Conan the Barbarian 43

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous chronological appearance in first story of SS-1; next appearance in CB-44).
 * Red Sonja (Previous chronological appearance in first story of SS-1; next appearance in CB-44).
 * Thoth-Amon (Named only; previous mention in ??)

Minor Characters

 * Mamnon of Ophir and his bounty hunters (First and only appearance to date; all but Mamnon die in this issue). Laxil is named.
 * Uathacht and Morophia (First appearance; both appear next in CB-44). Immortal vampires.
 * Dromek (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue). Deformed monster.

Location

 * The desert a day's ride outside of Aernjun.

Time Frame

 * One day.

Synopsis
Conan and Red Sonja are being chased by bounty hunters after leaving the city of Arenjun with a suspicion of murder charge hanging over their heads. An arrow topples Sonja's mount, and Conan scoops her up as they make their way into a rocky, mountainous pass. They are forced to abandon their other horse as they reach a cavern in the cliffs, and Conan takes advantage of a loose boulder to topple on the pursuing bounty hunter, killing all but their leader, Mamnon, who flees to get more help. The two wander into the gigantic, red-misted cavern, and are attacked by a humanoind bat creature. They find a structure at the center of the fog, but are mystically attacked and rendered unconscious. Conan awakes first, to face Uathacht and her brother Morophla, immortal vampires cursed by Thoth-Amon, while the bat-creatures outside are creations called Afterlings. Morophla seems to have full power of Conan's actions, and forces him to carry Sonja to Dromek, a hideous creature who was used as a breeder for the brother and sister's food supply, but has since devolved into a monster. Uathacht pushes Sonja into Dromek's pit, but Conan jumps in and slays the creature. Conan and Sonja are brought to a cell where they await their fate...

Reprinted

 * Conan Saga 80
 * The Chronicles of Conan Volume Seven: The Dweller in the Pool and Other Stories