Conan the Barbarian 91

Major Characters

 * Conan (Last appearance in CB-90; next appearance in CB-93).
 * Zula (Last appearance in CB-90; next appearance in CB-93).
 * Belit (Last appearance in CB-90; next appearance in CB-93).

Minor Characters

 * N'Yaga (Last appearance in CB-72; next appearance in CB-94).
 * M'Gora (Last appearance in CB-74; next appearance in CB-93).
 * Yasanga (First appearance; next appearance in ??). Pirate
 * Belit's crew (Many appeared last in CB-74; many appear next in CB-94). Laranga and Basala named.
 * Imbalayo (First appearance; next appearance in CB-93)). Kushite cavalry commander.
 * Nim-Karrak (Last appearance in CB-72; next appearance in CB-93).
 * Ptor-Nubis(Last appearance in CB-90; next appearance in CB-93).

Location

 * Off the coast of Stygia, south of Khemi
 * Asgalun

Time Frame

 * A week

Synopsis
Conan, Belit, and Zula finally reach the shore and reconnect with the Tigress. Zula is quickly accepted into the fold and amuses the sailors with hypnotism tricks while Conan and Belit celebrate their homecoming in their own way. The next morning, the crew is called awake to the sounds of M'Gora, who had gone ashore to scout Asgalun, racing towards the ship while pursued by swamp rats. Conan quickly comes to his rescue and M'Gora explains how, while scouting ahead to Asgalun, he and his scouting party joined the cavalry of the Kushite Imbalayo. After traveling to Asgalun, he discovered that king Nim-Karrak was held a virtual prisoner by his Stygian guards, indicating the Stygian strength in this Shemite town, though a troop of Hyrkanians has recently arrived to stem the march of Stygian influence. M'Gora also reports on the noble Uriaz, who seems to enjoy acting slothful in his garden, and Akhirom, a possibly mad dignitary from Anakia, whose king, Sumauabi, is marching in the area with an army, but showing no interest in Asgalun...for now. Determined to extract vengeance as soon as possible Conan, Belit, Zula, and M'Gora trek to Asgalun and many days later arrive, and are allowed to enter the city with the help of Yasanga, one of M'Gora's scouts, who uses his position in Imbalayo's cavalry to gain entrance. M'Gora leads them to a secret garden with which to gain access to the castle, but they are attacked by Stygians and seemingly betrayed by M'Gora as he leads them into a trap and even attacks Zula. The villain behind the trap reveals himself to be the Stygian sorcerer Ptor-Nubis, who had sold Zula into slavery originally and has taken control of the helpless M'Gora. Ptor-Nubis then uses his powers to command Conan, Belit, Zula, and M'Gora to fight to the death...

Reprinted

 * Conan Saga #94
 * The Chronicles of Conan 12 - The Beast King of Abombi and Other Stories