Location of Zamboula

[Brass Jester]

Apologies if this has been addressed before.
There is a discrepancy in the location of Zamboula on the maps in CAE and the Sphere novels (the map which was based on notes of REH, so I believe.) I've only just aquired the RPG so I don't have RoK for example, but according to various stories, Zamboula was on the trade route linking Turan with Shem and Stygia. The Sphere map puts it around modern-day Damascus, to my mind the CAE map places it too far north. Is there any reason for this?
BTW, the Sphere map overlays Hyboria with a map of the modern world, which is great for atmosphere.

 

[Old Bear]

Essentially with the Road of Kings being the major trading route and Zamboula being located in the Kharamun Desert rather than the Eastern Desert we decided that this was the most satisfactory location for Zamboula.

 

[Brass Jester]

Fair enough, thanx for replying

 

[Old Bear]

Fair enough, thanx for replying

No worres. Like everybody else, I find the various locations on the Hyborian map almost interminably fascinating. Then after 25 years somebody tells meI'm the guy in the world responsible for making the official Hyborian map and my decisions go. That kind of changed my perceptions a tad! :shock:

 

[The King]

It's not that important anyway. After some clashes between the Turanians and the Shemite and/or the Stygians, the city will lay in rubbles and ruins and ashes. Then the desert winds and storms will work their way and let it only as a name in the memories, ... as was the fate of Accursed Sabatea.

 

[The King]

No worres. Like everybody else, I find the various locations on the Hyborian map almost interminably fascinating. Then after 25 years somebody tells meI'm the guy in the world responsible for making the official Hyborian map and my decisions go. That kind of changed my perceptions a tad! :shock:

Do you know that the German publisher of Gurps (Pegasus Spiele) released a excellent Hyborian map in 1996 (58x82 cm)? It wouldn' t please purists but it's still very interesting with almost all the details from the pastiche works.

 

[Old Bear]

Fair enough, thanx for replying

No worres. Like everybody else, I find the various locations on the Hyborian map almost interminably fascinating. Then after 25 years somebody tells meI'm the guy in the world responsible for making the official Hyborian map and my decisions go. That kind of changed my perceptions a tad! :shock:

Do you know that the German publisher of Gurps (Pegasus Spiele) released a excellent Hyborian map in 1996 (58x82 cm)? It wouldn' t please purists but it's still very interesting with almost all the details from the pastiche works.

Don't worry, if it was published for Conan we have looked at it. :wink:

 

[Faraer]

I'm a little confused by this 'Eastern Desert'. The desert between Shem and Turan is referred to in the stories variously as 'the southern desert' and 'the eastern desert', depending on where you are; and the Kharamun desert, mentioned in MEZ, could as well be the name of the whole desert as of a different one.

Note also the lack of capitals in the actual stories: similarly, there is no Pictish Wilderness™ but merely a Pictish wilderness.

 

[The King]

From the Pictish point of view, there would be capital letters. But true, there is no Pictish nation as such until the coming of Gorm.

I think that from the Howard stories, the Hyborian world revolves around Conan.
He is the witness of his time and all descriptions and details given by Robert E. Howard, be they political, geographical, military or whatever else, are seens and experienced by Conan. These descriptions are either presented before Conan arrives there or while he is there. That is the reason why these paints are vivid: we see them through the eyes of Conan. There are no description figuring what Conan will not see.
It's a kind of transposition/incarnation for the reader that gives the stories their weigth.

 

[Brass Jester]

A possible plotline: From REH we know that Zamboula was built by Stygians but is now ruled by a Turanian satrap. A consortium of powerful merchants in Turan and the other nations directly on the Road gained influence in the Turanian court and a new city named Zamboula was constructed on the Road. Support for the old city was withdrawn and it's name erased from all maps. So, when travellers and merchants come from the East and ask for directions...
"Pardon, we seek fabled Zamboula..."
"But of course effendi, just follow the mighty Road of Kings west..."
So all trade now goes through the new city and the old one is forgotten. Forgotten except by the inhabitants and the former satrap, who now has a burning hatred for his former masters. Stygia once ruled this city. Maybe they would like to do so again...

 

[Old Bear]

I'm a little confused by this 'Eastern Desert'. The desert between Shem and Turan is referred to in the stories variously as 'the southern desert' and 'the eastern desert', depending on where you are; and the Kharamun desert, mentioned in MEZ, could as well be the name of the whole desert as of a different one.

Note also the lack of capitals in the actual stories: similarly, there is no Pictish Wilderness™ but merely a Pictish wilderness.

Simple answer is look on the map! Notice now I can say the map. The Mongoose map is canon, at least until Conan Properties say otherwise. As such, the Eastern Desert is marked in southern Turan, so you can take it as read.

On the subject of the Pictish Wilderness, the map is meant to have been drawn by civilised Hyborians, and I don't imagine they would be particularly concerned about the opinions of a bunch of savages, do you? :wink: