Synopsis
3000 years before the Hyborian Age of Conan, circa 13,000 BC,[6] the Hybori (or Hyborians) invaded the kingdom of Acheron, slaughtering the Acheronians and completely destroying Python, the capital.
The Fall of Acheron and the Sack of Python, and the subsequent defeat by the Kothians of Old Stygia, who had remained neutral but joined at the last moment Acheron's side, culminating with the Kothians sacking Kuthchemes and pushing the Stygians out of Shem, marked the end of the Age of Acheron and the beginning of the Hyborian Age proper, and led to the political geography still current by the Age of Conan.
History[]
Background[]
After the foundation of Hyperborea the Elder, the Hyborian kingdom, other Hybori tribes resisting it migrated southwards through the Skull Gate Pass, the Border Kingdom, and eventually through either the Great Salt Marsh, or (which is presumed) though Acheronian Nemedia.[7]
Ever since winning its independence from Stygia (Hyboria) from the Acheronians took captive Shemites, then Hyborians, and presumably people of Zingg, and serve as slaves and sacrifices. Failing in invading Cimmeria, Acheron nevertheless, brought Cimmerian youths to the capital of Python to serve as the King's Elite Guard.
After Xaltana, witch-queen of Acheron, tried to supplant the worship of Set, the Serpent-God, by the one of a Demon God, and was possessed by it,[8] the wizard Kheperu maneuvered and had her entombed on the possession pretense. King Bafomai succeeded her. Bafomai and Kheperu then intended to slay Xaltana's brother Xaltotun, the high priest of Set, while the other archmage of Acheron, Thugra Khotan fled to the Stygian-ruled city of Kuthchemes rather than having to choose sides. In this state of things, Acheron was on the verge of civil war, with its rulers relying on arena captives-fighting games and sacrifices to keep the population entertained and in check.[5]
Casus Belli[]
The war of the Hyborians upon the Acheronians was motivated by the years of Acheron preying upon their people.[6][5]
Eventually, profiting from Acheron's infighting, Koth managed to gain independence from Acheron, and Khossus V, King of Koth, formed a grand alliance along with seceding Ophir, the Hybori tribes, and all enemies of Acheron, seemingly including Shemites and the riders of Zingg,[5] to go at war with their oppressor.[9]
War on Acheron[]
Circa 13,000 BC, the Hyborian barbarians attacked and ravaged Acheron.[6]
The King of Stygia decided to remain neutral in the conflict, punishing this way the former colony.
The Hyborians, including the Kothians, Ophireans, Corinthi, Brythuni marched on Python, while the Shemites and riders of Zingg attacked the empire by its western borders.[5]
Sack of Python[]
In Python, the slaves of Acheron, including Hyborians and Shemites, led by the Shemite woman Mahalat, prepared for rebellion as the Hyborians marched upon the city.
Due to an encounter with the mirrors of Tuzun Thune, Conan of Cimmeria and Red Sonja of Hyrkania briefly found themselves taking part in the fabled rebellion, joining them.[5] Red Sonja was confronted to Xaltotun and stole the Heart of Ahriman from him. Xaltotun tried to use the Heart of Tammuz to retrieve Sonja and the Heart of Ahriman. The Heart of Tammuz instead showed him more treachery from. Gien the situation, Xaltotun fled, leaving the Heart of Tammuz behind.
Meanwhile, Conan, sent by the rebels to slay Bafomai, managed to kill Kheperu and tricked the Cimmerian guardsmen to turn on their hated Acheronian fellows, just as the Hyborian horde was in view of Python.[9]
Many artifacts were lost during the Sack of Python:
- As the Hyborian horde approached Python, a feathered shaman took the Heart of Ahriman from Red Sonja's hands.[9]
- Khossus V took the Blood of Bel-Hissar from a dying wizard.[4]
- Along with the Heart of Tammuz, Xaltotun possibly left behind the Hand of Nergal and a Sleep-Crystal.[9]
The city was completely destroyed,[6] razed to the grounds.[10]
War with Stygia[]
Finally, Old Stygia joined the conflict on Acheron's side, but too late to prevent Acheron's destruction. Furious, the Kothians overran all of Shem, sacked Kuthchemes, and pushed the Stygians back beyond the Styx.[11]
In Kuthchemes, the Hyborians slaughtered Thugra Khotan's devotees, but were unable to breach into his ivory dome, and consequently fled the ruined city, where Thugra Khotan was preserved for three thousands years by his magic.[12]
Focused on the south, Koth did not benefit from the territorial gains attempted by other Hybori tribes from the ruins of Acheron.[11]
Aftermaths[]
- The nation of Acheron fell, and its capital city Python was completely destroyed.
- Most of the people of Acheron were wiped out by the Hyborians, though some people in the hills boasted descent from Acheron.
- The ancient kingdoms of Ophir, Corinthia, and Koth regained their independence.
- New nations rose on the ashes of Acheron: Argos, Aquilonia and Nemedia.[6]
- The last pure blood descendents of the Acheronians, the "Sons of Acheron" set their domain in northern Nemedia, near Aquilonia's and the Border Kingdom's borders. They prepared a revenge for centuries but were seemingly wiped circa 10,000 BC.[8]
See Also
Links and References
References
- ↑ Handbook of the Conan Universe #1 ; Sorcery and Demoncraft's entry
- ↑ Giant-Size Conan #1 ; The Hour of the Dragon
- ↑ King Conan (Vol. 2) #1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Conan the Barbarian #27 ; The Blood of Bel-Hissar!
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Savage Sword of Conan #229 ; Assault on Acheron
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Giant-Size Conan #1 ; Conan the Conqueror - The Hour of the Dragon - Chapter One
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #33 ; A Gazetteer of the Hyborian Age, Part IV: Hybori's entry
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Marvel Graphic Novel #19 ; Conan the Barbarian: The Witch-Queen of Acheron
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Savage Sword of Conan #230 ; Shall Python Fall?
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #38 ; A Gazetteer of the Hyborian Age, Part VI: Python's entry
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Giant-Size Conan #1 ; Acheron: A revisionary theory
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #2 ; Black Colossus