The Baen Bran Mak Morn Series: The Gods of Bal-Sagoth by Robert E. Howard

by Gary Romeo

“The Gods of Bal-Sagoth” was first published in Weird Tales, October 1931. It was retitled “The Blonde Goddess of Bal-Sagoth” for publication in The Avon Fantasy Reader #12, 1950. Editor Donald A. Wollheim followed the standard practice back then of editing Robert E. Howard’s work as the editor saw fit.

This story was reprinted using its original title in The Dark Man and Others, Arkham House, 1963 and then for the last time under its second title in The Second Avon Fantasy Reader, Avon, 1969. After that the story has always been reprinted under its original title.

It was first published as part of the Bran Mak Morn saga in Bran Mak Morn, Baen, 1996.

The first collection of Bran Mak Morn stories was Bran Mak Morn, Dell, 1969. All the stories in that collection were previously reviewed. The second collection of Bran Mak Morn stories was Worms of the Earth, Donald M. Grant, 1974 and Zebra Books, 1975. Those books duplicated the stories (and edits) in the Dell paperback but left out “The Night of the Wolf.” The Baen collection duplicated the Grant and Zebra editions (including the edits) but added a new introduction by David Weber and the story, “The Gods of Bal-Sagoth.”

David Weber’s introduction is worth reading. But first, who is David Weber? Well, per Wikipedia: “David Mark Weber (born October 24, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He has written several science-fiction and fantasy books series, the best known of which is the Honor Harrington science-fiction series. His first novel, which he worked on with Steve White, sold in 1989 to Baen Books. Baen remains Weber’s major publisher.”

Mr. Weber makes the astute observation that “Bran Mak Morn, more than any of Howard’s other characters, sees the doom awaiting him so clearly which makes Bran the quintessential Howard hero, for all of Howard’s share that refusal to surrender, yet few of the others are brought as inescapably face-to-face with the ultimate futility of their struggle.”

The introduction suggests that despite the grimness and sense of doom, the victories of REH’s heroes are celebrated by readers for acknowledging “that victories can be won despite the oncoming darkness.”

Weber concludes “In the final analysis, and whatever Howard’s personal demons may have been, he gave the heroic fantasy genre a yardstick. The field goes on, developing and evoking, incorporating new visions and redefining old ones, yet Howard and his bleak, darkness-shrouded heroes remain. Howard has few rivals as a mentor and inspiration for a learning writer; as a creator of heroes who live in our memories, he has even fewer.”

“The Gods of Bal-Sagoth” is a sequel of sorts to “The Dark Man.” This story does not feature the Picts and was left out of previous and subsequent Bran collections. Nevertheless, I think including it as part of a “Bran” series has some merit.

The story starts in the middle of a battle with Turlogh O’Brien being captured and waking up to find himself tied to the mast of a Viking ship. Turlogh soon learns that Athelstane the Saxon, whose life was spared at the end of “The Dark Man,” has now returned the favor.

A storm occurs, Athelstane unties Turlogh, the raging storm destroys the vessel and Turlogh and Athelstane end up washed ashore. Turlogh, in too much of a coincidence, finds his armor on a dead Viking. Turlogh strips the fellow and dons his shirt of black chain mail and feels himself again. Athelstane, determined to have a bromance, also survived the storm (with Turlogh’s help).

Turlogh resists Athelstane’s charms, “”I hate your breed as I hate Satan!” roared the Gael, a tinge of madness in his blazing eyes.” Athelstane proves himself a good judge of character by replying, “Men speak truly who say there is madness in you.”

Thankfully, a prehistoric man-eating bird is chasing a lovely blonde and the boys can’t resist helping her instead of killing each other. After the rescue they learn that this island holds an ancient race, the lovely blonde was shipwrecked there ten years ago, and that because of her whiteness she was a queen until a few days ago.

The island is ruled by a brown-skinned folk who practice magic. She learned as much as she could and desired more. She allied herself with a young chief and after a bloody civil war ruled the land as Queen. She fell from grace when in a jealous rage she killed the young chief and his secret lover. The people loved the young chief and banished her. A local island legend states that men of iron will come from the sea and Bal-Sagoth will fall. So, the woman convinces Turlogh and Athelstane to take her back to the city so she can resume her reign.

Things proceed as they normally do in REH’s stories.

The interesting thing here is that the brown-skinned people do not seem to be Picts. They are a tall slim people. They are plumed in feathers, gold, silver, with steel weapons. “Ages ago they were part of a great empire which spread out over the many isles of the sea. But some of the islands sank and vanished with their cities and people. Then the red-skinned savages assailed them and isle after isle fell before them. At last only this island was left unconquered, and the people have become weaker and forgotten many ancient arts.”

Even though they are not Picts per se, they are Pict-like (and may well be ancestors). REH is repeating his theme of a dying people. Once great, cataclysmic forces destroyed them, new enemies attack, and the race is currently in decline. This is, of course, a reoccurring theme in several REH stories. REH is a master at presenting this pessimistic philosophy in entertaining stories.

By story’s end, the red savages attack and Turlogh and Athelstane sail off and meet up with a Spanish ship sailing to Morrocco. Athelstane bemoans the loss of loot and Turlogh’s chance to be a king. As in “The Dark Man” Turlogh ends the story with a morose soliloquy: “Aye – a kingdom of the dead – an empire of ghosts and smoke. I am Ard-Righ of a phantom city – I am King Turlogh of Bal-Sagoth and my kingdom is fading in the morning sky. And therein it is like all other empires in the world – dreams and ghosts and smoke.”

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The only textual difference I found between the Weird Tales, Baen, and the pure-text version published in Swords of the North, REH Foundation, 2014 is one instance of capitalization.

Weird Tales: …even such staunch craft as these Vikings built.

Baen: …even such staunch craft as these vikings built.

REHF: …even such staunch craft as these Vikings built.

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Marvel Comics turned this story into a Conan adventure in Conan the Barbarian #17 and #18. The story was written by Roy Thomas with art by Gil Kane.