Hanuman

Lord of the Black Throne

Ajuju

Description

Hanuman is a bestial ape-god of extremely ill repute — even devout Set-worshippers fear him and his debased cult.
"Oh lord of the darkness, Of men who are not men, Give us strength and suffering, In equal measure. Let our bodies be pleasing to you, And our minds quieted from this conscious thought. Let us find the inner rages, And loose them upon the earth. We give our sacrifice into your hands, Appease your thirst in the slickness of blood. Grant us the power of your might, The eternal strength of Hanuman."

-Prayer to Hanuman (Lore text from Conan Exiles)

Hanuman worship is thought to have come from Vendhya. Worship of the ape-god is supreme in Zamboula (much to the chagrin of the rival priests of Erlic). The dark ape-god is also probably worshipped in Kosala and other remote parts of the East as well. Although the statue of the ape-god is made from black marble, those who touch it quickly recoil from it, for the stone has the cold and sleek feel of a reptile.
The cult emphasizes control — of self, of others and of the world around — as the path toward spiritual enlightenment. Revenge, lust and predation are all traits shown by Hanuman’s faithful. Hanuman is considered to be the most magically accomplished of all Vendhya’s deities.

Rituals and Beliefs

Human sacrifice is common in the temples to Hanuman. In Zamboula during the day men and women come timidly into the shrine and place offerings to the ape-god on the black altar, but at night the people shun the temple of Hanuman as hares shun the lair of a serpent. One unusual ritual of the cult is the Dance of the Cobras, in which a young girl is made to dance between four live cobras, dodging their venomous fangs until, inevitably, she tires and falls to her death.

Priesthood

Hanuman has few, but powerful male priests, who practice human sacrifice. They are feared rather than loved. Hanuman's temple stands alone in the midst of a broad, marble-paved square in Zamboula, surrounded by a marble wall. The great bronze doors of the temple have stood open for centuries. The current high priest of Hanuman in Zamboula is Totrasmek, who is reputedly a mongrel probably part Hyborian, part Shemite.

Hanuman

A shrine to Hanuman

Hanuman

(Lesser Deity)

Pantheon: Vendhyan
Gender: Masculine
Regions:

• Vendhya
• Zamboula
• Possibly Kosala

Attributes: Black simian hand
Representations: A Giant Ape-like Creature
Sphere of Power:

• Beast
• Great Apes
• Illusion
• Knowledge
• Might
• Sacrifice

Can Be Worshipped with Other Gods: Yes

Conan Lore Archives
Hyboria.xoth.net
Faith and Fervour, Mongoose Publishing, 2006