Osric's Arc
Conan the BarbarianA lonely king's slow decline from powerless ruler to murdered father, undone by the very guards he trusted.
increasing
Bearing strength in each event
decreasing
The Worn King

The Worn King
Osric sits brooding under the canopy of his throne, a warrior lost to wine and despair.
The Decaying Realm
The palace's tapestries are torn, the carpets stained, and the monarch's voice is querulous.
The Hidden Fighter
For all his decay, he can still laugh at Yaro's fury and drink to the thieves who pricked the serpent.
A Father's Lament

A Father's Lament
Osric pours out his anguish that his daughter has been taken by the serpent priests.
The Serpent in the Family
He shows the undulating dagger that killed his own father and fears Yasimina may one day point one at him.
The Call to Thieves
He admits that only gutter-sweepings dared to beard Yaro and pleads for the rescue of his child.
The Fragile Feast

The Fragile Feast
Osric decks himself in brocade and feasts, believing the seers' promise that his daughter will return.
The Price of Hope
Even in joy he surrounds himself with guards at every door, knowing Doom's assassins walk the night.
The Unwelcome Priest
Yaro's return to the palace turns the feast into a prelude of murder.
The Guarded Audience

The Guarded Audience
Osric receives Yaro in secret, placing his two most trusted guards behind pillars.
The Trap of Isolation
He clears the hall for privacy, and his precautions become a cage.
The Craft of Yaro
The priest walks in as a herald of marriage and leaves as a master of assassins.
The Fallen Monarch

The Fallen Monarch
Osric's bodyguards draw their swords and butcher him on the steps of the dais.
The Dream-Walkers
They obey Yaro's voice as if in sleep, their wills no longer their own.
The Unheard Cry
The doors are shut and no loyal guard arrives. The last remnant of Zamora's royal strength dies with the king.
when the thieves are first brought before him
during the night audience in the palace
the night of celebration while Conan lies wounded in the east
just before the murder of Osric
as Yaro's guards cut down the king