Supplement Four
Mongoose
I've got to admit, I don't mind the film. It's not "great" by any stretch, but I think it's a fun watch. Popcorn movie. I re-watch it from time to time.
I'm trying to place the locations. So, the film starts in Cimmeria showing (this version of) Conan's backstory. Then, we pick up on the coast of Zingara, with Conan as an adult, as he raids the slavers.
Next, it's on the boat and down the coast to Messantia.
So, does the majority of the rest of the film occur in Argos?
From the tavern scene in Messantia, we cut to Conan among the slaves after he was captured in the tavern. Therefore, Conan is somewhere in Argos, but it's definitely not Messantia as the scene shows the slaves in snow capped mountains. I'm guessing this is the Rabirian Mountains in northeast Argos near the Zingaran border, west of the Khorotas.
When Conan "interviews" no-nose about the location of Zym, Conan is told that Zym travels through the Forbidden Forest. This could be anywhere in Argos, as it's supposed to be fairly wooded. On the Zingaran border, there's the ghoul infested forest, but I'm thinking this forest is somewhere closer to the border with Shem. Argos is supposed to become less woody there, and its terrain is supposed to become hilly and more like Shem. In the film, we see the forest around the Shaipur Monastary, but the Shaipur Pass (Ravine) and the Shaipur Outpost are both desert-like. I'm assuming these three "Shaipur" locations are somewhat close to each other. The Shaipur Outpost is obviously on the coast. Also, Khalar Zym's fortress, Khor Kalba, is somewhere near the Shaipur Ravine because Conan is told that Zym will return from his attack on the Shaipur Monastary via the ravine.
I place these locations in Argos, or just over the border into Shem, because of the connection with ancient Acheron.
From the scene with slaver no-nose,Ela-Shan tells the barbarian that the thief can be found in Argalon. I'm guessing this is somewhere in Shem close to the Argossean border. Why Shem? A pure guess based on the similarity of "Argalon" with "Asgalun" and "Askalon", the port city capital of Pelishtia in western Shem. Plus, seen from afar in the film, the domes on the buildings give it a Shemitsh look. In the film, the music and look of the tavern that Conan enters definitely has what I would call the "feel" of Shem.
Back on the Hornet, I'm assuming they are sailing south (leaving the port of Messantia), because Conan says, "I'll leave tonight to pursue him (Zym) in Shaipur." Then, we see Conan, in a dusty, rocky area next to ruins. This must be either Argos or Shem, somewhere near that border on the coast.
Zym massacres the monks at the Monastary, and Conan chases Tamara as she flees the bloodshed.
Another reason I think all of this is taking place in Argos is that it makes sense that this is where a true blood Archeronian decendant would be (even though Tamara is supposed to be from Hyrkania).
Conan attacks Zym's forces at the Shaipur Ravine and then faces Zym himself at the deserted Shaipur Outpost--where he escapes from Zym, returning to the Hornet, by diving into the sea.
There is the attack on the Hornet by Zym's men, and then the ship finds a place close to that area so that Conan can disembark and chase Zym. It looks like it's some secretive smuggling drop off point.
Conan then gets him some of Tamara that night in a cave, but Zym's forces are close. And, Tamara is captured before she can return to the Hornet. How did they find her? Earlier in the film, Zym's daughter, the witch called Marique, displayed some sort of sorcerous tracking ability. Marique said that she can smell the true blood.
Zym's stronghold, Khor Kalba, is supposed to be an Archeronian ruin, and it's location must be fairly known. It's on the sea.
Conan travels to Argalon to find Ela-Shan. He needs the thief's skills to break into Khor Kalba. Zym's stronghold must be fairly close because Ela-Shan has studied the place and already knows how to get in. In the novel, this was the case. Being a good thief, Ela-Shan studied things like this important to his craft and livelihood.
The rest of the film is the climax that takes place at Khor Kalba and the Skull Cave, which is seen in the film to be within sight of Zym's fortress.
Khor Kalba looks to be huge--an ancient, deserted Archeronian city.
Of course, the last shot is somewhere in Hyrkania as Conan returns Tamara to her home.
And, the coda happens as Conan returns to Cimmeria.
I'm trying to place the locations. So, the film starts in Cimmeria showing (this version of) Conan's backstory. Then, we pick up on the coast of Zingara, with Conan as an adult, as he raids the slavers.
Next, it's on the boat and down the coast to Messantia.
So, does the majority of the rest of the film occur in Argos?
From the tavern scene in Messantia, we cut to Conan among the slaves after he was captured in the tavern. Therefore, Conan is somewhere in Argos, but it's definitely not Messantia as the scene shows the slaves in snow capped mountains. I'm guessing this is the Rabirian Mountains in northeast Argos near the Zingaran border, west of the Khorotas.
When Conan "interviews" no-nose about the location of Zym, Conan is told that Zym travels through the Forbidden Forest. This could be anywhere in Argos, as it's supposed to be fairly wooded. On the Zingaran border, there's the ghoul infested forest, but I'm thinking this forest is somewhere closer to the border with Shem. Argos is supposed to become less woody there, and its terrain is supposed to become hilly and more like Shem. In the film, we see the forest around the Shaipur Monastary, but the Shaipur Pass (Ravine) and the Shaipur Outpost are both desert-like. I'm assuming these three "Shaipur" locations are somewhat close to each other. The Shaipur Outpost is obviously on the coast. Also, Khalar Zym's fortress, Khor Kalba, is somewhere near the Shaipur Ravine because Conan is told that Zym will return from his attack on the Shaipur Monastary via the ravine.
I place these locations in Argos, or just over the border into Shem, because of the connection with ancient Acheron.
From the scene with slaver no-nose,Ela-Shan tells the barbarian that the thief can be found in Argalon. I'm guessing this is somewhere in Shem close to the Argossean border. Why Shem? A pure guess based on the similarity of "Argalon" with "Asgalun" and "Askalon", the port city capital of Pelishtia in western Shem. Plus, seen from afar in the film, the domes on the buildings give it a Shemitsh look. In the film, the music and look of the tavern that Conan enters definitely has what I would call the "feel" of Shem.
Back on the Hornet, I'm assuming they are sailing south (leaving the port of Messantia), because Conan says, "I'll leave tonight to pursue him (Zym) in Shaipur." Then, we see Conan, in a dusty, rocky area next to ruins. This must be either Argos or Shem, somewhere near that border on the coast.
Zym massacres the monks at the Monastary, and Conan chases Tamara as she flees the bloodshed.
Another reason I think all of this is taking place in Argos is that it makes sense that this is where a true blood Archeronian decendant would be (even though Tamara is supposed to be from Hyrkania).
Conan attacks Zym's forces at the Shaipur Ravine and then faces Zym himself at the deserted Shaipur Outpost--where he escapes from Zym, returning to the Hornet, by diving into the sea.
There is the attack on the Hornet by Zym's men, and then the ship finds a place close to that area so that Conan can disembark and chase Zym. It looks like it's some secretive smuggling drop off point.
Conan then gets him some of Tamara that night in a cave, but Zym's forces are close. And, Tamara is captured before she can return to the Hornet. How did they find her? Earlier in the film, Zym's daughter, the witch called Marique, displayed some sort of sorcerous tracking ability. Marique said that she can smell the true blood.
Zym's stronghold, Khor Kalba, is supposed to be an Archeronian ruin, and it's location must be fairly known. It's on the sea.
Conan travels to Argalon to find Ela-Shan. He needs the thief's skills to break into Khor Kalba. Zym's stronghold must be fairly close because Ela-Shan has studied the place and already knows how to get in. In the novel, this was the case. Being a good thief, Ela-Shan studied things like this important to his craft and livelihood.
The rest of the film is the climax that takes place at Khor Kalba and the Skull Cave, which is seen in the film to be within sight of Zym's fortress.
Khor Kalba looks to be huge--an ancient, deserted Archeronian city.
Of course, the last shot is somewhere in Hyrkania as Conan returns Tamara to her home.
And, the coda happens as Conan returns to Cimmeria.