Xaltotun of Acheron

Xaltotun of Python in Acheron
(circa "The Hour of the Dragon")

Medium Male Undead Mummy
20th Level
Wizard 20

Hit Dice: 20d12 (117 Hit Points)
Initiative: +2 (dex)
Speed: 20 ft
AC: 24 (+2 Dex, +12 Natural)
Attacks: Slam +17/+12 melee
Damage: Slam 1d6 + 6 melee
Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Arcane Spells, Charm, Curse of Vengeance, Grapple
Special Qualities: Summon Familiar, Scribe Scroll, Command Undead, Create Undead, Damage Reduction 20/+3, Resistance to Blows, Enhanced Strength, Undead,
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +15
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con -, Int 23, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Alchemy + 29, Concentration +23, Knowledge (Arcana) +31, Knowledge (Religion) +29, Knowledge (Planes) +29,Spell Craft +29, Scry +29
Feats: Craft staff, Quicken Spell, Empower spell, Enlarge spell , Extend spell, Iron will, Leadership, Scribe scroll, Still spell, Skill Focus (Arcana), Spell Mastery

Climate/Terrain: Stygia
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Advancement: by Character class

Albiona
Princess Akivasha
Publio
Tarascas
Thutothmes
Demetrio

"He was not a living man," she said. "The Heart lent him a false aspect of life, that deceived even himself. I never saw him as other than a mummy."

"We have loosed a demon upon the earth, a fiend inexplicable to common humanity. I have plumbed deep into evil, but there is a limit to which I, or any man of my race and age, can go. My ancestors were clean men, without any demoniacal taint; it is only I who have sunk into the pits, and can sin only to the extent of my personal individuality. Out behind Xaltotun lie a thousand centuries of black magic and diabolism, an ancient tradition of evil. He is beyond our conception not only because he is a wizard himself, but also because he is the son of a race of wizards."

~Robert E. Howard, "The Hour of the Dragon"

Xaltotun is described by Howard as "a tall, lusty man, naked, white of skin, and dark of hair and beard". He is not a dusky Stygian; his appearance is the very description of a member of the Elder race. He has glowing eyes: "slowly intelligence grew in his dark eyes and made them deep and strange and luminous. It was as if long-sunken witch-lights floated slowly up through midnight pools of darkness" and "the lambent lights of hell flickered in his eyes". When Xaltotun appeared after the Battle of Valka, Conan recognized his approach as being like that of a serpent.

Possesses an unearthly beauty, serene and extremely self-controlled under normal circumstances. Xaltotun is an embodiment of supreme evil, the dark fruit of a long line of evil necromancers. This has lead him to be cruel and callous about murder - totally lacking in any regard for human dignity or the value of life. In his past, he often let the altars of Set run red with blood. In his future, he would have destroyed the present to remake the past. His absolute power has corrupted absolutely.

Born to the ancient, lost empire of Acheron, he was the guardian of the coveted Heart of Ahriman. When this was stolen by a barbarian shaman and used against him, he fled to Stygia to escape the destruction of Acheron. Stygian priests of Set poisoned and mummified him. He was resurrected through means of the Heart by a group that conspired to overthrow King Conan of Aquilonia. After a brief battle, Xaltotun had the life sucked out of him by a priest using the Heart, returning him to his mummy form. He was subsequently put on his own chariot, thought to be bound for Hell.

Combat
Note: Xaltotun does not have Mummy Rot. Hyborian Age mummies do not have this power. Xaltotun battles with magic. He casts arcane spells as a 20th level wizard. Because Xaltotun is unaware that he is undead, he may not know he has these powers innately. He was resurrected by Orastes (the resurrection scene, as adapted by Marvel Comics in 1974 can be seen on Orastes' scene).

Charm (Su): Identical to the spell in PHB
Command Undead (Su): As an evil priest.
Create Undead (Ex) The mummy can embalm and perform the ceremonies to create servant mummies.
Curse of Vengeance (Su): This power allows him to curse attackers.
Grapple (Ex): Mummies with this power get two slam attacks and a +2 bonus to strength for damage if both slams hit. The victim is then strangled for triple slam damage until he breaks the hold.
Damage Reduction (Ex): 20/+3
Resistance to Blows (Ex): Physical attacks only do 1/2 damage
Enhanced Strength (Ex): +10 Str
Undead: Xaltotun has all the immunities shared by the undead. Unfortunately for Xaltotun, he is not aware that he is undead.

Robert E. Howard's story, "The Hour of the Dragon," was first published in Weird Tales as a five part serial, beginning in December of 1935 and ending in April 1936. It is Robert E. Howard's only Conan full length novel. The story can also be found in the Ace/Lancer paperback "Conan the Conquerer"; and the Gnome Press collection "Conan the Conquerer". It is also available in the Burkley/Putnam edition, "The Hour of the Dragon". This is easily my second favorite Conan tale of all time (following "The People of the Black Circle")

Karl Edward Wagner called it "one of the best novels ever written in the epic fantasy genre" and I certainly agree.

Original artwork that accompanied the Weird Tales presentation of "The Hour of the Dragon"

Howard wrote The Hour of the Dragon in four months at the behest of a British publishing house, in hopes he could finally become a full fledged novelist. Unfortunately, as described in the afterword, the publisher went under and Howard ended up selling the story to Weird Tales instead. The magazine published it in five issues, the last issue coming out only two months before Howard died. It was thus the last Conan story which he saw published.

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