Hyborian

## Summary

The Hyborian peoples are descended from the worshippers of the god Bori. These barbaric ancestors swept out of the north three millennia ago, destroying the ancient empire of  Acheron and conquering all in their path. The Hyborian Lands are Nemedia, Ophir, Aquilonia, Hyperborea, Argos, Corinthia, the Border Kingdoms, the Baracha Islands, Brythunia, the Bossonian Marches, Koth, Khauran and Khorajah.The Bori-worshipping barbarians of thousands of years ago have long since become highly civilised and sophisticated folk with strong nations of their own and would be scarcely recognisable to those who knew the Hyborians of old.The original Hyborians were tawny-haired and grey-eyed,though by the time of Conan intermarriage has diversiﬁedthis appearance considerably.

## Culture

For the most part, culture in the Hyborian Kingdoms is similar to that of the real-world medieval European countries, though some aspects, particularly in Nemedia, are more reminiscent of ancient Roman Culture. The nations are run on the feudal system. This Has often led to decadence as the nobility spend their time hunting and idling, unconcerned with the welfare of their subjects. As the nations have developed, the unity of the Hyborian has dissipated so that each kingdom has its own features, as follows: Aquilonia: Together with its rival, Nemedia, Aquilonia is the most advanced, wealthy and powerful of the Hyborian Kingdoms and its people are correspondingly proud. It most closely resembles Medieval France. The people of southern Aquilonia have mixed with the brown Zingarans until black hair and brown eyes are dominant in Poitain, the southernmost province. This is an area of rich farmland.

### Brythunia

We know little of Brythunia, save that its women folk seem to be highly prized by slavers. There is evidence of a pastoral culture. The eastern Brythoniaid have intermarried with the dark-skinned Zamorians. Corinthia: The many city-states of Corinthia bring tomind the city-states of Italy and the corresponding inter-state rivalries and espionage. Corinthia seems to be one of the more culturally advanced areas, with a developed nobility and priesthood. Khauran: Kothic adventurers carved Khauran out of the lands of Shem and Khauran’s culture reﬂects its beginnings.Fiercely independent, while maintaining many Kothic traditions and links, the people of Khauran fear that Koth will absorb the valuable kingdom. Its tiny ﬁelds andorchards yield three crops a year.

### Koth

Koth, a vast meadowland north of Shem, is one of the oldest Hyborian kingdoms. It is famed for its metalworkers,partly due to the natural resources of its volcanic region of Khrosha. Kothic culture has suffered from thesubtle admixture of Shemite and Stygian strains.The simple ways of the Hyborians have been modiﬁed by the sensual, luxurious, yet despotic habits of the East. Kothuses slaves. Its capital is Khorshemish, which is known asthe Queen of the South. Nemedia: Nemedia is easily the second greatest Hyborian Kingdom and maybe in the past even surpassed Aquilonia,its neighbour and rival. While Nemedia’s people livein relative poverty, its wealthy citizens have the leisureto collect artefacts in museums. Built on the ruins of ancient Valusia and once a part of the sorceress kingdom of Acheron, Nemedia has many hidden ruins that might contain fearful horrors

### Ophir

Ophir is a tapering wedge between the border of  Aquilonia and the vast southern kingdom of Koth. It was probably part of Koth before it claimed independence back in the days of Acheron. The meadowlands of Ophir produceﬁne armies of gilt-mailed knights and warriors, suggesting aland of great mineral wealth, with probably the same strata as can be found in Koth. Once dominated by Acheron,Ophir seems to have taken the worst elements of Zamorian thievery and Shemite double-cross. It seems sometimes to beallied with Koth and sometimes with Aquilonia.

### Names

The tribal nature of the early Hyborians means that there is no one overall naming style, although the civilised nations tend toward Latin style names.

#### Aquilonia

Aquilonian names tend to have a Latin air tothem. Male: Amalric, Arpello, Athemides, Attelius, Balthus, Brant, Brocas, Female: Volmana;Valeria, Zelata.

#### Brythunia

Brythunian names are Italian and Teutonic in tone. Male: Aratus; Female: Hildico, Natala.

#### Corinthia

Corinthian names tend to have a Latin, Byzantine or Italian air to them.

Male: Athicus, Ivanos, Joka,Kalanthes Female: Muriela. Khauran: Khauran names resemble Kothic names. Male: Ashkhaur, Valerius, Zang,Krallides; Female: Salome,Taramis.

#### Khoraja

Khorajan names owe a lot to Koth, as some crossover of names suggests, though the hillmen have a more Shemite sound to their names. Male:  Khossus, Taurus, Thespides; Female: Vateesa, Yasmela.

#### Koth

Kothic names are Middle Eastern, Byzantine, Etruscan And Biblical in tone. Male: Akkutho, Almulric, Altaro, Arbanus, Galacus, Female: Lissa.

#### Nemedia

Nemedians tend to have Greek/Italian names,though some are more Germanic. King Numa gave his name to the city of Numalia.    Male: Alcemides, Altaro, Amalric, Brocas,Demetrio, Female: Diana, Octavia, Zenobia.

#### Ophir

Ophir’s culture is halfway between that of Shem and the Hyborian culture and the names reﬂect this; most are Latin but some Middle Eastern style names are included. Male: Amalrus, Chelkus, Fronto, Theteles Female: Livia, Olivia, Tina.

#### Religion

The worship of Mitra is overwhelmingly predominant in the Hyborian nations, initially worshippers of the Hyborian ancestor god Bori The worship of other gods seems to been suppressed, at least until the reign of King Conan. One such ‘secret’ cult is the eastern religion of Asura, although most Aquilonian Regard these cultists as demon worshippers and Asura ona par with Set. It is probable that Ibis is also worshipped in secret, Khaurans are essentially Kothic in their religious practices and are Ishtar-worshippers. The Shemite gods such as Ishtar are worshipped with awe and fear, as are all the gods of Koth, a sign of Koth Intertwined history with Shem. Ultimately because the Hyborian people are such a mix of different cultures it is not unheard of for them to follow other races Gods.