Appearing in "The Sword of Skelos"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Khassek (First and only known appearance; dies)
- Isparana
Antagonists:
- Zafra (First appearance)
- Akter Khan, Satrap of Zamboula (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Shadizar's City Watch
- Unnamed captain
- 🢐 Sarid of Samara (Death) (Leaves the soldiers of Turan)
Other Characters:
- Iranistani prisoners (First and only known appearance; dies)
- Zamorian guards
- Skelos (Mentioned)
- Yag-Kosha (Only in recap)
- Hisarr Zul (Only in recap)
- Soldiers of Aquilonia (Only in recap)
- Yavus (First appearance)
- Ysuphar (Mentioned)
- Ajhindar (Mentioned)
- Khan of Iranistan (Mentioned)
- City Watch of Arenjun (Mentioned)
- Arenjun's governor (Mentioned)
- Shadizar's governor (Mentioned)
- Queen of Koth (Mentioned)
- Yima (Mentioned)
- Imraz (First appearance)
- Shanki (Mentioned)
- Derketari (First and only known appearance; dies) (Main story and flashback)
- Akhimen Khan (Mentioned)
- Chia / "Tigress" (First appearance)
- Jungir (Mentioned) (Mispelled "Junghir")
- Queen of Khauran (Mentioned)
- Turanian soldiers
- Arsil of Samara
- Hafar (First appearance)
- "Sand-Demon" (Mentioned)
Deities and Invocations:
- Nyarlathotep (Invoked)
- Yog Sothoth (Invoked)
- Erlik, the Lord of the Black Throne (Mentioned)
- Hoggoth (Invoked)
- Bel (Mentioned)
- Ishtar (Invoked)
- Tarim (Invoked)
- Hanuman (Invoked)
- Derketo (Referenced)
- Drood (Invoked)
- Yog (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- Hyboria
- Zamora
- Shadizar the Wicked
- The Desert (First appearance)
- Bazaar (Mentioned)
- Arenjun (Mentioned)
- Dragon Hills
- Shadizar the Wicked
- Iranistan (Mentioned)
- Ilbars Mountains (Mentioned)
- Turan (Mentioned)
- Zamboula (Mentioned)
- Samara (Mentioned)
- Cimmeria (Only in recap)
- Venarium (Only in recap)
- Aquilonia (Mentioned)
- Nemedia (Mentioned)
- Brythunia (Mentioned)
- Argos (Mentioned)
- Stygia (Mentioned)
- Sabatea (Mentioned)
- Zamora
- Hyboria
- Xiccarph (Invoked)
Items and Concepts:
- Sword of Skelos (Spell) (First appearance)
- Law of Skelos (Mentioned)
- Code of Bel (Mentioned)
- Eye of Erlik (Mentioned)
- Book of Skelos (Mentioned)
- Tomes of Sabatea (Mentioned)
Events and Eras:
- Hyborian Age
- Battle of Venarium (Only in recap)
Synopsis for "The Sword of Skelos"
The Satrap of Zamboula, Akter Khan, watches in fascination as the sorcerer Zafra enchants a sword enabling it to fly through the air and strike of its own accord. Only two such swords may be enchanted thusly, so the Khan has his personal sword magically endowed. Meanwhile, in Shadizar, Conan completes a transaction with lady of the evening but is attacked by two thieves hired by a man from Iranistan. Conan makes short work of the thieves and goes to find the man who hired them. Conan finds him, and the man, Khassek, reveals he is working for the Khan of Iranistan, who wants the Eye of Erlik in order to force better trade relations with Zamboula. A run-in with Shadizar soldiers on Conan's trail convinces the barbarian to head to Iranistan with his new-found comrade. Back in Zamboula, Akter Khan completes the spell enchanting his sword by sacrificing a slavegirl. Several days later, while traveling, Conan tells Khassek about his recent adventures with his soul and the Eye or Erlik. Ironically, at that moment, far south, Captain Asril discovers that Isparana has fled his custody with the help of one of his men. All this is seen by the mage Zafra, who reports to the Khan that the Eye of Erlik is on its way. Conan and Khassek take a shortcut through the former home of the sand-lich, but soon encounter Isparana and the deserter soldier. Khassek and the deserter are killed in the confrontation, but Isparana ultimately has Conan right where she wants him -- on top.
Notes
- The Sword of Skelos is the beginning of the adaption of the novel Conan and the Sword of Skelos by Andrew J. Offutt.
- Synopsis by YardIHS.
