The Artifacts
This section of the Barbarian Nation will feature descriptions of the
various artifacts found within the Conan novels. These could include
specific weapons, amulets, armour, bracelets, idols, belts, gems,
sceptres.... anything! Just send in a description of the item, and a picture
(or close likeness) if available. (Note.. pictures are not necessary, but
descriptions are.) Also, let me know which novel(s) the item was in, and who had it (if
applicable). Thanks!
1.) Storora (the Magic Ear)- Made of gold and brass, shaped like a ball within a cube, but
twisted in some perverse manner that would be easy to see but difficult to describe. The Storora
lets you hear conversations that are going on in other places. It was used in Conan the Fearless
by Lemparius, the head senator of Corinthia. Lemparius used the Storora to spy on his enemies,
Conan and the witch Djuvula. - Submitted by ILOVEFIRE1
2.) The Red Asp- An ensorceled, scarlet-bladed dagger featured in Conan and the Grim Grey
God. The hilt is seamlessly wrought of gold and copper into a serpentlike shape, with the
triangular head forming the pommel. A huge, flawless ruby glitters in each eye socket.
Originally stolen from the vaults below the Temple of Set in Luxur by Jade. The Red Asp was
used throughout the novel by Toj Akkhari. - Submitted by The Nation
3.) The runes found in early Conan novels- Runes are gateways to the Rainbow energies that
come from the gods and connect with our rainbow (sometimes called our Aura). They are
powerful geometric forms, and can be used in yoga fashion by saying the rune while positioning
ones body in it's form. Runes can be used as protection from other energies, as well as for
divination; some place runes on bones and cast the bones as in the movie "Conan the Barbarian"
when the Shaman ascertained what he must do to protect Conan from the gate keeper spirits.
The gate at rainbows end we must all see someday. - Submitted by Lone Wolf
4.) The Soul of Thanza- A magical gem that becomes attached to the user's flesh. It gives the
user vast powers, including the ability to live forever by "sucking" a victim's life-force like a
vampire would suck blood. Grolin used the Soul to become the mighty Death Lord in Conan and
the Death Lord of Thanza. - Submitted by Andy Arkanis
5.) The Statue of Al'Kiir- Made from bronze, the statue is of a four-horned monster, grotesquely
male and naked. It stands about 15 inches high and cannot be touched by women. Ill fortune
supposedly falls upon any who possess it. The main features of the statue are four horns, three
lidless eyes and a broad, lipless mouth with rows of needle-sharp teeth. It is used to bring forth
the demon-god Al'Kiir, who looks exactly like the statue. The demon lord was brought to life in
Conan the Triumphantby the sorceress Synelle. - Submitted by Grifter
6.) The Flame Blade- A knife with a poisoned, wavy blade shaped like a flame. The Flame Blade
is a trademark of the Cult of the Hidden Ones (Conan: the Flame Knife). Members of the Cult
use the Flame Blades to assassinate important people. Included among these victims were kings
of Turan, Vendhya and Iranistan. - Submitted by Rick Broekhuizen
7.) The Eyes of Fire- A necklace owned by the Lady Jondra in Conan the Magnificent. The
necklace was set with a flawless ruby the size of a large knuckle, surrounded by sapphires and
black opals. It was stolen from the Lady Jondra by the Necromancer Basraken to control a
demon of fire. After defeating the fire beast, Conan stole the single ruby with plans of selling it
for a healthy profit. - Submitted by Grifter
8.) The Emeralds of Larsha- Seven green gems (presumably emeralds) the size of hens eggs. In
The Hall of the Dead, they were found by Conan in the ancient ruined city of Larsha in a black
stone altar in which they were placed to form a star pattern. When the emeralds were removed
from the altar, the mummified remains of their warrior guardians came to life. Conan escaped
from the altar room followed by the guardians. However, when the guardians entered the outside
world they, and the city of Larsha, crumbled into dust. Conan made his way to Shadizar with his
booty of gems, but when he poured them onto a table in a local tavern to display his trophies, the
emeralds too crumbled into dust. - Submitted by Jonah
9.) Heart of Ahriman - This amulet appears as a large, crystalline gem, intricately faceted and
glowing from within. The Heart is a powerstone; its other powers are not completely known,
nor have they been since the Heart was brought to the west by the Khari. However, a few of its
powers include Magic Resistance, the ability to bring the dead to life as mummies and give the
mummy the illusory semblance of life. This life is a sham, however, and the holder of the Heart
can withdraw it at any time. - Submitted by Y. Marchant
10.) The Grim Grey God - Found in the ancient city of Nithia. It is a statue of a god carved from
a grey pearl the size of two heads. Long ago, the gods of justice trapped the powers of the gods
of evil within the statue. It was protected by the priests of Nithia until the city fell to invaders.
When the priests cast a spell which buried the city and the invaders beneath the sand, the statue
was lost for three thousand years. Conan finds a map to the buried city, but he isn't the only one
seeking the treasure. - Submitted by Crom10956
11.) The Elephant's Heart - A great jem, the source of the evil priest Yara's power in "The Tower
of the Elephant." In order to destroy Yara, Conan had to cut out the heart of Yag-kosha, a
man/elephant being of the Elder World, imprisoned by Yara, and soak the jewel in its blood.
Through an amazing feat of sorcery, Yara is shrunken and pulled into the Heart, which then
explodes. Thusly, Yag-kosha is avenged. - Submitted by James Brand
12.) The sword of the Kings of Valusia - In Conan the Valorous, Conan bought a cheap old
sword with no handle (it rotted away) from a merchant so he could go on a quest to his
homeland, Cimmeria. After inspecting several notched and rusty ones, he drew this blade from
among them. The blade had turned purple-black and the bronze hilt and pommel had corroded to
green. He tested it for balance and found it to be excellent. He then had it fitted with a handle
made of thin wood and wrapped with the backskin of a giant rayfish. The sword turned out to be
the sword of the Kings of Valusia, constructed over 4000 years ago from a fragment of one of the
Arrows of Indra, a meteor. It was used by Conan to slay Jaganath, a sorcerer who, for a brief
instant, was master of all sorcerers until the sword was plunged into his gut! Conan then gave it
to his cousin as a gift for his firstborn son. - Submitted by Canach
13. The Star of Khorala - From Conan the Wanderer (Shadows in Zamboula), the Star of
Khorala is a golden ring with a large jewel. The ring holds magical power, when properly used it
will enslave the hearts of any of the opposite sex. The Star of Khorala was stolen from the
Queen of Ophir by Jungir khan, which was in turn stolen by Conan. From here on, there is no
more record of the Star of Khorala. - Submitted by Rick Broekhuizen
14. Flame slayer - A sword of ancient design. It had a broad blade with a bronze hilt wrapped in
leather. Had quillions in the shape of claws which used to hold the two great rubies known as the
Eyes of Fire. The sword was forged 3000 years ago by great wizards as an instrument to be used
against the beasts of fire (dragonlike creatures). In the Kezankian Mountains, Conan used this
sword to slay a beast of fire. The sword was the only weapon which could penetrate the beast's
thick skin.
15. The Source of Light (an amulet) - A large, powerful crystal. When properly used, it would
give the owner power over life and death. When a zombie touches the amulet, its soul would be
set free. The amulet was found by a Turanian nomad in a ruin in the desert of Turan. The wizard
Neg had the amulet stolen and brought to his castle in Brythunia. Conan stole the amulet from
Neg and gave it to the zombie, Tuanne, who used it to set her soul free. The amulet still lies with
the bones of Tuanne in a Brythunian forest. - Submitted by Rick Broekhuizen
16. The Cobra Crown - The cobra crown is a hollow cone of gold encrusted with thousands of
small cut diamonds. It is fashioned in the likeness of a serpent whose coils form the conical
headpiece and whose arched neck rises up from behind to curve across the top of the crown so
that the serpent's blunt head stares out from above the brows of the wearer. The crown magnifies
the mental abilities of the wearer so that an untrained mind can control another completely while
a trained mind could literally control an army to the point of sacrificing themselves pointlessly.
It was created by the serpent men of Valusia and is one of the most potent soceroous sigils the
Hyborean Age has ever seen. It was found on the Nameless Isle underneath the altar of
Tsathoggua the Toad God in Conan the Buccaneer. - Submitted by Scott & Tanya McEwen