Theleb K'aarna

**Theleb K'aarna** is a Pan Tangian sorcerer and an archenemy of Elric of Melniboné.

## The Singing Citadel

Theleb fell in love with Queen Yishana of Jharkor and became one of her many lovers, but after he failed to identify the forces at work in the Singing Citadel that was causing many of her people to disappear, she came to Elric for help. After the three traveled there together to figure out and put a stop to whatever was going on there, Theleb double-crossed Elric at The Singing Citadel in retaliation for sleeping with Yishana, causing Elric to swear an oath of vengeance against him.

## The Sleeping Sorceress

While Elric and Moonglum were searching for him, Theleb joined forces with Prince Umbda of the Kelmain Host and placed Myshella, the Dark Lady of Kaneloon who would become Elric's next lover, in a sorcerous slumber. Elric woke her using a nanorian stone he took from one of Theleb's own demons. Then they killed the Kelmain host with the Noose of Flesh. They thought it had killed Theleb as well, but he escaped.

## To Snare the Pale Prince

K'aarna joined forces with King Urish to steal Elric's Ring of Kings and lure him to Nadsokor, the City of Beggars. There, he had a demon guard Urish's treasure hoard where they left the ring and trapped Elric in Urish's labyrinth with Checkalakh, the Burning God. But Elric escaped with the help of Donblas the Justice-Maker. Then Theleb summoned the Elenoin to besiege Tanelorn, but Elric summoned the Grahluk to slay them. Elric spent the next few months in Tanelorn.

## Three Heroes with a Single Aim

Theleb summoned the reptilian men of Pio and their mounts to besiege the city using a device he set up in the Sighing Desert as a portal. Elric traveled through it to the Fifteen Planes. After helping Corum Jhaelen Irsei and Erekosë save Jhary-a-Conel from the Vanishing Tower of Voilodion Ghagnasdiak, Jhary gave Elric banners of bronze and the arrows of quartz from Voilodion's treasure hoard he could use to repel Theleb's otherworldly allies. Elric returned to the Sighing Desert and destroyed Theleb's machine, then used his new armaments to slay Theleb's army and save Tanelorn, though not before Theleb dealt Myshella a fatal blow. Though Elric cursed the gods for this tragedy, K'aarna's failure caused the Chaos Lords to abandon him, so they did not aid the Pan Tangian thereafter.

## The Stealer of Souls

Theleb returned to Yishana and killed her other suitors, including another Melnibonéan, before joining the service of the merchant Nikorn. Moonglum, Elric, his cousin Dyvim Tvar, and his band of Melnibonéan mercenaries plan an assault of Nikorn's compound in Bakshaan to get revenge on Theleb and earn plenty of treasure for the job. Nikorn and Theleb capture Elric, but Nikorn lets him go after taking his sword, Stormbringer, leaving Elric too weak to harm anyone. Elric and Moonglum conscript Yishana to take Stormbringer back from K'aarna, restoring Elric's strength. After Elric summons Misha the Wind Lord and his Wind Giants to keep Theleb occupied, his raiding party launches their final assault against him. Theleb, finally realizing how foolish he was for trying to battle such a long line of sorcerers for the sake of a hopeless love, summons Kakatal the Fire Lord and his fire elementals to battle the wind giants. In the end, however, it does not save him. After Misha claims Elric's vengeance as his own, Elric slays Theleb with Stormbringer, but the sword rejects his soul. Since Dyvim Tvar perished in the battle, Elric implores any evil one who holds his soul to release it and take Theleb K'aarna's instead.