Elder Race

This page is about the "Elder Race proper", the early humanoid species best known for Tuzun Thune and Thulsa Doom, among others.
For the other elder races, please consult this page.

Elder Race
Name	Elder Race
Aliases	Old Race, Elder Race proper
Affiliation and Identity
Identity	Secret
Affiliation	Formerly Elder Nations
Physical Characteristics
Body Type	Humanoid
Origin and Status
Origin	Possibly descendants of Elderspawn and/or Set
Reality	Earth-616
Base of Operations	Formerly Thuria, Earth; Elder Nations, Thuria; "East, beyond the sunrise" of Thuria
Place of Birth	"East, beyond the sunrise" of Thuria
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas
First	Monsters on the Prowl #16 (January, 1972)
First	Monsters on the Prowl #16 (January, 1972)

The Elder Race was a seemingly humanoid race that predated humanity, and was composed of numerous wizards.

It has been speculated that the Elder Race is descended from Elderspawn (offspring of the Elder Gods). Set was stated to be the father of the Elder Race (though the statement possibly references the Serpent-Men instead).

The Elder Race proper is one of many elder races, while elder races (or maybe only the Elderspawn) have been collectively referred to as "the Elder Race".

History

Origin

The Elder Race was a seemingly humanoid race that predated humanity, and was composed of numerous wizards. It has been speculated that the Elder Race is descended from Elderspawn (offspring of the Elder Gods). Set was stated to be the father of the Elder Race.

The Elder Race came from the east, beyond the sunrise, where in time's first dawn, they saw the Great Ka, Bird of Creation flying out over the lands of men.

Elder Days

Before Valusia, they founded the Elder Nations and in their advance trampled lost tribes, according to Tuzun Thune. For a time, long before Valusia, Grondar, before any known realms known in the Age of Kull, before the coming of the Thurian culture and even before the rule of the Serpent-Men over Valusia, the Elder Race ruled over Thuria.

Some members of the Elder Race, including Thulsa Doom, worshiped Set.

At some point, Khalis-Wu encountered the Elder Gods and was seemingly defeated into retreat.

Pre-Cataclysmic Age

The Elder Nations eventually passed and were forgotten. The Elder Race eventually returned east, to their legended realm beyond the sunrise, waiting to see the return of Ka when all things shall end. The Thurians built their cities over the civilization of the Elder Race.

Age of Kull

A few of the last members of the Elder Race were active in the days of King Kull, circa 18,500 BC, and died around that time:

• At the time of Kull's war against wizards, Thulsa Doom was one of the last of the Elder Race, though Thulsa Doom claimed he was Undead. Kull and Thulsa Doom opposed each other frequently, Kull eventually killing Thulsa Doom, causing his followers, including Varnae, to use the Chthon Scrolls to create the first Vampires in a plot to destroy Kull.
• Thuron was king of a mountain city on the outer fringes of Valusia (Hyborian Age Plain of Shamu, in Ophir). He alleged that the "Black Shadow" had gave him strength, and the Ring of the Black Shadow allowing him to summon the "real gods". When King Kull of Valusia decided to annihilate all those who offered human sacrifice to the dark elder gods, and marched on Thuron's city, Thuron was killed by the Great Scorpion God.
• Tuzun Thune was a wizard that invited King Kull to his house by the Forbidden Lake to try to slay him as part of a plot with Kaanuub, but killed by Brule.
• The Demonolater was the father (literally or metaphorically) and leader of a pack of Wolf-Men. He kidnapped Kull's councilor Tu, and masqueraded as him, forcing the king to marry Sareena, daughter of Lhok-Nor, chieftain of the Atlanteans. After he managed to transform her too, the Demonolater was discovered and defeated by King Kull.

Hyborian Age

During the Age of Conan (circa 10,000 BC), Tuzun Thune claimed to be the "last scion" of the Elder Race, returning as a reflection in a mirror (he had been killed by Brule). He soon died, his body becoming a decayed carcass again.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

The Elder Race was composed of numerous wizards, which could hint at predestination of the Elder Race people to magic.

The Elder Race members could become Wolf-Men, as proven by the Demonolater.

Miscellaneous

Representatives

The Elder Race included Tuzun Thune, Thulsa Doom, Demonolater, Kharon, Thuron, and Khalis-Wu.

Notes

• The Elder Race was created by Robert E. Howard in "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" and "Riders Beyond the Sunrise", and were also referred to as "the Old Race" in "Delcardes' Cat".
• In "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" by Robert E. Howard, adapted in Savage Sword of Conan #34 (October, 1978) by Roy Thomas and Mike Ploog:
  • The girl who comes to fetch Kull to the House of Mirrors was of the Elder Race in the original story, though no mention is made of it in the adaptation, and she is only referred to as a "slave girl" in The Kull Comics Chronology.
  • Tuzun Thune also mentions the "Elder Tribes" in the original story, who aren't mentioned in the adaptation as well.

Trivia

• The last priest of Atlantis in Negari used "the Old Race" to describe the Atlanteans.

See Also

• 23 appearance(s) of Elder Race
• 1 minor appearance(s) of Elder Race
• 1 mention(s) of Elder Race
• 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Elder Race
• 7 representative(s) of Elder Race