Acheron was a country of the Hyborian Age more than 3000 years before Conan.
Geography
It was an empire which included lands of southern Nemedia and Brythunia, most of Corinthia, most of Ophir, parts of western Koth and the western lands of Shem, northern Argos, and eastern Aquilonia.
History and politics
The people of Acheron were not Hyborians, but rather ethnic Lemurians, who had emigrated from the east sometime after the cataclysm. When the Hyborians who would found the western kingdoms arrived, they found a developed and complex civilization, with standing armies, longstanding urbanism, and strong religion, that overcame them and enslaved them, though not without effort.
Other dividing factors were that the people of Acheron revered Set rather than Mitra, and were in league with Stygia. The wizards of Acheron practised foul necromancy, thaumaturgy of the most evil kind, grisly magic taught them by devils. Many a barbarian, both man and woman, died screaming on the altar. Their heads were piled to make a pyramid in the great square in Python, the capital city, when the kings returned from the west with their spoils and naked captives. When the barbarians finally made their bloody war on their southern enemies, Acheron was destroyed by the forces of Aquilonia and Nemedia mainly.
Population and culture
The ancient culture of Acheron was very developed, Python, the capital, namely was said to have been filled with beautiful, tall, purple, towers, but little more than haunted ruins now remain. It was similar to Stygian culture, which was also made up of closely related ethnic Lemurians and it was very entrenched with similar sorceries and likewise also in league with dark powers. The descendants of the people of Acheron are more plentiful than people suppose, dwelling in the fastness of the hills, in communities in the great cities, and scattered as priests, menials, secretaries, and scribes.
Stories set in Acheron
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Characters from Acheron
- Xaltotun- High priest of Set.
- Bel-Hissar- King of Acheron.
- Naka- Diver for pearls.
References
- The Hour of the Dragon [wikisource]
- Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Two (1934) — Untitled Synopsis (The Hour of the Dragon)