CONAN helps an alien die

CONAN meets YAG, last of ancient race of aliens while raiding an ancient tower. Yag is a powerful cosmic being who has been enslaved by an evil wizard, Yara, and made to pass on his secrets. As he says, "No more was I a god to kindly jungle folk- I was a slave to a devil in human form."(Page 97)
Yag asks CONAN to kill him and use his blood to release the magic in a mystical gem, so he can be free and his tormentor can be defeated,

"Take your sword, man, and cut out my heart; then squeeze it so that the blood will flow over the red stone. Then go down the stairs and enter the ebony chamber where Yara sits wrapped in lotus-dreams of evil. Speak his name and he will awaken. Then lay this gem before him, and say, "Yag-kosha gives you a last gift and a last enchantment". Then get from the tower quickly; fear not, your way shall be made clear. The life of man is not the life of Yag, nor is human death the death of Yag. Let me be free of this cage of broken blind flesh, and I will once more be Yogah of Yag, morning-crowned  and shining, with wings to fly, and feet to dance, and eyes to see and hands to break"

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 98. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Artwork displayed with the kind permission of the artist, Memed .
Please check out his web page HERE for more of his work.

A young CONAN on his way to steal a jewel.

A young CONAN roams the city streets on his way to raid The Tower of the Elephant after a brawl in a tavern.

The lurid lights and drunken revelry fell away behind the Cimmerian. He had discarded his torn tunic, and walked through the night naked except for a loin-cloth and his high-strapped sandals. He moved with the supple ease of a great tiger, his steely muscles rippling under his brown skin.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"

Page 83. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Artwork displayed with the kind permission of the artist, Loopydave .
Please check out his web page HERE for more of his work.

CONAN, meet the youthful thief

We meet a young CONAN in a tavern, where he is trying to find out more about the Tower of the Elephant

He saw a tall, strongly made youth standing beside him. This person was as much out of place in that den as a gray wolf among the mangy rats of the gutters. His cheap tunic could not conceal the hard, rangy lines of his powerful frame, the broad heavy shoulders, the massive chest, lean waist and heavy arms. His skin was brown from outland suns, his eyes blue and smoldering; a shock of tousled black hair crowned his broad forehead. From his girdle hung a sword in a worn leather scabbard.

 From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 80. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

CONAN meets an alien

After breaking into the legendary, Tower of the Elephant, CONAN comes face to with an ancient humanoid figure with the head of an elephant. A being who explains he is from another world,

I came to this planet with others of my world, from the green planet Yag, which circles for ever in the outer fringe of this universe.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 96. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

CROM: An introduction.

After CONAN has spent some time considering the complexities of the religions of the civilized men, he takes solace in CROM,

His gods were simple and understandable; CROM was their chief, and he lived on a great mountain, whence he sent forth dooms and death. It was useless to call on CROM, because he was a gloomy, savage god, and he hated weaklings. But he gave a man courage at birth, and the will and might to kill his enemies, which, in the Cimmerian's mind was all any god should be expected to do.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 83. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

CONAN on philosophical and theological debate

CONAN takes the time consider the debates raging amongst the philosophers and holy-men.

He had squatted for hours in the courtyard of the philosophers, listening to the arguments of theologians and teachers and came away in a haze of bewilderment, sure of only one thing, and that, that they were all touched in the head.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 83. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

CONAN on organised religion.

CONAN is untroubled by the majesty and splendour of the temples he passes on his way to steal a fantastic jewel.

...he knew that Zamora's religion, like all things of a civilized, long-settled people, was intricate and complex, and had lost most of the pristine essence in a maze of formulas and rituals.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 83. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

A keenly observed critique of organised religion from Mr Howard.

CONAN and manners.

CONAN is new to town, and a little confused by the mocking banter of the local criminal underclass.

Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.

From "The Tower of the Elephant"
Page 82. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Much as I want to, I just can't fault the logic of that.