WHITE QUEEN
Real Name: Narcia
Identity/Class: Normal human magic user; citizen of Tarsus, Border Kingdoms (Hyborian Era)
Occupation: Enchantress; protector of Tarsus
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Asaad, Conan;
formerly Castrica
Known Relatives: Alexus (twin brother), unnamed mother, unknown father (possibly Set)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Tarsus, Border Kingdoms (Hyborian Era)
First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian Annual#8 (1984)
Powers/Abilities: Narcia had a long life span which made her near immortal. She could summon atmospheric agents, fire bolts of magical energy and open dimensional portals. However, the more she used her powers for killing or causing pain, the more she became tainted with dark sorcery.
History:
(Conan the Barbarian Annual#8) - Narcia and Alexus were born during a blasphemous rite for creating the High Priest of the Snake God during the reign of King Kull over Valusia. Kull ordered that the infant twins had to be killed, because it was prophecised that they would cause a great evil to befall the world. Instead, Tu saved the babies and gave them to a shepherd.
(Conan the Barbarian Annual#8 - BTS) - The babies grew up until they were teen-aged, when they found out that they no longer aged, even if many years went by. Eras passed, continents sunk, and they still lived. In the Hyborian Era, the twins settled in the state-town of Tarsus in the Border Kingdoms, where Narcia performed white magic to protect the land and help the throne and the people, while Alexus became the lover of Castrica, the princess. Narcia's good actions had the people appoint her with the name "White Queen".
(Conan the Barbarian Annual#8) - One day, a rebellion arose outside the castle. Conan, the captain of Narcia's guards and her lover too, held it back with the aid of Asaad and the other guards. Alexus' sorcery killed the rebels as well as the soldiers. Conan was sure that the rebellion had been caused by Alexus but couldn't prove it. That night, Narcia and Conan saw that Alexus had summoned a demon from the netherworld. Conan killed the demon but Alexus, seeking the full realization of his power, left the castle with Castrica.
Narcia read the ancient manuscript left by Castrica in the castle and learnt the prophecies about the High Priest of Set and his sister. She felt that the power was growing in her brother, and felt the impending danger coming from his evil purposes. With Conan, she led a group of soldiers to Alexus' castle in the hope of imprisoning him within a mystic barrier. However, they were attacked by a firestorm and a flight of Demon-Bats, both created by Alexus. Narcia was forced to kill the bats, who were actually soldiers transformed by Alexus' sorcerous powers. Her soldiers fled and Narcia entered the castle with Conan. They found that Alexus had transformed himself into a demonic being. Conan slew him but he did not die so, to save Conan, Narcia displaced the fight into another dimension where the two warriors would be equal. Even so, Alexus was stronger than Conan, and Narcia had to slay him with her mystical blade of compassion. Alexus' "death" brought him to a higher plane of existence and his power grew enormously. Caught in the madness of power, he killed Castrica. Narcia knew that the only way to maintain the balance between them was for her to ascend to Alexus' plane, so she had also to die and pleaded with Conan to kill her. Despite the sorrow and the horror of the proposal, Conan swung the fatal blow. Narcia and Alexus continued their fight in an astral plane as equals, and the world was safe.
(Conan the Barbarian Annual#8 - BTS) - Tarsus was left defenseless without ruling heirs or wizards. Conan, Asaad and the other mercenaries looted it.
Comments: Created by Jim Owsley (writer) and Val Mayerik (art).
When Narcia killed the Demon-Bats, her robes changed color from white to gray. When Narcia killed her brother, the robes became black. She knew that her purity would have been undermined.
If Narcia was the White Queen, who was Castrica? The Black Queen? And if Alexus was the High Priest of Set, could he be called the Black Bishop? Could Conan in the white armor perhaps have been the White Rook? Was this the first version of the Hellfire Club?
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The White Queen has no known connections to
Asaad was one of the mercenaries who defended Narcia's castle. He was a well-trained warrior. Asaad and Conan fought against the rebels who attacked the castle of Narcia. The mercenaries were stronger than the crowd but the battle was ended by the sorcery of Alexus, who made the ground open under the combatants' feet and swallow them, although Asaad was saved by Conan. The day after, Asaad followed Narcia and Conan to Alexus' castle. The group was hit by a storm of fire and brimstone, then they were attacked by Demon-Bats. The mercenaries, including Asaad, were scared by the sorcerous defenses and abandoned Conan and Narcia. Later, when Conan left Alexus' castle, Asaad and the other mercenaries joined him to loot Tarsus.
--Conan the Barbarian Annual#8
images:
(without ads)
Conan the Barbarian Annual#8, p9, pan2 (Narcia)
Conan the Barbarian Annual#8, p24, pan2 (head shot)
Conan the Barbarian Annual#8, p38, pan4 (Narcia and Alexus fighting in
the skies)
Conan the Barbarian Annual#8, p25, pan3 (Asaad)
Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian Annual#8 (1984) - Jim Owsley (writer), Val Mayerik
(art), Larry Hama (editor)
Last updated: 04/21/08
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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