Olgerd Vladislav is one of Conan's most enduring and memorable enemies. Conan first encounters Olgerd and his band of Kozaks during the story "A Witch Shall Be Born". Days after being crucified on a tree of woe by the brutal Constantius, Conan is struggling just to stay alive. It is during this struggle that Olgerd and his band of desert raiders first come upon the Cimmerian and find him to be alive. After a brief exchange, Olgerd gives Conan a chance at freedom if Conan can survive being taken down from the tree of woe and ride with the band ten miles back to camp. Conan proves his iron vitality by surviving the fall of the tree (while still nailed to it), and then taking a metal instrument and wrenching the nails from his feet himself. A weakened (yet still determined) Conan then mounts a horse himself, and survives the ride back to Olgerd's camp. An impressed Vladislav makes Conan his lieutenant, and with Conan's assistance the Zuagirs grow to become a powerful army. Conan eventually usurps Vladislav's position, leaving him with a broken arm but, in appreciation of him sparing Conan originally, his life.
Over the next three years, Vladislav gains the nickname "The Tiger" and becomes a member of the ancient cult of Hidden Ones, based in the abandoned city of Yanaidar in Drujistan. His position is so great that even the cult's leader, the Magus, defers to Vladislav's judgement. When Conan comes to Yanaidar and is offered a place in the cult, the decision is defered until the Tiger can give his opinion. When he sees Conan, he immediately denounces him, and the Magus allows Vladislav to kill him. Unfortunately (for Vladislav), he forgot Conan's reflexes and when he casually draws a saber to kill Conan, he finds himself on the ground with a bloodied jaw and crawls away while Conan savagely lays into the cult members.
He recovers quickly and his men trap Conan in a garden tower. Olgerd has a seige engine built, but before they can knock through the tower walls, the city is invaded by Conan's Kushafi allies. Olgerd abandons Conan's capture and sets up an ambush, but that is foiled when Conan and some freed prisoners attack Olgerd's forces from the unprotected rear. In the great battle that ensues, Conan slays Olgerd.
Physical Characteristics
Olgerd Vladislav is described by author Howard as being "as tall as Conan", and muscular, but of lesser bulk. He is described as having a full beard, and a scarred face. Aside from his name hinting at a Hyrkanian (slavic) origin, it remains unclear what Olgerd's ethnic background may be, although L. Sprague de Camp calls him a Zaporoskan.
Stories featuring Olderd Vladislav
- "A Witch Shall Be Born"
- The Flame Knife
- The Sleeper Beneath The Sands