Conan the Swordsman

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Conan the Swordsman Page 27

by L. Sprague De Camp


  Thasperas — In MB, BB, Lord Thasperas of Kormon is the patron of Schohira. Possibly from Tharypas, a king of the Molossians in -V.

  Thaug — In WB, a toad-demon. Possibly from the same source as Thak (q.v.).

  Theggir — In PS, a Hyrkanian mountain tribe.

  Thenitea — In BB, the location of a Schohiran army arrayed against the Numedidean forces of Brocas. Probably a coinage from New York State place names like Thendara and Caneadea.

  Theringo — In SK, a feudal demesne in Ophir.

  Thespides. Thespius — Respectively in BC, SD, a Khorajan councilor and in CC a renegade Aquilonian count. From Thespis, a Greek poet of -VI.

  Thespius (=Thasperas) — In first draft of BB; discarded. From the same source as Thespides (q.v.).

  Theteles — In VW, Livia's brother, slain by the Bakalah. Probably from Classical names like Thestius.

  Thog — In SS, the demon-god of Xuthal. Also (=Jhebbal Sag) in first draft of BR; discarded. Probably invented, but cf. Thak.

  Thogara — In CS, one of the seven sacred cities of Meru.

  Thorus — In BN, a Gunderman serving with Conan's army. From the Norse Thor (þór) + a Latin ending.

  Thoth-Amon — In GB, TT, PS, &c, a Stygian sorcerer-priest. A compound of the Greek names for two Egyptian gods, Thoth (Thout, Tehuti, Dhuti) and Amon (Amnion, Amun). Howard also used Thoth-Amon's copper ring and its attendant baboon-demon in a story with a modern setting, "The Haunter of the Ring" (Weird Tales, June 1934).

  Thothmekri — In CC, a dead priest of Set. From Thoth (see Thoth-Amon) + Mekri (Mikerê, Mery-kara), a Tenth Dynasty king of Egypt.

  Thrallos — In CC, a fountain outside Belverus. Cf. Trallibes.

  Throana — In CS, one of the seven sacred cities of Meru. .

  Thror — In LD, a subchief of the Æsir. In the Prose Edda, a dwarf; also one of the names of Ođin.

  Thugra — In BC, Thugra Khotan is an ancient Stygian wizard brought back to life under the name Natohk. Possibly from the Thugra Gorge near Petra, Jordan. (See Khotan, Natohk.)

  Thule — In HN, a northern kingdom of pre-Cataclys-"mic (Atlantean) times. From Thule or Thoulê, a northern land reported by the -IV Greek explorer Pytheas of Massilia, identified variously with the Orkney and Shetland Islands, the Faeroes, Norway, and Iceland.

  Thune — In PS, a county of Aquilonia; also part of the name of the wizard in the Kull story, "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune." Possibly from the same source as Thule (q.v.).

  Thuria — In "The Hyborian Age" and CI, the main (Eurasian) continent of Atlantean times. In Burroughs's Martian tales, the Martian name of Phobos, the nearer of the two Martian satellites. Also a town, Thouria, in the ancient Peloponnesos, but any connection thereof with Howard or Burroughs is doubtful.

  Thutmekri — In JG, IG, a Stygian adventurer. From the same sources as Thothmekri (q.v.).

  Thutothmes — In CC, a Stygian priest. From Tho-thmes (Thoutmosis, Tehuti-mesu), the name of several Eighteenth Dynasty kings of Egypt.

  Tiberias — In BR, an Aquilonian trader; in CC, an Aquilonian noble. An ancient town in Palestine, modern Tabariya.

  Tiberio — In CC, Publio's secretary. Italian for Tiberius, a Roman praenomen or personal name.

  Tibu — In DT, a desert tribe of Kush, subject to Tombalku. From the Tibbu or Tibu, a Saharan tribe living around the Tibesti Mountains.

  Tilutan — In DT, a Ghanata brigand.

  Tina — In TT, a young Ophirean girl. Diminutive of feminine names like Albertina, Christina, &c.

  Tito — In QC, an Argossean sea captain. Italian for Titus, a Roman praenomen or personal name.

  TIazitlan — In RN, the race that built Xuchod. Possibly from Tizatlan, Mexico; or a combination of Tlascala or Tlaxcala, Mexico, and Zatlan, a place in Aztec mythology.

  Tolkamec — In RN, a wizard of Xuchotl. Possibly a combination of Toltec and Chichimec, two dynasties or dominant tribes from pre-Conquest Mexican history.

  Tombalku — In DT, a city on the southern edge of the desert south of Stygia. From Timbuktu or Timbouctou, in the République du Soudan, the capital of a succession of Negro empires in medieval times.

  Topal — In RN, a man of Xuchotl. Possibly from copal, a resinous gum collected from various tropical American trees and used as incense.

  Tor — In CC, a Nemedian barony. The word means "hill" or "peak" in English.

  Toragis — In first draft of RN, the place near which Conan's ship was sunk; discarded. Possibly from the same source as Tortage (q.v.).

  Torgrio — In SK, a thief of Ianthe.

  Torh — See Brocas. Probably from the same source as Tor (q.v.).

  Tortage — In PO, a pirate town in the Barachas. From Tortuga (Spanish for "turtle"), the name of two Caribbean islands with a piratical history.

  Tothmekri — In TT, a Stygian prince. From the same sources as Thothmekri (q.v.).

  Tothra — In SS, a dream place. Possibly a combination of the names of the Egyptian gods Thoth and Ra.

  Totrasmek — In SZ, a priest of Hanuman.

  Tovarro — In CB, the brother of King Ferdrugo. From the Spanish surnames Tovar and Navarro.

  Trallibes — In TT, a place on the coast of the Western Ocean. Possibly from Trades in Roman Asia Minor.

  Tranicos — In TT, CI, a pirate admiral Possibly from the Portuguese name Trancoso.

  Trocero — In TT to CI, the count of Poitain. Possibly from the Trocadero Palace, a museum in Paris whose name has been appropriated by many American movie and burlesque theaters.

  Tsathoggua — In CB, CA, a toad-shaped idol on the Nameless Isle. A god mentioned in Clark Ashton Smith's story "The Ice Demon" (Weird Tales, April 1933).

  Tsotha-Lanti — In SC, a Kothian wizard. Possibly suggested by Thoth + Adantis.

  Tubal — In FK, a Shemite serving under Conan. A Biblical name (Gen. 4:22).

  Turan — In WB, DI, QC, &c, the kingdom set up west of the Vdayet Sea bv Hyrkanian invaders. The Old Persian name for Turkestan. In Firdausi's Shah Nameh, the main repository of ancient Persian legend, Feridun (Old Persian, Traetaona) divided the world among his three sons, giving Rum (Europe) to Silim, Turan to Tur, and Iran to Irij. Much of the Shah Nameh is taken up with the efforts of King Afrasiyab (Frangrasiyan) of Turan to conquer Iran, and his successive defeats by the Persian hero Rustam under various Iranian kings.

  Tuscelan — BR, MB, an Aquilonian fort on the Pictish frontier. From ancient Tusculum, Italy.

  Tuthamon — In FK, CC, a former king of Stygia, the father of AMvasha. From the same sources as Thoth-Amon (q.v.).

  Tuthmes — In SD, a nobleman of the kingdom of Kush. From the same sources as Thutothmes (q.v.).

  Tybor — In SC, a river in southeastern Aqudonia. From the Tiber River, Italy.

  -

  Upas — In TE, PS, a poisonous tree. A Javanese tree, Antigris toxicaria, yielding a poisonous sap; formerly reputed to destroy any living thing near it.

  Ura — In FK, a legendary king of Yanaidar.

  Uriaz — In HS, a former king of Pelishtia. From the Hebrew name Uriah (Greco-Latin Urias).

  Uthghiz — In CA, a Turanian admiral. From Utgard or UtgarSar, the land of giants in Norse mythology.

  Uttara Kuru — In CA, a region east of Vendhya. A legendary land in Hindu mythology.

  -

  Valadelad — In first draft of RN, a town burned by Conan just before the sinking of his ship by the Zin-garans; discarded. From Valladolid, Spain.

  Valannus — In BR, MB, an Aquilonian officer commanding Fort Tuscelan; in CC, another Aquilonian officer. Probably from the Roman names Valens, Va-lentius.

  Valbroso — In CC, a Zingaran robber-count. From Vallombroso ("shady valley"), Italy.

  Valenso — In TT, a Zingaran count. Probably from Valencia (ancient Valentia), Spain.

  Valeria — In RN, an Aquilonian woman pirate. The feminine form of Valerius (q.v.). Cf. Livia.

  Valerian — In BB, a nobleman of Schohira. From Valerianus, a common Roman cognomen, borne
by one emperor. It is the adoptive form of the Roman gentile name Valerius, indicating that the bearer has been adopted into the Valerian gens.

  Valerio — In CB, a Zingaran fencing master. From Valerius (q.v.).

  Valerius — In WB, a young Khaurani soldier; in CC, an Aquilonian noble. A Roman gentile name.

  Valkia — In CC, a river and its valley in eastern Aquilonia. Possibly from Valkyrie (Old Norse valkyrja), in Norse mythology one of OSin's maidens. Valka, a god mentioned in the Kull stories, is probably from the same source.

  Valusia — In TE, CB, RZ, and the Kull stories, a kingdom of Atlantean times. The place name Volusia (possibly connected with the Volusci or Volsci of ancient Italy) occurs in New York State and Florida.

  Vammatar — In LD, the queen of Haloga. In the Kalevala, the daughter of evil.

  Vanaheim — In FD, TT, PS, &c, a northern land, west of Asgard. In Norse mythology, the home of the Vanir (q.v.).

  Vancho — In CB, the first officer of Zarono's Petrel. From the Spanish name Sancho.

  Vanir — In FD, QC, TC, &c, the people of Vanaheim (q.v.). In Norse mythology, a class of deities (singular Vanr or Van) originally of fertility and later of weather, agriculture, and commerce.

  Varanna (=Velitrium) — In first draft of BR; discarded. Probably from the same source as Valannus (q.v.).

  Vardan — In CA, a Turanian soldier. A common Persian name (Greek Ouardanes, Latin Vardanes), borne by various Parthian and Armenian kings.

  Vardanes — In BT, a Zamorian adventurer. From the same source as Vardan (q.v.).

  Varuna — In BN, a god invoked by Conan. The creator-god of ancient Brahmanism.

  Vateesa — In BC, SD, a Khorajan lady. Probably from Vanessa, a name constructed by Dean Swift from that of his sweetheart Esther Vanhomrigh.

  Vathathas — In first draft of BC, a legendary king of thieves; discarded. Possibly from the same source as Vathelos (q.v.).

  Vathelos, Vezek Respectively the blind author of magical books in BC and a Turanian outpost in WB. Possibly from Vathek, William Beckford's spelling of the name of the Caliph Wathiq (+IX), in Beckford's Gothic novel of that name (1786).

  Velitrium — In BR, MB, a frontier city on the western borders of Aquilonia. From Velitrae (modern Vellitri), Italy.

  Venara (=Venarium, q.v.) — In first draft of BR; discarded.

  Venarium A frontier fort in Gunderland referred to in BR; probably from Virunum, capital of Roman Noricum, near modern Klagenfurt, Austria.

  Vendhya — In WB, PC, TT, &c., a land to the far southeast, corresponding to modern India. From the Vindhya Mountains, India. The name means "rent" or "ragged," i.e., having many passes.

  Ventrium (=Thenitea) — In first draft of BB; discarded. From the same source as Venarium (q.v.).

  Verulia — A kingdom of Atlantean times, mentioned in "The Hyborian Age." Probably from Verulamium, a Romano-British town, later Verulam; near modern St. Albans.

  Veziz Shah — In CA, a Turanian city governor. From Vezir, the Arabic ministerial title, and Shah (q.v.).

  Vilayet — In SM, DI, BR, &c, an inland sea east of Turan, corresponding to the modern Caspian (also in former times called the Hyrcanian Sea and the Sea of Ghel). Turkish for "province."

  Vilerus — In DT, a former king of Aquilonia. Probably from Valerius (q.v.).

  Villagro — In CB, the duke of Kordava. A pseudo-Spanish name.

  Vinashko — In RE, a chief of the Yuetshi. From Kanishka, a Yiie-Chi or Kushana king in India, c. +100.

  Virata — In FK, a Kosalan magus of Yanaidar. The king of Matsya in the Mahâbhârata.

  Virunians — In LW, a people of Hyperborean descent dwelling in the Border Kingdom. From Virunum (see Venarium).

  Vladislav — See Olgerd. A Russian proper name.

  Voivode — In WB, the title of the mercenary captain Constantius. A title of medieval Slavic generals and governors and of Romanian princes.

  Volmana — In PS, an Aquilonian noble. Possibly from the Vomano River, Italy.

  -

  Wadai — In SZ, a Negro country. A part of the Republic of Chad, Africa; formerly, a powerful black kingdom in that area, conquered by the French in 1908-12.

  Wakla — In CA, a Turanian fort in the Zuagir desert Originally "Whagra," from the verb "wager." Wamadzi — In CA, a Himelian tribe.

  Wazuli — In PC, a Himelian tribe. From the Wazirs, a Pakhtun tribe of Pakistan. Burroughs used Waziri as the name of an African tribe.

  Westermarck — In BB, MB, the borderland between Bossonia and Pictland. From "western" and "mark," an old variant of "march" in the sense of "border."

  Wigurs — In CA, a tribe of Hyrkanian nomads. From the Uigurs, for which see Kuigars.

  Wodan — In WB, Conan's horse. From the North European creator-god, Ođin, Odin, or Wotan.

  Wuhuan — In CA, a desert west of Khitai. A pseudo-Chinese name.

  Wulfhere — In FD, an Æsir chief. An old Saxon name, meaning "wolf army," borne by a pious +VII king of Mercia. Also a character in the stories of Howard's Dark Age hero, Cormac Mac Art.

  -

  Xag — In first draft of DI, the Yuetshi fisherman; discarded.

  Xaltotun — In CC, CA, BN, an Acheronian wizard. Probably from Xulun, Mexico.

  Xapur — In TE, an island in the Sea of Vdayet. Probably from Shahpur (q.v.).

  Xatmec — In RN, a man of Xuchod. A pseudo-Aztec name.

  Xotalanc — In RN, one of the feuding clans of Xuchotl. Probably from Xicalanco, Mexico.

  Xotli — In CI, the devil-god of Antillia. A pseudo-Aztec name.

  Xuthal, Xuthol — In SS, a city south of the kingdom of Kush. The former spelling is Howard's; the latter appears only on Kyle's end-paper maps for the Gnome Press editions of the Conan stories.

  -

  Yag — In TE, SC, a distant planet; also a place (spelled "Yagg") in Howard's novel Almuric.

  Yagkoolan An expletive in SM, SC. Possibly from Yaxchilan, Guatemala, a city of the so-called Mayan Old Empire on the Usumacinta River.

  Yag-Kosha or Yogah — In TE, an elephant-headed native of the planet Yag (q.v.). See Khrosha.

  Yah Chieng — In CA, a Khitan magician. A pseudo-Chinese name. From the names of the Chinese leaders Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek.

  Yajur — In SZ, FK, a god of Kosala. From Yajur-Veda, a section of the Vedas (Hindu scriptures) dealing with ritual.

  Yakov — In CI, a Zaporoskan pirate in the Barachas. A Russian name, cognate with "Jacob."

  Yama — In CS, the Meruvian creator-god. In Hindu myth, the god of the underworld.

  Yamad Al-Aphta — In CA, a name of Conan among the Zuagirs. From the villain Jamal in the movie Sinbad the Sailor (with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) and the Arabic definite article al, and "Aphta" from "naptha."

  Yanaidar — In FK, a sinister city in the Ilbars Mts. From Janaidar, a legendary city in Central Asia.

  Yanak — In CA, a Vilayet pirate. From Kanaka, Polynesian for a native man.

  Yanyoga — In SH, the stronghold of the Valusian serpent-folk south of Kush.

  Yar — See Alafdal. A Pakhtun name.

  Yar Allal — In CA, a Zuagir.

  Yaralet — In HN, a city in Turan. Probably from Tokalet, an abandoned Berber city in the western Sahara.

  Yasala — In RN, a woman of Xuchotl.

  Yasmela, Yasmina — Respectively the queen regent of Khoraja in BC, KD, and the Devi of Vendhya in PC, CA. From the Arabic yasmin, "jasmine," whence the feminine names.

  Yasunga — In CC, a Negro galley slave; in CI, a black Barachan pirate.

  Yateli — In DI, a Dagonian girl.

  Yelaya — In JG, IG, the long-dead princess of Alkmeenon. Possibly from the Spanish surname Zelaya, e.g., Jose Santos Zelaya, dictator of Nicaragua, 1893-1909.

  Yelba River — In CA, a stream in southwestern Turan. From the German gelb, "yellow."

  Yezdigerd — In DI, PC, CA. &c, the king of Turan. From Yazdegerd or Yezdjird, the name of three Sassanid kings of Persia, +IV to -VII.r />
  Yezm — In FK, the eponym of a cult of assassins in the Ilbars Mts.

  Yezud — In HD, TC, PC, a city in Zamora where a spider-god is worshiped. Possibly from the Yezidis or "devil-worshipers," a Mazdean sect among the Kurds of Armenia and the Caucasus.

  Yig — In RZ, a god of the serpent-men of Valusia. From H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Curse of Yig" (with Zealia Bishop).

 

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