16 replies to this topic

[Aesir-Jarl]

I thought it would be a good idea to start a topic on the various monsters, demons and creatures of the Hyborian Age.

I'll start it off with the Forest Devils from Beyond the Black River.

Here's an excerpt:

"Looking over his shoulder, Balthus felt his hair stand up stiffly. Something was moving
through the deep bushes that fringed the trail? something that neither walked nor flew,
but seemed to glide like a serpent. But it was not a serpent. Its outlines were indistinct, but
it was taller than a man, and not very bulky. It gave off a glimmer of weird light, like a
faint blue flame. Indeed, the eery fire was the only tangible thing about it. It might have
been an embodied flame moving with reason and purpose through the blackening woods.
Conan snarled a savage curse and hurled his ax with ferocious will. But the thing glided
on without altering its course. Indeed it was only a few instants? fleeting glimpse they had
of it?a tall, shadowy thing of misty flame floating through the thickets. Then it was gone,
and the forest crouched in breathless stillness."

I think this is the only story in which they appear.

[Taranaich]

Cool idea, AJ.

The Hyborian Age is chock full of monsters. In my readings, they fall into three rough groups:

Beasts - these are creatures which have evolved naturally from the earthly tree of life, though as of modern times, they are unknown. The many giant apes and snakes are of this type.

Abominations - these are creatures created by sorcery or uncanny science. The Winged One's Were-hyenas, Yara's spider, and Tsotha-Lanti's experiments are examples.

Aliens - these are creatures from the Outer Dark, utterly alien and unknowable to earthly lifeforms. Yogah, demons, devils, eldritch horrors and gods tend to be of this subset.

Some are mixtures: the "Red Nails" dragon is resurrected from fossil remains, and so could be a beast that has been turned into an abomination.

[Almuric]

Satha and the winged Thing from The Scarlet Citadel. In fact, there's lots of monstrous creatures glimpsed in Tsotha-Lanti's dungeons in that story.

[Aesir-Jarl]

Yag-Kosha from "Tower of the Elephant" would probably fall under the Aliens category.

[Buxom Sorceress]

Hi.

What category would
'a buxom sorceress'
fall under or into ?
--

[Tex]

Hi.

What category would
'a buxom sorceress'
fall under or into ?
--

Category: Trouble

Tex
(running for cover)

[Ironhand]

Hi.

What category would
'a buxom sorceress'
fall under or into ?
--

Twin monsters. Sort of like Scylla and Charybdis.

[Reef]

What groupe would you put the Frost-Giants into?

[Taranaich]

Frost-Giants are tricky: strictly speaking I'd say they're actually aliens, in that Ymir's realm seems to exist on a separate plane of reality from our own. If Ymir is anything like Khosatral Khel, Ollam-Onga or the mysterious god of the Isle of Iron Statues, he's another being from beyond the ken of humanity: his sons and daughters would thus be of the same type.

[Albannach]

Also some of the pictish wolves may be shapechangers?

I have some feeling that the Picts did have some kind of shape shifting black magic. But was this ever mentioned? I can only recall the Switching of a snake and man's soul from 'Wolves beyond the Border' (Although I have only read Howard's original so I don't know if maybe the other authors added some more literal take on the title).

The Picts seem to have much in common with Native American's who have many were-beast legends.

Would some kind of Were-Wolf or Doghead be out of place in a Hyboria?

[Lunatic]

I think there is a story were Bran Mak Morn appears wherein there are hints of this at least apart from what you said. Which story..hmm..

[Pictish Scout]

Also some of the pictish wolves may be shapechangers?

I have some feeling that the Picts did have some kind of shape shifting black magic. But was this ever mentioned? I can only recall the Switching of a snake and man's soul from 'Wolves beyond the Border' (Although I have only read Howard's original so I don't know if maybe the other authors added some more literal take on the title).

The Picts seem to have much in common with Native American's who have many were-beast legends.

Would some kind of Were-Wolf or Doghead be out of place in a Hyboria?

Were-wolves and other Were-things, and Dragons, etc. aren't out of place in the "universe" of Kull/Conan/Bran Mak Morn.

Check "The Shadow Kingdom".

[Taranaich]

"Vampires were abroad that night, witches rode naked on the wind, and werewolves howled across the wilderness."
- Black Colossus

“... And so the word came southward. The night wind whispered it, the ravens croaked of it as they flew, and the grim bats told it to the owls and the serpents that lurk in hoary ruins. Werewolf and vampire knew, and the ebon-bodied demons that prowl by night."
- "The Hour of the Dragon

... And wondered if the old demon were really a were-wolf which could not be killed by mortal weapons as he boasted and many believed.
- "Wolves Beyond the Border"

[Buxom Sorceress]

"Vampires were abroad that night, witches rode naked on the wind, and werewolves howled across the wilderness."
- Black Colossus

“... And so the word came southward. The night wind whispered it, the ravens croaked of it as they flew, and the grim bats told it to the owls and the serpents that lurk in hoary ruins. Werewolf and vampire knew, and the ebon-bodied demons that prowl by night."
- "The Hour of the Dragon

... And wondered if the old demon were really a were-wolf which could not be killed by mortal weapons as he boasted and many believed.
- "Wolves Beyond the Border"

thanks for all the great quotes.
the 1st one, from BLACK COLOSSUS, has always been 1 of my faves.

[Lunatic]

How would REH have written a vampire/werewolf story you thinks?

[Pictish Scout]

There's a vampire character in a Conan story.

I mentioned "The Shadow Kingdom" because the fate of many (fantasy) races/species is described there. Maybe its a good point to start if you want to make a list of fantasy species in this setting (which I think is also related to Solomon Kane). I didn't read all the reincarnation tales of James Allison...which might also be useful.

[Albannach]

How would REH have written a vampire/werewolf story you thinks?

Something like this?

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/2/8/7/6/2/6/webimg/608465241_tp.jpg

This is in the 'Eons of the Night' Howard collection which I shall get once I finish Bran Mak Morn.

Ah right guys I couldn't remember is it was just used descriptively or speculatively.