RUBY OF SAMBANA
Classification: Mystical gemstone
Creator: Unrevealed (possibly Sambana)
User/Possessors: Village somewhere in South America, explorer (name unrevealed)
First Appearance: World of Fantasy#11/3 (April, 1958)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The fist-sized ruby was linked to a specific location (possibly the statue where it was kept) with any movement away hampered by increasingly heavier but localized rain.
History:
(World of Fantasy#11/3 (fb) - BTS) - The Ruby of Sambana was revered by a small village somewhere in a South American jungle. The villagers left it out in the open, confident that their rain god, Sambana, would thwart any theft.
(World of Fantasy#11/3) - One day, a foreign explorer had lost his way driving through the jungle and stopped at the village for directions, but he also saw the giant ruby on the statue. He spent the night in the village and stole the ruby that night. Still driving at dawn, he was beset by soaking rain that came down only over his Jeep. Soon the conditions became undriveable and he escaped the sinking vehicle on foot, only to have the rain continue to pour down on him. Still holding the ruby but close to drowning, the explorer chose to return the ruby and seek mercy. Meanwhile the villagers discovered the theft and were confident of its return.
Comments: Created by uncredited writer and artist.
If Sambana was the god of rain in the South American region, then he's likely connected to the Apu (Incan gods), although the god of wind and rain there is Kon. I suspect that Sambana is likely a local spirit that the villagers consider to be a god - if the ruby is indeed divinely linked. Dr. Strange's comment to Red Hulk (Hulk II#50) that most mystic artifacts have a spirit bound to them would support this.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Ruby of Sambana has no known connections to:
Sambana was worshiped by the villagers as the local god of rains (see comments) and was linked to a large ruby mounted on a large statue to the god prominent in their village.
--World of Fantasy#11/3
images:
(without ads)
World of Fantasy#11/3, p1, pan1 (main image)
p2, pan2
(snatched by explorer)
Other Appearances: None
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 03/30/12
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