TAVASHTRI
Real Name: Tavashtri
Identity/Class: Demon (Hyborian Era)
Occupation:
None;
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Arlinna, Conan, Lun-Faar, Baron Takkim
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations:
City of Thieves, Zamora;
First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#42 (September, 1974)
Powers/Abilities: Tavashtri was a four-armed demon with bat-like wings plus sharp fangs and talons. It was very strong, enough to overpower Conan. It was about human in height but could be mystically bound to serve one versed in magic. It never spoke.
History:
(Conan the Barbarian I#42 (fb) - BTS) - Lun-Faar was able to capture Tavashtri in the Vendhyan jungles using arcane spells and took it to the City of Thieves. He used the demon to kill thieves on three separate occasions. When not so employed, it stood motionless on a small pillar.
(Conan the Barbarian I#42) - Seeking vengeance for a failed attempt to steal a priceless relic from him, Lun-Faar sent Tavashtri to kill the man responsible for the scheme. The demon followed Arlinna, whom Baron Takkim had sent to steal a priceless relic, and then attacked once it had found its prey, killing the Baron. However, Conan then attacked and the two fought savagely, its talons slicing Conan's sword and its arms seeking to crush Conan's chest. The battle proved too much for Lun-Faar, whose concentration weakened as the fight continued. Lun-Faar finally lost control and Tavashtri abruptly left Conan and returned to Lun-Faar's abode, where it slaughtered the sorcerer with great hatred.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (pencils) and Ernie Chua (inks).
Demon or gargoyle-like native of far-off jungles?
This story was "freely adapted" from "The Purple Heart of Erlik"by Robert E. Howard, Conan's creator, in 1936 in Spicy Adventures, but it was not a Conan story.
The images used in this profile are from Marvel comics that have since been reprinted and recolored in a TPB published by Dark Horse. Any help in replacing these images with the original colored panels would be greatly appreciated!
Tvashtri is the artisan god in the Hindu pantheon.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Tavashtri has no known connections to:
Lun-Faar was a merchant from Khitan who gathered and sold ancient artifacts. He was also a sorcerer who had managed to enslave the demon called Tavashtri so that it would do his bidding. He had gathered various relics around him, including the legendary Dragon-Head of Koblar-Zann, said to grant the bearer eternal life. He also had small figurines of petrified Zamorian thieves. He saw through Arlinna's ruse to steal the head and beat her to found out who had been behind the scheme. He then dispatched Tavashtri to kill Baron Takkim but the demon was also drawn into a fight with Conan, the battle becoming too much of a strain for the magician and he lost control of the demon, which returned to him and hatefully slaughtered him.
--Conan the Barbarian I#42
images:
(without ads)
Conan the Barbarian I#42, p10 (main image)
Other Appearances: None
Last updated: 10/03/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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