By Roy Thomas & John Buscema
APPEARANCES:
Conan (also in fb), Zuleika/Princess Corma (also in fb), Malthom (also in fb) & his guards, Mordek (also in fb), King Khossus (bts in fb, put Malthom in charge of Castle Crimson), Khelru-Shan & his guards (inc Ali-Bey), Hari Bin Nasru (Aballah Bin Khor’s spy), Rodrik (in fb) & his soldiers (in fb), Kizil-Bezzin residents, raiders, Aballah Bin Khor & his army
FLASHBACK:
Castle Crimson was constructed centuries ago. Less than 20 years ago the castle is betrayed by Mordek, who killed the castle’s lord, Rodrik. Mordek soon traded it to Khoraja for food supplies. Khoraja then puts Malthom in charge of the place and he goes exploring. Three years ago, Conan sees Princess Corma pass through Tamba-Syn. Corma is captured and sold to various people, eventually ending up in Kizil-Bezzin.
SYNOPSIS:
Conan arrives at Kizil-Bezzin and finds it overrun by raiders. He saves a slave girl, Zuleika, and travels to meet his friend Malthom at his Castle Crimson and they catch up on old times. Conan points out how much Zuleika looks like the missing princess Corma and plans to reunite her with the man she was supposed to marry, Khelru-Shan. While Conan does just that, Malthom chats with Zuleika and begins to fall for her. Khelru-Shan arrives at Castle Crimson and thinks Zuleika might actually be Corma, but need a night to think about it. Later, Malthom tells Conan he loves Zuleika and can’t hand her over, so they two fight. Meanwhile, Mordek abducts Zuleika and Khelru-Shan’s men invade the castle. Conan and Malthom stop fighting. Conan spot Mordek and follows him; during their fight Conan injures Mordek and his blood awakens the skeletons of those he killed 20 years ago. The skeletons butcher Mordek and shamble out to slaughter Khelru-Shan’s men. When Khelru-Shan dies the skeletons collapse. Aballah Bin Khor’s army arrives. Malthom and Corma reveal they love each other and everyone’s happy.
NOTE:
Freely adapted from “The Slave Princess” by REH.
Yes, there’s a footnote here saying that this is the same Malthom that was in SAVSCO 2/Black Colossus, but things have changed since then.
The three years ago flashback seems to be between SAVSCO 177 & SAVSCO 186.
Followed by “Chivalry is Alive and Well and Living in Berkeley,” a photo essay on the Society for Creative Anachronism by Sam J. Maronie.
Followed in turn by “The Hyborian Kingdoms,” the third part by Roy Thomas & Walt Simonson, illustrating REH’s essay.
SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #222 (June 1994)
2nd Story:
By Roy Thomas & Malcolm Davis
APPEARANCES:
Conan, Aballah Bin Khor (lord of Tamba-Syn), Lady Corma (“Zuleika,” Aballah’s daughter), Tamba-Syn sentries (inc Ruskan), Gonlar (drunken lord of a nearby castle), his harem & his sentries (inc Seppus), Lord Malthom (of Nemedia, Corma’s husband, in fb), Vallus (Corma & Malthom’s oldest son, mentioned), Lord Glondon (master of a nearby castle, also called Gonlar), Nurrden the unforgiving (also in fb), his wizard (Kusro, also in fb) & his men (others in fb), Micaul (Malthom’s squire, also in fb), Yulala (temptress, also in fb)
FLASHBACK:
Recap of SAVSCO 12. Nurrden approaches Malthom and Micaul, speaking of building an empire. He offers Malthom a mistress but he refuses. Micaul sneaks in later and has fun with Tulala, but people think it was Malthom who slept with her. Later Malthom is caught in an ambush and killed but Micaul and Yalala escape; yesterday they were caught.
SYNOPSIS:
Conan returns to Tamba-Syn to visit his friend Aballah Bin Khor, only to learn that Malthom has been killed. He sets off to avenge his friend, first killing Gonlar who refused to help Malthom when he needed it. Searching for Nurrden Conan finds Malthom’s squire being tortured by Nurrden’s men; he kills him and asks Micaul what happened. The pair approach Nurrden’s Terror Tower and sneak in. They find Yulala; Micaul leaves with her. Conan finds Nurrden and Kusro and kills the wizard. The castle begins to shake, and the bricks turn back into the bones they were made from by Kusro’s spell, turning into a giant skeleton, which wants to kill Nurrden. Conan kills Nurrden first and the skeleton collapses.
NOTE:
Freely adapted from “Hawks of Outremer” by REH.
Some of these characters appeared previously in SAVSCO 12, which was roughly four years ago. Given the time passed and geography in Roy’s chronology, I’ll say this happens between SAVSCO 181 & SAVSCO 128.
Remember Malthom from SAVSCO 2? And how he’s also Amalric from the Free Companions? And how there was a different Amalric from Conan’s days as King of Aquilonia? Well, apparently this is a different Malthom. Why? Because the Free Companions Malthom/Amalric died in a different way in COB 268, and this one dies in a different way here. However, both called Conan “Throat-Slitter.” Sheesh!
Also, it’s not just me. From Roy’s chronology in CONAN SAGA 83:
Followed by a recap of CO:ROOT.SAVSCO 12 wrote:The current lord of the manor is a Nemedian named Malthom, who served under Amalric as a mercenary in Khoraja at the same time Conan did. (Regrettably, certain ancient scrolls confuse Amalric and Malthom, but since the former was slain by magic during the rebellion of Koth’s Prince Borrin, they were clearly two different people.)
Chronologies!
ABALLAH BIN KHOR
SAVSCO 12
SAVSCO 222/2
CORMA, LADY/”ZULEIKA”
SAVSCO 12-FB
SAVSCO 12
SAVSCO 222/2
KHELRU-SHAN
SAVSCO 12
KING KHOSSUS
COB 246-FB
{SAVSCO 2-FB}
SAVSCO 3
*SAVSCO 12-FB-BTS
KUSRO
SAVSCO 222/2-FB
SAVSCO 222/2
MALTHOM, LORD
SAVSCO 2-BTS
{SAVSCO 12-FB}
SAVSCO 12
SAVSCO 222/2-FB
MICAUL
SAVSCO 222/2-FB
SAVSCO 222/2
MORDEK
SAVSCO 12-FB
SAVSCO 12
NURRDEN
SAVSCO 222/2-FB
SAVSCO 222/2
YULALA
SAVSCO 222/2-FB
SAVSCO 222/2
You guessed it:
CONAN
COB 1 (14:4)-FB
SAVT 4 (4:4)-FB
GSCO 1 (15:2)-FB
[SAVSCO 89]
COB 251-FB-FB
[SAVSCO 203/2]
COB 48-FB
KCO 9-FB
COB 8-FB
COB 1 (14:5)-FB
SAVSCO 6/2-FB
SAVSCO 6/2
SAVSCO 219/2-FB
SAVT 4 (4:5 - 4:7)-FB
COB 31-FB
COB 1
COB 2
COB 69-FB
[SAVSCO 39]
COB 254-FB
COB 92
COB 3-FB
COB 3
COB 4
COB 5
COB 6
COB:HOA
COB 7
COB 8
COB 9
COB 10
COB 11-FB
COB 11
COB 12
SAVSCO 53
SAVSCO 54-FB
SAVSCO 54
SAVSCO 55
SAVSCO 217
SAVSCO 218/2
SAVSCO 56
SAVSCO 57
SAVSCO 58
COB 13 (1 - 15:2)
FF 405
COB 13 (15:3 - 22)
CO:DCIG 1
CO:DCIG 2
CO:DCIG 3
COB 14
COB 15
COB 17
COB 18
COB 19
COB 20
COB 21
COB 23
COB 24
COB 25
COB 26
COB 251 (2 - 21)-FB
COB 27
COB 28
COB 29
[SAVSCO 132-FB]
COB 30
COB 31
COB 32-FB
COB 32
COB 33
COB 34
COB 35
SAVSCO 153/2-FB
SAVSCO 153/2
COB 95 (11:5)-FB
COB 36
COB 37
SAVSCO 233-FB
SAVSCO 3/4-FB
SAVSCO 3/4
[SAVSCO 115/2]
[SAVSCO 123/2]
COB 38
COB 39
[SAVSCO 207]
[SAVSCO 208]
[SAVSCO 209]
[SAVSCO 210]
M/SSPEC 9
COB 40
COB 41
COB 42
SAVSCO 1
GSCO 1 (15:3)-FB
COB 43 (1 - 12)
DSSS 11/2-FB
COB 43 (13 - 18)
COB 44
SAVT 5
COB 45
SAVT 4 (6 - 7)-FB
SAVT 4
SAVT 1
[SAVSCO 34]
COB 46
COB 47
COB 48
COB 49
COB 50
COB 51
COB 52
COB 53
COB 54
COB 55
COB 56
COB 57
COB 58
COB 59
COB 60
COB 61
COB 62
COB 63
COB 65
COB 66 (1 - 16)
COB 66 (17) ~ M/FEA2 6
COB 67
M/FEA2 7
COB 68
COB 69
COB 70
COB 71
COB 72
COB 73
COB 74
COB 75
COB 76
COB 77
COB 79-FB
COB 79
COB 80
COB 81
COB 82
COB 83
[SAVSCO 97]
COB 84
COB 85
COB 86
COB 88
COB 89
COB 90
COB 91
COB 93
COB 94
COB 95 (2:4 - 3:3)-FB
COB 95
COB 96
COB 97
COB 98
COB 99
COSAV 2/2
COSAV 3/2
COSAV 4/2
COB 100
SAVSCO 219
SAVSCO 220
COB 101
COB 105 (2:2)-FB
COB 102
COB 103
COB 104
COB 105 (2:3 - 2:6)-FB
COB 105
COB 106
COB 107
COB 108
COB 109
COB 110
COB 111
COB 112
COB 113
COB 114
COB 115
[COB 126]
CO@ 6-FB
CO@6
[COB 127]
[SAVSCO 116]
COB2 1
COB2 2
COB2 3
[SAVSCO 115]
[SAVSCO 61]
[SAVSCO 36 (1 - 49)]
COB 262 (4)-FB
[SAVSCO 36 (50)]
COB 262 (5 - 21)-FB
[SAVSCO 185/2]
*[SAVSCO 177]
*SAVSCO 12-FB
*[SAVSCO 186]
[COB 216]
COB 251 (22:3)-FB
[COB 217]
[COB 231]
[SAVSCO 101]
M/GN:COBSOS
[SAVSCO 66]
[SAVSCO 108/2]
M/GN 19
[SAVSCO 117]
[SAVSCO 217/2]
COB 250-FB
[SAVSCO 155]
[SAVSCO 111]
COB 241
COB 242
COB 243
COB 244
COB 245
COB 246
COB 247
COB 248
SAVSCO 2 (10 - 19)
COB 249 (1 - 4:4)
SAVSCO 2 (20 - 23:5)
COB 249 (6:1 - 6:2)
SAVSCO 2 (23:6 - 24:2)
COB 249 (6:6 - 7:2)
SAVSCO 2 (24:3 - 24:4)
COB 249 (7:3 - 8:1)-OP
SAVSCO 2 (24:5 - 26:1)
COB 249 (8:4 - 8:6)
SAVSCO 2 (26:2 - 26:3)-OP
COB 249 (9:3 - 9:6)
SAVSCO 2 (27:1 - 27:3)
COB 249 (10:2 - 10:4)
SAVSCO 2 (27:4 - 30:4)
COB 249 (12:5)-OP
SAVSCO 2 (30:5 - 31:1)
COB 249 (13:1 - 13:4)-OP
SAVSCO 2 (31:2 - 31:3)
COB 249 (13:6 - 14:4)
SAVSCO 2 (31:4 - 31:6)
COB 249 (14:5 - 14:7)
SAVSCO 2 (31:7 - 32:2)-OP
COB 249 (15 - 20:6)
SAVSCO 2 (32:3 - 36)
COB 249 (21:7 - 22)
COB 250
COB 251
SAVSCO 3
COB 252-FB
[SAVSCO 98/2]
[SAVSCO 181/2]
[SAVSCO 29]
COB 252
COB 253
COB 254
COB 255
COB 256
COB 257
COB 258
COB 259
COB 260
COB 261
COB 262
COB 263
COB 264
COB 265
COB 266
COB 267
COB 268
COB 269
COB 270
COB 271
COB 272
COB 273
COB 274
COB 275
SAVSCO 218
SAVSCO 219/2
SAVSCO 220/2
SAVSCO 221/2
CO:ROOT
SAVSCO 223/2
SAVSCO 224/2
SAVSCO 226
SAVSCO 229
SAVSCO 230
SAVSCO 231
SAVSCO 232
SAVSCO 233
SAVSCO 234/2
SAVSCO 235/2
[SAVSCO 131]
[SAVSCO 110]
[SAVSCO 160]
[SAVSCO 4]
[SAVSCO 62]
COV.RUNE
M/GN:COR-FB
M/GN:COR
M/SSPEC 2 (7:4 - 8)-FB
[SAVSCO 38]
CORG
SAVSCO 223
SAVSCO 224
SAVSCO 5 (9:3 - 11:4)-FB
SAVSCO 5 (1 - 42)
SAVSCO 5 (43 - 44:5)-FB
SAVSCO 5 (43 - 55)
SAVSCO 6
[SAVSCO 7]
*[SAVSCO 35]
*[SAVSCO 11]
*SAVSCO 12
*[SAVSCO 28]
M/SAGA 1
[SAVSCO 44]
SAVSCO 221-FB
SAVSCO 221
[SAVSCO 37]
M/SSPEC 2 (6:2 - 6:3)-FB
[SAVSCO 189/2]
[SAVSCO 15]
SAVSCO 31
SAVSCO 32
[SAVSCO 165]
[SAVSCO 19]
SAVSCO 179/2
[SAVSCO 95]
[SAVSCO 181]
SJNS-FB
*SAVSCO 222/2
TCORPS 3
[SAVSCO 128]
[SAVSCO 178]
SAVSCO 144
SAVSCO 145
[SAVSCO 114]
[SAVSCO 206]
M/SSPEC 2
[SAVSCO 73 (1 - 4:4)]
SAVSCO 225 (12:6)-FB
[SAVSCO 73 (4:5 - 49)]
[SAVSCO 122]
[SAVSCO 94]
SAVSCO 40
SAVSCO 41-FB
SAVSCO 41
SAVSCO 42
SAVSCO 43
[SAVSCO 68]
[SAVSCO 69]
SAVSCO 225 (13:1 - 13:3)-FB
SAVSCO 225
SAVT 2
SAVT 3
SAVT 3/3
GSCO 1 (15:4)-FB
[SAVSCO 211]
[SAVSCO 107]
SAVSCO 170
SAVSCO 179
[SAVSCO 133]
[SAVSCO 27]
SAVSCO 46
COK 20 (27:5 - 29:2)-FB
COK 23-FB
COK 20 (29:5 - 33:4)-FB
SAVSCO 48 (47:6 - 48:2)-FB
SAVSCO 47-FB
SAVSCO 47
SAVSCO 48
[SAVSCO 59/2]
[SAVSCO 76/2]
SAVSCO 49
SAVSCO 50
SAVSCO 51-FB
SAVSCO 51
SAVSCO 52 (1 - 32)
GSCO 1 (16:2)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (33:1 - 33:3)
GSCO 1 (16:3 - 16:4)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (33:4 - 34:3)
COK 20 (34:5 - 34:7)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (34:4 - 35:3)
COK 20 (35:1)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (35:4)
COK 20 (35:2)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (35:5)
COK 20 (35:3)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (35:6 - 37:3)
GSCO 1 (16:5)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (37:4)]
GSCO 1 (16:6)-FB
SAVSCO 52 (37:5 - 43)
[SAVSCO 214]
CO@ 2
[SAVSCO 227/4]
[SAVSCO 205/2]
[SAVSCO 30]
GSCO 1
GSCO 2-FB
GSCO 2
GSCO 3
GSCO 4
SAVSCO 8/5
SAVSCO 10
CO@ 4
CO@ 5 (1 - 26:1)
CO@ 5-FB
CO@ 5 (26:2 - 33)
KCO 5-FB
KCO 6-FB
KCO 7-FB
KCO 8-FB
COK 52-FB
COK 20 (22:2 - 23:4)-FB
COK 20 (21:4)-FB
[SAVSCO 166]
[SAVSCO 167]
[SAVSCO 168]
[SAVSCO 169]
COSAV 4
[SAVSCO 177/3]
KCO 1-FB
KCO 1
KCO 2-FB
KCO 2
KCO 3
KCO 4 (3:6 - 4:2)-FB
KCO 4 (1 - 22)
KCO 4 (30:5 - 31:2)-FB
KCO 4 (23 - 24)
P@ 2/4 (5:5)-FB
KCO 4 (25 - 27)
KCO 4 (33:3)-FB
KCO 4 (28:1 - 28:3)
KCO 4 (33:4)-FB
KCO 4 (28:4 - 33)
P@ 2/4 (5:6)-FB
KCO 5
KCO 6-OP
KCO 7
KCO 8
COK 21/2-FB
COK 22/2-FB
KCO 9
KCO 10
KCO 11
KCO 12
KCO 13
KCO 14
KCO 15
KCO 18-FB
KCO 16
KCO 17
KCO 18
KCO 19
COK 52/2-FB
COK 54/2-FB
COK 27-FB
COK 20
COK 21-FB
COK 22-FB
COK 21
COK 22
COK 23
COK 24-FB
COK 24/2
COK 25
COK 26-FB
COK 26
COK 50-FB
COK 27
COK 28 (1 - 13)
COK 50 (1 - 11)
COK 28 (14 - 38)
COK 50 (14:4 - 38)
COK 51
COK 52
COK 53
COK 53/2
COK 54/2
COK 55
COK 29
COK 30
COK 31
COK 32
COK 33
COK 34
COK 35
COK 36
COK 37
COK 38
COK 39
COK 40
COK 41
COK 42
COK 43
COK 44
COK 45
COK 46
COK 47
COK 48-FB
COK 48
COK 49
CO@ 7-FB
CO@ 7
M/GN:COISLES
COSAV 10