Conan: Serpent War 1-4

[StrayLamb]

CONAN: SERPENT WAR

Pre-Atlantean Age
Conan: Serpent War 1 (4:3 - 5)-FB [Before the continents rose and sank, the seas changed their beds, and rivers their courses, a tribe marched southward on foot, among them Niord. After coming to new lands, and much battle, they had made peace with the Picts who dwelled there. An injury forced Niord to stay his trek, while the others carried on under the leadership of Bragi into a valley which the Picts had warned them was cursed and forbidden. By the time Niord arrived, there were only corpses. Niord encounters Satha the Great Serpent, aka Set, and apparently kills it]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (2 - 4:1)-FB [Niord stands over the dead Satha. Niord dips an arrowhead in Satha’s venom, and goes after his true target, the Wyrm that slew his countrymen]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (13:3)-FB [Niord draws his bow]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (4:2)-FB [Niord asks the Wyrm if it sees him]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (26&27:1)-FB [Niord looses his shaft]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (4:3 - 4:5)-FB [Niord tells the Wyrm to look upon him, for he is the last sight his eye will ever behold. The Wyrm lashes out, killing Niord, who dies believing he had slain his greatest enemy]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (29 - 30) [Councilor Tu brings a man before King Kull, telling him he came from the unexplored south, who sought him out as if he knew him, and spoke secrets he has told to no one. The man says he has travelled from far beyond the borders they know, and that Kull is the slayer of Borna, conqueror of the Serpent-Men, and King of Valusia. The man says they may call him Jamus of Lemuria. He explains that his Master fought a great war far from there, and though he fought valiantly, the day was lost, and he he now seeks allies to reclaim his kingdom, and believes Kull carries the courage and cavalry required. Jamus says he he has been sent as a mesenger and brings him a great gift as a sign of their deep admiration. Jamus gifts King Kull with the Wyrm Crown, telling him that it carries a great blessing, and that togther, the Wyrm and Valusia shall build an age undreamed of][NOTE: Kull’s face is scarred]

The Hyborean Age (in the immediate aftermath of COB 7)
Conan: Serpent War 1 (18 - 20)-FB [In the village of Mona, near the Karpash Mountains, Conan wakes from a vision of Sschaaronn. As he starts back on the road, he mistakes a fellow traveller as a man-serpent, but recovers just before he assaults him. Hours, or maybe days later, Conan enters a cave to escape the pouring rain, when James Allison reaches across time to him from his deathbed, connecting him to Moon Knight and Dark Agnes]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (25:1 - 25:2)-FB [Conan battles a Man-Serpent in the cave]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (26&27:5)-FB [Conan runs the Man-Serpent thru with his blade]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (30)-FB [As the Man-Serpent’s head falls to the floor of the cave, Dark Agnes appears amidst smoke and lightning]

Conan: Serpent War 2 (1 - 4)-FB [In the village of Tezunar in Stygia, a priestess of Set is given a task by her god, to protect a relic entrusted into her family’s care at all costs from a pair of warriors set upon a path to take the bracelet and shatter its power, while in the cave in the Karpash Mountains, Conan warns Agnes not to touch the golden mask which fell from the Man-Serpent’s face]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:1)-FB [James Allison calls to Conan and Dark Agnes from the mouth of the mask]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:3)-FB [Conan says he will not be tricked by more sorcery]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:5)-FB [Conan crushes the mask beneath his sandled foot]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:7)-FB [The voice continues from the mask, telling the a moment’s violence will not satisfy the forces held fast to this fate]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (7)-FB [The voice warns them that a dark force has wrapped the world in its coils, and that Set extends his reach, poisoning the minds and souls of the weak and burning the hearts and minds of the strong, feeding across Reality, and left unanswered, the Snake will consume all]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (8:1)-FB [The voice tells them that in his time he is called James Allison, but he has lived many lives, telling them they have been gathered to battle the threat of Set and purge it from the world]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (8:4 - 9)-FB [Agnes and Conan question why they should seek to fight the followers of Set again; James tells them he cannot control the road of dark destiny laid before them, but if they do not travel it together, all will be lost; he tells them they are all servants in their own way, and asks them to save those who need them, and slay those who bring darkness. Conan tells James that if they are bound to this path as he says, then to keep his sword fed with blood and battle, but to cross him at his peril]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (10&11:1 - 10&11:3)-FB [Conan and Agnes trek across the Kharamun Desert, east of Zamora]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (12 - 14)-FB [Days later, as they water the horses in the desert, the ground heaves and a huge serpent rises out of the desert sands, killing their mounts. Conan hacks off the sepent’s head and retrieves Set’s Adventurine Stone, which James tells them is a worthy artifact in their quest to weaken the Serpent God’s might. He tells Conan to feed it to flame under the light of the Moon, and he will do the rest]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (18:1 - 18:3)-FB [Conan and Agnes argue]

Conan: Serpent War 3 (1 - 8&9:4)-FB [James leads Conan and Agnes to a wagon carrying sacred burial urns of a cult of Set, which are being takento a vault in Stygia. Conan sets fire to the wagon and the urns. Learning the location of the vault, Conan and Agnes travel to Stygia, where they ransack the vault, and gain clues to their next target]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (12 - 13)-FB [Conan and Agnes arrive at their next target, a temple where they will find an important relic of Set, a bracelet blessed with a portion of his power. James tells them the bracelet has a twin in another time and place, and both must be destroyed simultaneously to wound their enemy]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (15)-FB [Conan and Agnes enter the temple, battling their way thru the cult of Set]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (17)-FB [Conan and Agnes continue to battle their way thru the cult of Set]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (20)-FB [Conan and Moon Knight find themselves transported to the unearthly realm of Eternal Egypt, where Khonshu and Set are locked in battle]

Conan: Serpent War 4 (6 - 7)-FB [In Eternal Egypt, Conan engages Moon Knight, who tells him he’s not his enemy, when Khonshu tells them this conflict is not between brothers in Egypt or warriors in ancient Stygia. Set agrees they face a greater foe, when Khonshu crushes Set in his hand, saying that what little power remains in the Great Serpent will be used to mount their defense. Khonshu tells Marc Spector to go to ancient Stygia as his avatar and face the nightmare head-on, while he attempts to unravel his spirit]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (8 - 9:2)-FB [In the Temple of Set, the priestess sucks out the poison from Conan’s wound. She tells Conan he was felled and freed by the Great Serpent, but he tells her he knows the truth about her fanged god]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (10 - 22)-FB [Satyne, the priestess of Set, welcomes Moon Knight and Solomon Kane as they appear in ancient Stygia, explaining to them, along with Conan and Dark Agnes, that they have all been brought there to face a foe who threatens all of existence, known as the Wyrm. Kane draws his pistol on Satyne, but Moon Knight tells him they were used by James Allison, an agent of the Wyrm, and that in following his quest, they weakened Set, giving the Wyrm a foothold to invade their realities. Satyne adds that if left unchecked, the Wyrm’s influence will overwhelm all other gods and energies, leading to a kingdom of unfettered madness and decay. Conan tells her to show him the foe, and if it bleeds, he’ll kill it. They steel themselves as the Wyrm appears to them. Khonshu empowers his avatar with a portion of his own strength, and together the warriors from across time defeat the Wyrm, and return to their own times. Conan sits in the wreckage with the dying Satyne. She dies, saying that Set is eternal]

France, 1522
Conan: Serpent War 1 (14&15:5 - 18:1)-FB [In France, Agnes de Chastillon, known as Dark Agnes, and her friend Etienne Villiers, fight for their lives on a muddy road, when Etienne is stabbed in the back. Agnes shoots his assailant, and helps him along the road to a village, arriving after midnight. They’re met by the villagers, who have been awaiting her imminent arrival. Binding her hands, they prepare to make a sacrifice of Agnes to their serpent god, Set]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (24)-FB [Dark Agnes battles a Man-Serpent]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (25:3 - 25:4)-FB [Agnes continues her battle]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (26&27:4)-FB [Agnes continues her battle, when she’s pulled thru time to the Hyborean Age]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (23 - 24)-FB [Returned to her own time, Agnes finds Etienne recovering from his wounds]

Northumberland, 1584
Conan: Serpent War 1 (10&11:5 - 12)-FB [Solomon Kane and Gerrick enter the abandoned Dunbar Castle in Northumberland. Gerrick is bitten by a many-headed serpent, which Kane slices thru with his blade]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (23)-FB [Solomon Kane battles members of a cult of Set, as they rob a grave in Dunbar Castle]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (25:6)-FB [Kane continues his battle with the cultists]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (26&27:3)-FB [Kane’s battle continues]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (29)-FB [Moon Knight appears in Dunbar Castle, amidst smoke and lightning]

Conan: Serpent War 2 (5)-FB [Solomon Kane and Moon Knight introduce themselves to each other, and agree they have a common enemy]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:2)-FB [James Allison calls to Kane and Moon Knight from the mouth of the corpse]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:4)-FB [Kane says he’s seen the dead rise before, and such desecration cannot be left unanswered]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:6)-FB [Kane cleaves the skull with his sword]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (6:8)-FB [The voice continues from the skull, telling them to heed his words, and they all may yet be saved]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (7)-FB [The voice warns them that a dark force has wrapped the world in its coils, and that Set extends its reach, poisoning the minds and souls of the weak and burning the hearts and minds of the strong, feeding across Reality, and left unanswered, the Snake will consume all]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (8:2 - 8:3)-FB [The voice tells them that in his time, he was called James Allison, but he has lived many lives. Kane says that he is sworn to destroy evil such as James describes, but is wary of words spouted by a crumbling corpse. Moon Knight says he’s been pulled into these kinds of quests before, and that James is asking nicely now, but it’ll turn nasty if they refuse]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (8:6 - 9)-FB [James tells them if they do not travel the road together, all will be lost. Kane tells James he’ll accept his guidance, until God wills otherwise]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (10&11:4 - 10&11:6)-FB [Kane and Moon Knight journey thru Northumberland and head to the coast. Along the way, a run in with a group of highwaymen serves to build a bond between them]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (15 - 17)-FB [Moon Knight and Kane sit by a fire as they wait for Captain Basso, who owes Kane safe passage, when the flames rise high and James tells them he has good news, that one of Set’s objects of power has been cleansed by their allies. Basso’s ship, the Shandy, draws near, then shoots a cannonball at their fire. Moon Knight leaps aboard the ship to find it’s crew have been taken over by Set, so he fires the cannon down into the ship, destroying it. As Kane drags Moon Knight ashore, he tells him he’s insane. Moon Knight says insane, but effective]
Conan: Serpent War 2 (18:4 - 18:6)-FB [Kane tells Moon Knight that Newcastle isn’t far, and they’ll find another ship there to take them to Rotterdam, then hire a caravan to take them south thru Germany to Italy]

Italy, 1584
Conan: Serpent War 3 (8&9:5 - 11)-FB [Kane and Moon Knight make their way to Turin, their objective a bracelet blessed with a portion of Set’s power, with a twin in another time and place, both of which must be destroyed simultaneously to wound their enemy. James tells them the god of snakes reels from their attacks across the ages, and this blow may be enough to force him to the surface]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (14)-FB [Kane and Moon Knight enter the temple, battling their way thru the cult of Set]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (16)-FB [Kane and Moon Knight continue to battle their way thru the cult of Set]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (19)-FB [Khonshu contacts Marc Spector, telling him to listen carefully and follow his command. He tells Spector to place the bracelet on his wrist, explaining they have come undone and this is the only way. As he does so, James tells them they were all used]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (20)-FB [Moon Knight and Conan find themselves transported to the unearthly realm of Ancient Egypt, where Khonshu and Set are locked in battle]

Conan: Serpent War 4 (6 - 7)-FB [In Eternal Egypt, Conan engages Moon Knight, who tells him he’s not his enemy, when Khonshu tells them this conflict is not between brothers in Egypt or warriors in ancient Stygia. Set agrees they face a greater foe, when Khonshu crushes Set in his hand, saying that what little power remains in the Great Serpent will be used to mount their defense. Khonshu tells Marc Spector to go to ancient Stygia as his avatar and face the nightmare head-on, while he attempts to unravel his spirit][NOTE: This scene is repeated from the Hyborean Age listing for completeness. Eternal Egypt stands outside of normal space/time]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (9:3 - 9:4)-FB [Moon Knight and Solomon Kane are transported to ancient Stygia]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (25)-FB [Solomon Kane is returned to Durham in 1584, where he’s met by a woman who tells him she’s seen animals walking like men and feeding on corpses. He tells her to show him]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (26)-FB [Beyond time, Khonshu pulls Set from the palm of his hand, and the serpent asks him why he spared his life. Khonshu explains it’s not because of charity, but balance, telling Set that without his influence anchored to their existence, the Wyrm could stake its claim, if it hasn’t already]

February 1934
Conan: Serpent War 4 (5:3 - 5:6) [James Allison writes “Valley of the Wyrm”]

1936, possibly during the Winter Solstice
Conan: Serpent War 1 (1 - 4:2)-FB [In Cross Plains, Texas, James Allison lies on his deathbed, remembering his past lives and deaths, as he has been known as Hialmar, Tyr, Bran, Horsa, Eric and John, amongst others, strode thru the deserted streets of Rome behind Brennus, wandered thru the violated plantations with Alaric and his Goths, and was among the Crusaders when Godfrey of Bouillon led them over the walls of Jerusalem. He knows that this is the end of his final incarnation, and the Wyrm’s voice in his mind tells him to remember his sins. His body withers, racked by a sickness he doesn’t understand]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (6 - 7)-FB [The Wyrm shows James a vision of Mark Spector, telling him to call out to him, a Knight to fight a Snake, on this holy night]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (9 - 11)-FB [James tells the Wyrm that Moon Knight’s conviction is unclear and he may not survive, then he begins to drift, trying to remember how Niord died. The Wyrm tells James to focus, as they must find more loyal soldiers in the war against Set, when James says he sees another, a Puritan and protector named Solomon Kane, preparing to enter an abandoned fortress in the English countryside]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (13:1 - 13:2)-FB [TheWyrm tells James that the paladin will soon quest for them. James tells him he doesn’t know if he can bring them together, but the Wyrm tells James to leave that to him]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (13:4 - 14&15:4)-FB [After dreaming again of Niord, James finds another warrior, one called Dark Agnes, fighting for her life on a muddy road winding thru the hills of France]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (28:1 - 28:4)-FB [As he lays dying, James sees each of the four warriors defeating their Man-Serpent foes]

Conan: Serpent War 2 (19 - 20)-FB [James asks about the Wyrm and how Niord died, but the Wyrm, which has wound itself around his dying body, tells James not to worry about the past, and that there is no Wyrm]
Conan: Serpent War 3 (18)-FB [As the two teams prepare to destroy the twin necklaces simultaneously in two different eras in the past, the Wyrm tells James the winds are changing, and his kingdom shall ascend, that Stygia is the final battleground, and he will be triumphant. He tells James Allison that he has served him well, and to pray that next time they meet, when he is all-powerful in this realm, that he chooses to be merciful for Niord’s past transgressions. As the Wyrm vanishes, Allison’s mind is suddenly clear, and he realizes the Wyrm has used him to build his kingdom]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (1)-FB [James recalls how Niord died]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (5:1 - 5:2)-FB [Within his mind flicker the echoes of his previous incarnations, and in that moment, they are all connected to the Wyrm]

Now
Conan: Serpent War 1 (8) [Marc Spector is awakened by Khonshu from a dream sent by the Wyrm. Khonshu tells Marc he didn’t send the dream, but he felt its power across lands only gods may tread. He tells Marc to investigate it in his stead, once more acting as his feet and fists. Marc tells Khonshu things have been quiet, he’s been getting his life back together, and he wants to try to live without Moon Knight for a while, but Khonshu tells him time is short, and that Marc will serve him]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (21 - 22) [Khonshu has led Moon Knight to a broken down house in Cross Plains, Texas, where he finds a graveyard out the back, and priests of Set digging up the corpse of James Allison]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (25:5) [Moon Knight battles the cultists]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (26&27:2) [Moon Knight continues his battle]
Conan: Serpent War 1 (28:5) [A vortex opens above Moon Knight’s location, and he’s transported back to 16th century England]
Conan: Serpent War 4 (27 - 28) [After his adventure, Marc Spector sits in his Westchester apartment, with a sliver of Khonshu’s light now swimming inside of him. As his eyes glow, Marc says that he sees ghostly images everywhere. He suits up, and heads out into the night]

[Col_Fury]

I found it!

I knew I recognized "James Allison" from somewhere; it's Supernatural Thrillers #3 (by Roy T, Gil K & REH)!

All right, I need to read this now (and re-read SUPTHR 3).

[Col_Fury]

SUPERNATURAL THRILLERS #3 (April 1973)
By Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway & Gil Kane

APPEARANCES:
James Allison (also as Niord in fb) & his Aesir tribe (in fb, inc Helga), Bragi (in fb) & his Aesir tribe (in fb), Picts (in fb, inc Gorm, others in fb-fb), Satha (in fb), the Worm (in fb & fb-fb), a sabretooth tiger, a hairy creature

FLASHBACK:
Niord leads his Aesir in search of a new place to live until they’re attacked by Picts. The Aesir win and Niord lets one of the Picts, Gorm, live. Niord and Gorm learn each other’s language and Gorm arranges for peace between the Picts and Aesir. Gorm tells Niord about Satha, the great venomous serpent and shows him the ruins of a city and warns him not to go there. They’re attacked by a sabretooth tiger; Niord kills it but is injured. Gorm tends to Niord’s wounds, but while he heals Bragi and some of the Aesir break away from Niord’s group and settles in the ruins despite the Picts’ warning. When he’s fit Niord travels to the ruins and only finds bodies. Gorm shows up and tells Niord a story (fb). Long ago, some Picts finds the ruins of a city and are killed by a great beast (fb-fb). After burning Bragi and his Aesir’s bodies, Niord sets a trap for Satha. Satha arrives, gets caught on some spikes and Niord decapitates it before getting the serpent’s venom, which he puts on some arrows. Niord goes to the ruins and kills a hairy creature that’s playing a flute; when the creature dies the flute continues to play. The Worm arrives, Niord injures it with poisoned arrows and when it thrashes in pain the ruins collapse around it, burying it. Niord’s wounds are too great and he dies.
SYNOPSIS:
James Allison lies on his bed, dying. He remembers a previous life where he was Niord.

NOTE:
Adapted from “the Valley of the Worm” by REH.

Other names in other lives James Allison had were Hialmar, Horsa, Eric and John.

Pictured and (mentioned) by Niord are Beowulf & (a fire-monster), Saint George & (a dragon) and Siegfried & (Fafnir). This isn’t a flashback, but Niord claiming all of their stories are myths based on Niord’s experience. Apparently he’s unaware of at least Beowulf, who was referenced as recently as the King in Black crossover.

The Conan: Serpent War mini recaps this story, re-using some of the dialogue (the last sight your hated eyes will ever hold, etc.). There is a new bit showing other lives James lived after Niord and before James, though. It also re-names the Worm the Wyrm, and reveals Satha is Set (IM@ 10/4-FB shows Set can grow new bodies when he enters this dimension, so that’s fine).

SUPTHR 5’s letter page said they were vague about when this story took place on purpose. The Serpent War mini establishes it happens before the time of King Kull.

The Serpent War mini also establishes that James Allison lived in Cross Plains, TX. That's nice (that's where REH was from).

[Col_Fury]

The two-page King Kull appearance should go at least after SAVSCO 192-FB, because he’s known here as “conqueror of the Serpent Men.” He conquers them in SAVSCO 192-FB. Beyond that, it looks like this could go anywhere for Kull.

Chronologies!

ALLISON, JAMES/JOHN/ERIC/HORSA/BRAN/TYR/HIALMAR/NIORD
SUPTHR 3-FB
CO:SWAR 1-FB-FB
CO:SWAR 4-FB
SUPTHR 3
CO:SWAR 1-FB
CO:SWAR 1
CO:SWAR 2
CO:SWAR 3
CO:SWAR 4

BRAGI
SUPTHR 3-FB

CONAN
……
COB 7
*CO:SWAR 1-FB
*CO:SWAR 1
*CO:SWAR 2
*CO:SWAR 3
*CO:SWAR 4
SAVSCO 118
……

DARK AGNES/AGNES DE CHASTILLON
CO:SWAR 1-FB
CO:SWAR 1
CO:SWAR 2
CO:SWAR 3
CO:SWAR 4

DEMOGORGE/ATUM
……
T@ 10
**IM@ 10/4 (delete)
*IM@ 10/4-FB
HV.HRC:WTC-FB
……

GAEA/"JORD"
……
T@ 10-FB
**IM@ 10/4 (delete)
*IM@ 10/4-FB
X@ 13/3-FB
……

GORM
SUPTHR 3-FB

KANE, CAPT. SOLOMON L./"SULEIMAN KAHANI"
……
SAVSCO 33/2-FB
*CO:SWAR 1-FB
*CO:SWAR 1
*CO:SWAR 2
*CO:SWAR 3
*CO:SWAR 4
SAVSCO 33/2
……

KHONSHU
……
SHDWL:MK 3
*[MK 200]
*CO:SWAR 1
*CO:SWAR 3-VO
*CO:SWAR 4

KULL
……
M/GN:KULLVOS
*CO:SWAR 4
SAVSCO 129/2
……

MOON KNIGHT/MARC SPECTOR/"STEVEN GRANT"/"JAKE LOCKLEY"
……
SUSMTU 1
*[CNTGN 5]
*CO:SWAR 1
*CO:SWAR 2
*CO:SWAR 3
*CO:SWAR 4

NIORD
See James Allison

SATHA
See Set

SATYNE
CO:SWAR 2
CO:SWAR 3
CO:SWAR 4

SET
SS@ 2/7
T@ 10-FB
**IM@ 10/4 (delete)
*IM@ 10/4-FB
*SUPTHR 3-FB-FB
*SUPTHR 3-FB
SAVSCO 192-FB
X@ 13/3-FB-BTS
ASM@ 23/4-FB
M/FEA2 6-FB
*CO:SWAR 2
*CO:SWAR 3
*CO:SWAR 4
COB 147-BTS
……

TU
……
M/GN:KULLVOS
*CO:SWAR 4
SAVSCO 134/2
……

VILLIERS, ETIENNE
CO:SWAR 1-FB
CO:SWAR 4

WORM/WYRM
SUPTHR 3-FB-FB
SUPTHR 3-FB
CO:SWAR 4-FB-BTS
CO:SWAR 1-FB
CO:SWAR 1
CO:SWAR 2
CO:SWAR 3
CO:SWAR 4

*WORM (renumber to be the second)
UX 250
……

*WORM II (renumber to be the third)
DP/DEATH '98-FB
……

*WORM III/WINSTON HOBBES (renumber to be the fourth)
DISTX 9-FB
……

*WORM IV (renumber to be the fifth)
V2 24
V2 25