Baal-Pteor



Baal-pteor is a character from the Conan short story "The Man-Eaters of Zamboula". He is a Kosalan strangler of Yota-pong who Conan defeats at his own game. He is described by Howard as being a giant taller and more massive than Conan, yet in the end, Conan proves the stronger.

Baal-pteor was a Kosalan strangler of Yota Pong who Conan encountered in the story "Shadows in Zamboula ". Physically, he is described as both taller and more massive than Conan, making him a true giant. He is a black man from the lands of Kush, and was trained from childhood to strangle victims in order to save all of their blood for his god. This depraved upbringing made Baal-pteor extremely strong, almost a match for Conan's own inhuman strength.

Quote
Conan's low laugh was merciless as the ring of steel. ''“You fool!” he all but whispered. “I think you never saw a man from the West before. Did you deem yourself strong, because you were able to twist the heads off civilized folk, poor weaklings with muscles like rotten string? Hell! Break the neck of a wild Cimmerian bull before you call yourself strong. I did that, before I was a full-grown man — like this!” And with a savage wrench he twisted Baal-pteor's head around until the ghastly face leered over the left shoulder, and the vertebrae snapped like a rotten branch.'' -- Robert E. Howard, "Shadows in Zamboula"