Koth

is a country of the Hyborian Age.

Geography
Koth is an extensive kingdom of rich uplands, mountains and rivers. To the north it faces Ophir, a frequent ally, Corinthia and Zamora. To it's south are Shem, Argos, and the small states of Khoraja and Khauran.

History and politics
Koth's history begins with violence. In ancient times during a golden age of Stygia the lands that would be one day Koth were slowly being integrated into Stygia by their leader, the mighty sorcerer Thugra Khotan. However the Hyborian migration from the frozen north was also occurring at this time. The barbarian Hyborians came for the rich uplands and fought a bloody war against the Stygians. They overran the enemy and took the uplands but continued south to destroyed the northern Stygian kingdom of Kuthchemes. In this way the kingdom of Koth, was born, perhaps the second kingdom right after Hyperborea.

The Kothian tribes were then unified by King Khossus V, the founder, and he built the city of Khorshemish, Koth's capital. He abandoned the city after a number of disturbing occurrences and built a new city to the eastern corner of the kingdom. King Akkutho I latter revived Khorshemish and in the centuries it has grown in wealth and glory, adorned with many slim shining towers and mighty walls. It is considered The Queen of the South.

Koth had in its control the western cities of Shem. During the rise of Aquilonia, Koth was forced to pay tribute and lend aid to wars. It entered a secret alliance with Nemedia against Aquilonia; although the alliance was broken by the Hyrkanian invasion, Koth secretly aided Nemedia in future wars. Under the rule of Strabonus, Koth secretly allied with Amalrus of Ophir, who had tricked Conan into giving aid. The two kings turned on Conan and, under the direction of the de facto ruller of Hoth, the wizard Tsotha-lanti, sent the captured Conan to the wizard's Scarlet Citadel in Khorshemish. The Aquilonian king succeeded in escaping and rescuing the sorcerer Pelias, who, almost overnight, retook the kingdom while Conan killed Strabonus and Tsotha-lanti.

During the fall of Aquilonia the kingdoms of Shem found the opportunity to conquer their old master, Koth, contributing to the fall of the Hyborian civilization. But soon the western part of Koth was part of the Pictish empire while the most part was conquered by the Hyrkanians. Koth remained the battleground between the two new kingdoms, its cities once conquered by the former, once by the latter.

During the Nordic drift, Nordic-Nemedians fled before their wild cousins to Koth, and expelled bth Picts and Hyrkanians.

In later times, western Koth, along with the western lands of Shem, were deluged and formed the Mediterranean. The Stygians, Hyrkanians and Picts who mixed in Koth became the ancient Etruscans.

Population and culture
Kothians are a Hyborian race with a strong Stygian strain. They are usually of a lean strong frame, medium in height, and dark haired. Much like the rest of the Hyborians they are warlike. Mitra, the universal god of the Hyborians, is their chief deity although Koth is not fervent in his worship. Kothians seem to be more urbanized than most Hyborians. They are more prone to trade and comers with other peoples which has introduced them to other cultures and religions. Worship of Ishtar and multitudes of other gods including even Setian sects can be found in Koth.

Stories set in

 * Black Colossus- Much of Koth's history is discussed in this short story although most of the action is set in Khoraja. A land conquered by Koth from the Shemites but now independent.
 * The Scarlet Citadel- Conan and his knights are defeated by a Kothian and Ophirean coalition and is imprisoned in Khorshemish. Koth's magnificent capital.

Characters from

 * Akkutho I- A king of Koth.
 * Arbanus- Kothian general.
 * Khossus V- A King of Koth and founder of Khorshemish.
 * Pelias - A sorcerer.
 * Strabonus - A king of Koth.
 * Tsotha-lanti - A powerful sorcerer of Set. Notorious throughout the Hyborian world.