Koth

Koth is a country of the Hyborian Age.

Geography

Koth is an extensive kingdom of rich uplands, mountains, and rivers. To the north it faces Ophir, a frequent ally, alongside Corinthia and Zamora. To its south are Shem, Argos, and the small states of Khoraja and Khauran.

History and politics

Koth's history begins with violence. In ancient times, during the golden age of Stygia, most of the lands which would one day become Koth were slowly being integrated into Stygia by their leader, a mighty sorcerer known as Thugra Khotan. However, a migration of Hyborian tribesmen from the frozen north was also occurring at this time. The barbaric Hyborians came for the rich uplands and fought a bloody war against the Stygians. They overran their enemies and conquered the uplands. Afterwards, they continued south and destroyed the northern Stygian kingdom of Kuthchemes. In this way the kingdom of Koth was born, perhaps the second kingdom right after Hyperborea.

The Kothian tribes were then unified by King Khossus V, their founder, and he built the city of Khorshemish, Koth's capital. He abandoned the city, after a number of disturbing occurrences, and founded a new city within the eastern corner of his kingdom. King Akkutho I latter revived Khorshemish and, throughout the centuries, it has grown in wealth and glory, adorned with many slim shining towers and mighty walls. It is considered The Queen of the South.

Koth had in its control the western cities of Shem. During the rise of Aquilonia, Koth was forced to pay tribute and lend aid with wars. It entered a secret alliance with Nemedia against Aquilonia. Although this alliance was broken by the Hyrkanian invasion, Koth secretly aided Nemedia in future wars. Under the rule of Strabonus, Koth secretly allied with Amalrus of Ophir, who had tricked Conan into giving his aid. The two kings turned on Conan and, under the direction of the de-facto ruler of Koth, Tsotha-lanti, sent their prisoner to the wizard's Scarlet Citadel in Khorshemish. The Aquilonian king succeeded in escaping and rescuing the sorcerer Pelias, who, almost overnight, retook the kingdom while Conan killed Strabonus.

During the fall of Aquilonia, the city-states of Shem found an opportunity to conquer their old master, Koth, contributing to the fall of the Hyborian civilization. But soon the western part of Koth was part of the Pictish empire while the most part was conquered by the Hyrkanians. Koth remained the battleground between the two new kingdoms, its cities once conquered by the former, once by the latter.

During the Nordic drift, Nordic- Nemedians fled before their wild cousins to Koth, and expelled both Picts and Hyrkanians.

In later times, western Koth, along with the western lands of Shem, were deluged and formed the Mediterranean. The Stygians, Hyrkanians, and Picts who mixed in Koth became the ancient Etruscans.

Population and culture

Kothians are a Hyborian race with a strong Stygian strain. They are usually of a lean strong frame, medium in height, and dark haired. Much like the rest of the Hyborians they are warlike. Mitra, the universal god of the Hyborians, is their chief deity although Koth is not fervent in his worship. Kothians seem to be more urbanized than most Hyborians. They are more prone to trade and commerce with other peoples which has introduced them to other cultures and religions. Worship of Ishtar and multitudes of other gods including even Setian sects can be found in Koth. The Kothians have long abandoned the worship of the god Mitra, forgetting the atributes of the universal Hyborian god.

Over the course of history the Hyborian character of Koth has been modified by the luxurious, sensual and often despotic habits of its eastern neighbors. Koth may be a Hyborian kingdom by blood, but it is now an eastern one by culture.

Stories set in Koth

• Black Colossus - Much of Koth's history is discussed in this short story although most of the action is set in Khoraja. A land conquered by Koth from the Shemites but now independent.
• The Scarlet Citadel - Conan and his knights are defeated by a Kothian and Ophirean coalition and is imprisoned in Khorshemish, Koth's magnificent capital.

Characters from Koth

• Akkutho I- A king of Koth.
• Arbanus- Kothian general.
• Khossus V- A King of Koth and founder of Khorshemish.
• Pelias - A sorcerer.
• Strabonus - A king of Koth.
• Tsotha-lanti - A powerful sorcerer of Set. Notorious throughout the Hyborian world.