THUTOTHEMES

Real Name: Thutothemes of Khemi

Identity/Class: Human (Hyborian era) magic user; Stygian

Occupation: Sorcerer; Necromancer

Affiliations: Black Ring; Set (god); Priests of Set;
Ptah-Mekri

Enemies: Thoth-Amon (rival);
band of Khitain sorcerers

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Temple of Set, Khemi, Stygia, Hyborian era

First Appearance: REH's "Hour of the Dragon" from Weird Tales (1935-1936),
collected in Conan the Conqueror;
(In the MU) Savage Sword of Conan#10 (February, 1976)

Powers/Abilities: Thutothemes possesses an undefined level of magical power and knowledge. He could access a portion of the power of the Heart of Ahriman. He could generate a powerful energy in his hand that could kill a man on contact.

History: Thutothemes was a sorcerer of the Black Ring, a sect of sorcerers from ancient Acheron and later Stygia in the Hyborian Era. Thutothemes was a contemporary of Thoth-Amon, who was the most powerful, and thus the leader of the Black Ring.

(SSoC#10) - The legendary Heart of Ahriman was stolen from Xaltotun and made its way to Khemi, Stygia, where it was claimed by Thutothemes, in the Temple of Set. Thutothemes was drawn to the magic of the Heart and sought to use it to become Master of the Black Ring himself. However, Thutothemes was unable to fully access the great power of the Heart, and so he attempted to resurrect the mighty Stygian sorcerer Ptah Mekri, who had known of the Heart three thousand years ago. In addition, Thutothemes planned to rouse a legion of kings, queens, and wizards, mummified in the Temple of Set for hundreds of centuries. With the alliance of the ancient Stygians, and the knowledge and power gained from them, Thutothemes planned to take over the entire world, returning Stygia to its former glory.

Using the Heart, and calling on Set, Thutothemes began the resurrection process, but was interrupted by a league of Khitain sorcerers. These four sorcerers had been sent by Valerius to find and slay Conan and had followed him to Stygia, but now sought to take the Heart of Ahriman for themselves. The Priests of Set attacked the four sorcerers, but found them more powerful than they would have anticipated. Two of the sorcerers fell before the onslaught, but all of the Priests were killed in the struggle. Thutothemes turned his open hand on one of the Khitain sorcerers, killing him. However, the last sorcerer possessed a similar power, but was able to channel it through his staff. Keeping Thutothemes at a distance with the staff, the Khitain struck him repeatedly until the Stygian fell, dead.
Conan, having watched from a distance, attacked and slew the last Khitain sorcerer and took the Heart of Ahriman back to the Priests of Asura.

 

Comments: Created by Robert E. Howard. Adapted by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

--I place the Hyborian era as beginning shortly after the great Cataclysm (16, 000 BC), although it came to exist as it was usually seen around 12, 000 BC-10, 000 BC. Conan's adventures take place @ 10, 000 BC.
Acheron's empire ruled most of the Earth @ 15, 500 BC, approximately 500 years after the Great Cataclysm. After 2500 years of reign, the empire began to fall before the Hyborian barbarians.
For a truly excellent pre-modern era Chronology of the Marvel Universe, check out Robert Wicks' Unofficial Chronology of the Marvel Universe.

Several of the sorcerers from Stygia and Acheronia (what eventually became Egypt), had names derived from the Egyptian/Heliopolitan Gods. This includes Thoth-Amon (after Thoth, the ibis-headed scribe to the gods), Ptah Mekri (after Ptah), and several others from the Black Ring, as seen in Savage Sword of Conan#205+206 (Athyr-Bast (Bast), Geb-Siris (Geb), and possibly others).

We've seen other beings, partially resurrected, who wandered around in a stupor (like Ptah Mekri), before eventually regaining their mind and power. Perhaps the same happened to Ptah, or perhaps he was more than happy to return to his place in the tomb of Stygian sorcerers, and the peace of eternal sleep.

CLARIFICATIONS:

Ptah Mekri should be distinguished from:

PTAH MEKRI

 

He was a Stygian sorcerer, an adept of the Black Ring, and a high priest of Set, @ 13, 000 BC. He knew of the Heart of Ahriman, although the extent of this knowledge is undefined. After his death (possibly as a result of the invasion of the Hyborians), Ptah Mekri was mummified and placed within the Temple of Set.
Three thousand years later, the Stygian sorcerer Thutothemes attempted to resurrect Ptah Mekri, so that Ptah could train him how to fully access the power of hte Heart of Ahriman. The resurrection process was interrupted by an assault by a band of Khitain sorcerers who sought to steal the Heart for themselves. The Khitains and Stygians slaughtered one another, and Conan stepped in to decapitate the victor. As Conan went for the Heart, however, he encountered the zombie-like, partially resurrected form of Ptah Mekri. Conan guessed correctly that the wizard was only a shade of his true self, and might be subject to his commands. Conan took the Heart and commanded Ptah to lead him from the Temple, which he did. Ptah then turned silently, and strode back into the Temple.

Ptah Mekri was described as an adept of the Black Ring, but his powers, abilities, and skill all remain unseen.

 

--REH's "Hour of the Dragon" from Weird Tales (1935-1936), collected in Conan the Conqueror;
(In the MU) Savage Sword of Conan#10 (February, 1976)

Last updated: 08/22/02

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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