Valerius (circa "A Witch Shall Be Born") Human Fighter 4th Level Hit Dice: 4d10 + 26 (51 Hit Points) Initiative: +6 (+2 dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Speed: 30 ft AC: 12 (+2 Dex) Attacks: Scimitar +6 melee Damage: Scimitar 1d8+2 Face/Reach: 10 ft by 5 ft/15ft Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 14 Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5, Search +5, Sense Motive +5 Feats: Combat Reflexes, Expertise, Improved Initiative Climate/Terrain: Khauran Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Lawful Good Advancement: by Character class

A young soldier, Valerius, had another belief.  He believed that a witch had assumed af orm identical with that of Khauran's adored ruler.  He believed that Taramis had been spirited away in the night, and confined in some dungeon, and that this being ruling in her place was but a female sorcerer.  He swore that he would find the real queen, if she still lived, but I greatly fear he himself has fallen victim to the cruelty of Constantius.  He was implicated in the revolt of the palace guards, escaped and remained in hiding for some time, stubbornly refusing to seek safety abroad, and it was during this time that I encountered him and he told me his beliefs."

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

Valerius is a young Khaurani soldier.  He loves a young girl named Ivga, and is quite devoted to Queen Taramis.  He seems to have a case of hero worship for the Captain of the Queen's Royal Guard - Conan. Combat

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Valerius fights with a scimitar, and was the one who managed to sheath his sword into the body of Salome.

Captain Conan Salome Taramis Olgerd Vladislav Thaug Constantius

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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