Black Ring (Earth-616)

Black Ring
Name	Black Ring
Aliases	Wizards of the Black Ring, Sorcerers of the Ring, Black Circle, Ring
Members
Leader(s)	De facto leaders: Thoth-Amon, Hak-Heru
Former Member(s)	Aket-Atum, Athyr-Bast, Geb-Siris, Hak-Heru, Ptah-Mekri, Ptor-Nubis, Shu-Onoru, Thoth-Amon, Thutothemes, Ur-Pophis, Zula
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Public
Allies	Set (patron deity), King Ctesphon II
Enemies	Ageera, Conan, Ahriman, Diviatix, Ibis, Imhotep
Origin and Status
Origin	Stygian-based association of sorcerers, its main goal being the accumulation of magical and political power. They have collectively acted as the power-behind-the-throne of Stygia.
Status	Defunct
Reality	Earth-616
Base of Operations	Sabatea, Shem and Kheshatta, the City of Magicians, Stygia
Place of Formation	Stygia
Place of Dissolution	Nebthu, Stygia
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema
First	King Conan #2 (March, 1980)
First	King Conan #2 (March, 1980)

The Black Ring was a Stygian-based gathering of sorcerers. that existed at least from the Age of Acheron (circa 13,000 BC) to the Hyborian Age of Conan (circa 10,000 BC). Its main goal being the accumulation of magical and political power. They have collectively acted as the power-behind-the-throne of Stygia.

The wizards of the Black Ring had their headquarters in the Shemite city of Sabatea. They also resided in Kheshatta, the City of Magicians, which they ruled.

The members often harbored rivalries to each others, resulting in assassinations. The king of Stygia turned a blind eye as long as they were conducted privately.

History

Age of Acheron

Circa 13,000 BC, when Acheron still existed, Ptah-Mekri, high priest of Set, was an adept of the Black Ring. When he died, his body was preserved in a hall of the dead in Luxor.

Hyborian Age

Thoth-Amon has at times served as the de facto master of the organization, though certain members disdained his dominance, including Thutothemes. Thoth-Amon was even sometimes described as "Prince of the Black Ring".

When Thoth-Amon withdrew to his oasis at Khajar, Hak-Heru took his place as the de facto ruler of Kheshatta and of the Black Ring.

In one of the last known confrontations between Thoth-Amon and King Conan of Aquilonia, the entire Ring gathered to face the forces of Aquilonia. All but Thoth-Amon were supposedly slain.

Notes

• Though individual members of the Black Ring appeared in Marvel stories from 1971 onwards, it was first depicted as a coherent group in 1980. Its inner workings were fleshed out in 1993.
• It is probable that certain Stygian sorcerers living in exile, such as Kulan Gath and Morophla, were former members of the Ring, but this remains uncertain.

See Also

• 10 appearance(s) of Black Ring (Earth-616)
• 17 mention(s) of Black Ring (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Black Ring (Earth-616)
• 2 image(s) of Black Ring (Earth-616)
• 6 member(s) of Black Ring (Earth-616)