AKHIROMAKHIROM
Real Name: King Akhirom
Identity/Class: Human, Shemite (Hyborian Era)
Occupation: King, would-be-God
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Imbalayo, Mattenbaal, Mazdak, Othbaal, Rufia, Zeriti
Enemies: Abdashtarth, Mazdak, Rufia
Known Relatives: Azumelek (father), Uriaz (brother), Othbaal (cousin), unnamed King of Anakia (cousin)
Aliases: The Lion of Shem
Base of Operations: State-Town of Asgalun of Pelishtia in Shem
First Appearance: Savage Sword of Conan#36 (December, 1978) {Edizione Italiana: Conan La Spada Selvaggia#4 Comic Art (Dicembre 1986)}
Powers/Abilities: Akhirom was a normal human, despite his self-delusions. He could not fly.
History:
(Savage Sword of Conan#36 (fb) - BTS) - Akhirom was the brother of the King of
Pelishtia, Uriaz. He wanted the crown, so, helped by three mercenary corps,
took the power on Pelishtia and killed Uriaz. The three corps leaders were Othbaal, leader of the Anaki
troops, Imbalayo, leader of the Kushite cavalry and
Mazdak, leader of the Hyrkanian cavalry. Akhirom and his lieutenants took the
Inner Town of Asgalun as residence.
Zeriti, a Stygian sorceress, became King Akhirom's lover.
Akhirom started to believe that he was inspired by the gods.
He had all the dogs killed, and he prohibited the wine and alcoholic and all the
(hazardous) games. He often walked through the town by night in disguise in
order to
monitor whether his orders were obeyed or not. The people of Pelishtia had to
bear high taxes, hunger, and tyranny from the King. The people was not so
happy about the new laws and someone said that the King was mad.
(Savage Sword of Conan#36) - One night, Akhirom, in disguise, was walking in the town's alleys and met Rufia, an Ophirean courtesan. She was running away from Othbaal's house, where the Anaki leader had been killed by Conan and Mazdak a few moments before. Rufia confessed to the hooded man that she was fleeing from his lord's killers. Akhirom offered protection to her and drove her to the Royal Palace where he revealed his true identity to Rufia. He ordered two slaves to bring the woman to his rooms. Rufia fainted.
In a room with golden doors and without windows, Akhirom waited for Rufia's awakening. He wanted to punish her for not having obeyed his laws but she succeeded in convincing him that he was a god. He believed himself to be the god of the gods and soon ordered Pteor's idols be replaced with statues of his own image. He ordered to prepare 100 girls to be sacrificed to the new, true religion. Akhirom kept Rufia as a slave and put Zeriti aside.
The day after, Abdashtarth--the high priest of the worship of Pteor--refused to abjure and was executed in front of the crowd. The people rose and the rebellion was repressed in the blood by the Anaki soldiers and Imbalayo's cavalry. Akhirom didn't care about the people. Othbaal's death was blamed on Keluka, a Kushite swordsman. The Anaki sought revenge in the Kushite's quarters. Akhirom sent the Hyrkanians to divide the two factions. Fires of rebellion were put out all over Asgalun.
Rufia offered her body to the God-King but he refused. In order to not have further temptation, Akhirom gave Rufia to Imbalayo.
That night, the town rebelled. The Anaki attacked the Kushite. The Shemite crowd assaulted both the mercenary soldiers. Imbalayo was killed by a demon summoned by Zeriti. Mazdak led his Hyrkanians supporting the people who attacked Akhirom's palace. Akhirom ran up the stairs to a balcony on a spire. He decided to demonstrate to the "sinners" he was really a god by flying. He jumped in the air and fell. And died.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, John Bushema and Alfredo Alcala.
Clarifications:
Akhirom has no known connections to
Abdashtarth and Mattenbaal have no known connections to anyone else with a similar name.
He was the archpriest of the Pteor's cult in Asgalun. In the past he sacrificed thousands of men to Pteor, but he was truly convinced about his faith.
When Akhirom ordered him to abjure he refused, well knowing he would be killed. He also claimed the King was mad and not a god. The Anaki soldiers threw him in the flames of the Temple of Pteor. His death roused the people who rebelled against the Anaki and the King.
--Savage Sword of Conan#36
Mattenbaal was the vice-priest of the Pteor's cult. He became the priest of the new religion of the God-King.
The first day of the new religion he read the King's proclamation about the new cult containing the orders to kill Abdashtarth. After the Anaki soldiers executed the old archpriest, the people rebelled and Mattenbaal was first struck by a stone, then assaulted by the crowd. The Anaki soldiers defended him for a while and he was only saved by the Kushites' charge.
--Savage Sword of Conan#36
Images:
Savage Sword of Conan#36, p18, pan1 (Akhirom, full body)
Savage Sword of Conan#36, p20, pan3 (Akhirom, head shot)
Savage Sword of Conan#36, p21 pan1 (Abdashtarth)
Savage Sword of Conan#36, p22, pan4 (Mattenbaal)
Appearances:
Savage Sword of Conan#36 (December, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (pencils), Alfredo Alcala (inks)
Last updated: 07/09/06
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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