Marvel Database
Marvel Database

History

Origins[]

Before humanity started binding books, Shuma-Gorath, Skelos, Vathelos, and others created iron-bound books.[17]

It has been also stated that the Iron-Bound Book of Skelos had (possibly)[18] been compiled by Vathelos the Blind,[19][1] during the Hyborian Age.[18] It was also stated that the Book of Skelos and the Book of Vathelos shared an uncertain relation.[20]

The Iron-Bound Book of Skelos (sometimes presented as the Iron-Bound Books of Skelos)[2] contained the most fearsome magic-lore on Earth, secrets from wizards already old in the early days of Atlantis.[21] (See "Content of the Book of Skelos")

Hyborian Age[]

During the Hyborian Age, only a few copies of the Book of Skelos were known to exist, all closely guarded.

  • All those were allegedly complete, save for one,[21] Thoth-Amon's,[6] from which a page was stolen and ended up in the Temple of a Thousand Gods of Messantia, Argos.[21]
  • Tosya Zul possessed one page of the Book of Skelos, which was the only magical writing he took with him in his fleeing of Zamboula.[12]
  • Shu-Onoru possessed the iron-bound book of Skelos, which was one of the tomes his slave Zula read to gain magical knowledge.[22]
  • Ranephi possessed it, among other tomes of eldritch knowledge, but burned them as his end drew near, to prevent this knowledge to fall in the hands of peasants and barbarians.[23]
  • According to Thoth-Amon, another incomplete,[11] (or nigh-complete according to Karanthes)[7] copy was present in Kheshatta, City of Magicians.[11]
  • According to Thoth-Amon, one complete COPY existed within the Aquilonian Librarium.[11]
  • According to Thoth-Amon, another copy was in a secret temple in Vendhya.[11]
  • One complete, reptile-bound, copy existed on the Nameless Isle, in the Western Sea, on a an altar to Tsathoggua the Toad-God, and was brought by Zarono and Menkara to Thoth-Amon, who was much disliked by the present, as the altar stored the Cobra Crown, a far more valuable artifact.[11]
  • Another wizard named Karanthes, high priest of Azoth, either possessed a copy of the Book of Skelos, or somehow accessed to its content relative to Azoth.[14]

6th Century[]

Merlin possessed a copy of the ironbound Book of Skelos in Camelot, but traded it with the time-travelling Professor Gamble for the Starstone.[24]

Content[]

The Iron-Bound Book of Skelos contained the most fearsome magic-lore on Earth, secrets from wizards already old in the early days of Atlantis.[21]

It contained descriptions of the grim Monsters of the Marsh,[10] and the horned Nightgaunts.[9]

It also described the requirements needed to be met in order to ensure the return of Azoth, the Dreaming God.[14]

Notes

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handbook of the Conan Universe #1 ; Sorcery and Demoncraft
  2. 2.0 2.1 Savage Tales #5 ; The Secret of Skull River!
  3. Conan the Barbarian #66
  4. 4.0 4.1 Conan the Barbarian #67
  5. Marvel Feature (Vol. 2) #7
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Conan the Barbarian #68
  7. 7.0 7.1 Conan the Barbarian #115
  8. Conan the Barbarian #122
  9. 9.0 9.1 Conan the Barbarian #258 ; The Second Coming of Shuma-Gorath Part VII: Savage Homecoming
  10. 10.0 10.1 Savage Sword of Conan #15 ; The Devil in Iron, Part III: The Magic of Khosatral Khel
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Savage Sword of Conan #41 ; The Quest For the Cobra Crown
  12. 12.0 12.1 Savage Sword of Conan #54 ; The Stalker Amid the Sands
  13. 13.0 13.1 Savage Sword of Conan #56
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Conan the Barbarian: The Horn of Azoth #1
  15. Marvel Comics Super Special #35
  16. Savage Sword of Conan #1 ; Summary: An Hyperborean Oath
  17. 17.0 17.1 Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic #1 ; Tomes of Eldritch Knowledge; Iron-Bound Books of Shuma-Gorath
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Book of Skelos, Tomes of Eldritch Knowledge, at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
  19. 19.0 19.1 Savage Sword of Conan #9 ; Part IV of "The Gods of the Hyborian Age: Demi-Gods and Demons"
  20. Book of Vathelos, Tomes of Eldritch Knowledge, at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Marvel Feature (Vol. 2) #6
  22. Conan the Barbarian #85
  23. Savage Sword of Conan #8 ; The Forever Phial
  24. Avengers Annual #22 ; A Gamble of Time
  25. Book of Skelos at the CthulhuWiki