The Black Stranger
Encyclopedia
"The Black Stranger" is one of the stories by Robert E. Howard
about Conan the Cimmerian
, it was produced in the 1930s but not published in his lifetime. When the original Conan version of the story failed to find a publisher, Howard re-wrote "The Black Stranger" into a piratical Terence Vulmea story.
The original version of the story was later rewritten by L. Sprague de Camp
, into a different Conan story, and published in Fantasy Magazine
for February 1953. It was retitled "The Treasure of Tranicos" for book publication later the same year. Its first hardbound publication was in King Conan
, published by Gnome Press
, and its first paperback publication was in Conan the Usurper
, published by Lancer Books
in 1967. It was republished together with an introduction and two non-fiction pieces on the story and on Howard by de Camp and illustrations by Esteban Maroto
as The Treasure of Tranicos
by Ace Books
in 1980.
Howard's original version of the story was first published in 1987 in Echoes of Valor
and more recently in the collections The Conan Chronicles Volume 2: The Hour of the Dragon (Gollancz
, 2001) and Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Three (1935-1936)
(Del Rey Books
, 2005).
in the Pictish Wilderness, fleeing native warriors who are hunting him. To escape his pursuers, Conan scales a crag of rock, whereupon he sees the Picts inexplicably abandon the chase and turn back. He realizes the spot must be a taboo place to the Picts. The hill turns out to hold a treasure cave, along with the preserved bodies of the pirate Tranicos and his men. Conan's attempt to remove the treasure proves futile; a demon of mist forms, and attempts to strangle him. He barely escapes with his life, leaving the treasure undisturbed.
Coinciding with Conan's attempt at looting the treasure is the main plot of a character named Count Valenso Korzetta, a former noble of Zingara, who fled his homeland to escape a demon, whom he double crossed, to end up on the Western shores of Pictish territory. With his entourage came his niece, the Lady Belesa, and her handmaiden, Tina, among other soldiers and retainers. The Count is stunned when he learns that the pirate Black Zarona has landed on his shore, followed by the buccaneer
, Strombanni. Both pirates believe that the Count set out for this deserted place in search of the legendary Treasure of Tranicos. The buccaneers are bitter enemies, and bring their feud to the Count's stronghold. During a meeting one night between the Count, Black Zarona and Strombanni, Conan surprisingly emerges from behind a drapery. All eyes are on Conan, as he dominates the room. The fellows learn from Conan that he himself has found the Treasure of Tranicos, and would be willing to share the loot with the others if they help him retrieve it. They reluctantly make a thieves pact, and agree to join Conan, knowing full well that they will kill him once the treasure is in their possession. Conan, on the other hand, had something else in mind for his companions, chiefly trapping them in the treasure room to have them killed by the demon, taking the treasure with the crews of both ships, and sailing away. Conan's scheme fails though, and the sailors find themselves trapped by Picts, who are surrounding the rocky cleft. The pirates once again declare a truce to combat a common foe. Once the pirates escape the cleft, it's a race to the Count's stronghold, with the Picts in hot pursuit. The story ends with the defeat of the Picts, the death of the Count, Strombanni and Black Zarona.
Howard's version of the story pointed toward a new piratical career for Conan; one of de Camp's major changes was to make it lead instead into the revolution that would bring the Cimmerian to the throne of Aquilonia. The Counts of Poitain arrive on the isolated shores, looking for Conan to lead them against the despotic King of Aquilonia, Numedides.
and John Buscema
in Savage Sword of Conan #47-48.
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
about Conan the Cimmerian
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
, it was produced in the 1930s but not published in his lifetime. When the original Conan version of the story failed to find a publisher, Howard re-wrote "The Black Stranger" into a piratical Terence Vulmea story.
The original version of the story was later rewritten by L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
, into a different Conan story, and published in Fantasy Magazine
Fantasy Magazine
Fantasy Magazine is a U.S.-based online fantasy and science fiction magazine. It was launched as a print edition at the 2005 World Fantasy Convention in Madison, Wisconsin. It continued in this format for six more issues, but in mid-October 2007, it moved online, with daily content, and spun off...
for February 1953. It was retitled "The Treasure of Tranicos" for book publication later the same year. Its first hardbound publication was in King Conan
King Conan
King Conan is a collection of five fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard featuring his seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, first published in hardcover by Gnome Press in 1953. The stories originally appeared in the 1930s in the fantasy magazine Weird Tales...
, published by Gnome Press
Gnome Press
Gnome Press was an American small-press publishing company primarily known for publishing many science fiction classics.The company was founded in 1948 by Martin Greenberg and David A. Kyle. Many of Gnome's titles were reprinted in England by Boardman Books...
, and its first paperback publication was in Conan the Usurper
Conan the Usurper
Conan the Usurper is a 1967 collection of four fantasy short stories written by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp featuring Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. Most of the stories originally appeared in the fantasy magazine Weird Tales in the 1930s...
, published by Lancer Books
Lancer Books
Lancer Books was a series of paperback books published from 1961 through 1973 by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particularly its series of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian tales, the...
in 1967. It was republished together with an introduction and two non-fiction pieces on the story and on Howard by de Camp and illustrations by Esteban Maroto
Esteban Maroto
- Career :Born in Madrid, he began his career in the 1960s with series like Cinco por infinito, published in English by Continuity Comics as "Zero Patrol" ....
as The Treasure of Tranicos
The Treasure of Tranicos (collection)
The Treasure of Tranicos is a 1980 collection of one fantasy short story written by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp featuring Howard's seminal sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, together with essays by de Camp on the title story and on Howard...
by Ace Books
Ace Books
Ace Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
in 1980.
Echoes of Valor
Echoes of Valor is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by Karl Edward Wagner. It was first published in paperback by Tor Books in February 1987.The book collects three classic fantasy novellas by Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and Henry Kuttner...
and more recently in the collections The Conan Chronicles Volume 2: The Hour of the Dragon (Gollancz
Gollancz
Gollancz often refers to the British publishing house Victor Gollancz Ltd.Gollancz, a family name originating from the Polish town Gołańcz , is mainly known as the name of a prominent British Jewish family, including:* Sir Hermann Gollancz , rabbi* Sir Israel Gollancz , scholar of...
, 2001) and Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Three (1935-1936)
Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Three (1935-1936)
The Conquering Sword of Conan is the third of a three-volume set collecting the Conan the Barbarian stories by author Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in 2005, first the United Kingdom by Wandering Star under the title Conan of Cimmeria: Volume Three , and shortly thereafter in the...
(Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
, 2005).
Plot summary
The story finds ConanConan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
in the Pictish Wilderness, fleeing native warriors who are hunting him. To escape his pursuers, Conan scales a crag of rock, whereupon he sees the Picts inexplicably abandon the chase and turn back. He realizes the spot must be a taboo place to the Picts. The hill turns out to hold a treasure cave, along with the preserved bodies of the pirate Tranicos and his men. Conan's attempt to remove the treasure proves futile; a demon of mist forms, and attempts to strangle him. He barely escapes with his life, leaving the treasure undisturbed.
Coinciding with Conan's attempt at looting the treasure is the main plot of a character named Count Valenso Korzetta, a former noble of Zingara, who fled his homeland to escape a demon, whom he double crossed, to end up on the Western shores of Pictish territory. With his entourage came his niece, the Lady Belesa, and her handmaiden, Tina, among other soldiers and retainers. The Count is stunned when he learns that the pirate Black Zarona has landed on his shore, followed by the buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
, Strombanni. Both pirates believe that the Count set out for this deserted place in search of the legendary Treasure of Tranicos. The buccaneers are bitter enemies, and bring their feud to the Count's stronghold. During a meeting one night between the Count, Black Zarona and Strombanni, Conan surprisingly emerges from behind a drapery. All eyes are on Conan, as he dominates the room. The fellows learn from Conan that he himself has found the Treasure of Tranicos, and would be willing to share the loot with the others if they help him retrieve it. They reluctantly make a thieves pact, and agree to join Conan, knowing full well that they will kill him once the treasure is in their possession. Conan, on the other hand, had something else in mind for his companions, chiefly trapping them in the treasure room to have them killed by the demon, taking the treasure with the crews of both ships, and sailing away. Conan's scheme fails though, and the sailors find themselves trapped by Picts, who are surrounding the rocky cleft. The pirates once again declare a truce to combat a common foe. Once the pirates escape the cleft, it's a race to the Count's stronghold, with the Picts in hot pursuit. The story ends with the defeat of the Picts, the death of the Count, Strombanni and Black Zarona.
Howard's version of the story pointed toward a new piratical career for Conan; one of de Camp's major changes was to make it lead instead into the revolution that would bring the Cimmerian to the throne of Aquilonia. The Counts of Poitain arrive on the isolated shores, looking for Conan to lead them against the despotic King of Aquilonia, Numedides.
Adaptation
The story was adapted by Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
and John Buscema
John Buscema
John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema , was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate...
in Savage Sword of Conan #47-48.
External links
- Conan wiki • The Black Stranger • Synopsis, characters, locations, and publishing history
- Conan the Barbarian at AmratheLion.com
- Conan.com: The Official Website