Crown of Wisdom (Cornerstones of Creation; Conan story)

crown_of_wisdom-coc-case CROWN of WISDOM

Classification: Magic item;
Talismans of Mystic Power;
active in the Hyborian era (present since the distant past; see comments)

Creator: Primal Gods (aka "Elder Gods"; see comments);
if the Crown of Wisdom is an incarnation of the Serpent Crown, then it would have been created or re-created by Set;

User/Possessors: Conan of Cimmeria, Pau-Styss, Zoroaster;
watched over by the Cult of Creation, notably its priestess, Noyo;
if the Crown of Wisdom is an incarnation of the Serpent Crown, then it has also been used by numerous others; see the Serpent Crown for that listing

Group Membership (More of a collection): Cornerstones of Creation (Mirror of Beauty, Rose of Peace, Sword of Strength)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly Pau-Styss' castle, which floated over the Eiglopohian mountains that separated Cimmeria from Vanaheim and Aesgaard);
formerly Zorazztor's mosque in the outskirts of Anshan, Iranistan

First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#128 (November, 1981)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The exact nature of the Crown's power is unrevealed, but it presumably grants mental or psychic power. However, it has a seductive if not corrupting nature, even entrancing a powerful mystic such as Noyo.

It is one of four items of magic power that collectively form the Cornerstones of Creation. Even when not in use it exuded powerful energies.

History: crown_of_wisdom-coc-full

(Conan the Barbarian I#128 (fb) - BTS) - In the distant past, the Primal Gods (also sometimes referred to as "Elder Gods"; see comments) created four items, imbuing each of them with one of the four elements of the cosmos' creation: The Sword of Strength, the Crown of Wisdom, the Mirror of Beauty, and the Rose of Peace.

Throughout the ages, the sacred Cornerstones of Creation were jealously guarded by the Cult of Creation. Knowledge of their Earthly hiding places was known only to the hand-picked priestess of the gods.

Noyo was chosen as the Priestess of the Cult of Creation.

(Conan the Barbarian#129 (fb) - BTS) - Because of the his wisdom, Zoroazztor was chosen as the keeper of the Crown of Wisdom.

(Conan the Barbarian#129 (fb) - BTS) - Zoroazztor guarded the Crown for "untold ages."

(Conan the Barbarian#129 (fb) - BTS) <Circa 10,000 BC> - Zoroazztor dwelled within a mosque in the outskirts of Anshan, the thriving capital of Iranistan.

(Conan the Barbarian#129 (fb) - BTS) - The demon lord sorcerer Pau-Styss sought the power of the Cornerstones of Creation and kidnapped Laynnen to force his wife, Noyo, priestess of the Elder Gods, to recover the Cornerstones. She was joined on her quest by Laynnen's childhood friend, Conan; her and Laynnen's son, Dreeme, also came along.

(Conan the Barbarian#129 (fb) - BTS) - Having already obtained the Sword of Strength, Noyo, Conan, and Dreeme mystically traveled to Zoroazztor's mosque to obtain the Crown of Wisdom.

(Conan the Barbarian#129) - Challenged by Noyo, Zoroazztor mystically neutralized the illusions that cloaked the Crown of Wisdom, exposing it, its cage, and the aura of energy it exuded. When the Crown urged her to place it upon her brow and it would make her a god, Noyo, trembling and vacant-faced, reached for it, but Zoroazztor stopped her, using a mystic shock to restore her senses and still the crown's call. Though he advised her of its potency and that none but the chosen one could ever wear it, Noyo insisted she needed and would have the Crown; Zoroazztor agreed that her need was beyond dispute, but made it clear that her having it was not.

    Zorazztor defeated Noyo in a challenge of mental power, but then Conan torched at least three of Zoroazztor's bookshelves, and the ancient wood and tomes swiftly spread the fire. As Zoroazztor predictably flew down and desperately tried to stamp out the flames, Conan scaled another shelf, dove through the air, snatched the Crown (within its casing), and landed on Noyo's flying carpet.

    As Conan and Noyo prepared to depart, Zoroazztor cursed their treachery and caused the door to the mosque to vanish -- leaving Conan, Noyo, Dreeme trapped within -- before transporting himself and his handmaidens away to parts unrevealed.

(Conan the Barbarian#130) - Noyo mystically transported herself, Conan, Dreeme, and the Crown to Khitai; she placed the Crown in a realm between time and space so it could not try to seduce them again.

    After Conan and Noyo and recovered the Mirror of Beauty and the Rose of Peace and then confront Pau-Styss, the sorceror defeated Conan and then forced Noyo to bring forth the Cornerstones; Styss transformed the Cornerstones into their sidereal states and spoke the chants to claim their power. Ultimately, however, the power consumed him, leaving him a skeleton before that crumbled to dust.

    Noyo then revealed that she had recalled/appreciated Laynnen's true nature as the child of the Elder Gods, and Laynnen revealed how, upon learning Noyo's nature, he had understood that only the "chosen one," the one pure in heart, could tap into the Cornerstone's power without harm; he indicated that Dreeme could be that chosen one, though he, Dreeme, and Noyo would have to work on drawing out even the limited stain of violent thoughts on Dreeme's soul.

Comments: Created by J.M. DeMatteis and Gil Kane.

Elder Gods and Cornerstones of Creation

In the past, we have always considered the Elder Gods of the Hyborian Age (never specifically named and sometimes referred to as the Primal Gods and the Creation-Lords) to be distinct from the true Elder Gods (Chthon, Gaea, Oshtur, and Set; with others having long since perished) and to possibly be the major gods mentioned elsewhere in the Conan series: Crom, Mitra, Asura, and possibly Set..."
However, the Mystic Arcana series included the Cornerstones of Creation and showed them to be associated with the true Elder Gods. Between the two stories, the Sword of Strength from Conan I#128-130 would correspond to the Sword of Bone (associated with Oshtur), used by Agamotto's Pale Horseman, with most recent incarnation being Cadaver; the Rose of Peace would correspond to the Ebon Rose (associated with Gaea); the Crown of Wisdom would correspond to the Serpent Crown (associated with Set); and the Mirror of Beauty would correspond to the Darkhold (associated with Chthon). It is NOT outright stated, however, that the Cornerstones of Creation in Mystic Arcana were the same as those in the Conan stories.
Is the Crown of Wisdom an incarnation of the Serpent Crown?

The Serpent Crown has already been shown to have existed in a separate form, such as the Helmet of Power (when used by Destiny/Paul Destine)
Most convincing for the Crown of Wisdom to be associated with Set +/- the Serpent Crown would be its seductive/corrupting influence.
The Serpent Crown was created in 18,000 BC, but it was lost with the sinking of Atlantis and Lemuria during the Great Cataclysm shortly thereafter.
The Serpent Crown was next reportedly used by Naga circa the 14th century AD, who found it, still clutched in the skeletal hands of Atra and Phraug who had contended for it as Lemuria sank.
If the Crown of Wisdom was indeed meant to be a form/incarnation of the Serpent Crown, we would have to have it taken from Atra and Phraug's corpses' clutches and then returned to that location before Naga found it.

Stranger things have happened in comics, and that's certainly possible.
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if some writer would do a story with the Serpent Crown being used by someone between 18,000 BC and 1400 AD, which would eliminate the need to work around this, but at this point, there's not in-story evidence to support its disappearance and reappearance.

Another possibility would be that the Crown of Wisdom was not as much an incarnation of the Serpent Crown, but a separate totem of power, much like the Cobra Crown.
It could still be tied to Set, but perhaps some unexplained force blocked access to any sorcerer from detecting/recovering it, and as a result a surrogate mystic totem was created.
Regardless, the two Crowns are not the exact same object, which is why I'm giving them different profiles here.

Connections/Contradictions between the Sword of Bone and the Sword of Strength are discussed in their respective profiles.
The Rose of Peace and the Ebon Rose have no striking differences, so that's an easy re-creation; but, again, they're not exactly the same.
The Mirror of Beauty supposedly judged purity and could only be used by one who was pure. The Black Mirror, however, was a reflection of the Darkhold, a creation of Chthon, one of the most malevolent beings associated with Earth. Obviously, it could have been that the Mirror of Beauty was a trap to corrupt others, but the fact the Pau-Styss was destroyed upon accessing the Cornerstones' power makes it seem less likely that it was some seductive trick.
Interestingly, the one image in Conan the Barbarian I#130 that shows the Elder Gods as appearing to be at least three completely human-looking males. Is this just an image from Noyo's understanding of her masters? Did she lack understanding of their true forms/natures and just assume them to be human males who mystically combined their energies to generate a living being? Were these beings actually avatars of the Elder Gods, rather than the Elder Gods themselves? Or are there two different sets of Cornerstones of Creation?
I know the author of Mystic Arcana, David Sexton, intended the Cornerstones in his stories to be the same ones from the Conan stories, but he did tell me that he wasn't sure that would actually work out...
This issue will likely remain unrevealed...and perhaps moot, depending on how the new Conan series fits in. It's supposed to be a continuation of the older series, although they don't necessarily plan to revisit much outside of classic Robert E. Howard story themes. We shall see...

blackmirror-darkhold-acewands Some insight courtesy of creator David Sexton:

I discovered the original Cornerstones of Creation on your Appendix website as I was investigating magic in Marvel and the idea of the number 4 as a repeated theme in Marvel. And, of course, the way that Tarot fits into all that.

When I saw the C of C on your site I connected it to Tarot and then the 4 Elder Gods. I knew that Gaea was Earth and Rose fit with her, that the crown was the Serpent Crown, and that the Sword which signifies intellect and the mind was Oshtur.

So then I was like how would a mirror work with Cthon and I realized that the Darkhold was the mirror of Chthon. A reflection of his twisted vision for the world.

In Marvel Tarot, it appears as the Ace of Wands (see image on right--Snood; the Ace of Swords is the Sword of Bone, the Ace of Cups is the Serpent Crown, and the Ace of Pentacles is the Ebon Rose)

In the image of Ian McNee using the Cornerstones of Creation, the Black Mirror is just a magical construct to symbolize the Mirror.

In my mind, the Darkhold itself is the Cornerstone. Possessing the Last Chronicle of Chthon / Darkhold page allowed Ian to access the Darkhold's power (as far as the Cornerstones of Creation is concerned).

The Serpent Crown. The Ebon Rose. The Sword of Bone. and the Darkhold. Those are the four Cornerstones

The Cornerstones of Creation received a mini-profile in the Talismans of Mystic Power of the Mystic Arcana handbook. It stated:

The Cornerstones of Creation refers to a set of four unique artifacts of the ancient world. The Sword, the Rose, the Crown, and the Mirror are related to air, earth, water, and fire, respectively, and some ancient texts have connected them with four entities known as "Elder Gods." Individually possessed of vast power, some have theorized that if the four Cornerstones were gathered together and used correctly, the very fabric of reality could be altered. This is why the true names of the items have been obscurred throughout history...

After re-re-re-re-reviewing all the stories and speaking to the creator, it seems clear that the Handbook entry offers the best solution...the Cornerstones' reality-altering power changed their nature...or their natures were altered.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Crown of Wisdom may or may not be connected in some fashion to:

The Serpent Crown - created by agents of the Elder God Set--Tales to Astonish I#101

but should be distinguished from:

Cobra Crown - Imperfect predecessor of the Serpent Crown created in ancient Lemuria and stored on the Nameless Isle; later briefly worn by followers of Set in place of the lost Serpent Crown but swiftly burnt out with usage--Savage Sword of Conan I#40
CROWN of BLINDNESS - used by Eternity to imprison Zom by covering his eyes--Strange Tales I#156
CROWN of HATHOR - Egyptian magic item used by Gamal Hassan to enslave Alicia Masters as the Bride of Nephrus
(app-neph)--Marvel Two-In-One#95
CROWN of ZXAXZ - Enhanced his molecular control of his own body, enabling him to shapeshift, also protected him from others’ use of chaos and order powers--Spellbinder#1
Circlet of Enchantment Alpha Flight #19 (1985) Crown which identified Elizabeth Twoyoungman as the Talisman.
CROWN (Adam Crown) - Knights of Pendragon, apparently imbued with same Pendragon spirit that Arthur Pendragon had hosted and which was later hosted by the Black Knight (Dane Whitman), apparently sacrificed self banishing the Red Lord back to Annwn, possibly deceased
Enhanced human physical abilities, wielded Caliburn
(app)--Knights of Pendragon I#14 (15-18, Knights of Pendragon II#1-4, Marvel Comics Presents I#22/2, [KoP II#5], 5, 6-9, 10-11, 12, Mys-Tech Wars#1, 3-4, KoP#13-15
CROWN - see HUNGER. powered by same source as SHOC, kidnapped Dr. Lanning to perform his energy experiments, further mutated to become Hunger--Spider-Man#76
CROWN - Hydra base--[Secret Warriors#1/2]
CROWN BEE ( ) - --Marvel Mystery Comics#38
CROWN PUB - frequented by agents of UK government--Wisdom#1
Serpent's Crown - built around the magical idea of Captain Fate's vehicle, enlarged with Lilith's power, served as Dracula's ship to contain the vampires and the ordinance needed to subdue Britain, destroyed upon crashing into mystic barrier around Britain--Captain Britain and MI13 #12
CROWNE, RANDALL - opponent of Lisa Parfrey and later Bill Hollister in New York mayoral race--Amazing Spider-Man#547
other Crowns...or Wisdom thingees...

images: (without ads):
Conan the Barbarian#128, pg. 14, panel 4 (unencased);
#129, pg. 17, panel 6 (encased)

Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian#128 (November, 1981) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Gil Kane (artist), Louise Jones (editor)
Conan the Barbarian#129 (December, 1981) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Gil Kane (pencils), Gil Kane & P. Craig Russell (?) (inks), Louise Jones (editor)
Conan the Barbarian#130 (January, 1982) - J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Gil Kane (artist), Louise Jones (editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First posted: 09/07/2019
Last updated: 04/10/2020

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