SOURCE: "Red Nails" by Robert E. Howard  (Weird Tales, July-December, 1936)
The Legion from the Shadows by Karl Edward Wagner (1976)

DESCRIPTION: "His hand came out of the dark and caught Valeria's wrist as she stumbled blindly on the steps. She felt herself half dragged, half lifted up the winding stair, while Conan released her and turned on the steps, his ears and instincts telling him their foes were hard at their backs. And the sounds were not all those of human feet. Something came writhing up the steps, something that slithered and rustled and brought a chill in the air with it. Conan lashed down with his great sword and felt the blade shear through something that might have been flesh and bone, and cut deep into the stair beneath. Something touched his foot that chilled like the touch of frost, and then the darkness beneath him was disturbed by a frightful thrashing and lashing, and a man cried out in agony." ("Red Nails" by Robert E. Howard)

NOTES: The warring factions of Xuchotl use any weapons they can to kill their enemies. One of these is the serpentine Crawlers brought from the depths beneath their city.

HISTORY: The Crawlers first appeared in the Conan story "Red Nails" but Karl Edward Wagner revived them for his Bran Mak Morn novel The Legion From the Shadows. Wagner tied them to the Serpent Men from Howard's King Kull series. Howard must have hated snakes (He lived in Texas.) because his heroes face so many snake monsters.