Before there was Conan the Barbarian, there was Robert E. Howard. The prolific author practically invented the sword-and-sorcery genre of pulp fiction in the early 20th century, and Conan was his most famous creation. In 1932, inspired by the lush hill country of central Texas, Howard envisioned the ancient land of Cimmeria and its champion, a brave and headstrong warrior named Conan. The character first appeared in the fantasy/horror magazine Weird Tales’ December 1932 issue, in a story called “The Phoenix on the Sword.” Sadly, Howard committed suicide in 1936 at the age of 30, but his creation’s adventures have continued in the hands of numerous writers.
Conan’s adventures are set during the Hyborian Age, a time between the destruction of Atlantis and any known ancient civilizations. The world of Hyboria loosely mirrors the makeup of modern Earth (pre-continental shifting), with Cimmeria set in its far north. A warrior at an early age, Conan left Cimmeria in his teens to roam Hyboria, sometimes as a mercenary, sometimes as an outlaw. But fate and destiny would often put him at odds with evil sorcerers and fantastic mythical creatures, while his eye for the ladies would often find them in his arms. Though his motivations were usually dubious, Conan fought heroically and was typically on the side of right - especially if he was serving his deity, Crom.
In his forties, Conan became king of Aquilonia by strangling the previous ruler, a malevolent tyrant, on the steps of the throne. Sidelined from battle by his royal obligations, Conan now relies on brave adventurers like you to serve and protect his kingdom.
