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Xuthal of the Dusk

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"Xuthal of the Dusk" is a novelette by Robert E. Howard first published in Weird Tales 22 3 (September 1933) as "The Slithering Shadow".

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

[edit] I

The last survivors of Prince Almuric’s army, Conan and his latest female companion, Natala, struggle through the desert. Just as their water runs out, they see a city in the distance. At first it seems the whole city is devoid of life, finding only an apparently dead body on the steps. However, a short while later this ‘corpse’ leaps up and chases them, promptly decaptitated by Conan.

Searching for food and water, Conan and Natala eventually come across a table richly laid out with food, after which they come across another apparently dead man, lying on a dais. As they watch, the man seems to be consumed by a black shadow, terrifying Natala. Later, they come across a third man, but this time he is awake, and asks them where they are from. He thinks Conan is but a dream and is shocked to find that he is all too real. Conan tells him of the strange shadow, whereupon the other man runs away screaming, only to be consumed himself.

As Conan and Natala consider escaping the city, they encounter Thalis the Stygian. She describes how the city of Xuthal is the last remnant of a once-great civilisation. They used to be incredible scientists, creating the light-producing radium and food manufactured “out of the primal elements”, but now spend most of their time in a drug-induced haze.

Thalis also mentions a marvellous healing wine, which can restore vitality, cure wounds and prolong life. She tells Conan how the people of Xuthal live only for pleasure, their lust the only reason they rescued her from starvation. Thalis then urges Conan to stay with her and become king, as typically of Howard’s stories, she has become infatuated with the barbarian. Conan declines, whereupon Thalis kidnaps her rival for his affections, Natala.

[edit] II

Thalis drags Natala along a dark corridor, where Natala tries to stab her attacker. She doesn’t manage to kill her, but does at least escape her grasp, if only briefly. Thalis finds a light and recaptures the Brythunian, binding and sadistically whipping her. However, Thalis is then consumed by Thog. The demon then turns it attention on the helpless Natala, apparently seeking to rape her.

[edit] III

Meanwhile, Conan finds himself beset upon by large numbers of male citizens, all of whom he dispatches systematically. These warriors are described as “ridiculously slow and clumsy compared to the barbarian”, proving to be no match for Conan despite their numbers, but are at least brave, throwing themselves into battle despite their near-invincibe opponent.

Eventually Conan falls through a pit, landing in front of Thog just in time to halt the demon’s disturbing advances towards Natala. Thog proves a problematic enemy, mainly because its body “seemed to flow about [Conan] in liquid waves, to envelop and engulf him”, making it extremely difficult to fight. Conan does at last manage to knock the monster into a chasm, though it is unclear whether Thog is actually dead.

[edit] IV

Mortally wounded from the battle with Thog, Conan is miraculously revived by Natala. She feeds him a glass of the “golden wine” Thalis mentioned earlier, which cures all of the barbarian’s wounds. Together they escape Xuthal and head for a nearby oasis.


[edit] Characters

[edit] Creatures

  • Thog • The eponymous "slithering shadow", god of Xuthal.

[edit] Locations

  • Xuthal
  • We don't have a complete list of locations for Xuthal of the Dusk. You can help Conan Wiki by adding to this list.

[edit] Publishing history

Believed complete --Ant 21:25, 26 May 2006 (UTC)


"Xuthal of the Dusk" (novelette) • Robert E. Howard


"The Slithering Shadow" (novelette) • Robert E. Howard • edited by L. Sprague de Camp

[edit] References

Retrieved from "http://conan.wikia.com/wiki/Xuthal_of_the_Dusk"