“A Witch Shall Be Born” is a novella by Robert E. Howard, originally published in 1934 in Weird Tales. Set in the universe of Conan the Barbarian, it is a classic sword-and-sorcery tale marked by brutal action, dark magic, and political intrigue. The story revolves around treachery, witchcraft, and the indomitable will of its iconic hero, Conan.
Plot Summary
In the kingdom of Khauran, Queen Taramis awakens from her slumber to a chilling sight—a glowing apparition that materializes into a face, one that mirrors her own. Bewildered and terrified, she watches as the figure steps forward, revealing itself to be her twin sister, Salome. Salome was believed to have died shortly after birth, cursed with the mark of a witch, a blood-red crescent on her chest. However, she survived, raised by dark forces, and now returns to claim the throne of Khauran. With a sneer, Salome reveals her intention to replace Taramis and plunge the kingdom into chaos.
As Taramis is thrown into a dungeon, Salome uses her likeness to deceive the people of Khauran, enlisting the aid of Constantius, a ruthless mercenary leader, to consolidate her power. Constantius brings his army of Shemite soldiers, who lay siege to the city, massacring anyone who dares resist. Under Salome’s orders, Taramis’s loyal guard, Conan the Cimmerian, is captured, tortured, and crucified outside the city. He is left to die, with vultures circling above, but Conan’s will to live proves stronger than his torment. Using his immense strength, he snaps the neck of one of the vultures that dares to attack him, and shortly after, a group of desert nomads led by the outlaw chief Olgerd Vladislav rescues him from the cross.
Healed but seething with a thirst for vengeance, Conan bides his time among the nomads, gaining their respect and eventually rising to a position of leadership. Salome’s reign of terror, meanwhile, grows darker as she indulges in sorcery and cruelty, enforcing her rule with an iron fist. The people of Khauran suffer under the yoke of Constantius’s brutal army, while the true queen languishes in a dungeon, subjected to Salome’s sadistic mockery. Salome’s lust for power extends to human sacrifices and unspeakable rituals, further solidifying her control.
Months pass, and Conan’s strength and influence grow. He learns of a group of Khauranian exiles who have taken refuge in the desert, hiding from Constantius’s forces. Hardened by oppression, they are desperate for a leader to rally behind. Conan seizes the opportunity, gathering the exiles and forging them into a battle-hardened force. With the nomads under his command and the exiles’ fierce loyalty, Conan devises a plan to free Khauran from Salome and Constantius.
While Salome revels in her illusion of invincibility, Conan sets his plan into motion. Knowing that a direct assault on Khauran would be futile against Constantius’s well-armed mercenaries, he draws the Shemite forces out of the city. Salome, still playing the part of Taramis, is confident in her army’s ability to crush any resistance, and she orders Constantius to meet Conan’s forces in the open field.
In the battle that ensues, Conan’s tactical brilliance shines through. Though outnumbered, his army of nomads and Khauranian exiles fights with the ferocity of men with nothing left to lose. Conan himself is a whirlwind of destruction, cutting through Constantius’s men with savage precision. As the battle rages, the tide turns in favor of Conan’s forces, and Constantius is captured. Conan, ever the warrior, takes pleasure in delivering justice, but his focus remains on freeing the city and rescuing the rightful queen.
Inside the city, the people grow increasingly uneasy under Salome’s tyrannical rule. Taramis, still imprisoned, clings to the hope that someone will come to her aid. As Conan’s forces approach Khauran, Salome’s cruelty escalates. She summons dark powers in a desperate attempt to maintain control, but her confidence begins to waver as the sounds of battle grow louder outside the city walls.
Conan leads the charge into the city, and the citizens of Khauran, inspired by the sight of the legendary warrior, rise up against their oppressors. As Salome’s forces crumble, Conan fights his way through the palace to confront the usurper. He finds her in the throne room, her beauty twisted by malice and sorcery. Salome, cornered, attempts to use her magic to destroy Conan, but her dark powers are no match for his brute strength. In a final, desperate act, she calls upon the demon she had kept hidden in the temple, a creature born of ancient magic.
The monstrous entity bursts forth, but Conan, ever fearless, meets it head-on. A brutal struggle ensues, with Conan using both his sword and his cunning to outmaneuver the beast. With a powerful strike, he slays the creature, and Salome, her dark magic broken, falls to her knees. Her once regal face is now contorted with fear as Conan advances on her. With swift and merciless precision, Conan ends her life, freeing Khauran from her wicked grasp.
In the aftermath, Conan rescues Taramis from her dungeon, restoring her to the throne. The people of Khauran rejoice, and the city begins the slow process of healing from the horrors inflicted upon it. Taramis, grateful for Conan’s heroism, offers him a place of honor, but the Cimmerian, ever the wanderer, declines. His thirst for adventure calls him elsewhere, and he rides off into the desert, leaving the kingdom of Khauran to rebuild in peace.
As the sun sets over the horizon, Conan disappears into the wilderness, his legend growing with each step, while the kingdom he saved remembers him as the hero who returned to free them from the clutches of darkness.
Main Characters
Conan the Cimmerian: The fierce and battle-hardened hero, Conan serves as the captain of the Queen’s guard. He is known for his immense physical strength, resourcefulness, and unyielding willpower. Throughout the story, Conan faces unimaginable torture and peril but remains relentless in his pursuit of justice.
Taramis: The beloved and virtuous Queen of Khauran, Taramis is a figure of grace and dignity. However, her life is turned upside down when her evil twin sister usurps her throne, subjecting her to cruel imprisonment and stripping her of her royal status.
Salome: Taramis’s twin sister, marked by the scarlet crescent symbol of the witch, is the embodiment of malevolent ambition. Driven by a dark prophecy, she seizes the throne and unleashes terror upon Khauran, indulging in sadistic pleasures and acts of tyranny.
Constantius: A merciless mercenary leader, Constantius is Salome’s lover and accomplice in her plot. He leads a band of Shemite warriors to aid her in her reign of terror over Khauran, and he delights in cruelty and oppression.
Theme
Duality of Good and Evil: The central conflict between Taramis and Salome underscores the theme of duality. The twin sisters, physically identical but morally opposite, highlight the tension between virtue and vice, power and corruption.
Betrayal and Usurpation: The story revolves around Salome’s treacherous coup against her sister, a classic theme in sword-and-sorcery literature. The theme of betrayal extends to the city of Khauran, where the people are deceived by their ruler’s identical replacement.
Endurance and Survival: Conan’s journey, particularly his harrowing crucifixion and escape, embodies the theme of survival against insurmountable odds. His resilience showcases the human capacity for overcoming physical and psychological torment.
Witchcraft and Dark Magic: Witchcraft plays a significant role in Salome’s rise to power, as her identity as a witch is central to her manipulation of people and events. Dark sorcery and prophecies set the stage for much of the novel’s conflict and tension.
Writing Style and Tone
Robert E. Howard’s writing in “A Witch Shall Be Born” is characterized by its vivid imagery and pulse-pounding action. He writes with a sense of urgency, using terse, powerful language to convey both the physical and emotional intensity of the characters’ struggles. The combat scenes are visceral and graphic, filled with dynamic descriptions of sword fights, bloodshed, and survival. Howard’s world-building is rich with ancient kingdoms, dark prophecies, and foreboding magic, giving the novella an immersive, mythic quality.
The tone is grim and foreboding, reflecting the dire circumstances of the story. From Salome’s cruel reign to Conan’s brutal crucifixion, there is a pervasive sense of darkness, punctuated only by moments of Conan’s raw, primal defiance. The narrative evokes a sense of doom, but Conan’s heroism provides a counterbalance, offering the promise of justice and retribution.
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