Khauran (Kingdom)

History

Khauran was a frontier kingdom on the eastern edge of Koth, where Conan worked as the bodyguard of Lady Khashtris, cousin of Queen Ialamis. Conan was suspicious of the widowed queen's new suitor, Sergianus of Tor, who was actually the aged and ambitious Baron Sabaninus of Koth, made to appear youthful by the sorcery of a scheming Khitan. An plan by Lord Arkhaurus, the queens advisor, to assassinate both Conan and the future queen of Khauran while framing the Cimmerian for the princess' murder backfired, giving Conan the full story. By means of a ruse he tricked Arkhaurus and Sabaninus into revealing themselves during a feast in the Queen's palace. Both were killed in the battle that ensued. The aged body of Sabaninus was consumed by a demon, released at his death by the foul magics that had provided him with illusory youth. Ialamis killed herself when faced with her lover's true nature and Conan departed Khauran, leaving the young Taramis on the Khauranian throne.^[1]

Many years later, Conan returned to Khauran to serve as captain of the royal guard for Queen Taramis. When Constantius, an exiled Kothian, approached Khauran with his army of Shemite mercenaries, faking heading to Turan, the Queen's twin sister Salome secretly kidnapped Taramis and impersonated her, accepting Constantius' marriage proposal, releasing the Khauran army and crucifixing Conan in the desert. During her reign of terror, the people of Khauran lived in pain. The Shemite mercenaries humiliated every woman they desired. The citizens were heavily taxed and vexed. Many young Khaurans were sold as slaves to the Turanians. Other youths fled, joining to the nomads of the desert. The nomads, stronger than ever, started to raid some villages. A revolt arose, led by Marcios, but it failed and he had to flee and hide. Conan then survived to the cross and now leader of more than 11,000 Zuagir warriors, headed to Khauran with his nomads, plus a secret battalion of 3,000 Khauran Hyborian knights. A battle was fought outside the town. The Zuagirs and the Khauran defeated the Shemites mercenaries. Conan and his Desert Wolves eventually freed Queen Taramis, killing Salome and her demon Thaug. Taramis was the Queen again. She offered to Conan to become Captain again and also to become her counselor, but Conan preferred to be the leader of the Zuagirs; then Taramis claimed Marcios new Captain of the Guards.^[2]

Alternate realities

Earth-79213

...^[3]

Points of Interest

Khauran City (Capital)
- Tavern of Hilides

Residents

Acrallidus (Earth-616)

Acrallidus was the city governor of Khauran. He allied with Conan to unmask Baron Sabaninus and uncover his plot to assassinate Taramis.^[1]

Astreas (Earth-616)

Astreas was a normal human. He was a historian, chronicler and probably a philosopher. Astreas reported the events happened in Khauran. He had gotten a correspondence with Alcemides of Nemedia, and probably Alcemides used some of Astreas' informations to write his Nemedian Chronicles. Astreas was really surprised from the changes happened from Constantius arrival in Khauran. He asked himself if the Queen was possessed by a demon, and was quite sure that Conan wasn't dead but rode at the flank of Olgerd Vladislav and his Zuagirs. Astreas also spoke to Marcios, a soldier, who was sure that the Queen was a witch and that Taramis was alive but imprisoned. Astreas went to live in a camp of tents, some miles outside Khauran, and from there sent his letters using carrier-pigeons.^[2]

Attalus (Earth-616)

Attalus was a normal human. He was a soldier and was one of the men who helped Marcios in freeing Taramis.^[2]

Ivga (Earth-616)

Ivga was the woman of Marcios and was really jealous of him. The night that the Shemites entered in the town she heard something about the disorders but was surprised to see Marcios wounded. She listened to him about the story of the betrayal by Taramis, then hid him and cured his wounds.^[2]

Khashtris (Earth-616)

Cousin of Queen Ialamis, Lady Khashtris hired Conan to work as her bodyguard. She allied with the Cimmerian to unmask Baron Sabaninus and uncover his plot to assassinate Taramis.^[1]

Shubal (Earth-616)

Shubal was another bodyguard of Lady Khasthris and a loyal friend of Conan. He allied with the Cimmerian to unmask Baron Sabaninus and uncover his plot to assassinate Taramis.^[1]

Former Residents

Arkhaurus (Earth-616)

Queen Ialamis' foremost advisor, Lord Arkhaurus allied with Baron Sabaninus of Korveka to overthrow Queen Ialamis and eventually annex Khauran to Koth. When the baron's plot was eventually uncovered by Conan and his allies, Arkhaurus was killed.^[1]

Ialamis (Earth-616)

After having lost her husband and one of her daughters, widowed Queen Ialamis was seduced by Sergianus, a young nobleman, who was actually Baron Sabaninus of Korveka in disguise. When Conan and his allies confronted the imposter and thwarted his plot to annex Khauran to Koth, Ialamis killed herself, leaving the young Taramis on the Khauranian throne.^[1]

Khumbanigash (Earth-616)

Khumbanigash was a General of the mercenaries. He was a normal human, probably from Shem. He seemed taller and heavier than the average size of the soldiers. Khumbanigash was one of the reliable men of Salome. He was one of the few men to know the secret of Salome. He also abused of Taramis. Seven months after the conquer of the Khauran city, a night, Khumbanigash escorted Salome to the secret prison of Taramis, to torture her with the sight of the dead Krallides' head. He stayed outside the cell, but heard Taramis' screams. Outside the prison, Khumbanigash suggested to Salome to kill Taramis in front of her people and to declare herself the Queen, sure of the military supremacy of his troops over the Khaurans. Taramis wanted to wait. She threw the head of Krallides to a deaf-mute, who actually was Marcios in disguise, looking for information. Khumbanigash, gesticulating, sent him away. A week later, Conan led his Zuagirs near Khauran and Khumbanigash left the town to fight with the rest of Constantius' army. Khumbanigash died in the battle.^[2]

Krallides (Earth-616)

Son of Acrallidus, Krallides was one of the Queen's counselors. He was a normal human, honest and faithful to the throne and probably a sage. He was considered trustworthy by Taramis, and the people listened his words. After Salome took Taramis identity, Krallides understood that something went wrong, and, after many months of odd behavior of the false Taramis, he started to believe that Taramis wasn't the real one but a false. Krallides tried to convince the Khauran population that the Queen was not Taramis but Salome had him captured and beheaded. Then Salome used Krallides' head to torture Taramis. Khumbanigash gave the head to Marcios, who was disguised as a deaf-mute and who learned that both Conan and Krallides were right and started his plans for the liberation of the Queen.^[2]

Mishi (Earth-616)

Mishi was hired by Lord Arkhaurus to seduce Conan in the Tavern of Hilides and infiltrate the royal palace as a handmaid to kill the young Princess Taramis. When her plan was thwarted by the Cimmerian and Shubal, Mishi was assassinated by Arkhaurus himself.^[1]

Sabaninus (Earth-616)

The aged Baron Sabaninus of Korveka managed to disguise himself as the young noble Sergianus from Tor in Nemedia, with the intention to seduce Queen Ialamis and eventually annex Khauran to Koth. His plot was eventually uncovered by Conan and his allies: Sabaninus was killed and his body was consumed by a demon.^[1]

Zang (Earth-616)

Zang was one of Salome's slaves. He was a normal human probably with few knowledge in magic. Zang was a priest, so he probably helped Salome in her rites. Zang was instructed by Salome to follow Constantius' army and to use the crystal sphere to communicate to Salome how the battle against Conan went. Zang was involved in the battle and wounded. He learned that Conan's siege machines were false and that the Zuagirs had been helped by 3,000 Khauran knights, and that Constantius had been defeated. Zang managed to inform his master but was suddenly killed by an arrow.^[2]

Zinn (Earth-616)

Zinn was one of Salome's slaves. He probably was a normal human. His cranium was deformed and his face was horrible. Zinn was called by Salome after she learned that the battle against the Zuagirs was lost. Zinn followed his master down to the prisons to kill Taramis, but when they reached the corridor where the Taramis' cell was, they found a guard dead. They heard the voices of Conan and Taramis and waited behind a corner. When the liberators reached them, Taramis blinded them with blue flashes and Zinn slew them with his knife. Zinn transported Taramis in the Temple but Conan reached them. Zinn tried to stop Conan but he was easily killed by the Cimmerian.^[2]

Links and References

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Savage Sword of Conan #218
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 Savage Sword of Conan #5
↑ What If? #14

[Savage_Sword_of_Conan_Vol_1_218-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Savage Sword of Conan #218

[Savage_Sword_of_Conan_Vol_1_5-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 ^2.7 Savage Sword of Conan #5

[What_If?_#14-3] What If? #14

[1]

[2]

[3]