Ancients (Demons)

This page presents contain material that could be merged into other pages (such as the Great Old Ones or the Ancient Ones), depending on the publication of new material clarifying or retconing the existing canon. (Discuss)

Ancients
Name	Ancients
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Secret
Physical Characteristics
Unusual Features	Horrible
Origin and Status
Origin	Demons; otherworldly ancient things of evil; Possible Old Ones
Reality	Earth-616
Base of Operations	Possibly formerly the citadel of the modern-age Magneto's Island, Bermuda Triangle, Atlantic Ocean; other cities on Earth; formerly outer space
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Peter Gillis, Chris Warner
First	Strange Tales (Vol. 2) #1 (December, 1986) (First Appearance) Savage Sword of Conan #64 (March, 1981) (Mentioned)
First	Strange Tales (Vol. 2) #1 (December, 1986) (First Appearance) Savage Sword of Conan #64 (March, 1981) (Mentioned)

History

Origins

The Ancients were a group similar to the Old Ones (extradimensional beings predating Earth), who may or may not have been contemporary with them, or a sub-set of them.

Elder times

The Ancients, including a water elemental, were the rulers of Earth a long time ago, even before humanity developed language and started adoring them.

Horrible creatures, the Ancients inhabited the citadel on the uncharted island that became the base of Magneto, and commited "unspeakeble atrocities" that causing and even the stones to radiate a primal malevolence that could never be purged, whether by time or effort. They apparently built statues made of crystalline circuity matrix, devices serving as guardian unites intended to protect the citadel.
It is unclear whether the Ancients mentioned here are the group of beings known as the Ancients and possibly connected to the Old Ones, or if the term was used a generic name for the ancient beings inhabiting the island.
That isle was also related to Shuma-Gorath, greatest of the Old Ones and to its rebellious creation Quoggoth.

Disappearance

At some point in the past, the Ancients were eventually defeated and bound by magic who used human sacrifice and black magic.

Pre-Cataclysmic Age

At some point in the Pre-Cataclysmic Age (see notes on Captain Rhan's page), the Captain Ehestes Rhan possessed a few ancient incantations books (though he claimed to have never dabbled in black magic). Rhan was marooned on an isle west of Grebuhl by his crew. Stranded on the isle (that he named Zahrahn), Rhan decided to punish the mutineers and to force them to respect the Ancients they despised. He studied the teachings of Set and Mhur in his books. He prayed to the Dark Ones, and to the Great Goat Gods and their brethren, unwillingly summoning a terrible creature only named as "the were-god". The creature seemingly forced Rhan to mate, and later spawned the monstrous Children of Rhan, rapidly aging girls that eventually transform into massive feral creatures if taken away from their birthplace, and causing the weariness of men.

Hyborian Age

The water elemental possessing Martin Fein's body

In his castle, Manu-Kaleem uttered dreaded maledictions in the lost tongue of the Ancients to keep captives such as Sheetaya the dancer under his sway.
Manu-Kaleem also invoked the Ancient Ones and the Dark Gods. It is unknown what relation existed between Manu-Kaleem and the Ancients, and if he or his forefathers were Ancients.

Modern Age

While fighting Urthona, Doctor Strange was forced to destroy many objects of powers to swipe his enemy, but in doing so released many ancient evils, including the water elemental of the Ancients, and many Old Ones. The water elemental invaded Martin Fein's body, went to the Sanctum Sanctorum and attacked Strange, provoked him in revealing that by killing the host, Strange would kill him as well. To the Ancient's surprise, Strange choose to destroy him at the cost of Martin Fein's life.

Miscellaneous

Cultural Traits

The Ancients had their own tongue, lost at the time of the Hyborian Age.

Representatives

The water elemental.

Notes

• Various elder beings have been called "...the Ancient", and might or might not be be part of this group, including Thog the Ancient (who is a confirmed Old One), The Ancient that dwelt in the Misty Moutains, Khosatral Khel, "the Ancient from the Abyss" (spawn of the possible Old One Dagon).
• Other entities, the Ancient Ones, have been called "Ancients". It is unknown what relation, if any, they have to the Ancients.

See Also

• 2 appearance(s) of Ancients (Demons)
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Ancients (Demons)
• 3 mention(s) of Ancients (Demons)
• 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Ancients (Demons)
• 1 invocation(s) of Ancients (Demons)
• 2 representative(s) of Ancients (Demons)