#King of Valusia

[kult-of-tol-in-gaurhoth]

"IN THE LEGEND-LADEN DAYS BEFORE THE DAWNING OF THE HYBORIAN AGE..."

PIC(S) INFO: "THE COMING OF -- KING KULL! Spotlight on the introductory page (and remastered cover art) to "Creatures On the Loose!" Vol. 1 #10. March, 1971. Marvel Comics.

"In the time before the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities -- in the legend-laden days before the dawning of the Hyborian Age... the man called Kull rides proudly at the head of his hand-picked guardsmen. But beware, monarch of mighty Valusia... for ahead lies terror! Ahead waits, stark, unfathomable fear! Ahead lurks -- THE SKULL OF SILENCE!"

-- CREATURES ON THE LOOSE Vol. 1 #10

Artwork by Herb Trimpe (✝), Marie Severin (✝), and Morrie Kuramoto (✝). Story artwork by Bernie Wrightson (✝).

Script by Roy Thomas, adapted from the works of writer-creator Robert E. Howard✝.

Source: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Creatures_on_the_Loose_Vol_1_10.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

STILL THE PINNACLE IN '80s SWORD & SORCERY COVER ART -- INTO SERPENTINE DARKNESS.

PIC(S) INFO: Mega spotlight on bi-monthly covers of "KULL" [the Conqueror] Vol. 3 #'s 9 & 10. April & June, 1985. Marvel Comics. Artwork by the mighty Barry Windsor-Smith.

Anyway, I'm sad to say that my "Snake-Man" cover was recently damaged by the rain last week, but now it's even more "vintage" and ancient-looking than ever before, I guess, like a decrepit, weather-beaten tome from the Hyborian Age, if you will. I'm over it, I guess, and the cover still looks pretty great, not gonna lie -- it doesn't look to be deteriorating yet!

Source: https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Kull_the_Conqueror_Vol_3_9 (Marvel Database 2×).

[thehauntedrocket]

King Kull Of Valusia

Art by Ken Kelly

[curtvilescomic]

Kull by Ken Kelly

Textless cover for Kull King of Valusia REH library 2 book 

[hplovecraftmuseum]

Lovecraft and animals, Part 7: Snakes - Snakes did not become particularly important in Lovecraft's tales until fairly late in his career (since Lovecraft considered himself a gentleman amateur 'man of letters', using the term 'career' might have been distasteful for him). The 'Father of all serpents' first appeared in his ghost writing/revision work. THE CURSE OF YIG and THE MOUND, both featured references to 'Yig'. Though there was some uncertainty as to who really coined the name (Lovecraft or his client) in his letters to other writer friends Lovecraft claimed that he himself came up with the name and concept of Yig. Yig is never actually featured in any Lovecraft story in the same way as Great Cthulhu. We do not get a detailed discription of him either. We might assume that since the stories that carry his name most abundantly are connected to the American West and it's pre - Anglo inhabitants that Yig is perhaps the original entity around which all First Nations Snake-God myths were born. The Aztec diety Quetzalcoatl would be a prime example. A snake-like bundle of hair that can move about even after it is cut from a woman's head shows up in the particularly dreadful tale, MEDUSA'S COIL. Lovecraft penned this abomination for Zealia Bishop but the story did not see publication until after his death. (1940. Weird Tales) Of all Lovecraft works written for clients seeking to develop a career as professional writers, MEDUSA'S COIL has got to be one of the most rediculous! Still, Lovecraft injects references to Cthulhu - called Clooloo here, as well as Shub-Niggurath and R'lyeh. Interestingly Lovecraft also makes mention here of the author of the fabled book, Les Chants de Maldoror, also known as Maldoror by a young Frenchman who called himself 'Comte de Lautremont'. Les Chants de Maldoror was written between 1868 and 1869 and was highly influential for the Surrealist School of artists and poets of the 1930s. Lovecraft admitted in letters that he had read parts of Maldoror on several occasions. HPL also knew of Salvador Dali's early works. Apparently Lovecraft was not particularly impressed with Surrealism in general, however. Lastly Lovecraft makes a passing reference to 'the serpent-men of Valusia in one of his later tales. This brief mention was a tip of the hat to Lovecraft's writer pal, Robert E. Howard. Howard and Lovecraft never met, but they corresponded by mail for many years until Howard's death by suicide on June 11, 1936. Howard is best known today for his virtual 'invention' of the Sword and Sorcery genre of imaginative writing. He was the creator of the famed barbarian King, Conan. Lovecraft made mention of a number of his writer friend's fictitious gods and monsters as his own mock mythology/cosmic religion developed, most importantly Clark Ashton Smith's whom Lovecraft admired greatly. (Exhibit 415)

[vaults-of-zin]

Kull of Atlantis miscellaneous thoughts

Being an earlier prototype of Conan the Barbarian most of the sotories are just straight up worse versions of later Conan stories.

There's about a dozen or so stories yet they all end up repeating themselves a lot. Probably a result of how they were/weren't published.

Like a full 50% are about scheming nobles sneaking into the palace to kill Kull and Kull beating the shit out of them.

Conan gets a lot of pre-kingship adventuring stories but every Kull story involves him being king so when he decides unseal ancient evils and plunder their cursed treasure he has a full royal court coming along with him telling him this is a bad idea.

Conan also gets to have a sexuality whereas Kull is wrtten to show how resiliant he is to the manipulating charms of womankind.

This comes off as very gay.

The only type of women in the Empire of Valusia are whiny teenage noblewomen.

The only type of political issue Kull everdeals with involve said whiny teenage noblewomen running off and having affairs.

For all Robert E. Howard loves to prattle about the degeneracy of civilisation, the only example of this he can throw out is scheming noblemen plotting to assassinate Kull. Which doesn't really contrast well with Kull since he also assassinated the last king.

The best story is The Cat and the Skull. Kull gets tricked into diving into a cursed lake full of seamonsters on the advice of a talking cat.

I think the best way to read Kull stories is to imagine them as a strongman dictator's propaganda puff-pieces. That's why the writer is so concerned with describing Kull as strong and virile. That's why every second story is about a consiracy to murder Kull. That's why they never discuss any of Kull's actual policy decisions.

[titanomarchy]

My favorite boss fight in Conan Exiles, from a story perspective is the Barrow King. Gameplay wise he’s just a tall human with a longsword. But in terms of his role in the story, he’s much more interesting.

Originally the area that would be called the Exiled Lands was ruled by one of the Elder Races, ancient beings long before humanity existed. These were the Giant Kings. Their capital in the Exiled Lands is the “Unnamed City”. I’m sure they had a name for it, but I think it’s unnamed in the sense that it had a name, and that name has been removed.

The Giant Kings were ruled by a triumvirate. The Archivist was essentially a historian. The Warmaker was in charge of the military and protecting the species. Last was the Priest-King, in charge of spiritual matters, such as their religion that worshiped Set, the Old Serpent. Their worship of Set allowed them an alliance with their Elder Race kin, the Serpentmen of Valusia. This will come into full effect later.

When humans, survivors of the sunken continent Lemuria arrived at the Exiled Lands, they sought help from the Giant Kings. A deal was made, a certain amount of land allotted to the humans, along with special bracelets that would translate between languages. But humans reproduce much faster than Giant-Kings, and much more. War started between the species, especially when the humans discovered the Serpentmen in the volcano, ancient ancestral enemies.

It is unclear if it was through sorcery or more mundane means, but the Priest-King had a son through a human. Tyros would grow to be the first human to slay a dragon in the Giant-King’s arena. Eventually, Tyros fell in love with Telith, the daughter of the leader of the Lemurian humans. The halfbreed, along with his entire Silent Legion, would defect from the Giant-Kings and side with humanity during the war.

This culminated in the battle between Tyros and the Priest-King. The two battled somewhere in the region that became known as the Mounds of the Dead. While even Tyros was dwarfed by the Giant-King, he was successful in defeating his foe. As the Priest-King lay dying, he cursed his son. Eternal life, or rather undeath. The entire Silent Legion, the Priest-King, and even the dragon buried beneath the arena would never rest.

The curse must have taken some time to take hold, as the Barrow King had a tomb built for him, and sealed with Giant-King blood. Tyros retreated to the Black Keep with his Legion, where they remain to this day, watching their sanity drain day by day.

When you approximate the blood of a Giant-King with demon blood, you are granted access to the tomb. You are greeted with a statement, a question and disbelief. “Awoken, by a mortal?” Throughout the fight, the Barrow King will continue to taunt you “We were your GODS!” and “Your kind was always a pest”

The actual fight is a push over though, as he is weaker than the Cimmerians and Wights in the area around him.

[katiajewelbox]

I noticed this too! I love Shiryu's character design as well as his kind and noble personality. I like how Yasha looks and in my mind's eye, I "cast" him as Kull of Atlantis, King of Valusia, whenever I'm reading one of Robert E Howard's Kull stories. Yasha was an enigmatic character and difficult to understand at times, but he certainly was elegant looking!

[comic-covers]

(1981)

[katiajewelbox]

If there was one anime and manga that nailed the vibe of author Robert E Howard’s original vision of Hyboria, it was CLAMP’s RG Veda. RG Veda is still my favourite manga series of all time, and when I read Kull the Conqueror and Conan the Barbarian novels I imagine the people and places looking a lot like RG Veda’s world. In fact, I pretty much imagine Kull of Atlantis, King of Valusia, looking exactly like Yasha from RG Veda when I’m reading the novels. 

Fun fact: In my upcoming Escaflowne fanfiction, Hyboria begins where the map of Gaea ends... there will even be a cameo by Conan the Barbarian himself as well as some of the fictional cultures and humanoid species from Robert E Howard’s stories!

[jtmercronin]

Kull of Atlantis or Kull the Conqueror is a fictional character created by writer Robert E. Howard and portrayed by Kevin Sorbo in Kull The Conqueror 1997. Kull was more introspective than the subsequent creation, Conan the Barbarian, whose first appearance was in a re-write of a rejected Kull story. 

Kull was born into a tribe settled in the Tiger Valley of Atlantis. The valley was flooded exterminating the tribe while Kull was sole survivor, living as a feral child for many years. Kull was captured and adopted by the Sea-Mountain tribe. Adolescent Kull offers a quick death to a woman judged to be publicly executed by burning for choosing a Lemurian, an age old enemy of Atlanteans as her partner. As recompense, the Sea-Mountain tribe pursue Kull attempting to kill him for obstructing the execution and drive him into exile from Atlantis. 

Attempting to reach the continent, Thuria, Kull was instead captured by Lemurian Pirates. He spent two years a galley slave as an oarsman. The slaves take their freedom by mutiny and run as pirates raiding and smuggling. Kull later earns the command of his own crew until surviving losing a naval battle in Valusian waters. 

Kull resolved to to become an outlaw in Valusia until His capture and incarceration in a dungeon then offered the choice: execution or service as a gladiator. He chose the latter gaining fame in the arenas of the capital, a number of fans helped to regain his freedom. Afterwards Kull joined the Royal army as a mercenary, rising through the ranks. 

Approaching his thirties, is presented a mission by King Borna of Valusia to kill the sorcerer Rotath of Lemuria. Kull succeeds and is promoted to General and the command of royal army mercenaries. Borna is becoming known for for his cruelty and despotism leading to civil war consolidating power with the army's backbone of mercenaries to revolt against Bruna. Kull kills Bruna, who had killed his sons and heirs in a mad rage and usurps the throne of Valusia in his early thirties. 

Kull reaches his middle forties and becoming progressively more introspective in The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune, his adventures and sorties fueled by struggling with his own mortality.

[tlaquetzqui]

So Tubi has Conan the Adventurer, the early ’90s cartoon. Um…why is this show so good? Aside from how the villains are the Serpent Men of Valusia, who run the Stygian cult of Set (whose real name is Yig, Father of Serpents), that whole thing about the phoenix is from one of the earliest stories. And how the shield with the phoenix on it once belonged to a king of Atlantis? Kull. That’s a reference to Kull.

About the one complaint I have is so far nobody has said “ka nama kaa lajerama”.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

UNHOLY SPAWN OF THE SERPENTINE PATH -- THE SONS OF SET -- THE SERPENT MEN!

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on panels of the dreaded Serpent Men, a fictional race created by Robert E. Howard for his King Kull tales, and were later adapted for the "Conan the Barbarian" Vol 1. comic-book series by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin over at Marvel Comics in the early '70s.

MINI-OVERVIEW: "Serpent Men are humanoids with scaled skin and snake-like heads. They possess magical abilities, the most common of which is the use of illusion to disguise themselves as a human. In some stories, the ghost of someone killed by a Serpent Man becomes the Serpent Man's slave. Due to the shape of their mouths, Serpent Men cannot utter the phrase "Ka nama kaa lajerama." Robert E. Howard's character Kull uses the phrase as a shibboleth in the story "The Shadow Kingdom.""

-- FANTASY RACES/HEROIC FANTASY (via Pinterest)

Sources: www.pinterest.com/pin/827536500250967131, http://random-happenstance.blogspot.com/2011/12/end-week-kull-10.html, www.pinterest.com/pin/827536500253725239, etc...

[wanderingbarbarian]

The Hyborian Age (Part I of VI) The Pre-Cataclysmic Age

”Of that epoch known by the Nemedian Chronicles as the Pre-Cataclysmic Age, little is known except the latter part, and that is veiled in the mists of legend.

Known history begins with the waning of the civilization of the main, or Thurian continent... a civilization dominated by the kingdoms of Ramelia, Valusia, Verulia, Grondar, Thule and Commoria. These people spoke a similar language, suggesting a common origin. Though they don't seem to be in agreement. The barbarians of the age were the Picts, who lived on islands far out on the Western Ocean, the Atlanteans, who dwelt on a small continent between the Pictish islands and the Thurian continent, and the Lemurians, who inhabited a chain of large islands in the Eastern Hemisphere. There were vast regions of unexplored land, the civilized kingdoms, though enormous, occupied a relatively small portion of the whole planet. Valusia was the westernmost kingdom of the Thurian continent: her capital, the City of Wonders, was the marvel of her age. Grondar, whose people were less highly cultured than those of the other kingdoms, was the easternmost land. Among the less arid stretches of desert East of Grondar, in the serpent-infested jungles and among the snow-perched mountains, there lived scattered clans and tribes of primitive savages.

On the Far Eastern shores of the Thurian continent lived another race... human, but mysterious and non-Thurian, with which the Lemurians from time to time came in contact. They apparently came from a shadowy and nameless continent lying somewhere east of the Lemurian islands. Far to the South, there was a second mysterious civilization, unconnected with the Thurian culture and apparently pre-human in its nature.

The Thurian civilization was crumbling, their armies were composed largely of barbarian mercenaries. Picts, Atlanteans and Lemurians were their generals, their statesmen and often, their kings. Of the bickering of the kingdoms and wars between Valusia and Commoria, as well as the conquests by which the Atlanteans founded a kingdom on the mainland... there are more legends than accurate history.Atlantis and Lemuria sank, the Pictish islands were heaved up to form the mountain peaks of a new continent, while sections of the Thurian continent vanished under the waves or sinking, forming great inland lakes and seas.

Then the cataclysm rocked the world. Atlantis and Lemuria sank, the Pictish islands were heaved up to form the mountain peaks of a new continent, while sections of the Thurian continent vanished under the waves or sinking, forming great inland lakes and seas. Volcanoes broke forth and terrific earthquakes shook down the shining cities of the empires. Whole nations were blotted out and the face of the world was forever changed.”

Original text by Robert E.Howard from the essay The Hyborian Age. Adapted by Roy Thomas for the Savage Sword of Conan series Artwork by Walt Simonson (Savage Sword of Conan #7)

[natalieironside]

Conan becoming king of Aquilonia: It's fine with some minor hiccups and very brief political intrigue, somehow still has time to go on adventures and hit things, no significant developments

Kull becoming king of Valusia:

I wish that Bob Howard had written more Kull stories.  Kull is a way more interesting protagonist than Conan (who, let’s be honest, is barely a character) who lives in a much weirder world and also is way less racist.

[literaldemonunderscore]

NEXT CONTINENT! Today we're talking about Valusia(I didn't make this map I got lazy when I was first making the world in my dnd game so i just found it online). Valusia is a large island that's in the middle of the world. The realm leader in charge of it is Death.(Once again we'll go over the realm leaders in a later cluster of post). Valusia is one of the only realms that doesn't have an official capitol city. The capital city of Kings port was taken over by a Gang known as The Widow Makers, and after they took over the city they seceded from the realm and renamed it Widow city. Gromshold became the new stand in capital city. Mainly because it has such a large influx of people coming thanks to the Annual fighting tournament. In regards to animals the continent the realm has a large wolf population and on top of that have an animal that they just call Orc bear.(Oooo! I might make a short post talking about the different animals I made and talking about what they look like and their mannerisms/behavior. I'm still working on more animals and i'm open to SERIOUS suggestions) I think that's about it though? As always if you have any questions or comments feel free to comment or message me!