Hyrkanian/Turanian

Summary
The Hyrkanians are dark and generally tall and slender, though a squat slant-eyed type exists, resulting from mixture with a curious race of intelligent, though stunted,aborigines who were conquered by the Hyrkanian Among the mountains east of Vilayet. The Hyrkanians are descendants of the ancient Lemurians, who were in ages past enslaved by the ancestors of the Stygians. The most prominent Hyrkanian tribe is that of the Turanians, who have carved out a kingdom for themselves that will one day sweep aside many of the Western nations. All Hyrkanian are noted for their superb archery skills.

Culture
The Hyrkanians are by nature nomadic horsemen with a culture resembling that of the Huns and Mongols.However, the largest of the Hyrkanian tribes have settled and founded the Turanian Empire, which more closely resembles the Medieval Moorish Empire. In some respects the Turanians are superior to the West but at the same time they are still brutal when compared to the most enlightened of Hyborian kingdoms,many of which regard the Turanians as little better than their nomadic brethren.This belief is as widespread as it is mistaken. Turnanians make cruel masters; it is no wonder that outlaw band of Kozaks dwell at the margins of their society. Under their kings Yildiz and his son Yezdigerd, the Turanian empire is expanding and will reach Zamora and eastern Shem during Conan’s lifetime.

Names
The Hyrkanians evolve into the tribes known as Tatars, Huns, Mongols and Turks and their names reﬂectthis. One man’s horse is called ‘Irem.’ Rulers often have titles such as Agha, Shah and Khan incorporated into their names.

Male
Alafdhal, Amurath, Ghaznavi, Isparana, Jehungir, JelalKhan,Yar Afzal, Yezdigerd, Yildiz.

Female
Conchaka, Khultulun, Mandughai, Orqina.

Religion
There are two known deities in Turan. These are Tarim, who seems almost to be the patron god of the Turanians and Erlik, ‘Lord of the Black Throne,’ a god of Death. There are almost certainly other gods, possibly including Ishtar. In Zamboula, Hanuman the Ape God, adeiﬁed form of the carnivorous grey apes that live around the Vilayet Sea, is worshipped. As the ‘Empire of the White Wolf,’ Turan might also worship some wolf totem as well.