The Phoenix on the Sword: Difference between revisions

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There is a conspiracy afoot to overthrow Conan, the new king of the prosperous nation of Aquilonia. The Rebel Four, four disparate leaders who want Conan dead for their own reasons, have been brought together by Ascalante, who seeks to use them in part of his own bid for the crown of Aquilonia. Ascalante's chiefest slave, Thoth-Amon, was once a powerful sorcerer of Stygia who seeks his lost ring of power. Meanwhile, Conan has been restless ever since taking the throne, yearning for the days when he was a warrior. When Thoth-Amon reclaims his ring and calls forth a powerful demon of the underworld to destroy his former tormentor, the dead sage Epemitreus calls Conan to him to protect his land from this evil foe and places the mark of the phoenix on Conan's sword. Thus armed, Conan destroys both the demon and the conspirators that have come to his chambers to assassinate him.

 

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* [[Anti-Villain]]: Rinaldo. He is the only conspirator among the Rebel Four who does not have an ulterior motive behind wanting Conan dead.

* [[Because Destiny Says So]]: Why Epemitreus aids Conan -- it seems that his destiny is tied with that of Aquilonia itself.

* [[Blood Magic]]: Thoth-Amon uses it.

* [[Dead Person Conversation]]: Where Conan gets his warning

* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: Thoth-Amon, wanting more than anything to make his former master Ascalante pay, sends a demon of Set after him and everyone with him at the time. Including, as it happens, Conan whom Ascalante was trying to assassinate at the time.

* [[Evil Sorcerer]]: What Thoth-Amon was long ago, and which he becomes again upon reclaiming the Ring.

* [[Evil Eye]]: The demon of Set that Thoth-Amon calls upon Ascalante has the ability to stare into someone's eyes and blast their soul. While it works on Ascalante, it does not work on Conan.

* [[Villain Opening Scene]]: Starts with the conspiracy against Conan.

* [[White Magic]]: Epemitreus is perhaps the only wielder of such in the Conan saga, and the mark he places upon Conan's sword is powerful enough to slay demons.

* [[Wrecked Weapon]]: Conan's sword breaks upon Gromel's helm during the battle with the conspirators. Even so, the part of it that is left is ''still'' enough to kill Thoth-Amon's demon.

* [[You Imagined It]]: After the battle with the demon, Conan is told that he is imagining things. This is quickly disproved however, when the priest recognizes the mark on Conan's sword.

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