Didn't Xaltotun also have a bomb? The Heart? The difference between TA and X was that TA used the Ring offensively, while X used the Heart as a MAD-type defensive weapon.
I understand that this question works entirely on a subjective level, so I didn't take your opinion as anything other than that. We are all fans of Howard afterall...Great post Dale - I see what you are saying.
I had a whole big post written but then I lost it while I had to do an errand for the wife. I blame Xaltotun. Bottom line - Conan has it right when he said the priests of Asura are shrewd. Do you feel Hadrathus could beat Thoth-Amon? That is what Hadrathus is implying. I don't think he could defeat Thoth-Amon the Lord of the Black ring. In other words, maybe his opinion is biased. I do like how Howard made a point to mention Thoth-Amon and reiterate Thoth's rank and power in this story while at the same time showing the jealousy and ego other sorcerers have for Thoth-Amon - they all think they are as powerful as Thoth-Amon. But, alas they are not.
Xaltotun is powerful but history is not kind to him. Xaltotun ran from barbarians in Phyton and has been defeated technically the same way twice. He lacks the lust for power Thoth-Amon craves and while Xaltotun hesitates to use his power, we all saw how quickly and effortlessly Thoth-Amon utilizes his dark magic to accomplish what he wants done. Xaltotun is ambitious but that cost him dearly. Honestly, reading the story, Xaltotun really screwed up in not using the Heart to take life and instead relied on some non-necromantic spells that ultimately were not enough. I don't see Thoth-Amon making the same mistakes - let alone twice.
I'm not trying to convince anyone just stating my opinion as a fan. I totally respect your Howard/Conan knowledge Dale.
Personally, I think that Xaltotun, while he may have had some blind-spots, was ultimately more powerful than Thoth-Amon simply because he conjured his powerful magic without using the Heart or any other magical prop, while Thoth-Amon was reduced to the level of a slave fleeing for his life when he was forced to work without his magical prop.
I have to agree with Dale. Thoth-amon was a one-trick pony. He stumbled on "The Bomb", used it for all it was worth and became a fawning slave without it. Xaltotun kicked ass with pure, native talent. His big mistake was going mano a mano with Conan. Thoth, the wily/lucky bastard, always managed to avoid that.
Pelias, Tsotha-Lanti, Thugra Khotan and Yara all deserve honorable mentions, IMO.
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#41
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Posted 24 January 2012 - 07:12 AM
"... you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted [Conan]. "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the hills. I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires." - "Beyond the Black River", by Robert E. Howard
Read my Conan screenplays at The Scrolls of Ironhand (in particular my transcription of THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER in Act II of "The Snow Devil") at
http://www.scrollsof...d.us/index.html or at
http://www.delicious...ic=ConanProject
#42
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Posted 30 January 2012 - 04:33 PM
Didn't Xaltotun also have a bomb? The Heart? The difference between TA and X was that TA used the Ring offensively, while X used the Heart as a MAD-type defensive weapon.
I understand that this question works entirely on a subjective level, so I didn't take your opinion as anything other than that. We are all fans of Howard afterall...Great post Dale - I see what you are saying.
I had a whole big post written but then I lost it while I had to do an errand for the wife. I blame Xaltotun. Bottom line - Conan has it right when he said the priests of Asura are shrewd. Do you feel Hadrathus could beat Thoth-Amon? That is what Hadrathus is implying. I don't think he could defeat Thoth-Amon the Lord of the Black ring. In other words, maybe his opinion is biased. I do like how Howard made a point to mention Thoth-Amon and reiterate Thoth's rank and power in this story while at the same time showing the jealousy and ego other sorcerers have for Thoth-Amon - they all think they are as powerful as Thoth-Amon. But, alas they are not.
Xaltotun is powerful but history is not kind to him. Xaltotun ran from barbarians in Phyton and has been defeated technically the same way twice. He lacks the lust for power Thoth-Amon craves and while Xaltotun hesitates to use his power, we all saw how quickly and effortlessly Thoth-Amon utilizes his dark magic to accomplish what he wants done. Xaltotun is ambitious but that cost him dearly. Honestly, reading the story, Xaltotun really screwed up in not using the Heart to take life and instead relied on some non-necromantic spells that ultimately were not enough. I don't see Thoth-Amon making the same mistakes - let alone twice.
I'm not trying to convince anyone just stating my opinion as a fan. I totally respect your Howard/Conan knowledge Dale.
Personally, I think that Xaltotun, while he may have had some blind-spots, was ultimately more powerful than Thoth-Amon simply because he conjured his powerful magic without using the Heart or any other magical prop, while Thoth-Amon was reduced to the level of a slave fleeing for his life when he was forced to work without his magical prop.
I have to agree with Dale. Thoth-amon was a one-trick pony. He stumbled on "The Bomb", used it for all it was worth and became a fawning slave without it. Xaltotun kicked ass with pure, native talent. His big mistake was going mano a mano with Conan. Thoth, the wily/lucky bastard, always managed to avoid that.
Pelias, Tsotha-Lanti, Thugra Khotan and Yara all deserve honorable mentions, IMO.
Xaltotun could not "use" the Heart at all. It was a "Bomb" only in the hands of his enemies.
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#43
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Posted 31 January 2012 - 02:52 AM
Edited by Rockamobile, 31 January 2012 - 02:55 AM.
#44
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The Mad Playwright
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Posted 31 January 2012 - 06:22 AM
Edited by Ironhand, 31 January 2012 - 06:25 AM.
"... you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted [Conan]. "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the hills. I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires." - "Beyond the Black River", by Robert E. Howard
Read my Conan screenplays at The Scrolls of Ironhand (in particular my transcription of THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER in Act II of "The Snow Devil") at
http://www.scrollsof...d.us/index.html or at
http://www.delicious...ic=ConanProject
#45
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Spear Carrier
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Posted 07 February 2012 - 10:04 PM
Thoth Amon was overly dependant on his ring. Xaltotum anyday
*Adopts Beavis and Butthead voice..*
Chuckle chuckle chuckle :-)
(Just in case this isn't an international thing... in the UK "Ring" is slang for anus)
Edited by Rargentum, 07 February 2012 - 10:05 PM.
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#46
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The Mad Playwright
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Posted 08 February 2012 - 09:37 AM
"... you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted [Conan]. "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the hills. I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires." - "Beyond the Black River", by Robert E. Howard
Read my Conan screenplays at The Scrolls of Ironhand (in particular my transcription of THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER in Act II of "The Snow Devil") at
http://www.scrollsof...d.us/index.html or at
http://www.delicious...ic=ConanProject
