MOLUB
MOLUB
Real Name: Molub
Identity/Class: Demon (Distant Past & Hyborian Era)
Occupation: Demon
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Formerly Count Villarios or anyone who controlled the Ring of Molub.
Enemies: Conan, Mitra, Count Rodrigo, Silva, Count Villarios, anyone who wears the Ring of Molub or gets in his way
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Molub the Undying Demon
Base of Operations: Unidentified netherworld;
summoned to Kordava, the capital of Zingara
First Appearance: Savage Sword of Conan#185 (May, 1991)
Powers/Abilities: Molub is immortal, apparently invulnerable, and superhumanly strong (Class 10-25). His talons and teeth can rend flesh and bone, as well as wood and anything in his way, and he can decapitate a man with a swipe of his hand. Molub is forced to obey a sorcerer who has gained mastery of the Ring of Molub, appearing on Earth from the netherworld in which he usually dwells and slaughtering the victim to whom the Ring has been secretly passed before returning the Ring to his master again. He has been heard to speak only in growls. He looked to be 10-12 feet tall.
History:
(Savage Sword of Conan#185 (fb) - BTS) - Before recorded time, Molub the undying
demon ruled the Earth. The god Mitra vanquished Molub and condemned him to the
netherworld, while those who knew of this began holding an annual festival in
honor of Molub (or his defeat). Mitra took the Ring of Molub, which mortals had
used to summon the demon and cast it into the sea, banishing him from Earth
forever.
(Savage Sword of Conan#185 (fb) - BTS) - Count Villarios (Minister of Justice of Zingara), a Mitra worshipper, obtained the Ring of Molub, and he used it to have Molub slaughter his rivals. Villarios claimed to be doing in Mitra's name.
(Savage Sword of Conan#185) - Count Villarios sent the Ring of Molub to Count Rodrigo, another member of the Zingaran nobility. Though aware of the legend of the ring, Rodrigo scoffed at it and donned the Ring until he felt it had a life of its own and cast it out the window. The curse unbroken, the ring returned to Rodrigo, and Molub soon appeared, smashing through Rodrigo's door and then literally tearing Rodrigo to pieces. Molub reclaimed the ring before vanishing; Conan -- who had intended to rob Rodrigo -- watched the carnage from a hiding place. Conan later spied on Villarios as Molub appeared before him and returned the ring but was then captured by Villarios' men. After Baron Vargas arranged Conan's freedom, Villarios had the ring delivered to him, but Silva, a true Mitraic priest, took the message containing it instead. Silva discovered the Ring and told Vargas that he had been the intended victim. Vargas decided to flee to the sea, hoping Molub could not follow him across the water. Molub appeared in Kordava and began pursuing Vargas, slaughtering those he encountered, though most assumed him to be a man or two inside an elaborate costume for the Festival of Mitra, featuring the Auto-Da-Fe ("The Act of Faith," the inquisition and the slaying of heretics). Conan knocked over a barrel of wine kegs atop Molub to slow him down, but the demon shattered the kegs and continued towards his target. Silva led Conan to rescue the children of inquisition victims, then sent Conan off with the children while he locked the door behind them, and Molub tore him apart until blood poured underneath the door.
Molub presumably returned the ring to Villarios again, who had it sent back to Vargas, hidden within an invitation to that night's masque (masquerade), and Vargas' wife found it. Vargas took his wife, son, and daughter with him and rushed to the sea to his ship, only to find that Villarios had had his ship burnt. Conan hinted to Vargas' wife to pass the ring to him, and he turned his head while she rolled it up in Vargas' invitation and stuck it under his belt. Finding the ring, Conan headed to the masque in Vargas' place, taking another man's costume and leading Molub into the palace. Molub followed, slaughtering any who sought to bar his path. As Villarios was distracted by the sounds of Molub slaying his guards, Conan slipped the ring on Villarios' finger, then broke the finger so Villarios could not remove it. Conan then fled the palace as Molub smashed his way into Villarios' chambers. Ignoring Villarios' commands, Molub slew him, then presumably returned to his netherworld.
Comments: Created by Don Kraar, Dale Eaglesham, and Pat Redding.
It's unclear to me whether Molub is a Class Two or Three demon (i.e. a demon from Hell, or a demon originating from other extradimensional realms). He was banished to a netherworld, which is used to describe realms of Hell as well as other dark dimensions. Further, it's not even clear that said netherworld is his native realm. He seems more of a Class Three demon to me, but I don't know how to contact Don Kraar to find out.
On the cover, Molub is green, though he looks much different, so I didn't include that picture.
Before recorded time would like be sometime before 20,000 BC, and possibly long before.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:
Ring
of Molub
Used to summon Molub, it is passed to its intended victim, and it could not be given or thrown away; it could only be passed secretly to another, and the curse with it. In short order, Molub would materialize on the Earthly plane, track down the Ring wearer/curse bearer and slay him. If a sorcerer had mastered the Ring, Molub would then return it to that sorcerer, who could then have it secretly passed to its next victim. If Molub were to take the Ring from his master, he would be returned to the Netherworld
--Savage Sword of Conan#185
images: (without ads)
Savage Sword of Conan#185, p2 panel 3 (Ring)
p29, panel 1 (side/rear view)
panel 3 (face close-up)
p42, panel 5 (shadowed mostly full-body)
p42, panel 7 (less shadowed mostly full-body)
Appearances:
Savage Sword of Conan#185 (May, 1991) - by Don Kraar (writer), Dale Eaglesham (penciler),
Pat Redding (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Last updated: 06/14/07
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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