Synopsis for ”The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad”
The high priest Kharam-Akkad is upset because his magical mirror is causing him to be distracted from Conan’s escapades. He summons the captain of the guard Chumballa Bey, who has a score to settle with the barbarian, to bring Conan to him. As the priest tries to relax, he is approached by the Tarim Incarnate, the embodiment of the Hyrkanian diety, who apparantly is not just a statue. Akkad tells the Tarim about the Mirrors of Tuzun Thune.
The tale revolves around ancient Valusia and its king, Kull. Kull had encountered a wizard named Tuzun Thule whose mirrors predicted the future. Kull sat entranced by the visions enfolding in the mirrors until he was rescued by his friend Brule. The mirrors passed through the ages into Akkad’s hand, and when he looks upon them, he sees Conan standing over his dead body, with the images of a lion, eagle and serpent hovering above. He believes that the animals signify a statue in Makkalet of a winged serpent fighting a griffin, but the image of his corpse is driving the priest mad. He returns Tarim to his room.
Meanwhile, Conan returns from his adventure with Red Sonja and is confronted by soldiers. He fights and tries to escape, but is severely weakened and collapses in front of the queen. The king orders Conan imprisoned.
Back in the Turanian camps, Yezdigerd consults with his adviser Sulimar as they prepare for the final push into the town, which is made easier since not only Red Sonja but also her Pah-Dishah mercenaries left Makkalet. The Turanien, too, have received augurs about a griffin and a serpent, which they interpret as being Turan and Makkalet, but also of a horse and walking swords, which they don’t understand. The armies prepare for battle.
Back inside the castle, Akkad questions Conan on the meaning of the mirror’s image, but Conan has no idea what he’s talking about. Akkad forces Conan to look into a mirror, and he sees a skeletal version of himself, just before the mirror becomes a portal to another dimension, and a tentacled monster reaches out. Disgusted by this black sorcery, Chumballa Bey attempts to fight the monster, but is stabbed in the back by Kharam Akkad.
Grabbing Chumballas Sword, Conan fights the monster off, then confronts the priest as the battle outside the walls begins. In horror, Akkad realizes that Conan’s sword has an eagle on the hilt, and his shield is held with snake-skin straps. He wonders what the lion means as he is killed by Conan, and Conan sees the same vision of Akkad’s death that the priest saw. He, also, is ignorant of the animal symbolism, not knowing that he is one day destined to be called Amra, the lion.

Conan the Barbarian Vol 1 25

Conan the Barbarian #25

Appearing in ”The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad”
Featured Characters:

Conan (Also appears in a vision flashforward as Amra, the Lion)

Unnamed tentacled monster (Vision or hallucination)
Other Characters:

Turanian Army
Prince Yezdigerd
Sulimar
King Eannatum
Queen Melissandra
Tarim Incarnate
Tuzun Thune (First appearance) (Death) (Only in flashback)
Kull (Only in flashback)
Brule the Spearslayer (Only in flashback)
Red Slayers (Only in flashback)
Unnamed girl (Only in flashback)
Baron Kaanuub (Mentioned)
Crom (Invoked)
King Yildiz (Mentioned)
Races and Species:

Humans
Demons (Mentioned)
Lions (Vision or hallucination)
Eagles (Vision or hallucination)
Serpents (Vision or hallucination)
Gods (Invoked)
Sirens (Mentioned)
Locations:

Earth
Hyboria
Hyrkania
Makkalet
Temple of Tarim
Serpent-Wall (Mentioned) (First time named)
Turan (Mentioned)
Aghrapur (Mentioned)
Temple of Tarim (Mentioned)
Argos (Vision or hallucination)
Kush (Vision or hallucination)
Acheron (Mentioned)
Seven Empires, Thuria (Only in flashback)
Valusia (Only in flashback)
City of Wonders (Only in flashback)
Palace of Kings (Only in flashback)
Topaz Throne (Only in flashback)
Lake of Visions (Only in flashback)
House of a Thousand Mirrors (Only in flashback)
Pictland (Mentioned)
Atlantis (Mentioned)
Lemuria (Mentioned)
The Pit (Invoked)
Items:

Mirrors of Tuzun Thune (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
Aspers (Mentioned)
Serpent Tiara (Mentioned)
Events:

Hyborian Age
Pre-Cataclysmic Age
Sinking of Atlantis and Lemuria (Mentioned)

Notes
Inspired in part by the story The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune by Robert E. Howard.
Plot by Thomas and Smith, script by Thomas.
Synopsis by YardIHS

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Conan_the_Barbarian_Vol_1_25

Apr 1973

Marvel Comics

25

January

1973

Release Date January 16, 1973

$0.20

Bronze Age

Magazine

Gil Kane

The New 52

~$19.75

2025-04-20

2018-07-02 23:07:18