"The Dark Man" by Robert E. Howard (December 1931) Originally appeared in Weird Tales, December 1931. Plot: Turlough O'Brien takes a fisherman's boat so that he can pursue Thorfel the Fair who has kidnapped Moira of the O'Brien clan. Thorfel plans to make her his wife, by force if necessary. Turlough rides into a gale in search of teh tiny island of Helni where the pirates are located. he comes across another island where many dead Vikings lie. Also he finds small, dark-skinned people who were protecting a black stone statue of a dark man. Turlough puts the light statue into the bow of his boat and sails on. He finds the island of Helni by terrific luck and sneaks inland to spy around Thorfel's hall. Two Vikings approach bearing the Dark Man who they find very heavy. It falls on one man's foot, crushing it. in his anger the Viking slams his sword into the statue, causing the blade to shatter into the face of the other Viking. They eventually get the statue into the hall. Turlough sneaks into the building through a side door. A Viking comes out of the door but he kills him with his bare hands. The door leads to an empty store room where Turlough can watch what is going on in the hall. He sees that Thorfel has brough a Christian priest to the island to marry Moira and Thorfel. When given the choice between Christian marriage and death, Moira snatches a dagger and stabs herself in the heart. Turlough attacks, cutting down many Vikings. He is about to overwhelmed but a horde of small, dark-skinned men (Picts) show up and help him slaughter the Vikings. One of these is Athelstane the Saxon who has been raiding with Thorfel. Finally Turlough meets Thorfel and kills him too. Athelstane the Saxon is not actually dead, only slightly wounded, and Turlough saves him from the Picts. They burn Thorfel's hall. The Picts take their sacred statue back to Scotland. Turlough, Athelstane and the priest, Father Jerome sail together back together. The sea turns red with the setting sun. Jerome asks when all the bloodshed will end? Turlough says, "Not so long as the race lasts". Monsters: The Dark Man - a statue of Bran Mak Morn that contains his spirit which gonar had placed in the statue upon his death in battle. The statue can be very light (for friends) and very heavy for enemies. The Pict priests can commune with their ancient king through dreams. History: Chronologically the first story about Turlough, it appeared after the sequel "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth" (two months earlier in October 1931). It is also the last story to mention Bran Mak Morn who appears as a spirit-haunted statue, the Dark Man. The story was strong enough to get the cover for that issue with Moira, daughter of Murtagh killing herself as the evil-looking statue watches. The story has a great battle scene in the Viking hall.
"The Dark Man" was adapted as a Conan story by Roy Thomas and drawn by Gil Kane, Neal Adams, Pablos Marcos and others in Savage Tales #4 (May 1974).
|
1
1
1