SIOBAHN LAUCHLINE
SIOBAHN LAUCHLINE
Real Name: Siobahn Lauchline
Identity/Class: Human magic-user;
Hyborian era
Occupation: Warrior, priestess
Group Membership: Sisterhood of Danu
Affiliations: Akif, Conan, Danu (an alias of Gaea), people of Jarabesht;
formerly the Lord High Protector of Jarabesht (Antoine de Glasse)
Enemies: Tara Sidth Alarune, Blood-children of Ovada, Lord High Protector of Jarabesht, Ovada, unidentified guy accosting her at a bar and all those who joined the fight against her
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile;
formerly the city of Jarabesht in the northern planes
First Appearance: Conan the Savage#5 (December, 1995)
Powers/Abilities: Siobahn Lauchline is a skilled and fearless warrior, skilled in hand-to-hand combat as well as swordsmanship; she is also an experienced equestrian. She is devoutly faithful to the Earth goddess Danu (aka Gaea) and to the rest of her Sisterhood.
Siobahn can, at least under some circumstances, read the minds of others. She could read the mind of the powerful demon-goddess Ovada. It is unrevealed what other, if any, abilities she had beyond her control of the Balefire Blade.
Siobahn wielded the Balefire Blade, a sword that could unleash balefire (see comments), which set aflame both the body and soul. She was only seen to use it against demons (more specifically a demon-goddess and her numerous hosts, all of which were corrupted by her essence, turned into demonic beings, and were under control), and these beings were swiftly consumed by her flames. It seemed that once such a being was set aflame, there was nothing that could put the fire out, as the immense and powerful Ovada's full power could do nothing to halt it. The fire spread not only to the target, but to any other being (or object?) that harbored any aspect of the target's soul. The Balefire Blade's runes only burned when held by the one for which it was forged.
Height: Approximately 5'11" (she looked to be only 3-4" shorter than Conan; I can't recall his height, but 6'3" sounds about right)
Weight: Approximately 160 lbs. (based on that height; she was tall, she was lean, but also mostly muscle)
Eyes: Unrevealed (black and white magazine, but I'd guess green
based on her association with Danu, a name associated with a Celtic
goddess)
Hair: Unrevealed (black and white magazine, but I'd guess red, blonde, or light brown based on how light it looked)
History:
(Conan the
Savage#5 (fb) - BTS) - Siobahn became a warrior priestess in the
Sisterhood of Danu, worshipping and serving the Earth goddess.
(Conan the Savage#5 (fb) - BTS) - A Balefire Blade was forged for Siobahn.
(Conan the Savage#5 (fb) - BTS) - Siobahn heard of Conan and knew of his destiny.
(Conan the Savage#5) - At a bar in Jarabesht, Siobahn was accosted by a man who thought she looked "game for some sport." After he failed to respond to her instruction "Remove your paw from my back, cur, or make ready to lose it,"she punched him back, warning him she would kill him if he touched her again. Heedless, he threatened to batter her until she begged for death, which led Siobahn to battle and defeat both he and several of his allies. The fight was interrupted by the arrival of the city's Lord High Protector (Antoine de Glasse) who offered to make Conan and any other warriors present rich beyond their wildest dreams if they joined him in his quest.
(Conan the Savage#5 (fb) - BTS) - Alongside Akif, Conan, and several other warriors, Siobahn joined the Lord High Protector and his Leathermen on his floating ship on his mission to destroy the demons infesting the region at their source.
(Conan
the Savage#5) - When Conan cursed the magic allowing the ship to fly,
Siobahn informed him that magic was just a tool, like a sword, and was
neither good nor evil in and of itself. She then introduced herself and
noted how she and the others in the Sisterhood of Dany treated their
goddess-given gifts with respect, using them only in direst times,
unlike the Lord High Protector. He cursed her as a witch, and she
cursed him as a sorcerer. 
After the Lord High Protector revealed he would not be accompanying the
others on their mission, instead staying behind to protect and recharge
the vessel, they were surprised to find a field of slaughtered victims
of the demons. Conan clarfieid to Siobahn clarified that the demons
only transformed the strongest beings to join them, and instead slew
the weak. Just then, a swarm of flying blood-children rushed toward the
ship.
(Conan the Savage#6) - Siobahn used her Balefire Blade to aid Conan and the others in destroying the flying demons until one of them -- in the process of impaling Akif -- pierced one of the two globes/balloons suspending the Lord High Protector's ship, which promptly dumped most of its passengers as the non-supported side dropped. Conan caught Siobahn and urged the Lord High Protector to help them so they could fight off the returning demons, but De Glasse instead cut them and the ship free so the added weight would not hinder his ascent. As they fell into a tree far below, Siobahn invoked Dany to preserve them. They were unconscious after hitting the ground, and they were found by at least one of the blood-children.
(Conan the Savage#6 (fb) - BTS) - The blood-children brought the unconscious Conan and Siobahn into the hollow inside of Ovada's corpse, where their arms were bound -- alongside the also captured Lord High Protector -- using tissue from Ovada's body wall. Siobahn and the Lord High Protector apparently awakened before Conan.
(Conan the Savage#6) - Upon Conan's revival, Tara Sidth Alarune introduced herslef as the vassal of the demon-goddess Ovada. She told the trio they would sup of Ovada's lifeblood and be reborn in her service as one of her blood-children. Able to sense Tara's thoughts, however, Siobahn revealed that she was not Ovada's acolyte, but actually Ovada herself. Tara/Ovada admitted the truth and revealed her origins and plans to convert all life on the world into her blood-children; when Siobahn argued that not even Ovada could corrupt so many, Tara/Ovada explained that those who consumed her blood became her blood-children, as did those who consumed the blood of her blood-children.
When Tara/Ovada tried to force Siobahn to drink from a chalice of her blood, however, Conan kicked the chalice back in Tara/Ovada's face and then freed himself with the sword of an attacking guardsman/blood-child. After Conan cut Siobahn free, she took out the demon holding her Balefire Blade, after which she joined Conan in battling the legion of blood-children. Nonetheless realizing their were too many blood-children for them to overcome, Siobahn that they had to destroy the taint's source, which was Ovada's original form's hollowed out corpse, in which she had realized they were contained. She instructed Conan to watch her back as she used her Balefire Blade to tear a hole through the flesh wall, which not only provided them an exit but also set Ovada's form afire with flames that Ovada could not put out. They left the betraying Lord High Protector trapped within as they exited the massive corpse.
After Siobahn noted that the Balefire had spread to all aspects of Ovada's soul, including the blood-children, Tara/Ovada emerged and them summoned all aspects of Ovada's soul back into her original form. Though that massive form was still afire, it lived long enough to threaten them, and Conan and Siobahn rushed to escape her massive footsteps. Conan then guided Siobahn to charge her Balefire Blade and hold it with him, and together they hurled the sword through Ovada's visor. As the blade struck her eye and the fiery energies penetrated deep into her body, Ovada screamed in agony and denial before her body exploded, leaving behind only fragments of a smoldering skeleton.
Conan and Siobahn left Ovada's remains to return to Jarabesht on horseback, and she may have accompanied him to drink many drinks in the name of his old friend Akif.
Comments: Created by Ian Edginton and Alcatena
I don't speak Gaelic, but I believe Siobahn would be pronounced like Shevaun (like Dark Angel).
Balefire is defined as an outdoor fire frequently used as signal fire...but it has origins from the Middle English baelfyr, which refers to a funeral pyre.
The Cimmerians were the precursors of the Celts in the Marvel Universe. The association with Danu would place Siobahn as aligned with the Celtic gods, but I'd think if she was Cimmerian, they would have made a point of it.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Siobahn Lauchline should be distinguished from:
Presumably as part of her role as a warrior priestess in the Sisterhood of Danu, the sword of sorcerous might known as the Balefire Blade was forged for Siobahn Lauchline.
The Balefire Blade could unleash balefire (see comments), which set aflame both the body and soul. Siobahn was only seen to use it against demons (more specifically a demon-goddess and her numerous hosts, all of which were corrupted by her essence, turned into demonic beings, and were under control), and these beings were swiftly consumed by her flames.
It seemed that once such a being was set aflame, there was nothing that could put the fire out, as the immense and powerful Ovada's full power could do nothing to halt it. The fire spread not only to the target, but to any other being (or object?) that harbored any aspect of the target's soul. The Balefire Blade's runes only burned when held by the one for which it was forged.
--Conan the Savage#5 (6
images: (without ads)
Conan the Savage#5, pg. 13, panel 3 (seated at bar);
pg. 19, panel 4 (face, slight oblique)
#6, pg. 3, panel 2-3 (balefire blade slaying winged demon);
pg. 13, panel 3 (partial frontview with blade);
pg. 17, panel 1 (full frontview with blade, leaping out of Ovada's corpse);
pg. 21, panel 3 (with Conan, charging blade)
panel 4 (balefire blade)
Appearances:
Conan the Savage#5 (December, 1995) - Ian Edginton (writer), Alcatena (artist), Mike Lackey (editor)
Conan the Savage#6 (January, 1996) - Ian Edginton (writer), Alcatena (artist), Mike Lackey (editor)
Last updated: 02/26/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
© 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you
like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!
