RAVIANRAVIAN
Real Name: Ravian
Identity/Class: Terrestrial hidden race (Bird-Men of Thuria; possible Elderspawn vs. elder race; see comments);
pre-Cataclysmic era
Occupation: Former ruler of a race of Bird-Men
Group Membership: Unidentified race of bird-men (apparently extinct
Affiliations: Brule the Spear-Slayer, Kull;
Ravian and his people worshipped Ka, the bird of creation;
formerly the guardian of the Amulet of Ka, Vultus
Enemies: The guardian of the Amulet of Ka, Vultus; unidentified northern people;
formerly humanity
Known Relatives: Vultus (nephew, deceased); unidentified sibling (unseen/mentioned/identified; however, as Vultus is his nephew...; presumably deceased)
Aliases: None;
he introduced himself as "Ravian, sovereign elder of
the mountain, and weary monarch of a wasted kingdom" (both mostly
self-descriptions, as opposed to aliases)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly unidentified mountains (the highest, most ancient crags) of the unexplored lands in southern Verulia
First Appearance: Kull the Conqueror III#2 (July, 1983)
Powers/Abilities: As a member of his race of bird-men, Ravian had large avian wings that allowed him to fly, even carrying an adult male human. Rather than being his pectoral limb like actual birds, his wings sprouted from his back, presumably forming another joint with his scapulae (shouderblades) and/or humerus (upper arm bone; or possibly articulating with his clavicles;collarbones or his vertebrae/spine).
He had an avian head, with a large beak, paired eyes, and no visible external ear.
While he may or may not have been
able to make bird-like sounds, he and his people were silent and spoke
telepathically.
While his nephew, Vultus, could magically generate illusions, there is
no evidence that Ravian had similar powers.
Ravian and his people remained unaging via the power of the Amulet of Ka.
Ravian wielded a sword forged of metal fallen from Earth's ancient skies. This
sword could slay even the guardian of the Amulet of Ka or a member of
the Bird-Men otherwise rendered virtually immortal by the Amulet of Ka
Height: Unrevealed (perhaps 6'2"; he looked to be close to the height of Kull, although they were never seen exactly side by side)
Weight: Unrevealed (perhaps 120 lbs.; likely lighter than his
frame would indicate due to porous bones a lighter frame to facilitate
flight)
Eyes: Red; yellow sclera
Hair: None; black feathers
History:
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) - Centuries before mankind fashioned language of the tongue (speech), the Bird-Men of Thuria spoke telepathically.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) <Millennia before 18,500 BC> - Ravian was a member of the race of Bird-Men who ruled a portion of the Thurian continent.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb)) - Seeking
an empire, the bird-men raised battle against the first true men in the
Northern lands. However, the bird-men were instead vanquished in the
Northern mountains, with their females and children slaughtered to the
last.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) - Only one meager troop of males under Ravian's command survived to return and settle upon a barren summit in southern Verulia.
Possessing the the Amulet of Ka (a splinter from the
glittering talons of Ka, the bird of creation) the bird-men placed it
among the topmost crags of their mountain and it yielded them endless
life.
Over time, Ravian came to see his people's existence as a burden with no purpose. However, holy tradition forbade the bird-people to leave their ruins. Ravian was aware that only his sullen nephew Vultus still dreamed of their people's lost glory.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) - Verulian
tradition told of the location and life-saving properties of the Amulet
of Ka, although allegedly no man had ever visited the mountains in
which it existed.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 - BTS) <18,500 BC> - After Tu, the chief councilor of Valusia's King Kull, was gravely wounded in southern Verulia, Kull's physician noted that only magic could save Tu, and he advised Kull to seek out the Amulet of Ka.
Accompanied by his long-time ally
Brule, as well as Akreon and Ethias, Kull traveled to and began to
scale the bird-men's mountain, although Ethias perished en route
(secretly slain by Akreon, who sought to usurp Kull's rule). As they
approached the mountain, bird-men apparently watched from the skies
above, indistinguishable at that distance from birds. As Kull and his
allies scaled the mountain, Akreon pretended to accidentally kick Brule
off the mountain, but the falling Brule was caught by one of the
bird-men, who then picked Kull and Akreon off the wall. Realizing that
to struggle could mean falling to their deaths on the ground far below,
Kull and his allies allowed the bird-men to carry them to their shadowy
cave at the summit. The bird-men then gently set down their charges and
flew off silently.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2) - Ravian then telepathically guided the "wingless ones" to his throneroom, a chamber at the end of the corridor, where he introduced himself and noted the history of his people.
Kull then introduced himself and noted that he had come for the Amulet of Ka. Although Vultus argued, "Never!" Ravian countered that Vultus was wrong, and he told Kull that perhaps it was time that his ancient race closed its eyes in final sleep. Noting that they must seize it by hand from its guardian at moonrise, Ravian instructed Kull to rest until dark and he would then aid them.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 - BTS) - Brule later asked
Kull if they were sure that Ravian devised no treachery, and Kull noted
the ancient weariness and truth in his dark eyes. However, they were
then interrupted by Vultus and apparently a number of other bird-men
(although the others were actually magical "illusions" generated by
Vultus; while these illusions could apparently strike the humans, Kull
and his allies found their blades passing through them harmlessly).
(Kull the Conqueror III#2) - The fight was
interrupted by Ravian who reminded Vultus of his orders, but Vultus
insisted he would never forsake his golden dream of the past. Noting
that the had outlived their past and that the future was no longer
theirs, Ravian drew his sword, advising Vultus that this ancient mystic
blade had never before been raised against one of their own and that he
would prefer not to use it now. He instructed Vultus to resign himself
to let the amulet pass from them, but Vultus refused and defied Ravian,
the king stabbed Vultus in the chest, telling him that the sword would
be his final rebuke, as it granted violent death in the name of the
Amulet of Ka itself. As Vultus collapsed, Ravian caught him, lamenting
that he might have died as painlessly as drifting off to sleep. As
Vultus died, his seeming warriors vanished, and Ravian informed Kull
and his allies that these had been mere illusions raised by magic.
Ravian then advised Kull and his
allies to hasten as the moon was risen and the Amulet of Ka was
revealed, silvered in the moon's glow upon the mountain crest beyond
gemmed portals at which he pointed. Noting his sword to have been
forged of metal fallen from the Earth's ancient skies, Ravian gave it
to Kull to aid him in his efforts, and he gave them each a shield, as
well. Ravian then returned to his throne to await whatever fate befell
them all. 
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 - BTS) - As Kull and his
allies faced the guardian bird of the Amulet of Ka, Akreon stabbed
Brule in the back, and Brule's apparent death spurred Kull to slay the
bird and claim the amulet. After Brule voiced Akreon's guilt, Brule
slew Akreon and used the Amulet to heal Brule.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) - As soon as
Kull grasped the Amulet of Ka, Ravian sensed this as "time breathed a
gentle breeze across my frame, cooling my lifeblood." The other
bird-men embraced eternal sleep in shaded chambers.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2) - As Kull and Brule
returned, Ravian told them how he had sensed their success and that his
subjects had already passed. Before he died, he asked that they let him
grasp the Amulet of Ka. Kull placed the Amulet in Ravian's hand, and he
noted, "Humankind, our ancient enemy, has brought us peace this day.
And Kull has won the Amulet of Life and Death." Ravian then slumped in
his throne, swiftly decaying into a skeleton and then into dust.
(Kull the Conqueror III#2 (fb) - BTS) - Kull and
Brule returned to the camp in Verulia, and they used the Amulet of Ka
to save Tu's life.
Comments: Created by Alan Zelentz, John Buscema, Dan Green, and Joe Chiodo.
The bird-men are described by
Brule as "creatures of the elder universe," and Akreon or Brule also
noted them to be one of the elder races, whom he considered to be
masters of dark deceit and sorcerous illusion. But what are they?
How many millennia ago did Ravian's people rule and then fall? Since they specify "true men" (presumably to differentiate from one of the Elder Races), I would think it had to be sometime after 30,000 BC and no later than 20,500 BC.
Verulia was one of the seven empires in the Thurian continent, the major landmass of Earth in the pre-Cataclysmic era. The other empires include Kull's Valusia, easternmost Grondar, Commoria, Thule, Kamellia, and the "Triple Federation" of Zarfhanna, Farsun, and an unidentified country.
It would be a really cool use of continuity if the Raven's Eye turned out to be Ravian's Ka-powered sword
This profile was completed 2/13/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Ravian should be distinguished from:
Kull the Conqueror III#2, pg. 22, panel 4 (seated on throne; frontal);
pg. 23, panel 1 (seated profile);
pg. 24, panel 6 (face);
pg. 28, panel 5 (with sword);
pg. 36, panel 4 (slumps in death);
panel 5-7 (hand decaying into dust)
Appearances:
Kull the Conqueror III#2 (July, 1983) - Alan Zelentz (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Dan Green & Joe Chiodo (inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First posted: 09/15/2021
Last updated: 01/06/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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