VITELLIA
Real Name: Vitellia
Identity/Class: Human magic user (Hyborian Era)
Occupation: Witch
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Eigen (apprentice),
Harapha;
Enemies: Baldar, Barak, Caractacus, Conan, Orbin
Known Relatives: unnamed husband; Barak, Caractacus, Orbin (brothers-in-law)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Brythunia
First Appearance: Savage Sword of Conan#130 (November, 1986)
Powers/Abilities: Vitellia had power that was of sorcerous origin. She could charm men with her voice, laughter and beauty, and let them fall in love with her. She could shapeshift from her bestial form to a very beautiful feminine form. In her bestial form, she was stronger and more agile than a normal human. She could cast a spell to drain a man's lifeforce if a single drop of his blood was spilled. Her spells could be more powerful if cast when the stars were aligned in a certain way, or could be weakened and negated if the person cursed used a protective talisman.
History:
(Savage Sword of Conan#130 (fb) - BTS) - Vitellia was a witch but had hid her true nature for centuries under the appearance of a beautiful woman. She prolonged her own life by stealing the lifeforce of other people. Vitellia later took on a trusted apprentice called Eigen.
Once in Brythunia, Vitellia got to know Barak and his brothers, who were great lords in Brythunia. She more or less had them all fall in love with her, but she married the eldest, who was also the wealthier one. Some time later, she cursed all the brothers, including her husband, and stole his lifeforce, murdering him. Caractacus and the other brothers accused her of witchcraft and the king ordered a trial by single combat. Vitellia's defender was not able to go to the trial and sent Conan the Cimmerian in his place.
(Savage Sword of Conan#130) - Conan fought Caractacus and wounded him, winning the trial and also winning all of Vitellia's wealth, as well as that of her brothers-in-law. That evening at the castle, which was now Conan's, Vitellia thanked Conan and visited him in his room. While making love, Conan heard footsteps in the corridor. Caractacus, helped by Baldar, a guard, had sneaked into the castle. With three men, he assaulted the Cimmerian and Vitellia. Conan had to kill them all. The day after, Vitellia and Eigen started to plot against Conan, scheming his death.
(Savage Sword of Conan#130 (fb) - BTS) - Orbin also died by Vitellia's spell. After his protective amulet had been cut off by Conan, his own falcon pierced him, spilling his blood, thereby triggering the curse which caused his body to grow old and he rotted away in only a few seconds.
(Savage Sword of Conan#130 - BTS) - Helped by Harapha, Conan sold the estate at the harvest fair, with the intention of sharing the income with Vitellia and Harapha. On their way back to the castle, Conan was attacked by Barak, the younger of the brothers. Conan deeply wounded Barak who voluntarily removed his protective talisman. Vitellia's curse hit him immediately, rotting him.
(Savage Sword of Conan#130) - Vitellia put a thorn in the seal of a letter from the King of Brythunia. She hoped that Conan would open it, so the thorn would spill his blood. Once at home, the letter was instead opened by Harapha. Vitellia tried to stop him, but the thorn cut him and his lifeforce was drained. He died before Conan's eyes. Vitellia's true nature was clear. She shapeshifted into her bestial form and attacked Conan, trying to scratch and wound him. During the fight, Conan killed Eigen. Vitellia's viscious savagery was not sufficient to overwhelm Conan, who knocked her out with a powerful blow.
That night, Vitellia was carried by Conan to the King's castle where he accused her of witchcraft. No one among the noblemen stepped forward to defend her. The day after, begging Conan, weeping her last tear, Vitellia was executed by dacapitation. Her body was thrown into the fire, but in a last show of sorcery, Vitellia's form rose on the flames, seeking her lover. Conan's last embrace for her was a yard of steel.
Comments: Created by Don Kraar (writer), Mike Docherty (pencils) and Fraja Bator (inks).
I suppose that Vitellia's bestial form was her true form, reached after centuries of evil actions and life-stealing. Vitellia's feminine form was probably her appearance when she was young.
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Vitellia has no known conconnections to
Baldar has no known connections to
Barak has no known connections to
Caractacus has no known conconnections to
Eigen has no known conconnections to
Harapha has no known conconnections to
Orbin has no known conconnections to
Baldar was a guard. He worked at the manor of Vitellia's husband and was very loyal to his master. Baldar was a fugitive from the Ophirian salt mines who had found a job in the Brythunian Estate. When his master died, he was convinced that Vitellia was a witch, he felt it, and wanted to avenge his master's death. One night, Baldar helped Caractacus to enter the castle using a secret passage. Along with the other three men, he attacked Conan and Vitellia, but Conan was too strong for them and killed them all.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
Barak was the youngest among his brothers, who were great lords in Brythunia. When Vitellia arrived in their lands, Barak was the first to fall in love with her, but Vitellia chose instead to marry Barak's oldest brother, who possessed the greatest part of their wealth. Barak never forgot Vitellia, but when his brother died after being hit by her curse, he also wore a protective talisman against Vitellia's sorcery, and he was also among her accusers.
Barak was a peaceful spirit and didn't want to wield a sword against Vitellia or Conan to avenge his elder brother and Caractacus. However, after Orbin's death, he made the decision to challenge Conan in order to stop Vitellia, willing to sacrifice himself to end her evil. Barak and Conan fought, and Conan gravely wounded him. With his last gasps of life, Barak tried to convince Conan about Vitellia's true nature. He removed his talisman, letting Vitellia's curse strike him before Conan's eyes. Harapha recognized the same death of his former master and strong doubt grew in Conan after seeing Barak sacrifice himself.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
Caractacus was the next eldest brother after Vitellia's husband. He was a good warrior, proficient in the use of sword and axe. Caractacus and his brothers were sure that Vitellia was a witch and always wore protective Stygian talismans. Caractacus wanted revenge and accused Vitellia of witchcraft. He had to defend his charges when Conan showed up to do combat for Vitellia. He was wounded by Conan, and so had to yield to survive. That night, despite his wound, he assaulted Conan and Vitellia in their castle. He was killed by Conan.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
Eigen was Vitellia's apprentice, although she didn't display any sorcerous power. She was very loyal to her mistress and did not care about the men's lives used by Vitellia. She died trying to protect her mistress from Conan's revenge.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
Harapha was a Shemite. He was the steward of the estate inherited by Vitellia and Conan. Harapha was loyal to his former master but did not suspect Vitellia of witchcraft. Harapha secretly helped the peasants because his master was not concerned for their welfare, and without a little aid, they'd be dead or long gone away, and the estate would be lost. After getting to know Harapha, Conan trusted him. Harapha gained a good price for the estate, selling it at the harvest fair. Part of these funds would be his payment. Unfortunately, he opened the letter with the curse that had been meant for Conan. Harapha's blood was spilled and Vitellia's curse quickly killed him.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
Orbin was the third eldest of the brothers. He liked falcon hunting and was expert in it. Orbin was more interested in recovering his family's wealth than avenging his dead brother, but nevertheless agreed with Caractacus' plan to murder Vitellia in her castle. He was later surprised when he saw Conan alive. He and Conan drew their blades, and Conan's sword cut Orbin's amulet off. No longer protected, Orbin was overcome by the curse as his falcon attacked its master. The falcon's beak spilled Orbin's blood and he was overwhelmed by the sorcery, aging in only few seconds and dying before Conan and Barak's eyes.
--Savage Sword of Conan#130
images:
(without ads)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p46, pan2 (as witch, half body)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p46, pan1 (as witch, head shot)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p13, pan4 (Vitellia, head shot)
Savage Sword of Conan#130,
p19, pan6 (Baldar)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p33, pan2 (Barak)
Savage Sword of Conan#130,
p14, pan6 (Caractacus with a talisman)
Savage Sword of Conan#130,
p21, pan2 (Eigen)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p18, pan2 (Harapha)
Savage Sword of Conan#130, p34, pan2 (Orbin)
Appearances:
Savage Sword of Conan#130 (November, 1986) - Don Kraar (writer), Mike
Docherty (pencils), Fraja Bator (inks), Larry Hama (editor)
Last updated: 07/20/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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