer most (but not all) of the DMs.

Are the Conan the Barbarian omnibuses worth it?

In my humble opinion, absolutely yes! These are some of the best comics ever created, especially in the fantasy/sword & sorcery genre. They are really good. I’m very happy to own them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Conan the Barbarian the same as Savage Sword?

No. Conan the Barbarian was a colour comic; Savage Sword was a black-and-white magazine. Different format, different stories, different tone. Both are essential.

Do I need to read these in order?

It helps. Unlike Savage Sword, Conan the Barbarian follows a chronological narrative. Reading in order gives you the full saga experience.

Which has better art – CTB or Savage Sword?

Both feature John Buscema extensively. CTB has colour and the legendary Barry Windsor-Smith run. Savage Sword has more detailed inking from Alcala and DeZuniga. It’s genuinely hard to choose.

How many volumes will complete the series?

Approximately 10 volumes for the complete 1970–1993 run. Titan is currently up to Volume 7, with Volume 8 coming June 2026.

Are the omnibuses worth $125?

Yes. You’re getting 600+ pages of restored classic material in oversized format. Compared to hunting down original issues or older trades, they’re excellent value.

What about the Dark Horse Conan comics?

Different era, different continuity. The Dark Horse run (2003–2018) was collected separately. These omnibuses cover the original Marvel run only.

Conan vs Savage Sword Omnibus: Which First?

Iron_Davith — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:46:24 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

You want to start collecting Conan omnibuses, but you’re staring at two different lines: Conan the Barbarian (colour) and Savage Sword of Conan (black-and-white). Both are excellent. Both are relatively expensive. Which do you buy first?

The honest answer: it depends on what you want from Conan.

I own both lines. I’ve read both extensively. Here’s how I think about it.

The Quick Answer

Buy Conan the Barbarian if: you want to follow Conan’s life as a continuous story, from young thief to king. You prefer colour comics. You’re new to Conan and want the “main” series.

Buy Savage Sword of Conan if: you want the best individual stories. You care about faithful Howard adaptations. You prefer dipping in rather than reading chronologically. You can handle (or prefer) black-and-white art.

The Key Differences

Format

Conan the Barbarian: Full colour. Standard comic book format (monthly issues collected). Art by Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema, among others. I wrote a guide for the Conan omnibuses here.

Savage Sword of Conan: Black-and-white. Magazine format (longer stories per issue). Art primarily by John Buscema with stunning inking by masters like Alfredo Alcala.

The B&W format isn’t a limitation – it’s a feature. Every line carries weight. The shadows and textures are extraordinary. That said, some readers just prefer colour. Up to you.

Story Structure

Conan the Barbarian: Chronological. You follow Conan from his first adventures leaving Cimmeria through his life as thief, mercenary, pirate, and eventually king. Events build on each other. Characters recur. It’s a saga.

Savage Sword of Conan: Anthology. Stories jump around Conan’s timeline. One issue might feature a young thief story, the next an old king tale followed by a pirate adventure. Each story stands alone. No need to read in order.

This is the biggest practical difference for collecting.

If you want to read Vol. 1, then Vol. 2, then Vol. 3, following Conan’s journey – Conan the Barbarian is designed for that.

If you want to grab whatever volume is available, read a story when you feel like it, and not worry about continuity – Savage Sword is perfect. I think Savage Sword vol 2 is probably my favourite of all the Savage Swords, though the first six are all top notch (with the first four being the cream of the crop).

Content

Conan the Barbarian: Published under the Comics Code Authority. Some content was softened. More original stories alongside Howard adaptations. Roy Thomas wrote the first 115 issues, mixing faithful adaptations with new material.

Savage Sword of Conan: No Comics Code. Darker, more violent, occasional nudity. Generally more faithful to Howard’s original tone. The stories feel closer to the source.

Neither is “better” – they’re different flavours of Conan.

I also wrote a full guide on where to start with the Conan comics to help out.

Completeness

Conan the Barbarian: Will be 10 volumes to collect the complete 1970–1993 run. Currently up to Vol. 7, with Vol. 8 coming June 2026. 9 and 1o are already available from Marvel, though getting hard to find.

Savage Sword of Conan: Will need approximately 18 volumes for the complete 1974–1995 run. Currently up to Vol. 12.

Both are long-term collecting commitments. At $125 per volume, you’re looking at $1,250+ for either complete set.

That being said, you can find them on offer at various places, including the omnibuses on Ebay or Forbidden Planet.

My Recommendation

If you’ve never read Conan or the comics: Start with Conan the Barbarian Vol. 1. The chronological structure makes it accessible, and Barry Windsor-Smith’s early issues are great fun. You’ll get the “origin story” experience.

If you’ve read the Howard prose: Start with Savage Sword Vol. 1 or 2. The faithful adaptations will feel like coming home. “Red Nails” and “A Witch Shall Be Born” in this format are extraordinary.

If you want flexibility: Start with Savage Sword. You don’t need to hunt down Vol. 1 specifically – any volume works as an entry point. Grab whatever’s in stock at a good price.

If budget is a concern: Same advice. Savage Sword lets you buy opportunistically without worrying about sequence. Conan the Barbarian works best read in order.

A third option are the King Conan omnibuses, but honestly I would start with one of these two instead.

What I Did

I started with Conan the Barbarian because I wanted to follow Conan’s life chronologically. I wanted to experience the story Thomas and Buscema were telling across years of comics. It’s also how the Conan comics started and you feel them improve and find their way as time goes on.

Then I added Savage Sword for the Howard adaptations and to dip into when I wanted a single great story.

Now I collect both. If I’m in the mood for an ongoing epic, I read CTB. And I’m still making my way through them (there are 275 issues after all!). If I want to grab a book, read one story, and put it down, I reach for Savage Sword.

The Verdict

There’s no wrong choice. Both are essential Conan material, lovingly restored by Titan, featuring some of the greatest comic book art ever produced.

If you’re paralysed by choice: flip a coin and start. You’ll probably end up owning both eventually anyway.

	Conan the Barbarian	Savage Sword of Conan
Format	Colour	Black-and-white
Structure	Chronological	Anthology
Best for	Following Conan’s life	Best individual stories
Start anywhere?	Better in order	Yes
Howard faithfulness	Good	Excellent
Required for completists	Yes	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read both at the same time?

Absolutely. They tell different stories. There’s no conflict or redundancy. The Tower of the Elephant is adapted in both but they’re quite different.

Which has better art?

Both feature John Buscema extensively. The B&W Savage Sword art is often considered superior because the linework is more visible without colour. But the colour work in CTB is also stunning. It’s a preference thing.

Is one more “canon” than the other?

Neither is canon to Howard’s original prose – both are adaptations and expansions. Savage Sword tends to be more faithful to Howard when adapting his stories.

Why are they both so expensive?

$125 per oversized hardcover omnibus is actually reasonable for the page count (600–800 pages). These are premium collector editions with restored art. Compared to hunting down original issues, they’re a bargain. You can almost always find them at less than RRP, too.

What about King Conan?

King Conan is a separate series focusing on Conan as ruler of Aquilonia. It’s fun but not essential. Buy CTB and Savage Sword first; add King Conan later if you want more.

King Conan Omnibus: Complete Guide

Iron_Davith — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:25:18 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

King Conan represents an older Conan moving towards the end of his journey (but still far from it!) – and no longer a wandering barbarian, but ruler of Aquilonia and dealing with treachery, politics, and the weight of a crown.

It’s a different Conan. And to be completely honest? I think these omnibuses are fun, but they’re not essential. If you’re new to Conan comics, start elsewhere.

That being said, if you’re a completist or you’ve already devoured Conan the Barbarian and Savage Sword, then King Conan absolutely offers something different. And it’s still Conan – essentially the king of sword & sorcery.

What is King Conan?

King Conan was a Marvel Comics series that ran from 1980 to 1989 (55 issues), telling stories of Conan’s reign as king. Parts of it are based loosely on Robert E. Howard’s only Conan novel, The Hour of the Dragon, and the closing chapters of his life that Howard sketched but never fully wrote.

The series picks up where the main Conan the Barbarian chronology ends – Conan has seized the throne of Aquilonia and now faces threats from sorcerers, neighbouring kingdoms, and conspirators within his own court.

The Omnibus Editions

Titan Comics is collecting the complete King Conan run in three oversized hardcover volumes.

Volume	Contents	Release Date	Price
Vol. 1	King Conan #1–19	June 2025	$125
Vol. 2	King Conan #20–38	November 2025	$125
Vol. 3	King Conan #39–55	May 2026	$150

That’s the complete run in three books. Clean and simple. That I really do appreciate!

I’ve also found you can pick up the omnibuses below the RRP pretty often. Amazon seems well-priced in the US and Forbidden Planet is great in the UK. I’m in Germany and my favourite shop is definitely Comics Bugle. They have the DM editions and their packaging is the best!

There’s also a guide to the original Conan omnibuses here and the Savage Sword omnibuses here.

What You’ll Find in the Conan King Omnibuses

An older, more wizened Conan. He’s not climbing towers or raiding ships (quite as often, anyway). He’s ruling a kingdom, managing advisors, and facing enemies who use politics as often as sorcery. He’s also goes tramping about different parts of the kingdom now and then.

A different tone; the desperate survival adventure of young Conan is replaced by something more stately. There’s still plenty of action, but it’s more often royal intrigue action. In some ways we move more towards a Kull type of character – more thoughtful and prone to brooding.

By the way, if you’ve never read Kull before you really should – and here’s the complete Kull reading order. He’s often described as ‘the thinking man’s Conan’ which I don’t completely agree with – I think Conan is more than a match for pure intelligence BUT Kull is definitely one-up on the philosophical side of things.

You can also expect sublime artwork. John Buscema handled much of the series, and his royal Conan is as striking as his barbarian one.

Prince Conn. Conan’s son appears throughout. The father-son dynamic adds emotional stakes the earlier comics didn’t have. Some people love it, some not so much.

My Take: Fun, But Not Essential

I own these (the first two anyway, and I’ll pick up the third as soon as it’s released.) I’ve read them. They’re enjoyable and I definitely want them in my collection.

But if someone asked me where to start with Conan comics, King Conan wouldn’t make my top three recommendations. In the comics I think the character works best as a wanderer, a thief, a mercenary, a corsair – not a king holding court (at least for more than a few stories at a time).

That said, if you’ve already fallen in love with Conan through the main series and Savage Sword, King Conan offers satisfying closure. You get to see where it all leads.

There’s something rewarding about watching the barbarian who once had nothing end up ruling the greatest kingdom of the Hyborian Age.

Are the King Conan omnibuses worth it?

Yes, if:

You’ve read the main Conan the Barbarian omnibuses and want more
You want to see how Conan’s story ends
You’re a completist building the full Titan collection
You love John Buscema’s art (and who doesn’t?)

Maybe not, if:

You’re new to Conan – start with CTB Vol. 1 or Savage Sword instead
You prefer young, wandering Conan to royal Conan
Your shelf space or budget is limited

Comparison to Other Lines

Aspect	King Conan	Conan the Barbarian	Savage Sword
Volumes	3	10	18
Tone	Royal intrigue	Adventure epic	Dark anthology
Conan’s age	Older	Young to older	Various
Essential?	Nice to have	Essential	Essential
Best for	Completists	New readers	Howard purists

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to read Conan the Barbarian first?

It helps but isn’t required. King Conan stands alone well enough. You’ll miss some context about how Conan became king, but the stories don’t require that knowledge.

Is King Conan based on Robert E. Howard’s work?

Partially. Howard wrote The Hour of the Dragon featuring King Conan, plus a few other stories set during his reign. The comics expand on this foundation.

Why is Volume 3 more expensive?

At $150 vs $125, it’s slightly pricier – likely due to the additional material needed to complete the series or variant cover editions.

Are there King Conan stories in Savage Sword too?

Yes! Several Savage Sword issues feature King Conan tales.

How does the new Titan ongoing series relate to King Conan?

Jim Zub’s current Conan the Barbarian series has been building toward King Conan content, including the painted “The Nomad” story in issue #25. These are new stories, separate from the classic material collected in the omnibuses.

Who is Bêlit? Queen of the Black Coast

Iron_Davith — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:36:51 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast, is Conan’s most iconic pirate lover – a Shemite “she‑devil” who rules the southern seas with a black corsair crew and loves as fiercely as she raids. In my opinion, she is one of the most important women in all sword and sorcery: part lover, part mentor, and ultimately a ghost who saves Conan’s life.

Bêlit in Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast”

Weird Tales magazine cover (May 1934) illustrating Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast” with Conan and Bêlit.

Bêlit appears in just one Robert E. Howard story, “Queen of the Black Coast” (first published in Weird Tales in 1934), but that single tale is so intense that it defined her forever.

You can find it in The Coming of Conan.

By the way, there are spoilers coming here, so if you’ve never read the story before then now might be a good time (and it is awesome).

With that being said…

The story opens in an Argossean port, where Conan – fleeing the law – bullies his way onto the merchant ship Argus, bound for the “black kingdoms” of Kush.

Off the coast of Kush, the Argus is attacked by the dread pirate galley Tigress, captained by Bêlit and manned by ebony‑skinned corsairs.

Her crew slaughters the Argus’ sailors, but Conan fights like a cornered tiger, killing so many raiders that their bodies heap around him. Instead of finishing him, Bêlit orders her men to stand down, impressed by his ferocity and immediately captivated by him.

Standing on her blood‑slick deck, she declares, “I am Bêlit, queen of the black coast”, and offers Conan a place as her chosen mate and war‑chief. Conan accepts, and together they raid the Black Coast in a whirlwind of plunder and passion that, I think, represents the wildest, most romantic phase of Conan’s life.

An interesting point here – was Conan really smitten with her right away, or did he see the position he was in left him with no other choice? You decide…

Personality, Origins, and Leadership

Howard’s Bêlit is Shemite – likely from Shem’s coastal city‑states – but she has cast off any conventional role to become a pirate queen in command of an all‑male crew.

She is described as pale and slender, with burning eyes and a voice that can whip hardened corsairs into a frenzy. Contemporary reviewers rightly called her “the wildest she‑devil unhanged”.

According to later essays and lore pieces, Bêlit may be the daughter of a Shemite trader or minor king, who learned seamanship young and seized the Tigress by force or mutiny.

What matters most on the page is her charisma: her men will follow her into haunted ruins and cursed rivers, and she rules through a mix of sensuality, ruthless discipline and shared lust for treasure.

In my view, she stands as an early pulp example of a woman commanding absolute loyalty in a traditionally “male” role without losing her own complexity.

The Tragic Voyage and Bêlit’s Death

The latter half of “Queen of the Black Coast” sends Bêlit and Conan up a mysterious, jungle‑choked river to a lost Stygian‑built city filled with ancient treasure and a cursed necklace.

Bêlit becomes obsessed with the relics, putting on the jewellery despite ominous signs and ignoring Conan’s unease. The curse slowly unhinges her judgment, and she orders her crew into ever greater danger.

When a winged demon‑thing attacks, Bêlit’s corsairs die by the score and she herself is found hanged from the Tigress’ mast, killed while wearing the cursed ornaments. Conan, alone among the ruins and driven to berserk fury, fights the monster and nearly dies – until Bêlit’s spirit appears in a final, wordless act of love, shielding him from the demon’s strike. Her ghostly intervention lets him recover and slay the creature.

The story ends with Conan giving Bêlit a Viking funeral: he loads her body and their treasure onto the Tigress, sets it aflame and sends it drifting downriver, watching the blaze fade into darkness. I think that image – barbarian on the shore, ship burning with love and loot alike – is one of Howard’s most haunting endings.

Bêlit and Conan’s Relationship

Bêlit and Conan are equals in passion and violence. She calls him her “tiger of the North”, and he responds with a loyalty that is rare even for him: he becomes her first mate, leads boarding actions, and learns seamanship under her tutelage. Howard emphasises that, at this stage, Conan is still a land‑lubber; Bêlit effectively teaches the future king of pirates how to sail.

Their relationship is intensely physical and openly acknowledged. Bêlit never pretends she wants anything but Conan and plunder; Conan never tries to “tame” her or drag her back to civilisation.

Many readers (myself included) see Bêlit as Conan’s great doomed love – not a queen he settles down with, like Zenobia or possible fling like Valeria, but the embodiment of his wild, sea‑roving youth.

Bêlit in Marvel, Dark Horse and Age of Conan

Bêlit’s legend grew even larger in comics. Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #58–100 turned the “Queen of the Black Coast” period into a long‑running arc, expanding her backstory and giving readers dozens of adventures aboard the Tigress. In this version, Roy Thomas and John Buscema portray her as Conan’s long‑term partner – never less than his equal in command, and often the one driving the plot.

It’s a great period of Conan comics to be honest, possibly my favourite of all time. We get issues like The Dance of the Skull and Swordsmen & Sorcerers. Excellent stuff.

Decades later, Age of Conan: Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast offered a five‑issue miniseries focused on her youth, showing her as a rebellious Shemite princess who takes to piracy after royal betrayal.

Other publishers, including Dark Horse, have adapted “Queen of the Black Coast” with varying degrees of fidelity; commentators note that Marvel’s classic run does the best job of preserving her slow descent into greed and her deliberate choice to risk her crew in the cursed city.

These are not as good, in my humble opinion, however, and I would personally stick to the Marvel or Titan Bêlit comics.

These versions sometimes differ on details, but they agree on the essentials: Bêlit is ferocious, charismatic, deeply in love with Conan, and doomed.

Some of the current Conan comics also feature Bêlit and I would highly recommend them!

Why Bêlit Matters to the Howard‑Verse

For the Howard‑Verse and sword & sorcery as a whole, Bêlit matters on several levels:

She is a fully Howard‑created heroine who commands a ship and shapes the plot, rather than existing as a side‑character or prize.
She helps define Conan’s “pirate phase”, marking a shift from land‑bound mercenary to legendary raider of the southern coasts.
Her story mixes romance, cosmic dread and tragic fate in a way that pushes sword & sorcery beyond simple monster‑of‑the‑week adventures.

I think any serious exploration of Conan’s life needs Bêlit alongside figures like Valeria and Zenobia – she is the crucible in which his seafaring skills, capacity for love and acceptance of loss are forged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bêlit an original Robert E. Howard character?

Yes. Bêlit appears in Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast”, one of the core Conan stories, and is part of the original canon before any comics or films adapted her.

What does “Queen of the Black Coast” mean?

It refers to Bêlit’s rule over the pirate‑haunted shores of Kush and the southern seas. Her ship, the Tigress, and its black corsairs terrorise coastal towns and shipping, making her name feared across that region.

How does Bêlit die?

She is hanged by a winged demon in a cursed, ancient city after becoming obsessed with a jeweled necklace and treasure. Her ghost later saves Conan long enough for him to slay the monster.

Does Bêlit appear outside the original story?

Yes. She is a major figure in Marvel’s 1970s Conan the Barbarian run, the Age of Conan: Bêlit miniseries, and various modern adaptations, all of which expand her origin and adventures with Conan.

Is Bêlit Conan’s greatest love?

Many fans argue she is, at least for his early life, because of the intensity and tragedy of their relationship. Later queens like Zenobia represent stability; Bêlit represents unrestrained passion on the edge of doom.

Who is Zula?

Iron_Davith — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:46:33 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Ah Zula. Truly, who are you?

Zula is one of those fascinating Conan characters who exists in multiple forms at once – male sorcerer in the comics, female warrior in the film, and now a reinvented presence in the latest Titan Conan Comics run.

In my opinion, that fluidity makes Zula a perfect symbol of how the Howard‑Verse keeps evolving without losing its core.

Zula in Conan the Destroyer (Grace Jones’ Warrior)

Most casual fans first meet Zula in Conan the Destroyer (1984), where Grace Jones plays a wild, spear‑wielding warrior.

At the start of the film, she is a captured bandit, tied to a stake and tormented by villagers until Princess Jehnna begs Conan to intervene.

Conan frees her, fights off the mob, and Zula pledges herself to his group.

On the quest to retrieve the Horn of Dagoth, Zula becomes both bodyguard and mentor to Jehnna, bluntly teaching the princess how to navigate men and danger.

In the final act she helps Conan and Akiro fight through Queen Taramis’ guards, hurls her spear to kill the treacherous Grand Vizier before he can sacrifice Jehnna, and attacks the awakened monster‑god Dagoth alongside Conan.

I think Jones’ physicality and presence give the film much of its energy – she feels like a pulp cover come to life.

Zula in Marvel’s Conan Comics

In the classic Marvel comics, Zula is very different: a male Darfarian warrior and sorcerer, last survivor of his tribe and sometimes trained in dark lore.

He first appears in Conan the Barbarian #84–90 during Conan’s time with Bêlit, joining the crew of the Tigress and later fighting alongside Conan in various arcs.

Zula is exceptionally strong, highly intelligent, and able to hold his own against Conan in single combat, at least briefly.

He also has limited magical ability – for example, using the Darkhold and mesmerism to create illusions or control enemies, and later mastering the sign of Jhebbal‑Sag to speak with beasts.

I like that Marvel’s Zula occupies a liminal space between warrior and sorcerer, something Howard rarely gave to his Black characters but which fits the broader pulp tradition.

He’s one of my favourite supporting characters in the Conan comics – see here for his backstory in the Conan the Barbarian #85 review. There is some stunning, and I do mean stunning, artwork included.

Zula in Animation and the Wider Franchise

The 1990s animated series Conan the Adventurer offers a further variation: Zula as Conan’s Black tribal prince ally, a beast‑talker and wielder of star‑metal weapons who helps lead a slave rebellion. He becomes Conan’s blood‑brother and regular companion, reinforcing that “loyal comrade” core no matter how the details change.

Across these versions, one trait remains constant – Zula is fiercely loyal once freed or helped by Conan, repaying that debt with unwavering support. In my view, that emotional through‑line matters more than whether the character is male, female, sorcerer or pure warrior.

Zula’s Return in Titan’s Conan Comics

Recently, writer Jim Zub and Titan Comics have begun weaving Zula back into the modern Conan the Barbarian series, leaning into the character’s multiplicity. Commentary around issues in the early 20s suggests Titan is exploring Zula’s “secret origins”, with nods to both the Marvel sorcerer and the Grace Jones film version – sometimes even playing with the idea of shifting forms and identities.

I actually really like this idea and thought it was very clever. I did see some people complaining on Reddit about Zula being changed from male to female – but they’d obviously forgotten the film!

Solicitations and previews hint at Zula Hendricks leading an elite unit known as the Jackals and crossing paths with Conan again as he battles the followers of Set and larger cosmic threats. I think this is a clever way to fold decades of media history into one living, in‑continuity character for the new era of Conan comics.

Want to know more about other characters in Conan’s lore who changed or evolved throughout book, film or comic? Check out Conan’s father, or Queen Taramis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zula a Robert E. Howard character?

No. Zula was created for the comics (by Roy Thomas and artists at Marvel) and later reimagined for the film and animation; Howard never wrote Zula into the original stories.

Why is Zula male in the comics but female in Conan the Destroyer?

The film reinvented Zula as a female warrior for Grace Jones, keeping the “last of the tribe” and loyal‑ally elements while dropping the sorcery. Later articles and modern comics treat the different versions as variations on the same core idea.

How does Zula appear in the new Titan Conan series?

Titan’s run teases Zula’s “secret origins” and future storylines, with hints that Zula may combine aspects of the Marvel sorcerer and the film warrior – including leading the Jackals and hunting Set’s followers alongside Conan.

Who Was Conan’s Father? The Blacksmith of Cimmeria Explained

Iron_Davith — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:39:24 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Conan’s father remains one of the most enigmatic figures in all of sword and sorcery literature.

While the Cimmerian himself looms large across twenty–one stories, his sire is mentioned exactly once in Robert E. Howard’s original canon – and even that single line hints at a far more complex lineage than apparent at first glance.

What Robert E. Howard Actually Wrote About Conan’s Father

If you’re expecting a fleshed – out backstory, I think you’ll be disappointed.

The only direct reference to Conan’s father in all of Howard’s prose appears in The Hour of the Dragon, where Conan states plainly: “I am a barbarian and the son of a blacksmith”. That is the sum total of canonical information.

The story can be found in this Conan Del Rey book.

Yet Howard provided slightly more detail in a personal letter to fan P.S. Miller in 1936.

Here he revealed that Conan’s father was indeed a Cimmerian blacksmith, and that the boy’s grandfather hailed from a southern tribe who had fled north seeking refuge after a blood–feud.

This mixed bloodline – though still purely Cimmerian – places Conan as something of an outsider even within his own clan, a fractured heritage that I believe subtly informs his wanderlust across the Hyborian kingdoms.

We also later learn his grandfather adventured into foreign lands and I’m sure this rubbed off on Conan somewhat, too.

The blacksmith profession itself carries symbolic weight. In ancient societies, the smith was both craftsman and keeper of mysteries – one who transformed raw earth into weapons of war.

That Conan, the mightiest warrior of his age, sprang from such humble but potent origins feels poetically fitting.

The Expanded Universe: Enter Corin

The name “Corin” does not originate with Howard. Marvel Comics first developed the father as a fleshed–out character in their 1970s Conan the Barbarian series, where he appears as a master blacksmith and chieftain of the Canach clan.

However, many modern fans associate the name with Ron Perlman’s gruff, gravel–throated portrayal in the 2011 Conan the Barbarian film.

In the 2011 adaptation, Corin serves as both father and mentor – a departure from Howard’s original conception where Conan learns through brutal experience rather than paternal guidance.

Perlman’s Corin delivers the film’s central lesson during the forging of Conan’s sword: “The sword must bend or it will break. It must be tempered”.

This emphasis on discipline over pure strength represents a Hollywood interpretation of Cimmerian philosophy that, whilst compelling, diverges from Howard’s more nihilistic vision.

The 1982 John Milius Conan the Barbarian film approached the father differently.

William Smith plays the blacksmith as a stoic, almost mythic figure who teaches young Conan the “Riddle of Steel” – a concept entirely invented for the screen.

In this telling, Conan’s father imparts that steel is the only thing one can truly trust in the world, only for that trust to be violently shattered when Thulsa Doom’s raiders massacre the village.

The Conan films also feature other characters who didn’t exist in Conan’s original stories, or who were given larger or different roles than before. Check out Taramis and Princess Jehnna for examples.

The Significance of the Blacksmith Archetype

I believe the choice of profession is no accident. The blacksmith occupies a liminal space in barbarian societies–neither pure warrior nor common labourer, but something between.

Howard, with his deep knowledge of Celtic and Pictish history, would have recognised this tension.

The smith creates the tools of violence but does not always wield them; he shapes destiny in fire and steel yet remains rooted to his forge.

This duality mirrors Conan’s own contradictions throughout the stories. He is the barbarian who becomes king, the thief who commands armies, the savage educated in the ways of civilised warfare.

His father’s trade–transmuting base metal into noble weapons serves as metaphor for Conan’s transformation from Cimmerian youth to Hyborian legend. Or maybe I’m just reading into it too much!

Film Adaptations vs. Literary Canon

Aspect	REH Canon	1982 Film	2011 Film
Name	Unnamed	Unnamed (Nial in some materials)	Corin
Role	Village blacksmith	Blacksmith, Riddle of Steel teacher	Blacksmith, chieftain, mentor
Fate	Unknown (likely died naturally)	Killed by Thulsa Doom’s raiders	Killed by Khalar Zym
Cultural Impact	Minimal mention	Iconic “Riddle of Steel” scene	Expanded backstory, father–son dynamic

Fan Theories and Speculation

Given the scarcity of canonical material, the Conan community has developed numerous theories about Conan’s father.

Some scholars suggest the blacksmith may have died young, explaining Conan’s early independence and lack of filial references in the tales.

Others speculate the father’s southern bloodline connected Conan to the more “civilised” peoples he would later conquer, genetically predisposing him toward kingship.

The expanded universe–including the Dark Horse comics and recent Titan series–has largely followed Marvel’s lead in developing Corin as a named character.

Whether this constitutes legitimate continuation of Howard’s vision or mere apocrypha depends, I think, on your tolerance for interpolation versus strict canon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Conan’s father’s name in the original stories?

Robert E. Howard never named Conan’s father. The name “Corin” originated in Marvel Comics and was popularised by the 2011 film.

What is the Riddle of Steel?

The Riddle of Steel is a philosophical concept invented for the 1982 film, referring to the balance between strength, cunning, and steel itself. It does not appear in Howard’s original prose.

Was Conan’s father a warrior?

In Howard’s canon, he was strictly a blacksmith. Later adaptations expanded his role to include chieftain or warrior status.

How did Conan’s father die?

Howard never specifies. The 1982 film depicts him dying during Thulsa Doom’s raid, whilst the 2011 film shows Khalar Zym murdering him.

What clan did Conan’s father belong to?

Howard mentioned no specific clan. Later works variously identify Conan as belonging to the Snowhawk clan or Canach clan.

Who is Yag‑Kosha?

Iron_Davith — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:05:10 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

There is no doubt the Tower of the Elephant is one of my all-time favourite Conan stories – and I know I’m not alone.

It’s a fast-paced tale of stealth and mystery, complete with some of the most incredible prose Robert E. Howard ever wrote.

Yag‑Kosha is the elephant‑headed alien imprisoned in the Tower of the Elephant – and, in my opinion, one of the purest examples of cosmic tragedy in all of Conan. He is not a monster to be slain, but a tortured exile whose last wish changes Conan’s understanding of sorcery forever.

The Tower of the Elephant Reforged was released not long ago, and while it’s a beautiful recolouring, I would recommend the original Savage Sword of Conan Omnibus Vol 2 instead.

Yag‑Kosha’s Origin: Alien Exile Turned Slave

In Robert E. Howard’s short story The Tower of the Elephant (1933), Yag‑Kosha is introduced as an ancient being from the distant constellation of Yag, who fled to Earth with others of his kind long before human history.

They were peaceful, winged travellers who hid in remote jungles, avoiding interference with mankind as the ages rolled by and their numbers dwindled.

Eventually, Yag‑Kosha encountered Yara, an ambitious human sorcerer who sought knowledge. Yag‑Kosha taught him lore and tried to instil humility, but Yara turned on his mentor, using Stygian necromancy and treachery to bind and torture the alien.

Forced to construct the Elephant Tower in a single night and enslaved for centuries, Yag‑Kosha was blinded, mutilated and reduced to a living magical battery.

Conan’s Encounter in The Tower of the Elephant

When a young Conan sneaks into the Elephant Tower to steal the jewel known as the Heart of the Elephant, he expects treasure and perhaps a giant beast – not a dying, elephant‑headed being chained to an altar.

Conan is initially horrified by Yag‑Kosha’s appearance, but quickly comes to pity him as he hears the story of betrayal and endless torment.

Yag‑Kosha asks Conan for mercy: to kill him, then use his heart’s blood in a final spell of vengeance. Conan, moved by compassion, obeys – slaying Yag‑Kosha and squeezing his blood onto the Heart of the Elephant, which absorbs it like a sponge.

He then carries the gem to Yara’s chamber, places it before the sleeping sorcerer, and watches as Yara is drawn into the jewel, shrunk to nothing.

Inside the gem, a restored Yag‑Kosha chases his tormentor across a purple, dreamlike sky until both vanish and the Heart explodes. The Elephant Tower collapses as Conan flees into the dawn, leaving him empty‑handed but forever changed.

Why Yag‑Kosha Matters to the Howard‑Verse

I think Yag‑Kosha is crucial because he pushes Conan’s world firmly into cosmic fantasy. He is not a demon or god from local myth, but a star‑traveller whose tragedy predates the Hyborian kingdoms.

The story reads almost like a sword‑and‑planet crossover dropped into sword and sorcery – a reminder that Howard’s universe is bigger than just barbarians and wizards.

Yag‑Kosha also exposes the moral rot at the heart of “civilised” sorcerers. Compared to Yara’s cruelty, the alien exile is far more human in his suffering and desire for justice.

That inversion – where the monster is compassionate and the man is monstrous – fits neatly into the broader Howard‑Verse theme that civilisation often hides the worst savagery.

Of course, Yag-Kosha is not the only interesting character in Conan’s stories! Find out more about Kull, Jehnna or Taramis right here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yag‑Kosha a god, demon, or alien?

Howard presents Yag‑Kosha as an extradimensional or extraterrestrial being from the constellation of Yag – essentially an alien exile with vast psychic and magical powers, not a traditional god or demon.

What powers does Yag‑Kosha have?

Before his mutilation, Yag‑Kosha could fly through space, use telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition, and manipulate the Heart of the Elephant. Even dying, he can foresee Conan’s actions and weave a final revenge spell through his own heart’s blood.

Does Conan kill Yag‑Kosha?

Yes, but as an act of mercy. At Yag‑Kosha’s request, Conan slays him and uses his heart in the spell that destroys Yara and the Elephant Tower, effectively granting the alien a form of rebirth and release.

King Conan: Schwarzenegger and McQuarrie Team Up

Iron_Davith — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:44:41 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

After decades of false starts, it looks like Conan is finally returning to the big screen – and Arnold Schwarzenegger is coming with him.

The News

20th Century Studios has attached Christopher McQuarrie – the writer-director behind the last four Mission: Impossible films – to write and direct King Conan, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Schwarzenegger will reprise the role that helped make him a star in 1982.

Schwarzenegger announced the news himself at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio this weekend. Speaking to TheArnoldFans, he outlined the basic premise:

“It’s a great story where Conan was 40 years as king and he gets complacent, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom, slowly. Then there’s conflict, of course, and then he somehow comes back, and then there’s all kinds of madness and violence and magic and creatures.”

This sounds like Hour of the Dragon at 80 to me, but: he also addressed concerns about his age – as Schwarzenegger turns 79 this July:

“They don’t write them like I’m forty years old, you write it to be age-appropriate. I’ll still go in there and kick some ass but it will be different.”

A Long Road to Get Here

Hollywood has been trying to bring Schwarzenegger back to Conan for over a decade. Universal previously held the rights and developed an Unforgiven-style story with Fast & Furious writer Chris Morgan, but the project never materialised. That earlier attempt, often referred to as The Legend of Conan, fell apart despite years of development.

20th Century Studios has spent much of the past year securing the rights to move forward with a new film.

My Take: Cautious Optimism

I’ll be honest – I’m a huge Arnie fan. I’ve watched all his films, read his books, and have enormous respect for what he brought to the 1982 original. But I don’t want to see a nearly-80-year-old Schwarzenegger as the main Conan, swinging swords and fighting like he did four decades ago.

What I’d love to see is Schwarzenegger as an aged King Conan, recounting his tales – perhaps framing the story while a younger actor carries the action. This would give the film the clout and legitimacy that Schwarzenegger’s involvement brings, while being honest about what’s physically realistic.

Even in phenomenal shape for his age – and while he genuinely is fitter than 99.9% of other people approaching 80 – there’s no escaping the fact that heavy action sequences would require significant CGI assistance. I’d rather see a dignified performance than a de-aged uncanny valley version of the Austrian Oak.

That said, McQuarrie is a serious filmmaker. The Mission: Impossible films under his direction have been genuinely excellent – tense, well-crafted, and respectful of both spectacle and character. If anyone can thread the needle between nostalgia and quality, it might be him.

What I’m Hoping For

After the 2011 reboot proved that a generic, forgettable Conan doesn’t work, I’m hoping this film gets the character right. That means:

A Conan close to the source material. Robert E. Howard’s Conan is intelligent, cunning, and melancholic – not a grunting brute. He’s a thief, a pirate, a mercenary, and eventually a king. He has depth.

No cheese. The 1982 film worked because John Milius took it seriously. The moment Conan becomes campy or self-aware, it dies.

Real stakes. Howard’s stories are often bleak. People die. Conan doesn’t always win cleanly. The Hyborian Age is a brutal, unforgiving world.

Will King Conan deliver? Based on the 2011 film, I’m sceptical. But McQuarrie’s track record gives me more hope than I’ve had for a Conan project in years.

I’d love to be proven wrong on both counts – and finally get the Conan film that Howard’s creation deserves.

If you want to revisit where it all began, the Conan the Barbarian (1982) Blu-ray remains essential viewing.

Need more Conan right now?

The King Conan Omnibuses are available and they’re excellent. 2026 has also been an excellent year for modern Conan comics and you can find all the new and current Conan comics right here.

And finally, if you’ve only ever seen the films and would like to dive further into the fantastic world of Conan, here’s the best place to get started with Conan the Cimmerian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is directing the new King Conan film?

Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote and directed the last four Mission: Impossible films, is attached to write and direct.

Will Arnold Schwarzenegger be in King Conan?

Yes. Schwarzenegger announced his involvement at the Arnold Sports Festival in March 2026 and will reprise his role as Conan.

What is King Conan about?

According to Schwarzenegger, the story follows Conan after 40 years as king. He becomes complacent, is forced out of his kingdom, and must fight to reclaim it.

Which studio is making King Conan?

20th Century Studios, which has spent the past year securing the rights to the character.

When will King Conan be released?

No release date has been announced yet. The project is in early development with McQuarrie attached to write the screenplay.

Who is Princess Jehnna?

Iron_Davith — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:31:20 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Princess Jehnna is the sheltered royal at the heart of Conan the Destroyer – part damsel in distress, part destined sacrifice, and part coming‑of‑age heroine. In my opinion, she gives the film much of its fairy‑tale flavour, sitting halfway between innocent tag‑along and potential sorceress.

Jehnna’s Role in Conan the Destroyer

In the 1984 film, Jehnna is the niece and ward of Queen Taramis of Shadizar. She is kept protected in the royal palace, guarded by the queen’s soldiers and watched over by the towering eunuch Bombaata.

When the story begins, Taramis sends her to a secluded temple to pray – where she is attacked by bandits and rescued by Conan, who is lured into the situation by the promise of resurrecting Valeria.

Taramis then reveals the supposed “true” mission. Jehnna, as a virgin of royal blood and a child of the gods, is the only one who can retrieve a magic key from the fortress of Toth‑Amon and then unlock the horn of Dagoth.

Conan is tasked with escorting her safely, while Bombaata secretly orders to kill him once the quest is done.

From Sheltered Princess to Emerging Heroine

At first, Jehnna is naïve and inexperienced, relying entirely on Conan, Zula and the others for protection. She clearly has a crush on Conan, asking him blunt questions about love and loyalty that he batters away with gruff non‑answers. Those scenes they highlight both her innocence and Conan’s awkwardness with anything that is not battle.

As the quest continues, Jehnna grows braver and more decisive. She helps in escapes, learns to trust Zula’s tough‑love advice, and even shows hints of latent magical potential after touching the horn.

By the final act, she is strong enough to rebuke Bombaata and, once crowned, chooses to spare Conan and his friends instead of treating them as expendable tools.

Some non‑canonical sources suggest that, after Dagoth’s defeat, Jehnna rules as queen in her own right and may develop sorcerous abilities – a path that would put her closer to the “sorcerer‑queen” archetype found elsewhere in sword and sorcery.

Why Jehnna Matters in the Howard‑Verse Context

Jehnna is not a Robert E. Howard creation, but she fits neatly into the broader pattern of royals whose destinies hinge on barbarian swords.

Where Zenobia represents the grounded, loyal queen of the prose canon, Jehnna feels more like an 80s fantasy riff on the “chosen princess” motif – a bridge between the darker pulp roots and more family‑friendly adventure.

From a Howard‑Verse perspective, I think she is useful for showing how filmmakers softened and reshaped Conan for a wider audience: adding a younger character, giving him someone to protect rather than just comrades to carouse with, and hinting at a future where the barbarian’s actions shape entire royal bloodlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Princess Jehnna in the original Conan stories?

No. Jehnna is unique to Conan the Destroyer and does not appear in Robert E. Howard’s prose. She was created for the 1984 film.

Who plays Princess Jehnna?

Jehnna is played by Olivia d’Abo in her feature‑film debut. She was a teenager at the time, which matches the character’s youth and inexperience.

What is Jehnna chosen to do?

She is the only person who can retrieve the key from Toth‑Amon’s fortress and then unlock the horn of Dagoth, making her the linchpin of Queen Taramis’ secret plan.

Who is Queen Taramis?

Iron_Davith — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:38:39 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Queen Taramis is the elegant, treacherous ruler who sets all of Conan the Destroyer in motion. In my view she’s a classic sword‑and‑sorcery villain – a queen who mixes political power, hidden sorcery and ruthless manipulation in pursuit of a god’s favour.

BUT! Taramis is not exactly who she appears to be – there are two Queen Taramis. Read on…

Taramis in Conan the Destroyer

In the 1984 film, Taramis rules the city of Shadizar and commands its soldiers and priests. She first appears when Conan and Malak are ambushed by her guards; impressed by their prowess, she offers Conan a quest: escort her niece Princess Jehnna to retrieve a magical key and a jewelled horn, promising to resurrect Valeria as payment.

To ensure the mission’s success – and to keep Conan under control – she sends her champion Bombaata along as Jehnna’s bodyguard, secretly ordering him to kill Conan and his companions once the horn is secured. Throughout the film she remains in Shadizar, plotting, sending soldiers to shadow the party, and preparing the ritual that will raise Dagoth, the “Dreaming God”.

The Plot to Resurrect Dagoth

Taramis is revealed as a devoted worshipper of Dagoth, believing that restoring his horn will grant her immense power or perhaps divine consort status. The ritual requires two things: the horn itself and the sacrifice of a virginal princess of royal blood – Jehnna.

When Bombaata returns with both Jehnna and the horn, Taramis imprisons her niece in the palace and begins the ceremony, fully intending to sacrifice her own kin. Zula’s timely spear strike kills the Grand Vizier before he can complete the rite, which corrupts the process: Dagoth awakens not as a serene god but as a rampaging horned monster.

Horrified by what she has unleashed, Taramis approaches Dagoth as if to embrace a beloved deity – only to be impaled on his horn and killed. In my opinion it’s a fitting end for a queen who gambled everything on a god she never truly understood.

You can read more about the Hyborian Age gods here.

Taramis vs. the Original Taramis from A Witch Shall Be Born

Film‑Taramis should not be confused with the Taramis of Khauran, who appears in Robert E. Howard’s novella A Witch Shall Be Born and its Savage Sword of Conan adaptations.

In my opinion, and I’m sure in many others’ too – the true Taramis is the one envisioned by REH.

In the prose and comics, Taramis is a good queen overthrown and imprisoned by her witch‑twin Salome, who impersonates her while Conan leads the Khauran guard.

That earlier Taramis is a victim rather than a villain; Conan eventually helps restore her to the throne after defeating Salome and the demon Thaug.

I think it’s interesting that the film essentially flips the dynamic – making Taramis herself the scheming antagonist and leaving Jehnna as the innocent royal in danger.

For Howard‑Verse readers, both versions showcase different facets of sword‑and‑sorcery royalty: the beleaguered but just queen in the prose, and the power‑hungry cultist in the film.

A Witch Shall Be Born is a truly excellent story. If you haven’t read it yet, then The Bloody Crown of Conan book is a great place to start.

There was also an excellent comic adaption in the Savage Sword of Conan Omnibus Vol 1 – beautifully drawn and inked by John Buscema and The Tribe.

It’s also the story where the famous crucifixion scene came from and that was replicated in the 1982 Conan film.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Queen Taramis a Robert E. Howard character?

Partly. The name Taramis comes from Howard’s A Witch Shall Be Born, where she is a good queen of Khauran. The film version in Conan the Destroyer is heavily reimagined as an evil queen of Shadizar and devotee of Dagoth.

What does Queen Taramis want?

She wants to resurrect Dagoth, the Dreaming God, using Jehnna’s blood and the jewelled horn, believing this will grant her ultimate power.

How does Queen Taramis die?

When the ritual is disrupted, Dagoth emerges in a monstrous form and, in the chaos, impales Taramis on his horn, killing her in her own throne room.

Gods of the Hyborian Age: A Complete Guide to Religion in Conan’s World

Iron_Davith — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:47:33 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

The Hyborian Age is teeming with gods.

Unlike the sanitised fantasy settings that came after, Robert E. Howard’s world presents religion as something dangerous, primal, and undeniably real. Gods don’t merely exist as distant concepts – they intervene, they demand sacrifice, and they shape the fates of nations.

What I find most fascinating about Howard’s approach to religion is how it reflects his understanding of human history.

The Hyborian Age exists as a bridge between the fall of Atlantis and recorded history, and its religions serve as prototypes for faiths we’d later recognise. Mitra becomes Christianity, Set becomes the snake cults of Egypt, Ymir becomes Odin. It’s a clever framework that lets Howard explore theological ideas through the lens of sword-and-sorcery adventure.

How Religion Works in Howard’s World

Howard wasn’t interested in creating a neat pantheon where gods hold council and bicker like the Olympians. Instead, he presents a world of competing faiths, each centred on a different deity or group of deities, each reflecting the culture that worships them.

The key distinction is between gods who answer and gods who don’t. Crom gives his people courage at birth – then ignores them forever after. Mitra occasionally speaks to his followers in desperate hours. Set demands constant sacrifice and grants terrible power in return. This creates genuine theological variety rather than a simple “pick your patron deity” approach.

What makes Hyborian religion genuinely unsettling is Howard’s refusal to confirm which gods are “real” in any absolute sense. Conan encounters plenty of supernatural beings – demons, sorcerers, alien entities – but the gods themselves remain mysterious. Are they truly divine, or simply powerful beings worshipped as gods? Howard never definitively answers, and I think that ambiguity is intentional.

The Major Gods of the Hyborian Age

Crom – The Grim God of Cimmeria

Crom sits atop his mountain, sending doom and death down to his people. He grants courage at birth and nothing more. Prayer is pointless; Crom despises weaklings who ask for help. The Cimmerians invoke his name in oaths and curses, but they never worship him in the conventional sense.

I’ve written extensively about Crom and what he represents, but in brief: he’s Howard’s answer to the question of what a truly barbarian god would look like. No temples, no priests, no comfort – just the grim knowledge that you face the world alone.

Mitra – The Lord of Light

Mitra represents civilisation, truth, and mercy. His worship dominates the Hyborian kingdoms – Aquilonia, Nemedia, Ophir, Brythunia, Corinthia, and Zingara all kneel to the god of light. Unlike the bloody faiths of the East and South, Mitra demands no sacrifice. His temples are deliberately plain, his rites simple and dignified.

What sets Mitra apart is his willingness to intervene. In “Black Colossus,” Mitra directly speaks to Princess Yasmela, guiding her to choose Conan as her champion. This divine endorsement marks a turning point in Conan’s career – from mercenary captain to general commanding tens of thousands.

Read my complete guide: Who is Mitra? The God of Light Explained

Set – The Old Serpent

In dark Stygia, the serpent god Set demands blood. His worship involves human sacrifice, and giant snakes are kept in his temples – when hungry, they’re released into the streets to take what prey they wish. To kill a snake in Stygia is a mortal sin.

Set represents everything Mitra opposes: darkness, deceit, and the cold-blooded cruelty of the serpent. His priests are among the most powerful sorcerers in Howard’s world, with Thoth-Amon serving as their most infamous example. The eternal conflict between Set and Mitra forms the theological backbone of the Hyborian Age.

Read my complete guide: Who is Set? The Serpent God Explained

I’d also recommend checking out The Scourge of the Serpent, great mini series! Check out the Scourge of the Serpent reading order if you haven’t already.

Ymir – Lord of Storm and War

The Nordheimr – both the blonde Aesir and the red-haired Vanir – worship Ymir, the frost giant. Unlike Crom, Ymir is an active deity. His daughter Atali haunts battlefields, luring dying warriors to their doom at the hands of her frost giant brothers. Slain warriors go to Valhalla, Ymir’s great hall, to feast and fight forever.

Ymir represents the closest thing to Norse mythology in Howard’s world, which makes sense given the Nordheimr are clearly proto-Vikings. “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” gives us our most direct look at Ymir’s influence, when Atali cries out to her father and the god himself intervenes to save her from Conan.

Read my complete guide: Who is Ymir? The Frost Giant God Explained

Bel – God of Thieves

Every thief in the Hyborian world knows Bel’s name. This Shemite deity serves as patron to all who earn their living through stealth and cunning. His temples connect to thieves’ guilds via underground tunnels, and his priests teach that if you’re skilled enough to take something, you deserve it.

Arenjun, the City of Thieves in Zamora, practically runs on Bel’s philosophy. In “The Tower of the Elephant,” characters swear by “Bel, god of all thieves” while planning their crimes. It’s a wonderfully practical faith for a wonderfully practical profession.

Read my complete guide: Who is Bel? The God of Thieves Explained

Ishtar – The Earth Mother

The Shemites worship Ishtar as their primary goddess – a deity of fertility, passion, and the earth itself. Her worship couldn’t be more different from austere Mitra. Ishtar’s temples are lavish and exotic, filled with ivory idols, and her rites involve blood sacrifice (of animals, not humans) and, famously, temple prostitution.

Ishtar represents the sensual, earthy religions of the East that the Hyborian kingdoms find both fascinating and scandalous. Several kingdoms – Koth, Khoraja, Khauran – abandoned Mitra for Ishtar’s more passionate rites.

Read my complete guide: Who is Ishtar? The Earth Mother Explained

Lesser Gods and Regional Deities

The Hyborian Age contains dozens of other gods, each with their own cults and territories:

Asura – A mysterious god worshipped in secret across the Hyborian kingdoms. His followers seek truth beyond illusion. In “The Hour of the Dragon,” Conan protects Asuran worshippers from Mitran persecution – an interesting commentary on religious intolerance.

Ibis – The heron god of Stygia, representing a gentler alternative to Set. Ibis worship was once strong in Stygia before being suppressed by the Set cult.

Derketo – A goddess of passion worshipped in the Black Kingdoms and parts of Shem. Often conflated with or related to Ishtar.

Zath – The spider god of Zamora, worshipped with particularly dark rites in the city of Yezud. His cult is considered abominable even by Hyborian standards.

Jhebbal Sag – The lord of beasts, worshipped by the Picts. This ancient god represents the primal connection between humans and animals in the time before civilisation.

Yog – The Lord of Empty Abodes, worshipped by cannibal tribes. His followers must consume human flesh as part of their devotion.

Gods in Conan Exiles

If you want to experience Hyborian religion firsthand, Conan Exiles lets you choose your deity at character creation.

The game features Mitra, Set, Ymir, Yog, Derketo, Zath, and Jhebbal Sag as playable religions, each with unique altars, items, and eventually the ability to summon your god’s avatar.

What I particularly like about Conan Exiles’ approach is how it captures the transactional nature of Hyborian religion. You harvest specific resources with religious tools, offer them at altars, and gain power in return. It’s not about faith – it’s about demonstrating your devotion through action.

Crom is also an option, but selecting him grants nothing. No altar, no items, no avatar. It’s the game’s way of honouring Howard’s vision: Crom gives you nothing but the will to survive.

The Thurian Age: Gods Before the Hyborian Era

Howard’s Kull stories take place in the Thurian Age, an era that predates even the fall of Atlantis. The gods here are different, though some connections exist:

Valka – The chief god of the Atlanteans, often invoked by Kull. His nature remains mysterious.

The Great Serpent – A pre-human entity worshipped by the Serpent Men, possibly an early form of Set.

I love the Kull stories nearly as much the Conan works, so I’d definitely recommend picking them up if you haven’t already! They can all be found in the Kull Del Rey issue.

Religion and Conan

Conan himself presents an interesting case study in Hyborian religion. He swears by Crom constantly – “Crom and his devils!” is practically his catchphrase – but he never prays to his god because he knows it’s pointless.

He respects other religions without necessarily believing in them, and he protects religious minorities when civilised people persecute them.

In many ways, Conan represents Howard’s ideal: a man who acknowledges the gods exist but refuses to bow before them, who draws strength from within rather than from divine favour. It’s a philosophy that fits perfectly with the self-reliant barbarian ethos.

Frequently Asked Questions

What god does Conan worship?

Conan acknowledges Crom as his god but never worships him in any practical sense. Crom despises prayer and grants nothing to his followers beyond the courage given at birth. Conan invokes Crom’s name in oaths and curses, but he faces the world’s challenges alone.

Are the gods in Conan real?

Howard deliberately leaves this ambiguous. Characters experience genuine supernatural events – Mitra speaks to Yasmela, Ymir saves Atali – but whether these represent truly divine beings or simply powerful entities is never confirmed. This uncertainty is part of what makes Hyborian religion compelling.

What’s the difference between Mitra and Set?

Mitra and Set represent opposing theological poles. Mitra is the god of light, civilisation, truth, and mercy – demanding no sacrifice and preaching forgiveness. Set is the serpent god of darkness, demanding human sacrifice and representing the ancient, predatory aspects of worship. Their conflict mirrors the struggle between the Hyborian kingdoms and Stygia.

Can you worship multiple gods in the Hyborian Age?

Yes, though most people primarily worship their nation’s chief deity. In Conan Exiles, you can learn all religions and use their benefits simultaneously. This reflects the polytheistic reality of Howard’s world, where acknowledging other gods exist doesn’t mean you worship them.

Is Ymir the same as the Norse god?

Howard based his Ymir on the Norse frost giant, and the Nordheimr are clearly proto-Vikings who worship him. However, Howard’s Ymir has distinct characteristics – particularly his daughter Atali and the frost giants who serve him – that differentiate him from the mythological figure.

What religion should I choose in Conan Exiles?

Set provides some of the most useful items, including antidotes and powerful snake arrows. Mitra offers excellent healing through Ambrosia. Ymir grants access to black ice crafting. Crom grants nothing – it’s the atheist option. You can eventually learn all religions, so your starting choice isn’t permanent.

Who is Ishtar? The Earth Mother in Conan’s World – Explained

Iron_Davith — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:36:12 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Where Mitra offers austere dignity and intellectual worship, Ishtar offers passion, fertility, and the warm embrace of the earth itself.

She’s the goddess of the Shemites, worshipped in lavish temples filled with ivory idols and exotic ceremony. Her rites include blood sacrifice and, famously, temple prostitution. To Hyborian sensibilities, she represents everything dangerously seductive about the East.

What I find interesting about Ishtar is how Howard uses her to explore the tension between “civilised” and “sensual” religion.

The Hyborian kingdoms look down on Ishtar worship as primitive and scandalous, yet several of them – Koth, Khoraja, Khauran – abandoned Mitra for her more passionate rites. There’s something the cold temples of Mitra can’t provide that Ishtar’s rich shrines can.

Howard’s Original Vision

Ishtar appears throughout the Conan stories as the primary goddess of Shem and the eastern kingdoms. Howard based her directly on the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (also known as Inanna) – the ancient deity of fertility, sexuality, and war.

Unlike many of Howard’s divine names, which he merely borrowed while creating something original, his Ishtar functions much like her historical counterpart.

She’s an earth mother, a fertility goddess, and her worship involves the sacred sexuality that characterised actual Mesopotamian temple practice.

Howard describes Ishtar’s worship in “The Official Handbook of the Conan Universe” material: “Ishtar, the ancient Mother Goddess, is worshipped in rich temples and at lavish shrines with rituals of blood sacrifice and orgiastic frenzy performed before sensuously carved idols of ivory.” It’s a striking contrast to Mitra’s bare altars and dignified simplicity.

The Earth Mother of Shem

The Shemites are Howard’s version of the ancient Semitic peoples – Babylonians, Assyrians, and their neighbours. Their worship centres on Ishtar, who eclipses all other deities in their pastoral land.

If there are male gods in the Shemite pantheon, Howard suggests, their names remain unknown to history. Goddess worship completely dominates.

This fits historical patterns. The mother goddess was often the supreme deity in agricultural societies, where fertility of land and livestock meant survival. Ishtar’s role as earth mother – guaranteeing bountiful harvests and many children – made her essential to Shemite life.

Her temples were famous throughout the Hyborian world for their luxury. Where Mitra’s shrines valued austere simplicity, Ishtar’s houses of worship were “rich, lavish and exotic,” filled with colourful decorations, ornate ceremony, and sensuously carved ivory statues.

To Westerners from the Hyborian kingdoms, these temples must have seemed dangerously appealing.

Indeed, Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God begins with just such a heist.

Temple Prostitution and Sacred Sexuality

The most notorious aspect of Ishtar worship is her temple prostitutes – sacred women who served the goddess through ritual sexuality.

These were not merely courtesans who happened to work in temples; their role was explicitly religious, offering worshippers communion with the divine through physical pleasure.

Howard presents this without significant moral judgment. He notes that “the voluptuous temple prostitutes which were found in Ishtar’s temples were well known even outside the lands where the goddess was worshipped.” They’re famous, perhaps scandalous to some, but not condemned as evil.

This reflects actual historical practice. Sacred prostitution was a genuine feature of ancient Near Eastern religion, though scholars debate its exact nature and extent.

Howard incorporated it into his worldbuilding as one of the ways Ishtar worship differed from Mitra’s more ascetic faith.

Ishtar’s Idols and Worship

The Shemites believed their gods actually inhabited their idols – a significant theological difference from Mitra worship, where statues merely represented the god.

When you prayed before an Ishtar idol, you were praying to the goddess herself, who was genuinely present in that ivory form.

Howard describes these idols as “caricatures” with “swollen breasts and belly” that appeared “repulsive to the more refined worshippers of Mitra.”

This is the Hyborian perspective – the Shemites themselves presumably found these figures beautiful representations of fertility and abundance. It’s a neat bit of cultural relativism in Howard’s worldbuilding.

Blood sacrifice was part of Ishtar’s rites, but only of animals, not humans. This places her worship between Mitra (no sacrifice at all) and Set (human sacrifice demanded). The blood offerings were meant to bring Ishtar’s favour in harvests and fertility.

Ishtar’s Spread Beyond Shem

While primarily a Shemite goddess, Ishtar’s worship spread throughout the Hyborian world. She was worshipped in Shem (obviously), but also in Ophir, Argos, Koth, Khoraja, Khauran, and Zamora. Small cults existed wherever Shemite populations had settled.

It’s worth noting that Howard lists Ishtar alongside other Shemite goddesses – Ashtoreth and Derketo – as separate deities. In “Queen of the Black Coast,” Bêlit names “the gods of the Shemites – Ishtar and Ashtoreth and Derketo and Adonis.”

While later adaptations (particularly Marvel Comics) sometimes conflated these goddesses as aspects of a single deity, Howard’s original text treats them as distinct figures in the Shemite pantheon.

Several Hyborian kingdoms that once worshipped Mitra switched to Ishtar’s more sensual rites. Koth abandoned the god of light for the earth mother, as did Khoraja and Khauran.

This suggests that Mitra’s distant, intellectual worship couldn’t satisfy all spiritual needs – some people wanted a goddess they could feel, whose worship engaged the body as well as the mind.

Ishtar and Mitra: Competing Faiths

The contrast between Ishtar and Mitra represents a fundamental tension in Hyborian religion. Mitra offers truth, restraint, and civilised dignity. Ishtar offers passion, fertility, and earthy sensuality.

Both are generally benevolent deities – neither demands human sacrifice or promotes evil – but they represent fundamentally different approaches to the divine.

From the Mitraic perspective, Ishtar worship is primitive and scandalous. Her temples are too rich, her rites too physical, her idols too explicit. Proper religion should be dignified and intellectual, not this orgiastic indulgence.

From the Ishtar perspective (though Howard rarely writes from it), Mitra worship is probably cold and sterile. What good is a god you can’t touch, whose temples are bare, whose priests offer nothing but sermons? Ishtar gives her worshippers something tangible – pleasure, fertility, abundance.

I think Howard’s sympathies lie somewhere between these poles. He clearly admires Mitra’s association with civilisation and truth, but he also presents Ishtar worship without the condemnation we might expect from a 1930s American author.

Ishtar in the Stories

Ishtar appears directly in the comics rather than Howard’s original stories, though she’s mentioned throughout the Conan tales. In one comic adaptation, Conan encounters Ishtar herself, using the alias “Alonia,” in the ruined city of Ababenzzar. She’s pursuing a priest who stole her “lifestone,” a source of divine power.

The story shows Ishtar as genuinely divine – capable of magic, functionally immortal, but also somewhat petty (she cursed a woman named Isolene for being too beautiful, then apparently forgot about her).

It humanises the goddess in ways that fit the Hyborian worldview, where gods are powerful beings rather than perfect moral exemplars.

Why Ishtar Matters

Ishtar serves multiple functions in Howard’s worldbuilding. She represents the sensual, earthy religions of the East that the Hyborian kingdoms find both fascinating and threatening.

She provides an alternative to Mitra that isn’t simply evil (like Set), showing that the religious landscape is more complex than good god versus bad god.

She also represents the feminine divine in a way that Mitra (explicitly male) doesn’t provide. The Shemites worship a goddess, not a god, and her domain – fertility, sexuality, the earth – encompasses aspects of life that Mitra’s stern masculinity ignores.

I think Ishtar is underexplored in Howard’s original fiction – she appears mostly as background colour rather than an active force. But her presence enriches the world, suggesting depths of religious practice and belief that the stories only hint at.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ishtar based on a real goddess?

Yes – Howard based his Ishtar directly on the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (also called Inanna), the ancient deity of fertility, sexuality, and war. Unlike many of his divine names, which he adapted significantly, Howard’s Ishtar functions similarly to her historical counterpart, including the presence of temple prostitution.

Is Ishtar in Conan Exiles?

No, Ishtar is not among the selectable religions in Conan Exiles. The game does include Derketo, a goddess of passion and fertility who shares some characteristics with Ishtar (and may be the same goddess under a different name). If you want an Ishtar-like experience in Conan Exiles, Derketo is your closest option.

What’s the difference between Ishtar and Derketo?

In Howard’s original stories, they are separate goddesses – he lists them alongside each other as distinct Shemite deities in “Queen of the Black Coast.” Derketo is associated more with Stygia and the Black Kingdoms, appearing in “Xuthal of the Dusk” (also known as “The Slithering Shadow”). Later adaptations, particularly Marvel Comics, sometimes conflated various Shemite goddesses as aspects of a single deity, which has caused some confusion. In Conan Exiles, Derketo (not Ishtar) is the playable goddess of passion and fertility.

Is Ishtar evil?

No – Ishtar is generally benevolent, a fertility goddess who blesses harvests and fertility. Her worship includes animal sacrifice (but not human sacrifice) and sacred prostitution, which Hyborian moralists find scandalous but which isn’t presented as evil. She’s simply different from Mitra, not opposed to him in the way Set is.

Why did kingdoms abandon Mitra for Ishtar?

Howard suggests that Mitra’s austere, intellectual worship couldn’t satisfy all spiritual needs. Ishtar’s sensual, physical worship offered something different – connection to the divine through the body rather than just the mind. Kingdoms like Koth, Khoraja, and Khauran apparently found this more appealing than Mitra’s distant dignity.

What is sacred prostitution?

In Ishtar’s temples, certain women served the goddess through ritual sexuality with worshippers. This was explicitly religious rather than merely commercial – the act was meant to bring communion with the divine. This practice reflected actual ancient Near Eastern religion, which Howard incorporated into his worldbuilding.

Who is Bel? The God of Thieves in Conan’s World – Explained

Iron_Davith — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:02:14 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

“By Bel, god of all thieves!” It’s an oath you’ll hear in every tavern in Zamora, every thieves’ den from Arenjun to Shadizar.

While Cimmerians invoke Crom and priests pray to Mitra, those who earn their living with quick fingers and quicker feet have their own patron: Bel, the masked god who blesses all who steal with skill.

What I love about Bel is how he represents the practical, transactional nature of Hyborian religion at its most honest.

There’s no pretence of morality here, no claims of cosmic righteousness. Bel’s philosophy is simple: if you’re skilled enough to take something, you deserve to have it.

If you don’t want your belongings taken, be craftier than those who want them. It’s a refreshingly amoral faith for a refreshingly amoral profession.

Howard’s Original Vision

Bel appears in one of Howard’s most famous stories, “The Tower of the Elephant,” where a character swears by “Bel, god of all thieves” while bragging about a kidnapping scheme in the Maul, Arenjun’s notorious thieves’ quarter.

The oath establishes Bel immediately as the patron of criminals throughout the Hyborian world. Howard drew the name from Baal/Bel, the ancient Semitic title meaning “Lord” that was applied to various Mesopotamian deities.

By making Bel a god of thieves rather than a storm god or fertility deity, Howard created something original while maintaining the flavour of ancient religion.

Bel is primarily a Shemite deity – the god originated in Shem, where his main temple (a ziggurat in the city of Shumir) still stands. But his worship spread far beyond Shemite lands because, well, there are thieves everywhere.

Wherever cities exist, wherever merchants accumulate wealth, there are people willing to pray to Bel before relieving them of it.

The Philosophy of Bel

Bel’s faith teaches a straightforward philosophy: take what you can, keep what you take. There’s no altruism in this religion.

Charity is for fools, and beggars who worship Bel don’t consider themselves charity cases – they’re simply using different skills to acquire resources.

The religion teaches that others will prey upon you if permitted, so you should become the predator. This isn’t presented as evil, merely practical.

The world is full of people who want things; some acquire them through honest labour, others through clever theft. Bel blesses those who choose the latter path and do it well.

I find this approach philosophically interesting because it rejects the moralistic framework of most fantasy religions.

There’s no good-versus-evil struggle, no cosmic stakes. Just the acknowledgment that some people steal, some get stolen from, and the clever ones come out ahead.

Worship and Temples

Bel’s temples are deliberately hard to find. In cities with a single dominant thieves’ guild, the temple connects to the guild hall via underground tunnels.

In cities like Arenjun where multiple guilds compete, the temple occupies a neutral underground location where all factions can meet safely.

None has ever seen Bel’s face – appropriate for a god of thieves. His idols depict him variously: a stocky dwarf with a grinning face, a six-armed elephant-man, or a lithe panther-like figure wearing a black mask.

The inconsistent depictions might represent regional variations, or might simply reflect the fact that nobody actually knows what Bel looks like.

The priesthood is organised independently in each major city to prevent problems in one location from affecting others.

If the authorities crack down on Bel worship in Shadizar, the temples in Arenjun continue operating unaffected. It’s a sensible structure for an illegal faith.

Priests of Bel operate under an interesting restriction: they may never buy or trade for anything. If they slip and purchase something legitimately, Bel can only be appeased by sacrificing stolen goods worth ten times the value of what they bought.

This keeps the priesthood true to their god’s principles – everything they have, they must have taken.

Arenjun: The City of Thieves

Bel is the patron deity of Arenjun, the infamous City of Thieves in Zamora. While Zath, the spider god, dominates Zamora’s official religion, Bel commands the loyalty of Arenjun’s true power structure – the thieves’ guilds that actually run the city.

As a slight aside, there is an excellent feeling of Set vs Zath vs other gods in Tim Waggoners new Conan novel, Conan: Spawn of the Serpent. Definitely worth a read.

“The Tower of the Elephant” gives us our best look at Arenjun’s underworld. It’s still one of my favourite Conan stories ’til today, and I always recommend it when starting Conan.

It’s also been adapted a couple of times by Marvel, and the new colourised version of the Savage Sword of Conan Reforged is a real beauty to look at.

The Maul district is where “the thieves of the east hold carnival by night,” where “honest people shun the quarters, and watchmen, well paid with stained coins, do not interfere with their sport.” It’s a place where “steel glints in the shadows where wolf preys on wolf.”

In this environment, Bel isn’t just worshipped – he’s essential. Thieves need somewhere to meet on neutral ground, someone to swear oaths before, a framework for the complex relationships between competing guilds. Bel provides all of this, his faith serving as the operating system for organised crime throughout the Hyborian world.

Bel in the Comics

Marvel’s Conan comics expanded Bel’s mythology significantly. One story established that Bel was once a six-armed deity who commanded armies of dead thieves in the ancient past.

The goddess Ashtoreth defeated him and severed his sixth arm, destroying his power and exiling him to what became Zamora.

This origin explains some of the idols showing Bel as six-armed – they preserve a memory of his original form. It also connects Bel to the ancient divine wars that shaped the Hyborian world, making him a fallen god rather than merely a local deity.

The comics also showed characters taking vows of silence to Bel, cutting their own tongues as sacrifice. This extreme devotion makes sense for a god of thieves – a follower who literally cannot speak can never betray his companions under torture.

Bel and Conan

Conan himself has an interesting relationship with Bel. During his years as a thief in Zamora – the period depicted in “The Tower of the Elephant” – he would have been familiar with Bel worship even if he didn’t actively participate.

A young Cimmerian making his way as a thief in the City of Thieves couldn’t avoid contact with Bel’s followers.

However, Conan worships Crom, not Bel. He might swear by Bel when among thieves (when in Zamora, do as the Zamorians do), but his primary invocations are always to his Cimmerian god. This reflects Conan’s identity – even when living as a thief, he remains a Cimmerian barbarian at heart.

Taurus of Nemedia, the legendary “prince of thieves” who appears in “The Tower of the Elephant,” would certainly have been a Bel worshipper.

His incredible skill at theft – the story shows him scaling the Tower using equipment worthy of a god-level burglar – represents exactly what Bel values: taking the impossible through superior craft.

Why Bel Matters

Bel serves an important worldbuilding function in Howard’s fiction. He establishes that religion in the Hyborian Age isn’t limited to cosmic good-versus-evil struggles.

There are practical faiths for practical people, gods who care about specific professions rather than universal salvation.

This makes the world feel more alive and realistic. Real-world ancient religions often had patron deities for specific trades – smiths, sailors, merchants, soldiers. Bel represents the logical extension of this to criminal enterprise. If there are gods for honest professions, why not a god for dishonest ones?

I also think Bel represents Howard’s pragmatic streak. The author clearly enjoyed his thief characters – Conan himself spent years in the profession – and presenting theft as having its own legitimate religious tradition removes some of the moral judgment. Bel’s followers aren’t evil; they’re just people who’ve chosen a particular path, one with its own code, structure, and divine sanction.

Gods of the Hyborian Age – Complete Guide
Where is Zamora? The Land of Thieves
Who is Crom? Conan’s God Explained

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bel based on a real god?

Howard drew the name from Baal/Bel, the ancient Semitic title meaning “Lord” applied to various Mesopotamian deities. However, the historical Baal was primarily a storm and fertility god, not a god of thieves. Howard used the name while creating an entirely original divine concept.

Is Bel in Conan Exiles?

No, Bel is not among the selectable religions in Conan Exiles. The game features Mitra, Set, Ymir, Yog, Derketo, Zath, Crom, and Jhebbal Sag, but not Bel. Given Bel’s association with the civilised profession of theft, his absence from the Exiled Lands (a wilderness survival setting) makes some sense.

What is the Tower of the Elephant?

“The Tower of the Elephant” is one of Howard’s most famous Conan stories, set in Arenjun, Zamora. It features Bel worship prominently and tells the story of a young Conan attempting to rob a sorcerer’s tower. The story introduces several key elements of Hyborian lore and remains a fan favourite.

Do thieves have to worship Bel?

No – worshipping Bel is optional, and many thieves presumably follow other gods or none at all. However, Bel’s faith provides practical benefits: access to thieves’ guilds, neutral ground for negotiations, and a code of conduct that helps criminals cooperate. Smart thieves in the Hyborian world would at least pay respects to Bel, even if they primarily worship another deity.

Is Bel evil?

Bel isn’t presented as evil in the cosmic sense – he doesn’t demand human sacrifice or seek to destroy civilisation. His philosophy is amoral rather than immoral: take what you can, skill justifies acquisition. Whether theft is “evil” is a moral question Howard largely sidesteps; Bel simply represents a different way of moving through the world.

Where is Bel worshipped?

Bel originated in Shem, where his main temple stands in the city of Shumir. However, his worship has spread wherever cities and thieves exist. He’s particularly prominent in Zamora (especially Arenjun, the City of Thieves), Brythunia, Argos, and Corinthia. Essentially, any place with a significant criminal underworld probably has a shrine to Bel somewhere.

Who is Set? The Serpent God of Stygia – Explained

Iron_Davith — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:23:41 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Set coiled about the world like a python about its prey.

That’s how Howard describes him – not merely a god to be worshipped, but a cosmic predator that once dominated the earth and still lurks in the shadows of Stygia’s cryptic temples.

While Mitra represents everything the Hyborian kingdoms aspire to be, Set embodies everything they fear: the ancient, the cold-blooded, the endlessly patient serpent waiting to strike.

What makes Set genuinely terrifying, I think, is his worship. This isn’t abstract theology – Set’s followers sacrifice human beings on his altars, keep giant snakes in his temples that are allowed to hunt people in the streets, and consider it a mortal sin to kill a serpent.

The faith isn’t about enlightenment or redemption. It’s about power, purchased with blood.

The recent Scourge of the Serpent mini series and the Tim Waggoner book, Conan: Spawn of the Serpent are all about Set and his/her servants.

I really enjoyed the series and the book and would recommend them. We see a lot of focus on the serpent men, original foes of Howard’s other famous barbarian, Kull.

Howard’s Original Vision

Set appears in Howard’s very first Conan story, “The Phoenix on the Sword” (1932), establishing him immediately as the primary antagonist in the cosmic struggle of the Hyborian Age.

The long-dead sage Epemitreus tells Conan: “Ages ago Set coiled about the world like a python about its prey. All my life, which was as the lives of three common men, I fought him.

I drove him into the shadows of the mysterious south, but in dark Stygia men still worship him who to us is the arch-demon.”

Howard based Set loosely on the Egyptian god of the same name, but his version bears little resemblance to the actual Egyptian deity (who was a god of storms and chaos, not serpents).

Howard’s Set is “the Old Serpent” – a title that deliberately evokes the biblical serpent, the tempter in Eden, the embodiment of ancient evil.

In Howard’s cosmology, Set predates human civilisation. His original worshippers were the Serpent Men of Valusia, the pre-human race that Kull of Atlantis fought in the Thurian Age.

When those serpent people were driven from the world, Set found new followers among the humans of Stygia, who built their dark civilisation on the foundations of serpent worship.

Set Worship in Practice

The practical details of Set worship are genuinely horrifying. In “The Hour of the Dragon,” Howard describes how serpents are sacred in Stygia – to kill one is a mortal sin.

Giant snakes are kept in Set’s temples, and “when they hungered, were allowed to crawl forth into the streets to take what prey they wished. Their ghastly feasts were considered a sacrifice to the scaly god.”

Out of all the images that have stayed in my head from the Conan stories, huge snakes slithering around the streets and being allowed to eat whoever they want is one that really stayed with me.

Imagine living in a city where massive snakes periodically escape from the local temple to hunt citizens, and resisting them is considered sacrilege.

That’s daily life in Stygian cities. Citizens are expected to accept being devoured by sacred serpents with equanimity. Anyone who dares resist can be lynched as a heretic.

Human sacrifice forms the core of Set’s worship. The blood offerings serve a practical purpose beyond appeasing the god – according to characters like Thugra Khotan, they actually enhance the magical power of the one performing the sacrifice.

Set worship isn’t merely evil religion; it’s evil religion that works, granting genuine power to those willing to pay the terrible price.

Thoth-Amon and the Priests of Set

The most famous servant of Set is Thoth-Amon, the Stygian sorcerer who appears in “The Phoenix on the Sword.”

Though he only appears in one original Howard story, Thoth-Amon became Conan’s arch-nemesis in the comics and later adaptations.

In the original story, Thoth-Amon has fallen from his position as high priest of Set, reduced to servitude under the outlaw Ascalante. But when he recovers his Serpent Ring of Set – a source of magical power – he immediately summons a demon to kill his master.

The scene demonstrates both the power of Set worship and its fundamentally predatory nature.

The priests of Set are almost as frightening as their god. They shave their heads, practice dark sorcery, and rule Stygia as a theocracy. Their power extends beyond religion into politics – the kings of Stygia serve at the pleasure of the priesthood, not the other way around.

Thulsa Doom, as reimagined in the 1982 film, draws heavily on this archetype of the serpent priest.

The 1982 Film’s Cult of Set

The 1982 Conan the Barbarian film reimagined Set worship through Thulsa Doom’s snake cult. While the film takes liberties with Howard’s mythology (Thulsa Doom was originally a Kull villain, not associated with Set), it captures the essential horror of serpent worship.

James Earl Jones’s Thulsa Doom leads a cult that combines Set worship with elements of real-world cults like the People’s Temple and the Assassins.

His followers give themselves willingly, believing in his message of flesh over steel. The snake-to-arrow transformation and Doom’s own ability to become a serpent visualise the supernatural power that Set grants his faithful.

What I find effective about the film’s approach is how it shows Set worship as seductive rather than merely terrifying. People choose to follow Thulsa Doom.

They find meaning in submission to the serpent. It’s a more insidious form of evil than simple monster worship.

Set in the Comics

Marvel Comics expanded Set’s role dramatically, connecting him to their broader cosmology. In Marvel’s version, Set is one of the Elder Gods – ancient beings who ruled Earth before humanity.

He’s depicted as a massive seven-headed serpent, a design that became iconic despite differing from Howard’s more ambiguous descriptions.

The comics established the Serpent Crown as a major artifact of Set worship, a device that allows the wearer to channel Set’s power (and become influenced by his will).

This artifact appeared in various Marvel comics, connecting the Hyborian Age to the modern Marvel Universe.

Roy Thomas, who wrote many of the Conan comics, used Set as the ultimate antagonist – the dark force behind multiple villains and schemes.

This elevated Set from a background deity to an active threat, though it arguably simplified Howard’s more ambiguous approach to divine intervention.

This has carried on with Jim Zub’s work on the newest Conan comic iterations (and are well worth your time).

Set in Conan Exiles

In Conan Exiles, Set is one of the most mechanically useful religions. His worship focuses on serpents and poison, with unique items that make him particularly valuable for mid-to-late game content.

The Set Antidote cures poison, alcohol poisoning, and food poisoning – incredibly useful given how common poison is in the Exiled Lands.

Snake Arrows are among the strongest ammunition in the game. The Feast of Set provides excellent health regeneration.

To worship Set, you use the Setite Ritual Knife to harvest human hearts from corpses. These hearts become offerings that generate Manifestations of Zeal, which power your altar and eventually allow you to summon Set’s avatar – a massive serpent that can devastate enemy bases.

What I appreciate about Conan Exiles’ implementation is how it makes Set worship genuinely tempting. The mechanical benefits are excellent.

You want to worship the evil snake god because he rewards you well. It captures something essential about Howard’s vision – Set worship persists because it works.

The Conflict with Mitra

Set and Mitra represent the fundamental theological conflict of the Hyborian Age. Where Mitra is light, civilisation, and mercy, Set is darkness, ancient evil, and predatory power. Their followers have been at war for millennia.

This isn’t merely symbolic opposition. Mitraic artifacts genuinely work against Set’s forces. In “The Phoenix on the Sword,” Epemitreus marks Conan’s sword with the phoenix symbol of Mitra, and this mark destroys a demon sent by Set’s servant.

Holy water from sacred rivers harms vampires. The cross of Mitra can ward off undead.

The eternal struggle between these gods mirrors the political conflict between the Hyborian kingdoms and Stygia. It’s civilisation versus barbarism (from the Hyborian perspective), or truth versus deception (from either side’s perspective, really).

Howard uses this religious conflict to add cosmic stakes to what might otherwise be simple adventure stories.

Why Set Endures

Set represents something fundamental in Howard’s fiction – the ancient evil that civilisation tries to suppress but can never entirely defeat.

He existed before humanity, his worship predates recorded history, and his influence persists despite millennia of opposition.

I think Set works so well as an antagonist because he’s not merely powerful but patient. He doesn’t need to win today.

He’s been waiting for ages and can wait ages more. His worship spreads through seduction as much as conquest – people choose to serve him because he offers power that “good” gods don’t provide.

This makes Set a more interesting villain than a simple dark lord. He represents a genuine temptation, a path to power that requires only that you abandon your humanity piece by piece.

The horror of Set worship isn’t that his followers are deceived – it’s that they know exactly what they’re doing and do it anyway.

Gods of the Hyborian Age – Complete Guide
Who is Mitra? The God of Light Explained
Is Set different to Ymir?
Where is Stygia? The Land of Set
Who is Thulsa Doom? The Serpent Cult Leader
Who is Crom? Conan’s God Explained

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Set based on the Egyptian god?

Howard borrowed the name from the Egyptian god Set (or Seth), but his version is completely different. The Egyptian Set was a god of storms, chaos, and the desert – not serpents. Howard’s Set is “the Old Serpent,” drawing more from biblical imagery of the serpent in Eden than from Egyptian mythology.

What’s the relationship between Set and the Serpent Men?

In Howard’s mythology, the Serpent Men of Valusia were Set’s original worshippers during the Thurian Age (the era of Kull). When King Kull and his allies destroyed the Serpent Men’s civilisation, Set found new followers among the humans of Stygia. The connection between Set worship and the pre-human serpent race adds to the god’s ancient, inhuman horror.

Why do people worship Set?

Set offers genuine power to his followers. His priests are among the most powerful sorcerers in the Hyborian Age, and human sacrifice actually enhances magical ability in Howard’s world. People worship Set because he delivers results, even if the cost is terrible.

Is Set evil?

By any reasonable standard, yes. Set demands human sacrifice, his worship involves allowing giant snakes to eat citizens, and his priests practice dark sorcery. However, Howard never explicitly states that Set is cosmically evil – he’s simply a god whose nature and worship are horrific to human sensibilities.

Is Set good in Conan Exiles?

Set is one of the strongest religions in Conan Exiles. The Set Antidote is invaluable for curing poison, Snake Arrows are excellent ammunition, and the various buffs from Set worship are genuinely useful. If you can stomach the roleplay implications of sacrificing human hearts to a serpent god, Set is mechanically excellent.

How do I learn Set in Conan Exiles?

You can select Set during character creation, learn it from Mek-kamoses (a Set priest found in Sepermeru), spend 50 Knowledge points in the religion section, or find the religious artifact associated with Set.

Who is Ymir? The Frost Giant God of Nordheim – Explained

Iron_Davith — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:43:51 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

In the frozen wastes north of Cimmeria, the Nordheimers worship a god who actually answers. Not with gentle guidance like Mitra, nor with cold indifference like Crom, but with crackling ice and the thunderous hooves of a war-chariot rushing across the snows. Ymir is the frost giant, the Lord of Storm and War, and unlike the distant deities of civilised lands, he takes a personal interest in his people.

What strikes me about Ymir is how he represents the one god in Howard’s fiction who behaves like gods of actual mythology. He has children who walk the earth. He intervenes directly in mortal affairs. He maintains a great hall where slain warriors feast eternally. In a world of absent gods and cosmic horrors, Ymir is almost comfortingly traditional.

Howard’s Original Vision

Ymir appears most prominently in “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” (also published as “Gods of the North”), one of Howard’s earliest Conan tales chronologically. The story takes place in Nordheim, where a young Conan fights alongside the Aesir against the Vanir.

There are a couple of mild spoilers below, so if you’ve never read the original story, be sure to skip on down to the next section. Here’s a link to the Coming of Conan book where you’ll find it.

After a brutal battle leaves Conan the sole survivor on the field, he encounters Atali – a beautiful woman with golden hair who taunts him across the frozen wastes. Maddened with desire, Conan pursues her, only to be attacked by her brothers – actual frost giants who serve their father Ymir.

Conan kills the giants, but when he finally catches Atali and tears her gossamer veil, she cries out: “Ymir! Oh, my father, save me!”

And Ymir answers. The skies crack with icy fire, blue darts of frozen lightning and crimson flames engulf the scene, and Atali vanishes. Conan awakens a while later, surrounded by his Aesir companions who believe he merely dreamed. But clutched in his hand is the gossamer veil – tangible proof that the gods of Nordheim are real.

This is the only time in Howard’s original Conan stories that a god directly intervenes on-page. Not Crom, not Mitra – Ymir, saving his daughter from a mortal’s grasp.

The Frost Giant’s Daughter

Atali herself is a fascinating figure. According to Nordheimr legend, she haunts the battlefields of the north, appearing to dying warriors and luring them into the wastes where her frost giant brothers can slay them. Their hearts are laid smoking on Ymir’s board.

It’s a grim legend that serves multiple purposes. It explains why bodies sometimes disappear from battlefields. It gives dying warriors something to see in their final moments besides empty snow. And it reinforces the warlike nature of Ymir’s worship – even death in battle serves the god.

Howard drew this directly from Norse mythology, combining elements of the Valkyries (who choose the slain) with the frost giants of Jotunheim. Atali functions as a kind of dark valkyrie, but instead of bearing warriors to Valhalla, she lures them to their deaths for her father’s pleasure.

Valhalla in the Hyborian Age

The Nordheimers believe that warriors slain in battle go to Valhalla – Ymir’s great hall in the northern mountains. There they feast and fight forever, an endless cycle of glorious combat and abundant mead.

This is essentially Norse Valhalla transplanted into Howard’s prehistoric world, which makes sense given that the Nordheimers (both Aesir and Vanir) are clearly proto-Vikings. Howard’s Hyborian Age serves as the forgotten prehistory that became legend, and the worship of Ymir eventually became the Norse mythology we know.

What I find interesting is how Valhalla functions as the only clearly defined afterlife in Howard’s stories. Mitra presumably has some form of heaven (and definitely has a hell), but the details are vague. Crom offers nothing – you go to a grey realm of clouds and icy winds. But Ymir promises something specific and desirable: eternal war and feasting for those who die well.

The Aesir and Vanir

Ymir is worshipped by both peoples of Nordheim – the blonde Aesir of Asgard (the eastern portion) and the red-haired Vanir of Vanaheim (the western portion). These tribes are locked in eternal warfare with each other, which serves Ymir well. Battle honours the god, and both sides believe they fight for his glory.

The names aren’t coincidental. In Norse mythology, the Aesir and Vanir are the two tribes of gods. Howard uses these names for human peoples, suggesting that the legendary gods arose from the deified memories of Hyborian-era heroes and peoples. It’s the same technique he uses throughout his worldbuilding – connecting his prehistoric age to later mythology.

The Nordheimers are fierce warriors, raiders who descend on southern lands in longships. They’re essentially Vikings before there was a word for Vikings. Their worship of Ymir reflects their culture – a warrior god for warrior peoples, promising rewards for battle and offering nothing to those who die in bed.

The Ymirish

In expanded Conan lore, particularly in the Age of Conan MMO, the Ymirish are a special caste among the Vanir – warriors with the actual blood of Ymir in their veins. These half-giant descended commanders lead Vanir war parties, their white or yellow hair and wolf-gleaming eyes marking them as something more than mortal.

The Ymirish are taller and stronger, than ordinary Nordheimers. Some possess dark magical abilities, able to hear and answer “Ymir’s Call.” Their existence bridges the gap between mortal worship and divine reality – literal children of the god walking among his human followers.

This expansion of the lore fits Howard’s original vision pretty well, I think, where Atali and her brothers are Ymir’s actual offspring. The frost giants aren’t merely creatures from legend but genuine divine children, and the Ymirish are their mortal cousins.

Ymir and Norse Mythology

Howard based his Ymir directly on the Norse primordial giant – the first being, from whose body the world was made. In Norse myth, Odin and his brothers killed Ymir and used his corpse to create Midgard.

Howard’s Ymir is still alive and active, which makes sense since the Hyborian Age predates the events of Norse mythology. Perhaps Odin hasn’t been born yet. Perhaps Ymir’s eventual death at Odin’s hands lies in the future. Howard never addresses this directly, but the implication is clear – the gods of the Hyborian Age are the same gods who would later become the Olympians, Asgardians, and other mythological pantheons.

Marvel Comics explicitly connected Howard’s Ymir to their Thor comics, making the frost giant god a continuous figure from the Hyborian Age to the modern day. In Marvel’s version, Odin eventually kills Ymir, but the giant keeps returning – one of Thor’s most persistent foes.

Ymir in Conan Exiles

In Conan Exiles, Ymir is one of the selectable religions, favoured by Nordheimer characters. His worship focuses on ice, cold, and war.

The most useful Ymir item is the ability to craft Black Ice at higher altar tiers – a building material that’s otherwise difficult to obtain. The Feast to Ymir provides significant buffs, and ice-related weapons and armour round out his offerings.

To worship Ymir, you use the Hoarfrost Hatchet to harvest “ice shards” from corpses. These become offerings that generate Manifestations of Zeal. At the highest tier, you can summon Ymir’s avatar – an enormous frost giant wielding a massive axe, leaving trails of frost in his wake as he demolishes enemy structures.

The Ymir religion in Conan Exiles captures the harsh nature of Nordheimer faith. It’s about survival in frozen lands, strength in battle, and the cold beauty of ice and snow. If you’re building in the frozen north, Ymir is thematically appropriate and mechanically useful.

Why Ymir Matters

Ymir serves a unique function in Howard’s religious landscape. He’s the god who actually behaves like a god – intervening directly, maintaining a family, rewarding his followers with a clear afterlife. In a world where Crom ignores prayers and Mitra only occasionally intervenes, Ymir is actively present.

This makes the Nordheimer faith feel different from other Hyborian religions. The Aesir and Vanir know their god exists because they have tangible proof – the frost giants, Atali’s appearances, warriors who claim to have seen Valhalla. While other peoples hope their gods are real, the Nordheimr have evidence.

I think Howard used Ymir to explore what religion might look like if the gods were undeniably real. The Nordheimers aren’t more faithful than other peoples – they’re simply more certain. And that certainty makes them fearsome enemies, warriors who charge into battle knowing exactly what awaits them on the other side.

Ever wondered how strong Conan was?
Is Valeria or Belit Conan’s love?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ymir the same as the Norse god?

Howard based his Ymir directly on the Norse primordial giant, and the connection is intentional. In Howard’s worldbuilding, the Hyborian Age is the forgotten prehistory that later became Norse mythology. The Nordheimers eventually become the Vikings, and their worship of Ymir evolves into Norse religion.

Does Ymir actually appear in the stories?

Yes – Ymir intervenes directly in “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” when Atali calls for his help. The sky cracks with icy fire, and Atali vanishes in frozen flames. This is one of the only times a god directly acts on-page in Howard’s original Conan stories.

Who is Atali?

Atali is Ymir’s daughter, a beautiful woman who haunts the battlefields of Nordheim. She appears to dying or exhausted warriors, luring them into the wastes where her frost giant brothers can kill them. Their hearts are laid on Ymir’s table. Conan encounters her in “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” and nearly catches her before Ymir intervenes.

What’s the difference between the Aesir and Vanir?

Both are human peoples of Nordheim who worship Ymir, but they’re eternal enemies. The Aesir occupy Asgard (eastern Nordheim) and are typically blonde. The Vanir occupy Vanaheim (western Nordheim) and are typically red-haired. They’re locked in constant warfare, which serves Ymir well.

Is Ymir good in Conan Exiles?

Ymir is solid, particularly if you’re building in the frozen north. The ability to craft Black Ice at higher tiers is extremely useful, and the Feast to Ymir provides good buffs. The avatar is also one of the more visually impressive summons. However, some players find the ice arrows less useful than Set’s snake arrows.

How do I learn Ymir in Conan Exiles?

You can select Ymir during character creation, learn it from The Outcast at The Outcast Camp, spend 50 Knowledge points in the religion section, or find the Everice of Ymir (the religious artifact associated with Ymir).

Who is Mitra? The God of Light in Conan’s World – Explained

Iron_Davith — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:15:00 +0000

Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

If the god Set is the shadow over the Hyborian Age, Mitra is the light.

He’s the dominant god of civilisation, worshipped across Aquilonia, Nemedia, Ophir, Brythunia, Corinthia, and Zingara – essentially every major Hyborian kingdom. Where Set demands blood, Mitra asks for virtue.

Where serpent worship lurks in crypts and shadows, Mitra’s temples stand proudly in city centres, their simple architecture a deliberate rejection of the ornate horror of eastern faiths.

I’d quickly take this point to recommend the Scourge of the Serpent mini series, I enjoyed it from start to finish. The reading order for Scourge of the Serpent is here.

What fascinates me about Mitra is how Howard uses him to explore the intersection of religion and civilisation. Mitra represents everything the Hyborian kingdoms believe makes them superior to their neighbours – mercy, truth, restraint.

But Howard doesn’t let this go unexamined. Mitraic priests can be intolerant bigots, persecuting Asuran worshippers with the same zeal they condemn in Set’s followers. Civilisation’s god, Howard suggests, isn’t necessarily civilised in his followers.

Howard’s Original Vision

Mitra appears throughout the Conan stories as the primary “good” deity, but he’s more complex than that label suggests.

Howard drew the name from the historical Mithra – the Zoroastrian god of covenants and light who later inspired the Roman Mithras cult – but created something distinctly his own.

In Howard’s world, Mitra represents a deliberate contrast to every other religion. His rites alone in the Hyborian era include no blood sacrifice whatsoever – not even animals.

His temples are deliberately plain, featuring little iconography except a single statue of the god depicted as an idealised bearded man. His priests teach forgiveness of enemies, though Howard acidly notes that “many of them fail to do so.”

The key text for understanding Mitra is Howard’s essay “The Hyborian Age,” where he describes the god’s worship as effectively the state religion of the Hyborian nations corresponding to Western Europe.

Mitra’s faith is missionary – his followers sometimes die trying to spread their religion to hostile peoples. It’s Christianity with the serial numbers filed off, transplanted into a prehistoric setting.

When Mitra Actually Intervenes

Unlike Crom, who gives his people nothing but courage at birth, Mitra occasionally involves himself in mortal affairs. The most significant example occurs in “Black Colossus,” where Princess Yasmela of Khoraja faces an ancient sorcerer-king threatening to destroy her nation.

In her desperate hour, Yasmela prays in Mitra’s temple – and the god answers. A voice speaks from the darkness, directing her to go to the city gates and choose the first man she meets as her champion and commander. That man turns out to be Conan.

This intervention changes everything for Conan. He’s commanded tens of thousands of soldiers in a historically important battle, emerging victorious against impossible odds. It’s an important step on his path to eventually becoming King of Aquilonia.

From Mitra’s perspective, the barbarian was evidently the best choice to defeat a sworn enemy of the Hyborian kingdoms – even if his own priests might have preferred someone more conventionally pious.

I find this fascinating because it shows Howard’s nuanced approach to religion. Mitra doesn’t choose a devout worshipper or a Hyborian nobleman. He chooses a Cimmerian barbarian who worships a completely different god. Divine wisdom, it seems, values effectiveness over orthodoxy.

It’s a great story, Black Colossus and it should definitely be read. It’s in the Coming of Conan book by Del Rey, among others.

The Darker Side of Mitra Worship

Howard wasn’t interested in presenting Mitra as simply “the good god” without complication. In “The Hour of the Dragon,” we see Mitraic priests actively persecuting followers of Asura, another deity whose worshippers seek truth and enlightenment.

Conan, being a barbarian, doesn’t share this “civilised” prejudice. He protects Asuran worshippers from Mitraic persecution, and they prove beneficial allies in his hour of need.

It’s a pointed commentary on religious intolerance – the followers of the “merciful” god proving less merciful than the “savage” barbarian.

The Mitraic religion also practices a form of hell. Mitra judges souls after death, consigning sinners to punishment.

For a god whose followers preach forgiveness, this creates an interesting tension that Howard never fully resolves. I think the ambiguity is intentional – Howard was too smart a writer to create a straightforwardly “good” religion.

Mitra’s Temples and Worship

Mitraic temples stand out for their deliberate simplicity. Where other faiths build ornate shrines filled with imagery and idols, Mitra’s temples are “awesomely plain, yet stately, artistic and beautiful despite the lack of ornate symbols.”

This aesthetic simplicity serves theological purpose. Unlike the Shemites who believe their gods inhabit their brass idols, Mitraists understand that Mitra is omnipresent – the statues are merely representations, not dwelling places.

It’s a more abstract, philosophical approach to divinity that Howard associates with civilised sophistication.

Mitraic priests are trained in many practical skills beyond theology – smithwork, carpentry, stonework, diplomacy.

The religion functions as a civilising force, spreading knowledge alongside faith. This practical dimension helps explain why Mitra worship dominates the most advanced kingdoms.

Mitra’s Eternal Enemy: Set

The conflict between Mitra and Set forms the theological backbone of the Hyborian Age. Where Mitra represents light, truth, and civilisation, the god Set embodies darkness, deception, and the ancient predatory aspects of worship. Their followers engage in a cosmic struggle that plays out across the stories.

In Howard’s cosmology, Mitra protects the righteous from the demonic forces of Set. The priest Epemitreus, who appears to Conan in “The Phoenix on the Sword,” spent his entire long life fighting Set’s influence.

Even in death, his spirit continues the struggle, marking Conan’s sword with Mitra’s phoenix symbol to destroy a demon sent by Set’s follower Thoth-Amon.

This isn’t mere mythology within the story – it’s active supernatural conflict. The Heart of Ahriman, the phoenix symbol, holy water from sacred rivers – these Mitraic tools genuinely work against evil in Howard’s world.

Mitra in the Comics

Marvel’s Conan comics expanded Mitra’s role considerably. The god appears more directly, his priests wield genuine magical power, and the conflict with Set becomes even more explicit.

Roy Thomas, who adapted Howard’s work for Marvel, maintained the essential character of Mitra while adding visual elements like the horned cross symbol (resembling an ankh) that became associated with the faith.

The comics also established Mitra as part of the Elder Gods hierarchy, connecting him to the broader Marvel Universe cosmology. While this goes beyond Howard’s original conception, it did help cement Mitra as a genuinely divine being rather than merely a cultural construct.

Mitra in Conan Exiles

In Conan Exiles, Mitra is one of the selectable religions at character creation. His worship focuses on virtue and healing, with unique items that reflect his benevolent nature.

The most useful Mitra item is Ambrosia – a healing consumable that’s incredibly easy to craft. You make it using resources harvested from human corpses with the Mitraic ankh tool, which provides “lingering essence” and “unblemished human meat.”

Yes, even the god of light apparently doesn’t mind if you harvest corpses – though at least he doesn’t require you to eat them like Yog does.

At higher tiers, Mitra provides the Feast to Mitra (offering health regeneration and stat bonuses) and eventually the ability to summon his avatar – a towering bronze colossus that can devastate enemy bases.

What I appreciate about Conan Exiles’ Mitra is how it captures the transactional nature of Hyborian religion while maintaining Mitra’s distinct character.

You’re still performing morally questionable acts to gain religious favour, but the rewards are healing and protection rather than venom and death.

Why Mitra Matters

Mitra serves multiple functions in Howard’s fiction. On one level, he’s simply the “good god” opposing Set’s evil. On another, he’s a tool for examining how civilised people can be just as cruel as barbarians while believing themselves morally superior.

I think Howard’s Mitra is ultimately a commentary on organised religion in general. The god himself seems genuinely benevolent – he answers prayers, protects the righteous, opposes evil.

But his followers are human, with all the pettiness, intolerance, and hypocrisy that implies. The faith teaches forgiveness, but practitioners often fail to practice what they preach.

This nuanced treatment elevates Howard’s work beyond simple good-versus-evil fantasy. Mitra isn’t just “the god the heroes worship.” He’s a lens through which Howard examines religion, civilisation, and the gap between what people believe and how they behave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Conan worship Mitra?

No. Conan worships Crom, the grim god of Cimmeria. However, Conan respects Mitra and even protects his worshippers on occasion. Interestingly, Mitra chooses Conan as his champion in “Black Colossus” despite Conan following a different god entirely.

Is Mitra based on a real god?

Howard drew the name from Mithra, the Zoroastrian deity of covenants and light who later inspired the Roman mystery cult of Mithras. However, Howard’s Mitra is distinctly his own creation, functioning more like a proto-Christian god than like the historical Mithra.

Does Mitra ever appear directly in the stories?

Mitra speaks to Princess Yasmela in “Black Colossus,” and his influence is felt through artifacts like the Heart of Ahriman and the phoenix symbol. The spirit of Epemitreus, a long-dead Mitraic sage, appears to Conan in “The Phoenix on the Sword.” However, Mitra himself doesn’t physically manifest the way some other supernatural beings do.

What’s the difference between Mitra and Asura?

Both are generally benevolent deities, but they differ significantly. Mitra is the dominant, established religion of the Hyborian kingdoms with grand temples and state support. Asura is a mystery cult whose followers worship in secret, seeking truth beyond illusion. Mitraic priests persecute Asurans despite both faiths being relatively peaceful.

Is Mitra good in Conan Exiles?

Mitra is excellent for new players. Ambrosia provides reliable healing that’s easy to craft, and the religion doesn’t require any morally questionable practices beyond harvesting corpses (which every religion requires). The Mitra avatar is also one of the more visually impressive summons in the game.

How do I learn Mitra in Conan Exiles?

You can select Mitra during character creation, learn it from Muriela the Artisan (found in the Exiled Lands), spend 50 Knowledge points in the religion section, or find the religious artifact associated with Mitra.

Conan – The Howard-verse

Conan the Barbarian Quotes: What Is Best in Life?

What is best in life? The famous Conan the Barbarian quote

Voices from the Hyborian Age

Random Robert E. Howard quote generator

What is best in life?

The origin of the “to crush your enemies” quote

Conan book quotes vs Conan movie quotes

Crom quotes and Conan’s view of the gods

Robert E. Howard quotes beyond Conan

Famous Conan quotes often misattributed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Conan’s most famous quote?

What is best in life?

Did Robert E. Howard write “to crush your enemies”?

What are the best Crom quotes?

Is Conan’s prayer to Crom from the books?

Are Conan movie quotes the same as Robert E. Howard quotes?

What are good Conan quotes for a tattoo?

Books Like Conan the Barbarian (What to Read Next)

Table of Contents

Quick Picks

Tier 1: Must Reads

Kull of Atlantis (Robert E. Howard)

Elric of Melniboné (Michael Moorcock)

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (Fritz Leiber)

The Drenai Saga – David Gemmell

Imaro (Charles R. Saunders)

Tier 2: Strong Recommendations

Kane (Karl Edward Wagner)

Solomon Kane (Robert E. Howard)

Thongor (Lin Carter)

Jirel of Joiry (C.L. Moore)

The Witcher – Short Stories (Andrzej Sapkowski)

Tier 3: Broader Crossover

John Carter of Mars (Edgar Rice Burroughs)

The First Law (Joe Abercrombie)

The Black Company (Glen Cook)

Gotrek and Felix (William King and others)

If You Like Conan, Try This

Where to Buy

What About Comics?

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the closest book to Conan?

Is Elric like Conan?

What’s the best modern book like Conan?

Is Game of Thrones like Conan?

Where should I start with David Gemmell?

I Read All of Scourge of the Serpent (and you should too)

Table of Contents

The Overall Verdict: 8/10

A Note on My Bias

The Core Mini-Series: 8/10

Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring: 8/10

Spawn of the Serpent God (Novel): 7/10

Is it sword & sorcery or epic fantasy?

Fang & Spear (Savage Sword #10): 8/10

Final Ratings Summary

Should You Read It?

Where to Start

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Scourge of the Serpent good?

Is Scourge of the Serpent worth reading?

Do I need to read the Tim Waggoner novel?

What Robert E. Howard stories does Scourge adapt?

Is there a collected edition?

Savage Sword of Conan Omnibus: Complete Guide

Table of Contents

What is Savage Sword of Conan?

Why I Prefer the Savage Sword

The Art: Buscema and His Inkers

The Savage Sword Omnibus Editions

Are the savage Sword Omnibuses good?

Pricing and Availability

Are the Savage Sword Omnibuses worth it?

Where to Start

Savage Sword vs Conan the Barbarian

The Reforged Editions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Savage Sword of Conan the same as Conan the Barbarian?