18. Tor Conan #15, Conan the Warlord by Leonard Carpenter, part 5

Chapters 16 - 18.

After the destruction in the last segment, Conan has set off to investigate the Set Cult. He comes to a village, he recognizes the name of it as the one which Ludya came from, and soon finds the head of the snake too. The boy from the prologue is clearly the one responsible for all the mayhem in the marshes. He acts strangely, partly as a carefree child and partly as a dour general many times his own age. He says nothing but is perpetually flanked by two others.

Conan soon finds Ludya and manages to snap her out of the cult programing laid upon her. Though for the moment it's best they both continue to pretend. She explains to Conan about the child's powers, especially against those who have magic. Clearly something has been sent here to attack and destroy, perhaps something from the darkness to the south. Conan approaches the boy warily, not sure what to expect from him. His natural senses are to treat him as no threat, such a stripling. But something about the child makes the hair stand up on his neck.

After some moments of conversing with the boy, Conan's wariness proves well founded. He isn't a boy, and quickly makes this known by shedding his skin and emerging as a reptoid, Conan, shocked by this reaches back by the fire and grabs the poker. Glowing red hot he strikes the head of this monstrosity again and again until it is still. With the boy dead, something occurs and those who were dead and it had animated quickly began to decompose.. and those under it's spell awoke as if from a daze.

After heading back to Dinadar with Ludya, and finally throwing off the guise of Favian Conan leaves the city. He's tired of Nemedia and aims to set off back to the south.


Review ~

Ok, so this was not nearly as bad as the previous Carpenter volume "Conan the Outcast". This had a plot, though pretty far fetched even for the Conan pastiches.. seemed to stretch the credibility of what the Barbarian would put up with. However, it does explain a few things away. The book states that Conan spoke some Nemedian, but not much.. it also spends some time teaching him soldiering skills. Skills he will soon be putting into practice. The book also at the end points him back towards the south and east.

Though the William Galen Gray Chronology places "Conan the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifHunter" much much earlier in the series than this, I feel that it would be very well placed following this book but before 'Rogues in the House'. Hunter features Conan starting out in a town in southern Brythunian known as Pirogia (ugh) and then leaving to go on his adventures in the mountains before heading south again specifically to Shadizar. He talks to a man in Brythunia at one point and they have a discussion about Shadizar. Conan specifically asks the question 'You've Been to Shadizar?" if you place it early in the chronology you can take it as a wide eyed statement of amazement, but if you place it here, it's simply a question. Conan also comes across as quite worldly for his young age in that book.. If you refer back to my review of Hunter you will see the collection of things I made note of way back then.

I feel that the new Chronology should be

"Halls of the Dead"
Conan the Fearless
"God in the Bowl"
Conan the Warlord
Conan the Hunter
"Rogues in the House"
Conan the Victorious

As I've been reading this stories through I've also been working on a new map of the Hyborian world. It's not perfect yet, but I've not read most of the available material. Even once I've finished reading the Conan books I aim to read the other Howard stories that may have been set in the Hyborian world, and probably also the Age of Conan novels. If I aim to be comprehensive I had best be. So I've plotted out the loop I feel Conan has taken on this trip.

Conan's Journey is in Green, until his transportation to the Shemitish desert (This is theoretically a good place for Conan the Outcast to fit. I'm going to have to check on that and see if it causes any problems. I'd prefer it here than where WGG had it anyway.) and then in Blue after he leaves Pirogia for the second time.

The Asterisks and numbers represent this magical transportation from Innisfaln in Conan the Hunter, and his starting point upon his return to Pirogia. Orange are national boundaries and red is the route of the (in the pastiches anyway) Road of Kings.



Rogues in the house therefore could take place in any of the cities along the border between Corinthia and Zamora. For my money, I feel this is the best placement for these stories in the context of an over all arc.


Up Next, "Rogues in the House"

18. Tor Conan #15, Conan the Warlord by Leonard Carpenter, part 4

Chapters 12-15

Awaking from the previous nights revels, the Baron stumbles from his bed. Conan is unused to such quantities or types of liquor and now has a rather bad headache as a result. He chafes at his incarceration and wishes to flee, but at the moment his coerced partnership in this endeavor is rankling. Not wishing to have to fight an entire army, he rightly assumes is the more prudent track to follow. But is allowing himself a few too many nights of excess out of sheer boredom.

However this is not to last, days of politicking and nights of drinking. Something is amiss in the Varikiel Marshes, a request of aid from Baron Ulf, and also the places they sent Ludya the serving girl back too. Conan wishes to check up on her and so he opts to go with the army. It isn't long before Conan gets his wish, as soon the destruction is apparent on the landscape around them. Some vast force is roving across the landscape burning and pillaging and leaving none alive.

Before long Conan realizes he must give battle to this force, apparently some sort of Set worshiping cult, and so has his "vassal" give a lengthy oratory to his troops and to that of another allied Baron explaining what they might be facing. For the following day he aims to fight and if he can, win against this pervasive force acting against the Nemedians.

The next day as the army marches eastward they come across a party of raving madmen, one is the former Baron Ulf whom they had initially come to find. He's been mutated and mutilated and is raving mad with the corruption of the Serpent Plague. He manages to regain just enough strength to warn them of an ambush and tell them where to find the priest of set responsible. In the ensuing chaos following this a number of soldiers are killed, including the girl that Conan had rescued twice earlier on. It's beginning to look a bit bleak for Conan's prospects at the moment. But he will fight on, and get what vengeance he can buy

18. Tor Conan #15, Conan the Warlord by Leonard Carpenter, part 3

Chapters 8-11

Conan is once again learning the role of his job, today is chariot practice while en-route to Castle Edram. Things are going decently until his charioteer is struck by an arrow during an ambush. His chariot pitches wildly about as Conan knows nothing of "Horsefollowing". Luckilly for him, the true prince is with the troupe disguised as an ordinary retainer and he manages to get the chariot under control. He and Conan then route the ambushers, one of which proves to have been a woman, and continue on to Edram hoping to learn more about their attackers.

They learn of a rebellion, one that must be put down, rumours of a cult of Set abound as well. The next day two files of horsemen set out to quash the rebellious populi, and are soon engaged in a horrid slaughter. Conan is no butcher of innocents however and after preventing the rape of a village woman, quickly finds the true reason for the raid. A wooden boat. Which is 'competing' with the King's toll bridge. He voices his displeasure at having been made party to this, but the King's steward remains emotionless to his entreaties.

Following their "Victory" the hosts of Einharson enjoy themselves in a lavish party thrown at the Castle. There has been a wedding this day also, and the Prince is allowed the 'right' of First Night. Again this brings the bile up into the back of Conan's throat, another disgusting practice of 'civilization'. The girl however, is a sham. She is using the princes 'right' to get close enough to him to kill him, and kill him she does. She makes her escape but is seen by Conan, he realizes she is none other than one of the ambushers from earlier, and also the woman in the village.

Conan is soon blamed for the murder of Favian, and later for the murder of the Baron himself. He needs to make his way out of the castle and quickly. But upon reaching a balcony from which he can escape a strange sight catches his eye. A new supernatural threat has emerged, as ghostly riders wearing decrepit armour have begun assaulting the manse. What form of deviltry this is, Conan knows not, only that they are a threat to him. They are soon driven off by the timely intervention of a rebel army lead by the barons cousin.

Having been accused of murder, Conan sees little choice but to side with the rebels. The two factions come upon mutual terms, Conan will remain in his position and continue to impersonate the late prince Favian, become the new Baron and be a puppet ruler answering to a new council. This sits not well at all with the Barbarian, but for the moment its better than being hung as a murderer.

18. Tor Conan #15, Conan the Warlord by Leonard Carpenter, part 2

Chapters 5-7

As we return to the story, Conan is being lectured on the proper etiquette of society in Nemedia. Instructed as to the function of the hierarchy and the station and role of each member of society. It is a very regimented society. Same way it appeared in "The God in the Bowl", Some members of the society are Hard Cases.. but the tutor assigned to Conan does seem to want to help the surly Barbarian to thrive in his new job. So it is regimented, but not without compassion.

After this, Conan follows the baron into a tomb. Not knowing what the man is up too, he dosen't make his presence known. He clearly dosen't trust the man, but assumes his actions are simply some sort of ancestor worship and leaves it at that. He goes back to his rooms afterwords and rests up. Probably a good thing as well, since his tutor promised a thorough examination after he had been caught napping in class.

The following day, Conan is outfitted with armour and goes about his other new duties, he visits the serving girl who he has befriended during his meal, and then goes for a bout of drinking with the man he is to impersonate. This goes fairly well and ends on a friendly note. Though this won't last as later that evening Conan interrupts Favian whipping the serving girl. He of course intervenes and only through his actions and those of the Baron's daughter is the life of Ludya the wench spared. She's to be sent home instead, back to her people in the Vareikial marshes.

That settled, however unfairly, Conan accepts its outcome. The girl is alive, and he adds to the grudge he is beginning to build against the bratty lordling. He goes back to the blacksmith and picks up his new chain mail armor and new helmet. Newly bedecked he goes to mingle and is approached by several of Favian's cronies. They assume he is Favian but his surly demeanor leads them to suspect he's been drinking a bit too much. Conan also begins to suspect there is foul play afoot in the castle and has these suspicions confirmed when that night at supper some one is poisoned. The plot grows thicker.

18. Tor Conan #15. Conan the Warrior by leonard Carpenter, Part 1

Prologue and Chapters 1-4

In the prologue we are treated to a description of a sprawling expanse of the Varikiel marshes in northern Nemedia. Lar is a young farm boy who is playing where he ought not, sometimes the boogieman will come and get you. This is one of those occasions as poor Lar falls afoul of something which gives him a bite like acid.

While this is happening, Conan is participating in an escape from a Nemedian Prison. Things are going well at first, but the guards prove to be more powerful than the prisoners thought. Before long the escape attempt is quelled and Conan is brought before a mysterious man in a black cape, who orders him remanded to baronial custody. He's shunted off to solitary to await transportation, all the while wondering what new trouble is in store.

Soon however he is wheeling his way with the man in the black cape towards a luxurious mansion. He is instructed to sit by by a man named Durwald. Eventually he comes to find out he's there to be offered a job. Apparently the man has seen something he likes in the youthful barbarian. An uncanny resemblance to some one of great import is hinted at, but Durwald makes no effort to explain yet.

Eventually the other shoe drops and Conan is made aware of his presence. He is to pretend to be Durwald's son, Favian. A body double, in case anything should befall him. The two youths immediately get off on the wrong foot when Favian throws a technically poor punch at the Cimmerian who tosses him with little effort. Certainly an interesting job.

Conan spends the next few days growing accustomed to his new station, learning the ways of the nobility of Nemedia and even being taught a rough version of their formal fencing techniques. It's less than practical though, and their swords are less than worthless. Conan would prefer a good broadsword any day. He also learns that his new boss had married a Cimmerian bride, and that is why Favian bears such a striking similarity. The plot thickens.