History
Ta-No was the daughter of the Snow Queen, who ruled over the albino people (or "snow-skins") of Leng who lived in one of the subterranean cities of the Old Ones under the Mountains of Madness, in the Frozen Land, in the Hyborian Age, circa 10,000 BC.
As she was fated to take her mother's stead, Ta-No refused and instead ran away, risking death in the process,[1] and was somehow acquired by a Stygian captain.
The Stygian ship, who guarded the sea against the pirates of the Black Coast, was eventually boarded by the Tigress, and its crew swiftly dealt with by Bêlit, Conan, and the Black Corsairs. The Stygian captain rushed to his cabin to slay Ta-No, but was stopped by Conan. Conan also protected her from Bêlit who enraged as she didn't found any treasure in the captain cabin. Conan convinced Bêlit to take the albino with them, arguing that her necklace's gems weren't native to Stygia.
Returning to the Silver Isles, the crew were faced by the mutiny led by the chieftain Ghomli. Conan battled the challenger but was defeated, and the new master of the Silver Isles took Bêlit and Ta-No with him, intending to add them to his wives.[3]
Told of the snow-skins, Ghomli distrusted the rumors and believed Ta-No to be from the far northern lands instead. Conan, who had survived the fight with Ghomli, returned and freed Ta-No, Bêlit and the Black Corsairs, before fleeing aboard the Tigress.
As they could only flee south, towards the Frozen Land and the fabled Mountains of Madness, to evade Ghomli and his ship, Ta-No began to panic, shouting "Tekeli-li", leading Conan to call her by that word, then simply "Tekeli".
The Tigress eventually reached the Frozen Land and set foot, marching towards Leng, after Conan promised to take Ta-No with them once she would have shown them the jewels they were after. The party reached Leng after days of walking, where they were captured by the snow-skins.[2]
They were brought to the Snow Queen and was sentenced to death, save for Conan, saved by Ta-No who took him for mate. Once away, Conan returned and foiled the execution. Before the Snow Queen could order her men to retaliate, Ghomli and his Black Corsairs arrived, and the Snow Queen was slain, struck by a spear. After the Snow Queen's death, Ta-No fled with Conan, but decided to stay with her tribe and dead mother, and upon stumbling unto Ghomli, charged him but was hurled to her death in a precipice, only to be avenged by Conan, who believed that she wanted to perish near her people and her mother, and had become their queen after all, in a way.[1]See Also
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Conan the Savage #4 ; Stalker of the Snows Conclusion: Within the Mountain of Madness
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Conan the Savage #3 ; Stalker of the Snows Part 2: Into the Frozen Land
- ↑ Conan the Savage #2 ; Stalker of the Snows