Marvel Super Special 9

=The Trail of the Bloodstained God=

Creators

 * Writer: Roy Thomas
 * Penciller: John Buscema
 * Inker: Tony DeZuniga
 * Letterer: Joe Rosen
 * Colorist: Marie Severin

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous chronological appearance in first story of SSOC-210; next chronological appearance in CB-40).

Minor Characters

 * Zyrus, Arshak and their band of thieves (First and only appearance to date; all die in this issue). Arenjunian thieves.
 * Sassan (First and only apearance to date; dies in this issue). Iranistanian treasure hunter.
 * Keraspa and his tribesmen (First and only appearance to date; all die in this issue). Kezankian tribesmen. Rustum is named.

Location

 * Arenjun.

Time Frame

 * Two days.

Synopsis
Conan, on the trail of a map stolen from him that leads to the legendary Bloodstained God, hears the cries of a Kezankian Tribesmen being tortured in a dark alley in Arenjun. Conan decides a Kezankian might make a good ally, and intervenes, freeing the tribesman and killing several of the torturers. The tribesman runs, and Conan follows but loses the man when a well-thrown stool catches him from behind. Luckily, Conan is revived by Sassan, another on the trail of the Bloodstained God who knows Conan recently had a map to its location. Sassan wants to ally with the barbarian, who readily agrees, and Sassan reveals that the torturers were in fact the thieves who stole the map from Conan and they have ridden westward into the Kezankian hills. The two get horses and begin to follow, but are soon waylaid in a Kezankian ambush. The two fight their way through, but instead ride into another ambush, this time by the original thieves. Conan, Sassan, and the thieves form an uneasy truce to ward off the larger Kezankian forces. All die in battle save for Conan, Sassan, and Zyrus, one of the thieves who holds Conan's map. The three of them decide to finish the quest together, and following the map make their way towards a hidden temple. The temple is full of traps, however, and Sassan is immediately killed by a falling door. Conan and Zyrus carefully make their way through the temple and find a giant golden statue encrusted with gems - the Bloodstained God. Zyrus take the opportunity to betray Conan, and they fight briefly with Conan the victor. As he contemplates how to take the statue, the leader of the Kezankian tribesmen, Keraspa, and his only surviving man, Rustum appear. Rustum was the man that Conan saved the day earlier, and he is hesitatnt to kill Conan. Kersapa shoots Rustum with his bow, but before he can finish Conan off, the Bloodstained God lumbers off its pedestal and throws Kersapa down a fissure. The living statue turns towards Conan, who knocks its head off with a brazier to no avail. Conan manages to push the statue into the fissure, and decides that his own life is worth more than any possible riches, and quickly leaves the temple.

Reprinted

 * Conan Saga #80

=Day of the Red Judgment=