PTOR-NUBIS
Real Name: Ptor-Nubis
Identity/Class: Human magic user, Stygian (Hyborian Era)
Occupation: Sorcerer, emissary, spy
Group Membership: Black Ring
Affiliations: King Ctesphon I, King Ctesphon II, Imbalayo, Prince Khauman, Nim-Karrak, Rasirith, Shu-Onoru, Thoth-Amon
Enemies: King Atrahasis, Bêlit, Conan, M'Gora, Zula
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations:
Asgalun, Shem;
formerly Keshatta, Stygia
First Appearance: Conan the Barbarian I#72 (March, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Ptor-Nubis had magic abilities that he used mostly to control the minds of others. Just by touch, he could drive a person to act under his every command, and when the trance ended, Ptor-Nubis could make the person forget everything. His magic powers also enabled him to open a locked door very easily, and to communicate silently over long distances with other sorcerers, indicating some level of telepathic skills.
History:
(Conan the Barbarian I#85 (fb) / Conan the Barbarian I#89 (fb) - BTS) - When Ptor-Nubis was still a young sorcerer, he bought a Zambhallan slave from a war-chief to use as a gift. The slave's name was Zula. Ptor-Nubis brought Zula to Keshatta, and gave him to Shu-Onoru, a respected and powerful sorcerer, in exchange for his help to conquer a position of power in the Hyborian lands.
(Conan the Barbarian I#72 (fb) - BTS) - The Stygians schemed to conquer of the state-town of Asgalun and acted against its King, Atrahasis. King Ctesphon I of Stygia sent Ptor-Nubis to moderate them and to spare Atrahasis' life. Nim-Karrak the usurper was proclaimed the new king. In order to control Asgalun, Ptor-Nubis stayed at the court of Asgalun as emissary and counselor, supported by Stygian troops. Nim-Karrak understood his uncertain position of power but could not avoid the growing Stygian influence.
(Conan the Barbarian I#72) - About ten years after his arrival in Asgalun, Ptor-Nubis was still near King Nim-Karrak as King Ctesphon II's emissary, maintaining the political balance against Kothian eyes and against the Asgalunian hatred toward strangers. One day, Nim-Karrak received a visit from Rasirith, who introduced two acrobats. For fun, and also to show his powers, Ptor-Nubis took control of the girl with a sword and drove her to attack his husband. Nim-Karrak interrupted the fight, afraid that the girl could be harmed, because he liked her. The King took the woman into her rooms. There he discovered that she actually was Bêlit, daughter of Atrahasis, ready to kill him. At that moment, Ptor-Nubis intervened to save the King, but was tricked by Bêlit, who threw a curtain above him and escaped with his man, who was actually Conan.
(Conan the Barbarian I#90) - Months later, in Luxor, Neftha became King Ctesphon III and immediately allied with Thoth-Amon. The powerful sorcerer used his magic on a mirror, and communicated with Ptor-Nubis to warn him about Bêlit's plans to conquer the Asgalun throne, but Ptor-Nubis already knew about it thanks to his magic.
(Conan
the
Barbarian I#91) - In Asgalun, the Stygians were ready to kill
Nim-Karrak and to take power. Kushite Troops led by Imbalayo
helped
the Stygians control the population. Hyrkanian troops were
hired by Nim-Karrak for his personal defense.
Ptor-Nubis captured M'Gora,
Bêlit's
second-in-command. He had investigated Asgalun in
preparation of Bêlit retaking the throne by force, but
Ptor-Nubis used
his magic powers to control him and drew Bêlit into a
trap. Conan, Bêlit, and Zula led by
M'Gora,
sneaked into the Garden of Pleasures of the royal palace of Asgalun.
There, Stygian soldiers commanded by Ptor-Nubis captured them.
Ptor-Nubis had Zula blindfolded, afraid of the hypnotic powers he had
heard
of. Ptor-Nubis then touched each one of the group, and ordered them to
fight
until her companions' blood had been spilled.
(Conan the Barbarian I#93)
- Zula's mystic senses protected him from Ptor-Nubis' control
and so
he pretended to obey his commands but gradually moved the battle closer
to Ptor-Nubis until turning suddenly and striking him down.
Asgalun fell in the civil war and the
Stygians lost the control of the town, which was
finally conquered by
Akhîrom.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils) and Ernie Chan (inks).
Even many years after his meeting with Shu-Onoru, Ptor-Nubis was defined by Thoth-Amon as "a minor mage".
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Ptor-Nubis has no known connections to
Rasirith was one of the Stygian troops who controlled Asgalun. Of noble birth, he, like many other Stygians, acted as if they were masters and the Asgalunian citizens were slaves. One day he noticed a woman bickering with her barbarian husband. The man claimed that they were acrobats, and Rasirith found their quarrels amusing. So he decided to take them to the royal palace and let them entertain King Nim-Karrak. The fighting show - controlled by Ptor-Nubis - impressed the King, who took the woman (actually Bêlit) for himself and sent the barbarian into army service (actually Conan).
Nothing is known about Rasirith after the civil war during which the greater part of the Stygians was killed.
--Conan the Barbarian I#72
images:
(without ads)
Conan the Barbarian I#72, p10, pan2 (Ptor-Nubis,
main image)
Conan the Barbarian I#72, p10, pan6
(Ptor-Nubis, head shot)
Conan the Barbarian I#72, p8, pan6
(Rasirith)
Appearances:
Conan the Barbarian I#72 (March,
1977) - Roy Thomas (writer & editor), John Buscema (pencils), Ernie
Chan (inks)
Conan the Barbarian I#85 (April, 1978) -
Roy Thomas (writer & editor), John
Buscema (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks)
Conan the Barbarian I#90 (September, 1978) -
Roy Thomas (writer &
editor), John
Buscema (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks)
Conan the Barbarian I#91 (October, 1978) - Roy
Thomas (writer & editor), John Buscema (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks)
Conan the Barbarian I#93 (December, 1978) - Roy Thomas (writer & editor), John
Buscema (pencils), Ernie Chan (inks)
First Posted: 09/20/2009
Last updated: 09/17/2009
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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