Yara, priest and sorcerer

From Conan the Barbarian #4 - Barry Windsor Smith

Yara the High Priest
(circa "The Tower of the Elephant")

Human Wizard
16th Level

Hit Dice 16d4+16 (Hit Points 62)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Init)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 20 (+1 Dex)
Attacks: Masterwork Light Crossbow +13/+8
Damage: Crossbow 1d8
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +14
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 19 (23), Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Spellcraft +24, Knowledge (Arcana)+24, Knowledge (Religion)+24, Concentration +20, Alchemy +24,
Feats: Scribe scroll, Toughness, Combat Casting, Brew Potion, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Spell, Spell Focus (Summoning), Craft Wondrous Item, Heighten Spell, Spell Penetration, Craft Staff

Climate/Terrain: Zamora
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 16
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: By Character Class.

From Savage Sword of Conan #24 - John Buscema

"Yara came not often from his tower of magic, and always to work evil on some man or some nation. The king of Zamora feared him more than he feared death, and kept himself drunk all the time because that fear was more than he could endure sober. Yara was very old- centuries old, men said, and added that he would live forever because of the magic of his gem, which men called the Heart of the Elephant; for no better reason than this they named his hold the Elephant's Tower."

~Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"

Yara, versed in dark knowledge even before he met Yogah of Yag. He sat at Yag-Kosha's feet and learned wisdom, but was not satisfied with white magic – Yara was interested in learning evil magics. He tricked Yag-Koshah (Yogah) into revealing a power that Yara was able to use to bind and enslave the elephant-headed Outsider.

For three hundred years, Yara kept the being captive, learning dark magics from him, forcing him to do crimes.

The secret of Yara's magic comes from the Heart of the Elephant, and without it, he cannot cast spells over the third level.

Combat
Yara fights with spells and duplicity, often summoning Outsiders and the Dead to help him. More often than not, he forces Yag-Koshah into doing his dirty work.

To the left is the original cover art that accompanied Bob Howard's "The Tower of the Elephant" in the March 1933 Weird Tales. This is one of the most popular of the Conan stories.

Why is this story so popular? Well, it has a strange wizard in a mystical tower, a being from beyond our ken, curses and dark magics, giant spiders and a tavern brawl. It has everything.

The Robert E. Howard's story, "Tower of the Elephant," was first published in Weird Tales in March of 1933. The story can also be found in the Ace/Lancer paperback "Conan"; the Donald M. Grant Limited Edition "The Tower of the Elephant", Arkham's "Skull Face and Others" and the Gnome Press collection "The Comin of Conan". All of these are out of print but can be found on eBay quite often.

Currently in print is the British volume "The Conan Chronicles Volume I : The People of the Black Circle" which is part of Millennium's "Fantasy Masterworks" series. ISBN: 1-85798-996-1. It is available off of Amazon.com.

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