Showing posts with label Tsotha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tsotha. Show all posts

Saturday, March 17, 2012

King CONAN is captured by a sorcerer.

The sorcerer Tsotha approaches King CONAN after a battle.
The black armoured figure loomed in terrible menace over the lean, silk-robed shape, the notched, dripping sword hovering on high.
"I offer you life, CONAN," said Tsotha, a cruel mirth bubbling at the back of his voice.
"I give you death wizard," snarled the king, and backed by the iron muscles and ferocious hate the great sword swung in a stroke meant to shear Tsotha's lean torso in half. But even as the host cried out, the wizard stepped in, too quick for the eye to follow, and apparently merely laid an open hand on CONAN's left forearm, from the rigid muscles of which the mail had been hacked away. The whistling blade veered from its arc and the mailed giant crashed heavily to earth, to lie motionless. Tsotha laughed silently.
"Take him up and fear him not; the lion's fangs are drawn."
From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 46. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Friday, February 10, 2012

Villains, with naked slave-boys...

CONAN is taken prisoner through a combination of ambush, deception and sorcery. He is brought before his gloating, enemies, Tsotha the evil sorcerer, and the  silk wearing, divan lounging Kings, Strabonus and Amalrus.
In front of him stood Tsotha, and on divans lounged Strabonus and Amalrus in their silks and golds, gleaming with jewels, naked slave-boys beside them pouring wine into cups carved of a single sapphire.
From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 49. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

So far in,(About 500 pages) this reference to "naked slave-boys" is the only reference to imply homosexual activity that I've picked up on. There was some lesbian S. and M, but references to homosexuality, other than the subtle one here seem pretty much non-existent so far*.

I think this an instance that brings home how long ago the stories were written, when you read an implication of homosexuality being used to emphasise negative traits in the villains.
 

*Obviously I'm not counting the unavoidable homoerotic aspects of a series of books based entirely on the adventures of a largely shirtless, sun tanned guy that works out a lot! :-)

Monday, January 30, 2012

The evils of drink...

CONAN rescues Pelias who has been held captive by Tsotha an evil wizard for ten years. After their escape they stop to rest next to a table,
He caugth me helpless with drink, Wine is a curse- by the ivory bosom of Ishtar, even as I speak of it, the traitor is here! Friend, please pour me a goblet
From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 64. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

Wine... it's evil, but ever so morish...

Thursday, January 19, 2012

A sorcerer threatens to make a scroll from the skin of CONAN's women.

After having been lured into a trap and defeated, CONAN has been captured Tsotha, an evil sorcerer. Before leaving CONAN to be fed to a giant snake in his dungeons, Tsotha asks,
What word from you shall I say to your women, before I flay their dainty skins for scrolls whereon to chronicle the triumphs of Tsotha-Lanti?
From "The Scarlet Citadel"
Page 52. "The Complete Chronicles of CONAN"

As threats/brags go that's pretty hardcore, "I have defeated you, and now I'm going to flay your concubines to make a scroll to write about how I beat you on."
Bloody sorcerers!