beast-men-hyborian-ctb2cover.jpgBEAST-MEN of Brutheim
(Hyborian era)

Classification: Sub-species of humanity ("hidden race")

Location/Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly
Brutheim (aka the Land of Always-Light), Aesgaard (circa the Hyborian era, at least, 10,000 BC);
    formerly unrevealed northern lands

Known Members: Brutorian Guard, Gan-Torr, King Gha-Kree, Har-Lann, Zha-Gorr

AffiliationsMoira;
    formerly Kiord and their Thralls;
    they are diverged from the White Apes of Sorjoon and descended from the snow-apes of unspecified snowy regions just below what would become the Arctic

Enemies: Conan, Kiord, Thralls;
    unidentified war-party of Hyborians (the survivors of whom became their first thralls);
    possibly the tusk-bears;
    they used snow lions in their Games

Aliases: Man-Apes

First Appearance: (Mentioned) The Phantagraph: Hyborian Age essay (February, 1936);
    (seen, identified) Conan the Barbarian I#2 (December, 1970)

Powers/Abilities: The Brutorian guard were experienced warriors, skilled with pikes, spears, swords, and nets. They wore scale mail armor, arm bands, and horned helmets that protected both their cranium and chin.

    Most of them did not appear to have any actual superhuman abilities (perhaps an enhanced sense of smell). We have no idea about their lifespan, etc.

    An unspecified number of Beast-Men were giant-sized and may have possessed superhuman strength.

    They appeared to be covered by a thin layer of white fur.

    The Beast-Men possessed a number of immense war machines.

beast-men-hyborian-beastmen-spying-village.jpg    Beast-Men from millennia before were significant larger and shaggier.

Traits: The Beast-Men were ruled by a king and protected by the Brutorian guard, but the general populace of Beast-Men knew not how to fight and were little threat if the guard was defeated.

    The Beast-Men were ruled by a king, and they enslaved human thralls to perform their labor. They had some thralls who were descended from those they had originally defeated and captured in the past, and they have subquently captured females to breed with the captive men to bear children to serve as their thralls. They apparently also captured other humans as needed, forcing them into slavery. Those who proved too resistant to become a thrall were sent to fight in their Games, in which they typically perished.

Type: Bilaterally symmetric semi-humanoid bipeds
Eyes
: Two (on head; mostly not clearly shown, but apparently dark, possibly black; Gha-Kree had a solid red color shown a few times when he was angry)
Fingers
: Four (plus opposing thumb)
Toes
: Presumably five
Skin color: Pale, possibly white, much of their bodies and faces were covered by white fur
Average height: Approximately 5'10" (
an unspecified number of Beast-Men were giant-sized (perhaps 8-10' tall))

History:
(The Hyborian Age) - 
At the time of the Cataclysm, circa 18,000 BC, a band of savages, whose development was not much above that of the Neanderthal, fled to the north to escape destruction. They found the snow-countries inhabited only by a species of ferocious snow-apes -- huge shaggy white animals, apparently native to that climate. These they fought and drove beyond the Arctic circle, to perish, as the savages thought. The savages then adapted themselves to their hardy new environment and throve.beast-men-hyborian-beast-men-ambush-warparty.jpg

(Conan the Barbarian I#264-265 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, the snow-apes diverged into those who would become known as the White Apes of Sorjoon and those who would become Beast-Men of Brutheim.

(The Hyborian Age) <Apparently somewhere between 16,500 - 5000 BC> - A wanderer into the far north returned with the news that the supposedly deserted ice wastes were inhabited by an extensive tribe of ape-like men, descended, he swore, from the beasts driven out of the more habitable land by the ancestors of the Hyborians. 

    The wanderer urged that a large war-party be sent beyond the arctic circle to exterminate these beasts, whom he swore were evolving into true men. 

    He was jeered at; a small band of adventurous young warriors followed him into the north, but none returned.beast-men-hyborian-beastmen-spying-women.jpg

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb)) - The small war-party traveled into north to destroy the Beast-Men before they could grow strong enough to menace the world where men ruled. 

    Greatly out-numbering the war party, the Beast-Men ambushed and defeated the invaders. Keeping some of the defeated as slaves, the beast-men learned of their weapons and forced the men to build dwellings for them. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb)) - Not wanting their slaves to die out, the Beast-Men abducted women from nearby villages, took them back to their home, and made them brides of their man-slaves. beast-men-hyborian-beastmen-stealing_women.jpg

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Beast-Men found an abandoned underground city in southwest Aesgaard, near the Cimmerian border, built by "some earlier, long dead race of men," and made it their home. 

    It eventually became known as Brutheim or the Land of Always-Light. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Eventually planning to carve out an empire on the world above, the Beast-Men constructed numerous great "Weapons of War" (or, more likely, had their thralls contruct them for them).

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) <Circa 10,000 BC> - The giant beast-man Gan-Torr-- considering the approaching Conan too small to fight back -- charged through the woods at him, but Conan instead slew him. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Standing over the fallen giant beast-man, Conan headed back through the woods in hopes of getting warmer. He spied a young woman (Moira) and pursued her in hopes of seeking shelter in her home or at least directions, but she led him into a trap where Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann could capture him.beast-men-hyborian-brutheim-tunnel.jpg

    The two Beast-Men brought Conan to Brutheim in the Land of Always-Light and hurled him into the slave-pens.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Chief Thrall Kiord related to Conan the history of his people as slaves of the Beast-Men.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Beast-Men subsequently entered the slave-pens, instructing Kiord to muster his manlings as it was work-time. Kiord urged Conan to do what was demanded of him, but one of the Beast-Men silenced him, reminding him that thralls were forbidden to speak during work-time except to relay the guard's orders to his fellow manlings. When Conan hesitated, Zha-Korr and Har-Lann confronted him, resulting in Conan throttling Zha-Gorr; however, the chains hampered Conan sufficiently for Har-Lann to strike him with his pike. 

    Their continued battering of Conan was interrupted by King Gha-Kree (accompanied by Moira). When Zha-Gorr explained that he was teaching the manling a lesson prior to skewering him like a pig, Conan suggested they remove his chains after which they would see who learned the lesson. Gha-Kree swiftly agreed that this manling would never make a good slave, but noted that it was a shame to waste his death. Moira suggested the Games, and Gha-Kree agreed, warning Conan that he would grovel before he died.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Not wishing Conan to suffer at the Beast-Men's hands, Kiord gave Conan an obsidian dagger so he could end his life that night; Conan kept the dagger for his own purposes.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - The next day, at the Games, Gha-Kree offered Conan a chance to grovel and perhaps he would give Conan a place in his palace, but Conan refused to serve "like the she-cur Moira"; in response, Gha-Kree had a snow lion released.beast-men-hyborian-war_weapon-crash.jpg

    After Conan slew the snow lion with Kiord's dagger, Gha-Kree sent in his guards to make Conan die slowly and painfully; a quartet of guards rushed in and trapped Conan within a net. When Har-Lann prepared to skewer Conan with his spear, one of the others reminded him that it was up to Gha-Kree to decide the manling's fate, and Gha-Kree approved Conan's death, but only after he begged for it and admitted to being a manling. 

    Inspired by Conan's courage and fighting spirit, Kiord broke from his containment cell -- smashing one of the Beast-Men to the ground with the door in the process -- and led at least a few other manlings to join him against the Beast-Men. The delay allowed Conan to get free of the net and join the battle. 

    After Gha-Kree instructed the guards to protect the war-weapons, Kiord rushed to the weapons in hopes of evening the scales, and Conan joined him in getting the wheels of a large ram-weapon moving; as the weapon began to move inch by inch, the Beast-Men began to break and run. 

    Finally, the weapon began rumbling forward and crashed into the area holding Gha-Kree and his court, causing it to collapse on them. As Kiord proclaimed their freedom and Conan retrieved his helmet, Zha-Gorr suddenly and fatally struck Kiord from behind; Conan swiftly slew Zha-Gorr in turn.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Lacking their leaders and guardsmen, the remaining Beast-Men fled, uncomprehending, to dark, forgotten caverns and perhaps to the snow-lands which spawned their ancestors.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Conan recovered Gha-Kree's helmet and placed it on Kiord's head.

Comments: Created by Robert E. Howard;
    adapted by Roy Thomas, Barry (Windsor) Smith, and Sal Buscema.

    The specific origins of the snow-apes is unrevealed. They may be descended from some Deviants or other elder races. They may or may not be related to other races of northern-dwelling beast-men (see clarifications for some of these)

    The Hyborian Age timeline seems to be placing the war-party being captured by the Beast-Men perhaps 16,500 to 15,000 BC, which would mean they and their thralls existed as a society for perhaps 5000+ years before Conan encountered them in 10,000 BC.

    No female "Beast-Men" were pictured as far as I could see:

    It's not clear how many Beast-Men there were, but they looked to fill at least two sides of an arena, presumably meaning the numbered in the hundreds. The Thralls looked to number more like a couple dozen, and we know that only a few joined Kiord and Conan in fighting the Beast-Men. beast-men-hyborian-brutheim-map.jpgEven if Conan the rebelling Thralls slew the entire Brutorian Guard, and the entire ruling court perished when the war machine struck their section, it's hard to believe that hundreds of Beast-Men just fled...perhaps the structural collapse of the ruling court's section caused a progressive collapse of the entire arena, slaying, injuring, and/or terrifying the remaining Beast-Men...or perhaps after the one weapon was used, the Thralls used the other machines to similarly shatter the surrounding arena. Or maybe there were a lot more Thralls than it seemed.
    Regardless, it seems likely that many of them survived...I'll have to re-read Conan the Barbarian I#264-265 shortly for the White Apes of Sorjoon profile, but I'd think the 12,000 years between Conan's time and the modern era could have allowed the Beast-Men to give rise to at least some of the Yeti-like races (see clarifications)
.

    The original Hyborian Age essay by Robert Howard implies that the men who drove out the beast-men eventually developed into the Nordheimr races, the Aesir of Aesgaard and Vanir of Vanaheim. However, Marvel's version (by Roy Thomas) doesn't say anything about the Nordheimr people being descendants of the Arctic savages. A subsequent acccount (Savage Sword of Conan#40: A Gazeteer of the Hyborian World Part 8) notes the Nordheimr to be descended from the Precataclysmic race of Thule.
--Wolfram Bane
    I'm not sure that two are mutually exclusive, as we know next to nothing of the people of Thule. Perhaps they were these same savages...or perhaps they intermixed with them...

    The original Howard version is available here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42182/42182-h/42182-h.htm

    The Roy Thomas version is available here:  https://hyboria.xoth.net/history/hyborian_age.htm

    According to the map in Handbook of the Conan Universe#1, the city of Brutheim is located in southwest Aesgaard, near the Cimmerian border:

    Many of the sub-profiles could easily be made into full profiles...I left them as sub-profiles so I could more quickly move on to get more profiles done, but if someone wants to convert Kiord and others into full-profiles, go for it.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Beast-Men of Brutheim are diverged from the White Apes of Sorjoon. 

They should be distinguished from:


beast-men-hyborian-gantorr.jpgGan-Torr

    Gan-Torr was a giant member of the beast-men.

    He appeared to be about 8 - 10' tall and likely had superhuman strength.

    Zha-Gorr referred to him as their wayward comrade.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) <Circa 10,000 BC> - Gan-Torr apparently often struck out on his own.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Spying the approaching Conan and considering him too small to fight back, Gan-Torr charged through the woods at him, but Conan instead slew him. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Standing over the fallen giant beast-man, Conan headed back through the woods in hopes of getting warmer.

    Moira, a human serving the Beast-Men who had watched Gan-Torr's death, then led Conan into a trap in which he was captured by Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann.

    Zha-Gorr remarked that perishing served Gan-Torr right for striking out ever on his own.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: It is unclear whether Gan-Torr lived completely separate from the rest of the Beast-Men and was perhaps trying to capture Conan for food, or whether he was just trying to capture Conan by himself and bring him back to Brutheim.


beast-men-hyborian-ghan-kree-full-distant.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-gha-kree-lateral.jpgGha-Kree

King of the Beast-Men, Gha-Kree wore a crown made from the teeth of the long-dead tusk-bears. He kept the human Moira as his handmaid (and possibly more).

Also referred to as "His Supremacy" and "Sire" (the latter by Moira).

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - As Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann battered the rebellious new captive Conan, Gha-Kree (accompanied by Moira) interrupted them, asking what they were doing. When Zha-Gorr explained that he was teaching the manling a lesson prior to skewering him like a pig, Conan defiantly challenged them. Gha-Kree swiftly agreed that this manling would never make a good slave, and he accepted Moira's advice to put him into the Games, warning Conan that he would grovel before he died.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - The next day, at the Games, Gha-Kree offered Conan a chance to grovel and perhaps he would give Conan a place in his palace, but Conan refused to serve "like the she-cur Moira"; in response, Gha-Kree had a snow lion released.

    After Conan slew the snow lion with a dagger he had received from the chief thrall Kiord, Gha-Kree angrily announced that a manling possessing a weapon was forbidden, after which he sent in his guards to make Conan die slowly and painfully. beast-men-hyborian-gha-kree-face-lateral.jpg

    The Guardsmen trapped Conan within a net, but when Har-Lann prepared to skewer Conan with his spear, one of the others reminded him that it was up to Gha-Kree to decide the manling's fate, and Gha-Kree approved Conan's death, but only after he begged for it and admitted to being a manling. 

    Inspired by Conan's courage and fighting spirit, Kiord broke from his containment cell and led at least a few other manlings to join him against the Beast-Men. The delay allowed Conan to get free of the net and join the battle. 

    After Gha-Kree instructed the guards to protect the war-weapons, Kiord rushed to the weapons in hopes of evening the scales, and Conan joined him in getting the wheels of a large ram-weapon moving.beast-men-hyborian-gha-kree-deathsentence.jpg

    Despite Gha-Kree's protests, "NO! NNOOOOOOOO!," the weapon crashed into the area holding Gha-Kree and his court, causing it to collapse on them. Gha-Kree apparently perished.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - In the ensuing struggle, the remaining Beast-Men either died or fled. Conan retrieved Gha-Kree's crown and placed it on the head of Kiord, who also died in the conflict.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: I would think it likely that Moira was Gha-Kree's favorite for more than just her work ethic, but there's nothing to support that in the story.
    Or, perhaps, he found her human form disgusting...

    Ghekre is and African god of judgment in monkey-ish form...I wonder if the similarity between the names is intentional...


beast-men-hyborian-harlann-lat.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-harlann-front.jpgHar-Lann

    Har-Lann was part of the Brutorian Guard, often working alongside Zha-Gorr.

    A little smaller than Zha-Gorr, he could also be distinguished by his green scale male and helmet, in contrast to Zha-Gorr's red-orange.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Har-Lann was in the woodlands above the Land of Always-Light when Moira, a loyal servant to king Gha-Kree, having witnessed Conan's slaying of Gan-Tor, led Conan into the path of a hiding Zha-Gorr, who stunned him with a pike.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - As Conan struggled to rise, Har-Lann struck him across the back of the head with his pike, finishing him off. Har-Lann, Zha-Gorr, and Moira then returned to the Land of Always-Light with the unconscious Conan. The two Beast-Men discussed Conan's fate, with Har-Lann asking if they should drag him before King Gha-Kree, but Zha-Gorr insisted they take him to the slave-pens.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann apparently searched and shackled the still dazed Conan

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Later, when Conan hesitated to join the thralls in work-duty, Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann confronted him. Conan began to throttle Zha-Gorr; however, the chains hampered Conan sufficiently for Har-Lann to strike him with his pike, saving Zha-Gorr and stunning Conan anew. After Zha-Gorr thanked Har-Lann, he responded that they should knock the fight out of their newest slave. 

    As Har-Lann held Conan and Zha-Gorr beat him, they were interrupted by King Gha-Kree (accompanied by Moira). When Zha-Gorr explained that he was teaching the manling a lesson prior to skewering him like a pig, Conan suggested they remove his chains after which they would see who learned the lesson. Gha-Kree swiftly agreed that this manling would never make a good slave, but noted that it was a shame to waste his death. Moira suggested the Games, and Gha-Kree agreed, warning Conan that he would grovel before he died.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - The next day, at the Games, after Conan slew the snow lion with Kiord's dagger, Gha-Kree sent in his guards to make Conan die slowly and painfully; led by Har-Lann (as Zha-Gorr worked the other end of the arena that day), a quartet of guards rushed in and trapped Conan within a net. When Har-Lann prepared to skewer Conan with his spear, one of the others reminded him that it was up to Gha-Kree to decide the manling's fate, and Gha-Kree approved Conan's death, but only after he begged for it and admitted to being a manling. 

    Inspired by Conan's courage and fighting spirit, Kiord broke from his containment cell and led at least a few other manlings to join him against the Beast-Men. The delay allowed Conan to get free of the net and join the battle. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Har-Lann was very likely subsequently slain by Conan or Kiord.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - In the ensuing struggle, the remaining Beast-Men either died or fled.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: I think it is likely that Har-Lann is named in homage of Harlan Ellison.

    I think it was likely Har-Lann's corpse lying next to where Conan retrieved his helmet, but all of the Brutorian Guard looked pretty much identical to me, besides Zha-Gorr who could be identified by his larger size and orange-red garb.


beast-men-hyborian-zhakorr-face.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-zhagorr-lifting_conan.jpgZha-Gorr

    Zha-Gorr was part of the Brutorian Guard, often working alongside Har-Lann.

    According to himself, at least, he was the mightiest of all the Guardsmen, and his name was voiced more loudly than any save that of the king himself.

    A little larger than Har-Lann, he could also be distinguished by his 
red-orange scale male and helmet, in contrast to Har-Lann's green.

(
Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Zha-Gorr was in the woodlands above the Land of Always-Light when Moira, a loyal servant to king Gha-Kree, having witnessed Conan's slaying of Gan-Tor, led Conan into the path of a hiding Zha-Gorr, who stunned him with a pike that shattered in the process. Lamenting this had cost him his choicest pike, Zha-Gorr considered how strong the barbarian must be.

    As Zha-Gorr mocked the dazed Conan on his knees but nonetheless reaching for him, Har-Lann struck Conan across the back of the head with his pike, finishing him off. When Moira instructed them to stop hitting Conan and to instead bring him back to Brutheim, Zha-Gorr reminded her that she had no place giving orders to officers of the Brutorian Guard; although she was the king's favorite, she was still human.

    Har-Lann, Zha-Gorr, and Moira then returned to the Land of Always-Light with the unconscious Conan. The two Beast-Men discussed Conan's fate, with Har-Lann asking if they should drag him before King Gha-Kree, but Zha-Gorr insisted they take him to the slave-pens. When Zha-Gorr specified that they should take Conan through the heart of Brutheim, Moira noted that she expected him to turn this capture into an excuse for a triumphal procession; grabbing Conan and hefting him high overhead, Zha-Gorr asked why he should not and noted his own status and stature. beast-men-hyborian-zha-korr-throttled.jpg

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann apparently searched and shackled the still dazed Conan.
 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Zha-Gorr subsequently tossed Conan into the slave barracks, telling him to languish with the rest of his loathesome kind and noting that he was already growing ill from the "man-reek" present.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Later, when Conan hesitated to join the thralls in work-duty, Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann confronted him, with Zha-Gorr claiming Conan's war-helm as his own, noting it was not for the likes of a slave and asking Conan, "What do you say to that, dog?." Conan swiftly spun Zha-Gorr around and began to throttle him; however, the chains hampered Conan sufficiently for Har-Lann to strike him with his pike, saving Zha-Gorr and stunning Conan anew. After Zha-Gorr thanked Har-Lann, recalling how slaves taken from the outer world often had some fight left in them, Har-Lann responded that they should knock the fight out of him. beast-men-hyborian-zha-korr-death.jpg

    As Har-Lann held Conan and Zha-Gorr beat him, they were interrupted by King Gha-Kree (accompanied by Moira). When Zha-Gorr explained that he was teaching the manling a lesson prior to skewering him like a pig, Conan suggested they remove his chains after which they would see who learned the lesson. Gha-Kree swiftly agreed that this manling would never make a good slave, but noted that it was a shame to waste his death. Moira suggested the Games, and Gha-Kree agreed.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - The next day, at the Games, after Conan slew the snow lion with Kiord's dagger, Gha-Kree sent in his guards -- led by Har-Lann as Zha-Gorr worked the other end of the arena that day -- to make Conan die slowly and painfully.

    Inspired by Conan's courage and fighting spirit, Kiord broke from his containment cell and led at least a few other manlings to join him against the Beast-Men. The delay allowed Conan to get free of the net and join the battle.

    After Conan and Kiord used a massive war-weapon to smash Gha-Kree's section, apparently killing him and his court, Conan retrieved his helmet, figuring Zha-Gorr must have dropped it. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Zha-Gorr suddenly and fatally struck Kiord from behind, but Conan then slew Zha-Gorr with another sword; as he struck, he told Zha-Gorr he hoped he had a soul so it may drift and mutter forever in some Beast-Man's hell.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - During the revolt, the remaining Beast-Men either died or fled.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: Zha-Gorr had a mastery of the use of adverbs, which is more than I can say for most humans...

    Zha-Gorr, in particular, seemed to despise humans, considering them inferior and being disgusted by the scent.


beast-men-hyborian-landofalwayslight.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-brutheim-entrance.jpgBrutheim / Land of Always-Light

 

The entrance to the tunnels leading to Brutheim had a face around it, like we sometimes see with Monster Island, etc.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Beast-Men found an abandoned underground city in southwest Aesgaard, near the Cimmerian border, built by "some earlier, long dead race of men," and made it their home. 

    It eventually became known as Brutheim or the Land of Always-Light. 

    The latter name came from the phosphorescent nuggets that studded the caven walls, providing constant luminescence. However, as this was not sunlight, the residence of this underground realm remained pallid.

    Blocked off within chambers, the slave barracks were always dark.

    It is unrevealed what plant-life they had in their land without sun, and whether they farmed their own animals (or had their thralls do it) and/or hunted/stole animals from the surface world.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: There were many Elder Races of Earth...this underground city was supposed to be from a long dead race of men, which would make Deviants less likely, but I'd guess that Kiord wouldn't know anything for a fact and was just relating information passed down over countless generations.

    In the main profile, Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann are seen walking down the tunnels from the entrance to Brutheim.


beast-men-hyborian-brutorianguard.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-brutorian_guard-net.jpgBrutorian Guard

The Brutorian guard were experienced warriors, skilled with pikes, spears, swords, and nets. They wore scale mail armor, arm bands, and horned helmets that protected both their cranium and chin.

Identified members include Har-Lann and Zha-Gorr.

I never saw more than seven altogether, but their true number is unrevealed.

The Brutorian Guard served as protectors of King Gha-Kree and regulators of the Games, and they also captured new slaves and kept the thralls in line.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - After Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann captured Conan, the Guard supervised the Thralls and the subsequent Games intended to make a spectacle of Conan's death.

    At the Games, after Conan slew the snow lion with Kiord's dagger, Gha-Kree sent in the Guard to make Conan die slowly and painfully; led by Har-Lann (as Zha-Gorr worked the other end of the arena that day), a quartet of Guardsmen rushed in and trapped Conan within a net. When Har-Lann prepared to skewer Conan with his spear, one of the others reminded him that it was up to Gha-Kree to decide the manling's fate, and Gha-Kree approved Conan's death, but only after he begged for it and admitted to being a manling. 

    Inspired by Conan's courage and fighting spirit, Kiord broke from his containment cell and led at least a few other manlings to join him against the Beast-Men. The delay allowed Conan to get free of the net and join the battle. 

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - In the ensuing struggle, the remaining Beast-Men either died or fled.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2


beast-men-hyborian-great-games.jpgGames of Gha-Kree

The "Event Supreme" of Brutheim, the Games were where the Beast-Man executed, via trial-by-combat, those humans they deemed most rebellious, and thus most dangerous.

It was reportedly the only time when all of the Beast-Men gathered.

During the Games, the great Weapons of War were displayed.

Manlings/Thralls were penned in wooden cages and allowed to watch, presumably to remind them of the fate of those who defied the Man-Beasts.

Those "participating" in the Games might face an attacking snow lion or any number of armed Brutorian Guards. Perhaps the War Machines were used against combatants, too. Any other trials are unrevealed.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Conan was forced to participate in the Games. After he refused Gha-Kree's offer to submit to servitude, a snow lion was unleashed against him, but Conan slew it with a dagger he had been secretly given by Kiord. In response to this forbidden weapon possession, Gha-Kree sent the guard to force him to beg before killing him.

    However, Kiord then led the Thralls to rebel. He and Conan smashed Gha-Kree and the ruling court with an immense War Machine, and the remaining Beast-Men either perished in the ensuing conflict or fled.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: Though called the "Games of Gha-Kree," I would imagine they predated him and were just renamed with each king.


Warbeast-men-hyborian-war_weapon-ram.jpg beast-men-hyborian-war_machines.jpgMachines

    Also known as War Weapons and Weapons of War.

    These included large battering rams, catapults, and other wheeled vehicles they intended to use to conquer surrounding villages.

    Only three such weapons were seen, but it is unrevealed how many such weapons existed. 

    They were put on display for the gathered Beast-Men at the Games

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Eventually planning to carve out an empire on the world above, the Beast-Men constructed numerous great "Weapons of War" (or, more likely, had their thralls contruct them for them).

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Chief Thrall Kiord showed the newly arrived Conan the War Machines and revealed the Beast-Men's plans for them.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - When Conan was forced into the Games, Kiord led the the Thralls to break free and aid him, and Gha-Kree warned the Brutorian Guard to protect the War-Weapons. This warning prompted Kiord to utilize the War-Weapons, and he and Conan got an immense battering ram moving and then sent it to smash into Gha-Kree's section, apparently killing him and his court.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - The remaining Beast-Men either perished in the ensuing conflict or fled.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2


snow-apes

(The Hyborian Age) - At the time of the Cataclysm, circa 18,000 BC, a band of savages, whose development was not much above that of the Neanderthal, fled to the north to escape destruction. They found the snow-countries inhabited only by a species of ferocious snow-apes -- huge shaggy white animals, apparently native to that climate. These they fought and drove beyond the Arctic circle, to perish, as the savages thought. The savages then adapted themselves to their hardy new environment and throve.

(Conan the Barbarian I#264-265 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, the snow-apes diverged into those who would become known as the White Apes of Sorjoon and those who would become Beast-Men of Brutheim.

--The Phantagraph: Hyborian Age essay; Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: While the Beast-Men and the White Apes of Sorjoon are apparently descended from these snow-apes, the original snow-apes have never been pictured.

    That being said, the Beast-Men who were confronted by the war party are decidedly more ape-like than the Beast-Men Conan encountered, so perhaps they looked like them.


beast-men-hyborian-warparty.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-warparty-laboring.jpgwar party

(The Hyborian Age) <Apparently somewhere between 16,500 - 15000 BC> - A wanderer into the far north returned with the news that the supposedly deserted ice wastes were inhabited by an extensive tribe of ape-like men, descended, he swore, from the beasts (snow-apes) driven out of the more habitable land by the ancestors of the Hyborians.

    The wanderer urged that a large war-party be sent beyond the arctic circle to exterminate these beasts, whom he swore were evolving into true men.

    He was jeered at; a small band of adventurous young warriors followed him into the north, but none returned.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb)) - The small war-party traveled into north to destroy the Beast-Men before they could grow strong enough to menace the world where men ruled. 

    Greatly out-numbering the war party, the Beast-Men ambushed and defeated the invaders. 

    Keeping some of the defeated as slaves, the Beast-Men learned of their weapons and forced the men to build dwellings for them. 

--The Phantagraph: Hyborian Age essay; Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: The above story was handed down from Chief Thrall (leader of the slaves to the Beast-Men) to Chief Thrall for perhaos thousands of years.

    Kiord related the story to Conan.


beast-men-hyborian-kiord-face.jpgKiord

    Born into a life of slavery amongst the human thralls of the Beast-Men of Brutheim, at some point Kiord became the Chief Thrall.

    The origins of the humans serving the Beast-Men was related to Kiord by the previous Chief Thrall, who had learned it from the Chief Thrall before him.

    Kiord was taller even than Conan of his late teens, perhaps 6'5" or 6'7" (or taller?).

    Like the other thralls, his skin was relatively pale as he had never been exposed to the sun or seen the world beyond Brutheim.

    Kiord had a wife amongst the other thralls.
beast-men-hyborian-kiord-breakout.jpg

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Kiord often dreamed that their Beast-Men masters simply vanished and that he ruled the city as its kind and loving king. In this dream, there was no blood shed in the transfer.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) <Long before the main story> - Kiord secretly carved a knife of obsidian with stones, meaning to take his own life if ever the need arose (to avoid torture/torment from the Beast-Men, presumably).

(
Conan the Barbarian I#2) - After Conan was captured by Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann and thrown into the slave-pens, Kiord greeted him and explained the nature of their existence.

    A pair of Beast-Men subsequently arrived and instructed Kiord to gather the manlings for work-time, and Kiord did so, urging Conan to fall in with them; as they left, Conan mused that "Chief Thrall still meant being a slave.

    Outside of the slave-pens, Kiord explained to Conan the nature and purpose of the war machines and urged Conan to take care and do what was demanded of him. One of the Beast-Men silenced Kiord, reminding him that he was forbidden from speaking during the work-time, except to relay the orders to his fellow "worms."

    When the chained Conan resisted, Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann began battering him, one of the Thralls told Kiord he hoped the Beast-Men didn't take Conan's actions out on them. Kiord considered that Conan struggled to his feet while knowing he would be struck down; he wondered if that was the difference between a manling and a man.

    Later, after Conan had been sentenced to the Games the next day, Kiord gave Conan his obsidian dagger so that could kill himself to avoid such suffering. Considering that he would find some other use for the dagger, Conan asked Kiord why -- with his strength and skill -- he did not lead a revolt against his masters. Kiord responded that he and his people were born and bred to serve, and serve they would: Any other course would lead to bloodshed, and he would not see any of his flock shed so much as a drop. Conan noted that perhaps blood was the price they must pay to be free, but Kiord argued that, though he was no coward, he felt it was better to live as slaves than for them all to die "on the altar of some dreamer's folly." He did admit to dreaming of being free without bloodshed, and Conan told him to keep dreaming until the day he died.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - That night, Kiord again dreamed of being free, but this time it was different, as Conan was present in the dream.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - During the next day's Games, Kiord and the other Thralls were penned in wooden cages to witness Conan's demise.

    Kiord told his wife of the dream he had the night before, but she told him to be quiet or he might share Conan's fate; Kiord thought aloud that he would be proud to do so, if pride were his to know.

    As Conan walked past, Kiord told him that the thralls had cringed ever since the hour of their birth and asked him to show them how to die that they perhaps would learn how to live.
beast-men-hyborian-war_weapon-wheel.jpg
    When Conan was caught in a net by the Beast-Men in preparation of torturing him until he admitted servitude and then killing him like a dog. Not wanting Conan to be turned into less than an animal like the thralls had been, Kiord -- despite his wife's advice to be silent -- smashed open the door to the cage as he vowed that he would he would nevermore be slave to a dream or to the Beast-Men, flattening one of the Beast-Men in the process.

    Ripping the bars off the cage, he announced that there would be no more manlings, but only free men and dead men. While most of the people fled through the shattered door, a few, despite their fears, joined the fight.

    Gathering a sword, Kiord assaulted those holding Conan, allowing him to get free of the net and
 join the battle. Kiord advised Conan that the odds were not as hopeless as they appeared, as if they could best the Guardsmen, the rest of the Beast-Men did not know how to fight. Conan counseled his friend not to waste breath on words but to strike out at their foes and to sell his life dearly if he must.beast-men-hyborian-gha-kree-crown-kiord.jpg

    After Gha-Kree instructed the guards to protect the war-weapons, Kiord -- noting the battering ram was aimed right at Gha-Kree's court -- rushed to the weapons in hopes of evening the scales while there was still time, and Conan joined him in -- with great effort on both their parts-- getting the wheels of a large ram-weapon moving; finally, they got it going swiftly, and the weapon crashed into the area holding Gha-Kree and his court, causing it to collapse on them. 

    As Kiord proclaimed their freedom and Conan retrieved his helmet, Zha-Gorr suddenly and fatally struck Kiord from behind; Conan swiftly slew Zha-Gorr in turn.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Lacking their leaders and guardsmen, the remaining Beast-Men fled or perished.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 - BTS) - Conan recovered Gha-Kree's helmet and placed it on Kiord's head. 

    Conan told the people to let their legends say that a king led them to victory, and that his name was Kiord: "For he was the last of the manlings, but first among...men."

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

beast-men-hyborian-moira-face.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-moira-body.jpgMoira

    One of the human-thralls of the Beast-Men, Moira was the personal handmaid to King Gha-Kree, and she was also his favorite.

    She was supremely loyal to the Beast-Men, willfully and without prompting tricking free humans into being captured by the Beast-Men.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - For unrevealed reasons, Moira left Brutheim (apparently with Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann) and was in the woodlands above when she witnessed Conan slaying Gan-Torr after the giant Beast-Man attacked him.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - As Conan began to wander away, cursing the cold, Moira allowed him to catch a glimpse of her behind a nearby tree. Noting her both to be beautiful and no better dressed for the weather than himself, he called out to her and asked if she was lost. After staring blankly at him for a few moments, she took off running, and Conan pursued her in hopes of seeking shelter in her home or at least directions. Moira instead led him into a trap where Zha-Gorr was hiding behind another tree and could strike him across his mid-section with a pike, after which Har-Lann knocked him out with a blow to the back of the head. 

    Moira then instructed them to stop hitting Conan and to instead bring him back to Brutheim, but Zha-Gorr reminded her that she had no place giving orders to officers of the Brutorian Guard; although she was the king's favorite, she was still human. Moira accompanied the two Beast-Men and their captive back to Brutheim.

    When Zha-Gorr insisted they take him to the slave-pens, taking a path straight through the heart of Brutheim, Moira noted that she expected him to turn this capture into an excuse for a triumphal procession; Zha-Gorr vainly admitted to this.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Later, as Zha-Gorr and Har-Lann battered the rebellious Conan, Moira accompanied Gha-Kree as he interrupted them, asking what they were doing. When Zha-Gorr explained that he was teaching the manling a lesson prior to skewering him like a pig, Conan defiantly challenged them. Gha-Kree swiftly agreed that this manling would never make a good slave, but lamented wasting his death. Moira asked if she may suggest the Games, and Gha-Kree happily approved this option advice to put him into the Games.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - At the Games, Moira sat alongside Gha-Kree and his court when Gha-Kree offered Conan a chance to grovel and perhaps gain Conan a place in his palace, but Conan refused to serve "like the she-cur Moira"; in response, Gha-Kree had a snow lion released.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - Ultimately, Kiord, the former Chief Thrall, freed the other Thralls and led Conan to help him send a giant battering ram-type war machine rushing into the section containing Gha-Kree's court. Moira and everyone else in that section was apparently killed.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: I would think it likely that Moira was Gha-Kree's favorite for more than just her work ethic, but there's nothing to support that in the story.
    Or, perhaps, he found her human form disgusting...as Zha-Gorr seemed to.

    Moira is also pictured a few times in Gha-Kree's sub-profile.


beast-men-hyborian-slave-pens.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-manling-barracks.jpgThralls

    The Beast-Men employed human slaves/thralls to perform their labor in Brutheim (the Land of Always-Light). Blocked off within chambers, the slave barracks were always dark.

    They had some thralls who were descended from the northern war-party they had originally defeated and captured, apparently in millennia past, and they subquently captured females to breed with the captive men to bear children to serve as their thralls.

    They apparently also captured other humans as needed, forcing them into slavery. Those who proved too resistant to become a thrall were sent to fight in their Games, in which they typically perished.

    During the Games, the Thralls were placed into wooden cages to watch the struggle, presumably to remind them of what their fate would be if they defied the Beast-Men.

    Most of those born into slavery accepted it without thought of rebellion.

    They were led by a Chief Thrall, the most recent of whom was Kiord. beast-men-hyborian-thralls-games.jpg

    The origins of the humans serving the Beast-Men was passed on between generation s from one Chief Thrall to the next Chief Thrall.

    Moira was the handmaid and favored thrall of King Gha-Kree.

    The only other Thrall somewhat identified as was Kiord's wife, but she didn't receive a name.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - The Beast-Men threw the captured Conan into the slave barracks, where Kiord told him of their history. Later, when Conan got into a fight with the Beast-Men, one of the other thralls told Kiord he hoped they wouldn't be punished for Conan's defiance.beast-men-hyborian-thralls-games-conan.jpg

    Later, the Thralls were placed into their wooden cage(s) to watch Conan in the Games, but Kiord eventually broke out and freed them. Most fled, but some joined the struggle against the Brutorian Guard. 

    When the Guard fell and Conan and Kiord slew King Gha-Kree and the ruling court with an immense war machine.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Lacking their leaders and guardsmen, the remaining Beast-Men fled or perished.

(Conan the Barbarian I#2) - After Kiord was slain from behind by the Beast-Man Zha-Korr, whom Conan slew in turn, Conan recovered Gha-Kree's helmet and placed it on Kiord's head. 

    Conan told the former thralls that they were free now, and long may they remain so; "but let your legends say that a king led you to victory, and that his name was Kiord: "For he was the last of the manlings, but first among...men."

--Conan the Barbarian I#2


beast-men-hyborian-snow_lion.jpgbeast-men-hyborian-snow_lion-lateral.jpgsnow lion

    White-furred lions of the northern regions were known to and dreaded by the barbarians of Cimmeria, although Conan had never seen one.

    At least one was captured by the Beast-Men and used in their Games to battle (and presumably kill in most cases) the rebellious slaves.

(
Conan the Barbarian I#2) - A male snow lion was released to battle the defiant Conan during the games, and it charged him with a powerful roar. Only briefly transfixed by fear, the young Conan (who had secretly been given an obsidian dagger by chief thrall Kiord) dodged its initial charge.

    The lion swiftly turned and charged again, this time knocking down the Cimmerian. However, the mighty barbarian forced the lion's head back and then stabbed it with the dagger (in the neck?, it really wasn't clear).

    The lion fell to the ground, incapacitated and likely killed.


--
Conan the Barbarian I#2

beast-men-hyborian-gha-kree-crown.jpgTusk-Bears

    They were presumably a race of bear-like creatures with elongated canines or incisors in the form of tusks.

    They were noted by Gha-Kree as having been long-dead, presumably meaning they were extinct; if so, the cause of their distinction is unrevealed; perhaps the Beast-Men hunted them to extinction, but obviously that is only one of many possibilities, including being preyed on by other creatures, exhausting their food supplies, some form of plague/infection, etc.

    As king, Gha-Kree wore a crown made from the teeth of tusk-bears.

--Conan the Barbarian I#2

Note: Tusk-bears were never pictured, and only mentioned once by Gha-Kree in reference to his crown.


images: (without ads)
Conan the Barbarian I#2 cover (main);
        pg.1 (Gan-Torr fallen);
        pg. 2, panel 4 & 5 (Moira face & body);
        pg. 4, panel 2 (Zha-Gorr face);
            panel 3 (mouth of cave entrance);
            panel 4 (tunnels);
            panel 5 (Har-Lann profile);
        pg. 5, panel 1 (Brutheim);
            panel 2 (Zha-Gorr lifting Conan);
            panel 3 (Zha-Gorr throwing Conan into slave-pens);
        pg. 6, panel 3 (long-view of slave barracks);
        pg. 7, panel 1 (Kiord face);
            panel 2 (war party);
            panel 3 (war party ambushed by early Beast-Men);
            panel 6 (war party laboring as slaves);
            panel 7-9 (Beast-Man watching village, watching women, stealing women);
        pg. 8, panel 4 (Kiord showing war machines);
        pg. 9, panel 4 (Conan throttling Zha-Gorr);
        pg. 10, panel 1 (Gha-Kree & Moira, full, distant);
            panel 2 (Gha-Kree body profile with Moira);
            panel 3 (Gha-Kree face profile);
        pg. 12, panel 1 (Games);
        pg. 13, panel 1-2 (Thralls in wooden pens, faces and upper bodies);
        pg. 14, panel 1 (snow lion, front);
        pg. 15, panel 1 (snow lion, lateral);
            panel 5 (Brutorian Guard entering);
        pg. 16, panel 2 (Brutorian Guard, net);
            panel 3 (Gha-Kree ordering Conan's death);
            panel 5 (Kiord breaks out of wooden pen);
        pg. 18, panel 3 (Kiord pushing wheel);
            panel 7 (battering ram);
        pg. 19, panel 1-2 (Gha-Kree's court crushed);
        pg. 20, panel 1 (Conan slays Zha-Gorr);
            panel 5 (Gha-Kree's crown);
            panel 6 (Gha-Kree's crown on Kiord's head)
       
Official Handbook of the Conan Universe#1, pg. 16-17 (map)


Appearances:
The Phantagraph: February, August, and October-November 1936 issues: The Hyborian Age - Robert E. Howard (editor)
Conan the Barbarian I#2 (December, 1970) - Roy Thomas (writer), Barry (Windsor) Smith (penciler), Sal Buscema (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Official Handbook of the Conan Universe#1: Map (January, 1986) - Alan Zelenetz (researcher, writer), Tony Edwards (map design), Eliot R. Brown (penciler, inker), Larry Hama (editor)


First posted: 03/24/2018
Last updated: 03/24/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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