Age of Conan: Valeria 1-5

[StrayLamb]

AGE OF CONAN: VALERIA

Birth
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (1)-FB [Valeria is born during one of the countless wars between Aquilonia and Nemedia]

9 years old
Age of Conan: Valeria 3 (8 - 9)-FB [As Zingaran pirates raid her village, Valeria is hidden beneath the floor in a cubby-hole prepared for this eventuality]
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (3 - 4)-FB [Valeria is 9yo when Zingaran pirates raid her village, killing her parents. Having been hidden by her mother, Valeria is later taken to live with her warrior brother, Cassian]
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (9:2 - 12:4)-FB [Cassian and his mentor Sir Antonius, one of the King’s Guard, look after Valeria and teach her how to use the sword]
Age of Conan: Valeria 2 (4 - 7)-FB [Recognizing Valeria’s potential as a warrior, Antonius trains her in swordplay, finding her a quick pupil]
Age of Conan: Valeria 3 (18 - 19)-FB [Valeria returns to find Antonius taking his leave of Cassian. Antonius explains he has received an urgent summons from the king, and offers her a hug, but Valeria storms out]

A young teenager
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (18:3 - 19)-FB [A young teenage Valeria witnesses her brother Cassian being killed by a man dressed in a black hood and cloak. As he dies, Cassian tells her to find Antonius]

An indeterminate number of years later
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (4 - 9:1) [Valeria tells her barman friend Kazit that tomorrow she’s leaving for Tarantia. He asks when her obsession to be the best swordsman in all of Aquilonia will end, but she tells him it’ll never end until the man who killed her brother is kneeling at her feet, begging her to kill him. Kazit reminds her the road to Tarantia is teeming with bandits, but she assures him she can take care of herself]
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (12:5 - 18:2) [Valeria heads to the village forge to find a blacksmith named Lorenz, who made a sword years ago for Antonius, but finds Lorenzo’s son at the forge. Hho tells her to come back tomorrow, so Valeria heads to her room at the tavern and falls asleep, while the black hooded man watches from the shadows outside]
Age of Conan: Valeria 1 (20) [Valeria wakes to find the black hooded man holding a dagger to her throat and asking what a girl is doing carrying the sword of a Mitran knight]

Age of Conan: Valeria 2 (1 - 3) [Valeria gets the better of the intruder and knocks him out]
Age of Conan: Valeria 2 (8 - 20) [As the intruder wakes to find himself well tied. Valeria tells him she recognizes him as the blacksmith’s father. He explains that his family has been making swords for Mitran knights for generations, and that Mitrans have been disappearing. Valeria explains that her brother was a Mitran knight, and he gave her the sword before he died. . He tells her of a monastery half a day’s ride away, where records are kept of the marks of each Mitran Knight, and offers to accompany her, but she refuses his help. As she approaches the monastery in the darkness, Valeria is pulled from her horse by a band of mercenaries. Valeria sustains a cut on her arm and a kick to the mouth, but defeats the mercenaries and staggers to the monastery, where she collapses in the doorway][NOTE: Aquilonia is again at war with Nemedia]

Age of Conan: Valeria 3 (1 - 7) [After a week at the monastery, Valeria has almost recovered from her wounds, under the care of the Mitran priests. As she snoops that evening, Valeria collapses, but sees Antonius before she passes out. Valeria wakes to find herself being tended by a priest, when a blaze breaks out]
Age of Conan: Valeria 3 (10 - 17) [Valeria helps to bandage the wounded, but it brings back memories of her village being burned when she was a child, so she heads to the roof to see who’s attacking the monastery. When a priest dies in her arms, Valeria decides to get into the battle. From the parapet, she sees a siege army at the gates, demanding Father Romano hand over a traitor. She sees Antonius standing with Father Romano. Romano assures Lord Blasius, whom Valeria had thought murdered, that he harbors no traitors to Aquilonia. Lord Blasius gives Romano 24 hours grace, and Valeria overhears Antonius talking to Romano, telling him he was wrong to have come to him for sanctuary]
Age of Conan: Valeria 3 (20) [As Valeria creeps up to his door, Antonius opens it, asking her in]

Age of Conan: Valeria 4 (1 - 13) [Valeria learns from Antonius that Blasius was Lord High Steward when he and Cassian were were King’s Guardsmen. Valeria puts off killing Antonius, who shows her to her room, but when she’s left alone, Valeria heads out, seeking answers from Blasius. She asks about Cassian, and he recognizes her as Cassian’ sister. Blasius tells her he’s after Antonius, who’s he’s a murderer and a traitor. Valeria tells Blasius they may be able to work together, but first she wants to know everything about why Cassian was murdered. Blasius tells her that Cassian’s bravery and skills on the battlefield soon brought him to the king’s attention, and it wasn’t long before he was knighted and chosen to train as a member of the king’s guard, but that the king wasn’t the only one to see his potential. He explains that for centuries the Mitran Knights have been the real power behind the throne of Aquilonia, but when they approached Cassian, he soon saw their true nature. Blasius explains that Cassian stayed with the order to uncover a plot to kill the Zamoran Ambassador, and sacrificed himself to enable them to take down the Mitrans, all but their leader, Antonius]
Age of Conan: Valeria 4 (14 - 20) [Father Romano brings Valeria books about the Mitrans, and she discovers that Blasius, Antonius, and even Romano had each fed her their own version of the truth, then she heads out to kill Antonius]

Age of Conan: Valeria 5 [Valeria finds she can’t do it, and Antonius asks her to sit and talk. She tells him that she loved him, and has spent years trying to find him, to kill him. Antoius tells Valeria that he loved her and Cassian like his own family, and he could never hurt her, but she’s right to want him dead, although he’s no traitor and never lied to her. Valeria demands to know the truth, no matter the cost. Antonius explains that her brother was driven to be the best, and he began to resent the very people he was pledged to protect. He tells her that he had hoped her arrival might redirect some of that energy, but instead he spent all of his money making sure she had the best of everything, which was impossible to do on a knight’s wages. Valeria punches Antonius in the face, but he reminds her she wanted the truth, and asks where she thinks the money came from to pay for a villa, horses and servants. He goes on to tells her that he caught wind of a plot to assassinate the Zamoran Ambassador, and managed to track the source to a little town nestled on the border of Aquilonia, Nemedia and Ophir. He tells her he saw Cassian taking money for the job. Antonius explains that when he returned to Tarantia, he confronted Cassian, demanding an explanation, but he was so twisted around at being caught out, that he pulled out his sword and ran himself thru, and that what she saw was him pulling the sword from her brother’s body, and tells her that he hasn’t touched a sword since that day. Antonius than produces a letter, proving her brother’s guilt, while he explains that he was only running to get Cassian some help, but that he didn’t get past the front gate before he was siezed, along with every other Mitran knight in the king’s guard, all branded as traitors and sentenced to death. He tells her that he managed to escape, and has been in hiding ever since, having realized it had been Blasius who had been hiring her brother to commit unspeakable deeds. Valeria kills Blasius]

[Col_Fury]

Thanks, Straylamb!

Hoo boy…

RS2 1-2 / SAVSCO 225/2 says that Valeria’s mother died in childbirth. She lived with her father until her adventure with Red Sonja happens when she’s seven, her father is killed, is renamed Valeria and ends up with her paternal uncle, who eventually sends her to her maternal uncle who tries to marry her off, which leads into her becoming a pirate posing as a cabin boy, which is what she was doing when she eventually met Conan.

Here, her mother dies while hiding Valeria from attacking pirates when she’s nine, and both parents die in the attack. With both parents dead, she’s sent to live with her brother. Her brother is killed when she’s a young teen, and later she’s an adventurer set on avenging her brother.

I’m having a hard time getting these to fit together.

OK, here’s a stab at it.

Merina’s actual mother dies in childbirth and she lives with her actual father until the Red Sonja adventure with her paternal uncle when she’s seven. She’s sent to live with her adoptive “parents” who die when she’s nine. She’s sent to live with her brother, who eventually dies. She’s reunited (off-panel) with her paternal uncle, who finally sends her to live with her maternal uncle, who tries to marry her off. She becomes a pirate, meets Conan, and eventually avenges her brother at some later point.

Thoughts?

[StrayLamb]

A nice piece of inductive reasoning there, Colonel.

I don't see why the now section of Valeria 1-5 couldn't occur after her first meeting with Conan.

But what if... Valeria was lying in SAVSCO 225/2? The merchant to whom she tells the story says she'll be in for it if he thinks she's lying, and she tells him it'll be the truth, but was it really? I have a daughter who could spin a tale or two at that age, while looking completely innocent and sincere.

I like your version, though. It keeps everything as canon.

[Col_Fury]

I considered if Valeria might have been lying in either version, but...

If she's lying in SAVSCO 225/2, then RS2 1-2 didn't happen (the -FBs are new, then recap RS2 1-2, then more new stuff).

If she's lying in ACO:VALERIA-FBs, then she has no motive for avenging her brother.

RS2 1-2 plainly happened; Red Sonja's in it.

ACO:VALERIA-FBs plainly happened, its referred back to by other characters.

This way, we can just pretend she failed to mention the stuff about her brother to the deckhand in SAVSCO 225/2.

The only bit we'll have to ignore is page 1 of issue 1 where Valeria is born in a barn while pirates attack the village (she was born in a fancy palace in SAVSCO 225/2-FB). Or, we could just assume that page 1 is part of the same attack seen on page 2-3 where Valeria's 9, and that's just some random villager giving birth (ignoring her narration, of course).

Also, she changes her name to Valeria in RS2 1-2, and she's already being called Valeria in ACO:VALERIA 1 (2-3) during that pirate attack, so there's that.

[StrayLamb]

The only bit we'll have to ignore is page 1 of issue 1 where Valeria is born in a barn while pirates attack the village (she was born in a fancy palace in SAVSCO 225/2-FB). Or, we could just assume that page 1 is part of the same attack seen on page 2-3 where Valeria's 9, and that's just some random villager giving birth (ignoring her narration, of course).

Also, she changes her name to Valeria in RS2 1-2, and she's already being called Valeria in ACO:VALERIA 1 (2-3) during that pirate attack, so there's that.

Works for me!

[Col_Fury]

Valeria has GOT to be the most patched together character of all the REH characters. She has multiple origin stories in the comics where basically every member of her extended family dies in various ways in various stories, and then in the movies she has Bêlit’s (fantastic!) death assigned to her. Oh, continuity…

By all accounts that I can find, the king of Aquilonia at this time was still Numedides, but before he got fat (pot calling the kettle…) and went crazy (…black).

I’m going to stick the "now" part of this mini shortly before SAVSCO 170 & 179, where Valeria is acting like… not a rational person… because she recently found out her "hero" brother was actually not that nice of a person. And it drove her bonkers for a bit. Assumed continuity!

Also, a missed -FB for Lord Daquius:

ANTONIUS CABREARA, SIR (the friend)
ACO:VALERIA 4-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (10)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 1 (2 - 3:3)-FB-OP
ACO:VALERIA 5 (11)-FB
{ACO:VALERIA 1 (9:2 - 12:4)-FB}
ACO:VALERIA 2-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (14)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 3-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (16)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 1 (18:3 - 19)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (18:2 - 18:5)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 3
ACO:VALERIA 4
ACO:VALERIA 5

BLASIUS, LORD (the villain)
ACO:VALERIA 4-FB
{ACO:VALERIA 3}
ACO:VALERIA 4
ACO:VALERIA 5

CASSIAN, SIR (the brother)
ACO:VALERIA 4 (12 - 13:3)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (10)-FB
{ACO:VALERIA 1 (2 - 3:3)-FB}
ACO:VALERIA 5 (11)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 1 (9:2 - 12:4)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 2-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (14)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 3-FB
ACO:VALERIA 4 (13:4)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (16)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 1 (18:3 - 19)-FB
ACO:VALERIA 5 (18:2 - 18:5)-FB

DAQUIUS, LORD (the father)
*SAVSCO 225/2 (5:1 - 5:2)-FB
{RS2 1 (1 - 14:1)}
……

KING NUMEDIDES
*ACO:VALERIA 4-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 5-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 3-FB-BTS
{SAVSCO 49-FB}
SAVSCO 46-BTS
……

VALERIA/MERINA
SAVSCO 225/2 (5:1 - 5:2)-FB
RS2 1 (1 - 14:1)
SAVSCO 225/2 (5:3 - 5:4)-FB
RS2 1 (14:2 - 22)
RS2 2 (1 - 5)
SAVSCO 225/2 (6:2)-FB
RS2 2 (6:1 - 12:5)
SAVSCO 225/2 (6:4)-FB
RS2 2 (12:6 - 18:5)
SAVSCO 225/2 (6:5)-FB
RS2 2 (18:6 - 22:6)
SAVSCO 225/2 (7:2 - 7:3)-FB
RS2 2 (22:7 - 22:9)
SAVSCO 225/2 (7:4)-FB
RS2 2 (23 - 24)
SAVSCO 225/2 (7:8 - 7:9)-FB
RS2 2 (25)
*ACO:VALERIA 3 (8 - 9)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 1 (2 - 3:3)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 5 (11)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 1 (3:4)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 1 (9:2 - 12:4)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 2-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 3 (18 - 19)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 1 (18:3 - 19)-FB
*ACO:VALERIA 5 (18:2 - 18:5)-FB
SAVSCO 225/2 (8 - 13)-FB
SAVSCO 225/2
SAVSCO 196
SAVSCO 197
SAVSCO 198
SAVSCO 199-BTS
SAVSCO 225-FB
SAVSCO 225
{SAVT 2}
SAVT 3
SAVT 3/3
SAVSCO 211
SAVSCO 212
SAVSCO 213
SAVSCO 215
SAVSCO 217/2
CO:ROB 1
CO:ROB 2
CO:ROB 3
GSCO 1-FB
SAVSCO 25-FB
SAVSCO 73/2-FB
SAVSCO 74/3-FB
SAVSCO 76/3-FB
SAVSCO 77/2-FB
SAVSCO 78/3-FB
SAVSCO 79/3-FB
SAVSCO 127
SAVSCO 177/2
SAVSCO 172/2
*ACO:VALERIA 1
*ACO:VALERIA 2
*ACO:VALERIA 3
*ACO:VALERIA 4
*ACO:VALERIA 5
SAVSCO 170
SAVSCO 179
SAVSCO 138
SAVSCO 139
SAVSCO 201

[dimadick]

Valeria has GOT to be the most patched together character of all the REH characters. She has multiple origin stories in the comics where basically every member of her extended family dies in various ways in various stories, and then in the movies she has Bêlit’s (fantastic!) death assigned to her. Oh, continuity…

Valeria only appeared in one story by Howard, the posthumously published "Red Nails" (1936). Her every other appearance, and her contradictory origins were written by pastiche writers. The end result was mutually contradictory attempts to flesh out Valeria as a character.

By all accounts that I can find, the king of Aquilonia at this time was still Numedides, but before he got fat (pot calling the kettle…) and went crazy (…black).

Do we even know the length of Numedides' reign? This could be a predecessor, possibly a kinsman to him.

The account of an insane king reminds me of Caligula. He was assassinated following a short reign of nearly 4 years, at the age of 28. His wife Milonia Caesonia and their daughter Julia Drusilla were assassinated at about the same time. Much of what we know about Caligula derives from propaganda tales by his foes, trying to cast him in the worst light possible.

Could Numedides have had a similarly short reign, ending in his own assassination?