Constantius the Falcon (circa "A Witch Shall Be Born") Medium Human 8th Level Fighter Hit Dice: 8d10 + 24 (64 Hit Points) Initiative: +2 (dex) Speed: 30 ft AC: 19 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +5 Breastplate) Attacks: Scimitar +12/+7 melee Damage: Scimitar 1d8+4 Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft/5ft Saves: Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +2 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14 Skills: Ride +12, Gather Information +8, Innuendo +8, Sense Motive +3 Feats: Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Trample, Ride-By Attack, Dodge, Death Blow, Dirty Fighting Climate/Terrain: Khauran, Shem, Koth, Turan Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic Evil Advancement: by Character class

Constantius, whom men called Falcon, was tall, broad-shouldered, slim-waisted, lithe and strong as pliant steel.  He was handsome in an aquiline, ruthless way.  His face was burnt dark by the sun, and his hair, which grew far back from his high, narrow forehead, was black as raven.  His dark eyes were penetrating and alert, the hardness of his thin lips not softened by his thin black moustache.

~Robert E. Howard, "A Witch Shall Be Born"

Constantius is a bloody-handed adventurer, a man exiled from his own kingdom of Koth because of his crimes, and the leader of organized plunderers and hired murderers. He has a habit of twisting his moustache and is rather cruel.  He asked Taramis for her hand in marriage.  She refused.  Salome, however, took him on as one of her paramours.  During Salome's seven month reign of terror he stood on her right hand. Combat

Constantius fights hard with a longsword or scimitar.

Related Links

Captain Conan Salome Taramis Valerius Olgerd Vladislav Thaug

Published in the December 1934 issue of Weird Tales, this story has probably the most famous scene in the entire Conan series.  It is probably the most famous scene in all of Howard's writing, and perhaps even in the entire genre of fantasy.    Anyone who has read "A Witch Shall Be Born", while perhaps forgetting the characters and/or plot, will never forget Conan's crucifixion.   As Karl Edward Wagner put it, "Conan in agony, helpless, close to death-crushing the vulture's neck in his teeth-enduring the ordeal of the felling of the cross- impatiently ripping the nails out of his feet with his mangled hands- holding onto the saddle on a frenzied mount... the episode dominates the story and the series.  Better than any other scene, it underscores Conan's barbaric vitality and indomitable soul.  The scene overshadows the remainder of the story- and "A Witch Shall Be Born" is an excellent story.  It is Conan at his best- defeated and condemned to a hideous death, fighting back through his barbaric strength and iron-willed determination, ultimately triumphant in the final battle, dooming his enemies to a just vengeance." Karl Edward Wagner also said this of the story: "It is a measure of Howard's confidence in his mastery of the narrative that he no longer felt it necessary to waste pages describing various anatomy Conan can hack apart.  After the crucifixion scene, we know Conan is tough."

The story was given a Margaret Brundage cover featuring Salome torturing her sister Taramis with a cat-o-nine-tails,  and a Hugh Rankin interior illustration (if anyone out there has a scan of this interior illustration, I would appreciate being emailed a copy).

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