ELRIC of MELNIBONÉELRIC of MELNIBONÉ
Real Name: Elric VIII
Identity/Class: Extradimensional magic-user, scion of a pre-human race
Occupation: former Emperor of Melniboné, sorcerer, mercenary, agent of the forces of Chaos and Order.
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Arioch (patron demon-god), Conan (ally), Lady Cymoril (lover), Dharmit, Fadan of Lormyr, Jiku, King Naclon (human allies in the sacking of Imrryr), Count Smiorgan, Stormbringer, Tanglebones (man-servant), Dyvim Tvar (Lord of the Dragon Caves, advisor, boyhood friend), Yaris, Zephra (ally)
Enemies: Agak (interdimensional monster, no Marvel appearances), the Chaos Pack, Gagak (interdimensional monster, no Marvel appearances), Prince Gaynor the Damned, Theleb K'arnaa (wizard of Pan-Tang, no Marvel appearances), Kulan Gath, Terhali the Green Empress, Dyvim Tvar (leader of the dragon riders that pursue Elric and destroy the human fleet as they flee Imrryr), Prince Yrkoon, Xiombarg of Chaos (rival of Arioch), and countless hordes of other foes, many of which were former allies, relatives, friends, or companions of Elric that he betrayed in one way or another.
Known Relatives: Emperor Sadric the Eighty-Sixth (father), unnamed mother, Lady Cymoril (cousin - yep, it's THAT kind of family!), Prince Yrkoon (cousin), Dyvim Tvar (cousin), Terhali the Green Empress (presumably an ancestor), Zarozinia (wife, not seen in Marvel comics), hundreds of unnamed ancestors (according to the Elric Saga, Elric is the 428th Emperor of Melniboné in direct line of descent from the empire's first sorceror-king)
Aliases: The White Wolf, Womanslayer
Base of Operations: Mobile throughout his homeworld
as well as other dimensions and times, including the Hyborian Era of
earth;
formerly the ancient Melnibonéan city of Imrryr in an
otherdimensional realm parallel to our own, later
First
Appearance:
(prose) "The Dreaming City," Science Fantasy#47 (June 1961)
(Book): Stormbringer (1965)
(Marvel): Conan the Barbarian I#14 (February, 1972) {Edizione Italiana:
Gli Albi dei Super-Eroi#30 Editoriale Corno}
Powers/Abilities: Elric is one of the most powerful sorcerers of his era, capable of summoning ancient gods and weird monsters to his aid, controlling the elements, traveling between dimensions, and concocting a variety of potions and vitality enhancing drugs. He has a vast knowledge of ancient mystical lore, but his primary source of power is the god Arioch, Duke of Chaos. Many weird extradimensional beings made pacts with Elric's ancestors and can be called upon in times of need. As Elric's career progresses many of these 'contracts' expire, causing him to rely more and more heavily upon his most feared and most famous weapon, the sword Stormbringer.
Elric also wears the hereditary ring of his ancestors, with the potent Actorios stone set into it. This ancient relic helps to focus and amplify his sorcerous powers. Like Thoth-Amon and his dreaded Serpent Ring, much of Elric's power is bound up in it and his abilities are halved without it.
Weaknesses/Distinguishing features: Elric was born an albino, completely lacking pigment in his hair or skin. His skin and hair are bone white and his eyes a dark blood red. He is chronically weak and lethargic due to this condition. Combined with his tall gaunt body and narrow, almost inhuman face, people are often given the impression of a corpse or a starving wolf. Elric uses a variety of rare plants and substances to concoct potions and elixirs in order to artificially bolster his strength. The combination of his special mixtures and Stormbringer's strength-endowing vampirism make Elric the equal of Conan (one of the strongest men of the Hyborian Era) in strength, though naturally he is physically much weaker.
Height: 6'6" (by estimation)
Weight: 150 lbs. (by estimation)
Eyes: Pink
Hair: White
History: (Conan The Barbarian#14 (fb) - BTS)
- In the otherdimensional empire of Melniboné, Terhali was born the
daughter of a union between Melnibonéan and a demon summoned from the
Hyborian world. She grew to rule the empire with an iron fist, enslaving
all to her will. Eventually her reign became so despotic and
bloodthirsty that even the sadistic and power hungry Melnibonéans
rebelled against her, sealing her in a golden coffin and dispatching her
entire capitol city to another world, existing in a dimension parallel
to their own, Hyborian Era Earth.
(BTS) Centuries later, on his wedding night, Emperor Sadric of Melniboné, dismissive of ancient superstition, declined to make the traditional sacrifices (fourteen newlyweds) to the empire's demon-god Arioch. When his son, Elric, was born a frail albino the sorcerors of Melniboné said it was a sign, a punishment visited upon him by Arioch, warning him to keep to the old ways.
(Conan the Barbarian#14 (fb) - BTS) - Elric read the tale of Terhali's exile and the legends of the wealth of sorcerous lore sealed up in her tomb-city. Hopeful that in such a storehouse of eldritch knowledge there lied a cure to the sorcerous sleep cast upon his lover Cymoril by her evil brother Yrkoon, Elric recited the mystic runes that would carry him across the dimensional void to the Sighing Lake.
(Conan The Barbarian#15 (fb)- BTS) - Xiombarg, Queen of Chaos sent dreams to power hungry Kulan Gath, instructing him to make his way to the Sighing Lake and the sunken city of Yagala. He is led to believe that once there, if he returned Terhali the Green Empress to life she would serve him and help to conquer both the Hyborian and Melnibonéan worlds. Lord Arkyn of Law and Duke Arioch of Chaos both put emissaries into play in order to stop Kulan Gath and foil Xiombarg's plan.
(Conan The Barbarian#14) - Conan road to the rescue of the girl Zephra, a former enemy and love interest, but was felled by a drugged blade wielded by the Hooded Ones, agents of Queen Xiombarg. After they were rescued by giant white eagles which drove off the Hooded Ones, Conan and Zephra ride to her father's home. There Zukala, formerly a wizard and enemy of Conan's, now a priest of Lord Arkyn of Law, conjured an image of Kulan Gath's face in the waters of a fountain. Zukala told Conan of Kulan Gath: of his rivalry for Thoth-Amon's power and his exile from Stygia, of his plan to resurrect Terhali the Green Empress of Melniboné and then used her power to conquer both their world and hers. After Zukala enchanted Conan's blade to withstand the Swords of Chaos by anointing it with his blood, Conan and Zephra rpde out to stop Kulan Gath's dread ritual.
(Conan The Barbarian#14) - On the road to the Sighing Lake, Elric appeared in a flash of
light, his interdimensional spell drawn by some unknown power--whether
Arkyn or Arioch or even Fate itself--to one of Koth's dusty roads and
the company of Conan rather than the edge of the Sighing Lake. Elric and
Conan soon crossed swords in a battle based on a misunderstanding, Conan
heard Elric was from Melniboné and thought him in league with Xiombarg
and Terhali. They soon realized the futility of fighting as each was a
match for the other.
(Conan The Barbarian#15) - Conan, Elric, and Zephra--pursued by demons, monsters, and Prince Gaynor the Damned--made it to the Sighing Lake, but not before quarrelling over Elric's reason for seeking out Yagala and Terhali. Once across the lake, they entered the golden spires of Yagala and interrupted Kulan Gath's ritual. The arrival of Prince Gaynor and the Chaos Pack occupied the heroes long enough for Gath to complete his ritual and summon Terhali back to the world of the living. Yagala began to glow, and the Sighing Lake disappears. Prince Gaynor cried out to his mistress Xiombarg that Terhali had arisen, and with her power both Hyborea and Melniboné would fall to the Queen of Chaos. Enraged by his presumption, Elric struck down Prince Gaynor, averring that Melniboné only served his god, Arioch of Chaos. Kulan Gath commanded the newly arisen Green Empress to obey him, and received a hole blown through him by Terhali for his impudence. Terhali declared she has been resurrected not to serve, but to rule! She imperiously informed the three heroes that they would be the first of her new city of slaves. When they struck at her with their enchanted blades, Elric and Conan were both blasted senseless by the aura about the undead sorceress. Zephra cried out to the forces of Order in order to destroy Terhali, and Zephra ultimately sacrificed her own life to become the Avenger of Arkyn, a vessel for the Lord of Law's might, which too powerful for any mortal body to contain and live. Her body alight with blue fire, Zephra unleashed devastating eyebeams Terhali which tore her to pieces.
The two warriors bid each other good riddance, Elric opining that if they were to travel the same road together much longer they would kill each other one fine day. Elric decides it best if he hied back to his world and those he loved. Conan remarked that love was an empty word to wizards such as Elric and that the meanest peasant of his world must be nobler than all the kings of Melniboné. Before Elric turned his mount to enter the mystic portal back to his own world he advised Conan that his race was yet young, and the Melnibonéans as old as time: "Seek not to gauge all hearts by the immature measure of your own." As Elric spurred his mount down weird corridors of blinding light he wondered if it would have done any good to tell Conan of his own lost love Cymoril, of how she languished in a sorcerous sleep, and for her sake alone he had sought to obtain the sorcerous secrets of Terhali and ancient Yagala. Deciding it would have made no difference Elric galloped down the dimensional void and returned to his own world.
(Marvel
Graphic Novel#2: Elric: The Dreaming City) - Count Smiorgan had gathered
the Sea-Lords' fleet to attack Imrryr, and had enlisted Elric's help to
help them get past the city's defenses. Elric then entered Imrryr in an
attempt to free Cymoril before the assault, but was thwarted by his
cousin Yyrkoon. Elric called on Arioch and escaped. With Elric's aid,
the Sea Lords succeeded in reaching the harbor. The barbarians invaded
Imrryr. Elric had a rematch with Yyrkoon, armed with Mournblade. Yyrkoon
threw Cymoril on the point of Stormbringer and she died, soon followed
by Yyrkoon himself. The fleet departed, leaving Imrryr in flames, but
they were at last attacked by the Melnibonéan navy and its Dragon
Riders, led by Dyvim Tvar, an old friend of Elric's youth. The
Melnibonéans destroyed the fleet with the exception of Elric's ship,
which was carried to safety by a witch-wind that Elric summoned.
Smiorgan died in the attack. Elric tried to throw Stormbringer into the
sea but it refused to sink; he had no choice but to reclaim it and swim
ashore.
Comments:
Created by Michael Moorcock/James Cawthorn, adapted by Roy Thomas, Barry
Smith and Sal Buscema.
I promised I wouldn't make any jokes about the name...Moorcock.
--Snood
Elric is one of the limitless incarnations of the Eternal Champion, an immortal being destined to be reincarnated on every world and in every age to battle in the endless war between Chaos and Order. Other incarnations of the Eternal Champion include Prince Corum, Erekose, Dorian Hawkmoon, Sojan Shieldbearer, and countless others. It is even whispered that Prince Gaynor the Damned is merely another facet of this eternal being, but doomed instead to serve Chaos. It is not uncommon for various incarnations of the Champion to meet and even battle side by side as occurred on at least two separate occasions: when Elric, Prince Corum, and Erekose unriddled the mystery of the Vanishing Tower, and again, when those three fused with Hawkmoon to become the godlike composite being known as the Four Who Are One in order to destroy the interdimensional horrors Agak and Gagak. Who knows? Perhaps Elric has even fought alongside one other incarnation of the Eternal Champion and thus of himself - - Conan the Barbarian!
Since Elric is an extradimensional warrior, I'm not sure that he has any connection to the likes of Lord Chaos and Master Order.
Also, I was hoping Greg would have listed an index of his non-Marvel appearances, or at least his first non-Marvel appearance, but he did the profile halfway and left it for someone else to clean up, etc.
For more info on Elric, check the
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elric
Despite the ignorant bastards badmouthing the
OHotMU. Perhaps read every story before voicing your ignorance...
Per Conan the Barbarian#
I#14 he's almost exactly the same height as Conan, and I worked out
Conan's height as part of the process for figuring out Solomon
Kane's height. As for his weight, Elric is meant to be lean and
gaunt, looking fragile and badly underweight. - Loki
New and additional images and some corrections by Loki.
Profile by Greg
O'Driscoll, Giuseppe Mainardi, and Jean-Marc Lofficier
--Present tense writers!!! BAD!!
Clarifications:
Elric should not be confused with
Elric's most powerful weapon is indisputably the heavy, rune encrusted broadsword known as Stormbringer. The weapon of Elric's ancestors from ages long ago, it is whispered to not be a blade forged by man, but a demon from hell trapped in the form of a sword while upon Elric's plane of existence. Indeed, Stormbringer is no mere weapon, but a sentient being filled with malevolent intellect, capable of sometimes acting against its master's will, turning in his hand to kill innocent people and even friends... and suck out their souls! Stormbringer imparts the physical strength, vigor, and frenzy Elric is famed for on the battle field. With each victim it slays, the soul is consumed and drawn into the blade, revitalizing and strengthening Elric. With Stormbringer in his hand Elric has been known to halt huge numbers of warriors in their tracks, screaming and groaning the song of the black blade all the while. The blade can be summoned to Elric's hand from afar. It has also floated stuck point down in the surface of the ocean, when in a rare moment of clarity Elric tried to rid himself of the thing by throwing it overboard. In a battle not depicted in his Marvel appearances, Elric discovered that, after a huge enough number of victims, Stormbringer can become temporarily sated. Stormbringer has a twin known as Mournblade, occasionally wielded by Elric's evil cousin Yrkoon.
--The Dreaming City," Science Fantasy#47
Images:
Marvel Graphic Novel#2 cover (main image)
Conan the Barbarian I#14, p11, pan3
(headshot)
Conan the Barbarian I#14, p12, pan6 (battling Conan)
Conan the Barbarian I#14, p13, pan5 (close-up face off against Conan)
Marvel Graphic Novel#2, p11, pan1 (using magic)
Conan the Barbarian I#15, p7, pan4 (Stormbringer)
Other appearances:
Conan the Barbarian I#15 (March, 1972) - Michael Moorcock, James
Cawthorn & Roy Thomas (writers), Barry Smith (pencils), Sal Buscema
& Barry Smith (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
{Edizione Italiana: Gli Albi dei Super-Eroi#30 Editoriale Corno}
Marvel Graphic Novel#2 (1982) - Roy Thomas (writer), Craig Russell
(artist), Mike Friedrich (editor)
First Posted: 9/15/2005
Last updated: 04/16/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should
check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com/
