THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE Conn : Cui ‘UnnretSEROBERT ERVIN HOWARD “My dreams are laid in cold, giantlands. . . inhabited by savages.” {tis more than fity years since a shy, moody young loner named Roben Howard ‘dreamed beyond the oaks and hills of Cross Plains, Texas, his home; dreamed and Imagined the timelost worlds of a mythical, Uunhistoried past when humankind knew ‘many gods, and mighty men slew monsters Inthe night, and jeweled kingdoms rose and. fell by bloody blades and the dark whisper ings of sorcerers, His neighbors must have scratched their heads, as neighbors wil in small towns, and wondered when the Howard boy would grow Up, gt hisseif a real job ‘stead o' this what. chacalli, freelance writin’? How should they know that Doc Howard's precocious int vert of a son was just then changing the face of popular fiction forever, creating CONAN and fashioning the sword and so Cory heroic fantasy into art? Only atter- wards, when the sod was cold on the young ‘man’s’ grave, folks might remember back ‘and say, "Bob Howard? Heck, the kid was. a born storyteliex” ‘A.bom storyteller, a natural, no doubt of it, and he gave us CONAN. Conan the B: barian. Conan the adventurer and swor man, lover and brawiet, corsair and kozak land king. Conan, who wandered the HYBO- RIAN AGE, an imaginary epoch some 12,000 years ago our time, betwoen the legendary sinking of Atlantis and the bogin- ning of recorded history. The Hyborian Age, a forgotten shadow-era of barbarism and ‘decadent civilizations, betore the continents took their present shape, before science was or technology, when heroes fought vik lains for dames fai, when magic was real 1nd demons only waited summons, when ‘codes of honor and codes of revenge settled all men's scores. The tales have outlived their creator by ‘one year short o fity now, and their popu- lanty Is ever on the rise. Conan the Barba- ‘lan'— In prose and pastiche, comic book ‘and strip, even in the movies — is currently fentertaining an audionce numbered in the rmlions. it is for these that this guide to Howard's Conan universe, as interproted ‘over the last fitloon years by MARVEL ‘COMICS, has boon prepared. Here readers will find, in alphabotical array, the back {grounds’ of the Hyborian Age trom AES- ‘GAARD to ZINGARA, Weapons of Conan's day are faithfully rendered, gods reverently described, the saga succinctly summarized. ‘The Conan Universe. I's a handy refer- ‘ence and a good browse, but, most impor- tant, a real tribute to that young south- westerner who dreamed it ll more than fy years gone. AESG “The golden-ha are wayward an ‘Afar-northem nation comprising the fem portion of Noraheim, Aesgaard is fof the blond-haired, blue-eyed Aesi, ‘and rough-hewn race of hunters and Wielding warriors who fight by day ‘carouse by night. The Aasic lve In ‘units. Though each tribe has its own ho presides in a timber-roofed Gros all Agsie worship the same god, Ym Frost Giant. The terrain of Agsgaard i ed, with high snowcapped mounta the north, forest in the southem low ‘and tundra between. The land suf snow bear among other native crea ‘These, along with wid fruits, ae the pr sustenance of the Aasit who pri neither agricuture nor herding. Aes may have formed an informal alianos Cimmeria to the south, but Vanaheim west and Hyperborea to the east 1 ancient and hated foes,_—e ET AESGAARD “The golden-haired Aesir are wayward and fierce... Afar-northor nation comprising the east em portion of Nordheim, Aesgaard is home ‘of the biond-haired, biue-oyed Aes, avira ‘and rough-hewn race of hunters and axe- wielding warriors who fight by day and carouse by night. The Assir ive in tribal units. Though each tbe has is own king, ‘who presides in a timber-rooted Great Hall all Aesir worship the same god, Ymir, tho Frost Giant. The terrain of Aasgaard is rug- ‘ged, with high snowcapped mountains to me ‘southem ‘orth, forest in the lowlands, ‘and tundra between. The land supports ‘musk ox and mammoth, fox, and Wh. neither agriculture nor herding. Aesgaard ‘may have formed an informal alliance with ‘Cimmeria to the south, but Vanaheim tothe west and Hyperborea to the east remain ancient and hated foes, AFGHULISTAN pois “Untamed tribesmen ids haunt her hills” ‘A region of the southwastom Himelian Mountain Range, Aighulstan is home ofthe, ‘Aighull outiaw tbe who lve in vilages ruled Jamseis fal, when magic was real Jjamse's fal, when magic by headmen. The tleroeness of the tibes- ans only waited summons, nor and codes of revenge settled scores. es have outlived their creator by shot o fity now, and their popu- rer on the rise. Conan the Barba- prose and pastiche, comic book x “Ss current Ghulstan propor larger rogion 2ven inthe mevies — i currently inhabited by mountain trbes ofthe 9 an audience numbered in the tis for these that this guide to oem Sal “4 a Greater Ghuistan include te Galzay, tho ‘Conan universe, as interpreted \Wazull, the Zhaibar, and the Khurakzal, the last fileon years by MARVEL latter possibly abranch ofthe Afghuls them- solves. has been prepared. Here readers in abhabotcal aay, th back 1 the Hyborian Age trom AES- 9 ZINGARA. Weapons of Conan’s ithfuly rendered, gods reverently the saga succinctly summarized, young south- who dreamed it ll more than fitty\Westommast and foremost of the Hybo: rian Kingdoms at Conen's day, Aquilonis rules. “supreme in the westem word,” 2 commercial and ciltary giant with @ high level oF ellization, lacking oniy, perhaps, the deher cultural diversity ofits major rival, ‘Nemedie. The most important provinces of the eouniry are Poitain, the southemmost, € Deautful region of sunny meadowlands, ‘olting plains, rose gardens, orange groves, ‘The Westormarck is an important Aquito- ian frontier region Iocaied between the Bossonian Marches and the Pictish Wilder- ‘nese, and consisting of several provinces ‘including Conawaca, the lergest and most thickly setied; Senohira, tho smallest; Ore konie, the least populous; and Thandara, the southemmest and most purely pioneer marked by manned forte and ruled. by.an elected miltary commander. Though ‘hore is almost constant wartare botweon ‘of the Wostormarck and ihe Plots ofthe wikderness, nonetheless lafe ever ariving because of the ‘of good farmland in the Interior A royal palace of bive and golden towers, “Tarantia is called the “most princely city of the West,” though here, too, fs located the fim Iron Tower, @ notorious prison. Aguilonia is overall @ land of pleasant. temperate cimate. its people are a proud race, tall in frame and varied in complexion. They are steadtast in thelr devotion to the god Mitra, whose service requires refined ‘tuais and forbids human sacrifice. in mat- tore of war, the Aquiloniane put thelr trust in heavily-armed cavalry and a strong infantry. Their pikemen and epearmen are largely from Gunderiand, while Bossonians, chit archers of the day, fil the renks ofthe bow= men, The imperial troops are known as the Black Logions, while the king's personal bodyguard goes under the epithet of the noters ‘During the reign ofkKing Conan, the court at Tarania waa a contr of romance, ave ‘tur, wacom, woe, and wi A copy of 9 court portal eurvivg Inthe Chronos of fore a rare glimpee of thove pereonelites wwho made up the royal Inner ce: King Conan, Queen Zenobla, afi their chitren. Prince’ Conn, Princess Fiadebund, ard Prince Taurts; Counclor Publis, a man ot plane rater than action; Count Trosera ot Poten, senescnal of Aqulona: Prospero ot Paitin the king's ghthand man and con fidante: Alcemiges. cout philosopher: Dex fiheus, High Prieoi of Mira, and Goneral Pallanides, commander of the Black Dra ons. “Mightiest kingdom of the West, proudest kingdom of the world”’ AQUILONIA AQUIL THE Ri CASTL DEMES ‘The castle of King Conan was a for