The Phoenix on the Sword

Brought to you by Altrusian Grace Media (altrusiangrace.com) and human-narrated by Matthew Schmitz.


“The Phoenix on the Sword” by Robert E. Howard is the first published Conan story, introducing Conan as a barbarian who has seized the throne of Aquilonia but now faces the treachery of nobles who despise his rule. While conspirators plot his assassination with the aid of the sinister sorcerer Thoth-Amon, Conan is warned through a strange dream by the long-dead sage Epemitreus, who marks his sword with the mystical sign of the phoenix. When the plot erupts into violence, the story becomes a clash of brute force, decadent civilization, ancient magic, and kingly destiny, showing Conan not merely as a wandering warrior but as a ruler forced to defend his crown against both human betrayal and supernatural evil.