Appearing in "The Tower of the Elephant!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Taurus of Nemedia, prince of thieves (Only appearance; dies)[1]
- Yag-Kosha (Only appearance; dies)[1]
Antagonists:
- Giant spider (Only appearance; dies)[1]
- High Priest Yara (Only appearance; dies)[1] (Main story and flashback)
Other Characters:
- Bel, God of all thieves (Invoked)
- ⏴ Unnamed Kothian (Only appearance; dies)[1]
- Unnamed count of Ophir (Mentioned)
- Unnamed count of Ophir's wife (Mentioned)
- Unnamed Brythunian stolen woman (Mentioned)
- Elephant Tower's guardsman (Only appearance; dies)[1]
- Crom (Invoked)
- Lions (Only appearance; dies)[1]
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Elephants (Mentioned)
- Lions
- Unidentified alien species (Main story and flashback)
- Gods (Mentioned)
- Demons (Mentioned)
- Giant Spiders
- Dinosaurs (Only in flashback)
- Apes (Mentioned)
Locations:
Items:
- Heart of the Elephant (Only appearance)[1] (Destruction)
- Black Lotus (Used)
Events:
- Hyborian Age
- Great Cataclysm (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for "The Tower of the Elephant!"
A slaver, boasting of his recent acquisition, catches the attention of Conan when he mentions a jewel secreted in the Tower of the Elephant. The rogue mocks Conan's interest in the impossible-to-obtain gem, which is never a smart thing to do. Leaving the dead Kothian's body behind, Conan approaches the gated tower and observes Yara, the tower's mysterious occupant enter, but Conan doesn't notice that the priest's feet do not touch the ground. Conan scales the wall and discovers another thief, Taurus, also in the courtyard. Taurus uses a poison gas to slay some guard lions, and the two thieves climb to the top of the tower. Taurus, attempting to leave Conan behind, sneaks into a door but immediately falls out dead. Conan warily enters the room and discovers it filled with treasure but also encounters the room's guardian, a giant poisonous spider. Conan defeats the monster and descends into a lower chamber, where he encounters a green humanoid creature with an elephantine head. The lonely, blind creature introduces itself as Yag-Kosha and explains to a terrified Conan his alien nature and capture by Yara. The fabled gem, the Heart of the Elephant, is what keeps Yag-Kosha captive and Yara extremely powerful. He begs Conan to kill him, which Conan does. Conan then takes the gem to a sleeping Yara, who is mystically swallowed by the gem. Conan can see a fully healed and powerful Yag-Kosha inside the gem take his final revenge on his captor. With its occupant's death, the Tower of the Elephant begins to crumble, and Conan flees just in time to see it collapse into a pile of shards.
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
- The issue is adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard, nominated for "Best story", 1972, by the Academy of Comic-Book Arts.
- synopsis by YardIHS
- This issue is reprinted in Conan Saga #2, Savage Sword of Conan (Weekly) #4 and Essential Conan the Barbarian, Volume 1.
- The story was recounted in Savage Sword of Conan #24
See Also
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 [[First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks and the recounting of the story in Savage Sword of Conan 24|First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks and the recounting of the story in [[Savage Sword of Conan #24|Savage Sword of Conan 24]]]]