History Literature / BeyondTheBlackRiver

!!Tropes included

* TheLostWoods: The Pictish wilderness definitely counts, as does the border lands the settlers call home, to a lesser extent.

* HumanSacrifice: Part of the RitualMagic used by Zogar Sag.

* ABoyAndHisX: Balthus and Slasher.

* BringNewsBack: What Conan and Balthus try to do.

* DistressedDude: Balthus, one of the few male examples in a Conan story. He changes pretty quick.
* FriendOrFoe: Conan deludes a Pict.
* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler: Zothar Sag is half swamp demon.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Balthus and the dog.]]
* HumanSacrifice: Part of the RitualMagic.
* JungleDrums: The Picts use them.
* LibationForTheDead: Conan at the end.

* TheNativesAreRestless: Picts.

* PowerGlows: The forest demon, who glows green.

* PantheraAwesome: A saber-toothed tiger! Even Conan is shocked that one is still alive. Later an actual jaguar tracks the heroes through the forest.

"[[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Black_River Beyond the Black River]]" is a Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian story by Creator/RobertEHoward. Published in 2 parts, from May to June, 1935.

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests breaking the shaky peace with the Picts in order to put a permanent end to the problem. He assembles a small team, including Balthus, who along with himself, will sneak into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory, a [[DeathWorld savage land]] for a savage people, populated by all manner of beasts, and [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow some things out of their nightmares]].

Often considered one of Creator/RobertEHoward's greatest works, it features many of the recurring themes present in his other works, such as the man's inmate barbarism and the impermanence of civilization, yet given far more focus here.

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests breaking the shaky peace with the Picts in order to put a permanent end to the problem. He assembles a small team, including Balthus, who along with himself, will sneak into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory, a [[DeathWorld savage land]] for a savage people, populated by all manner of beast, and [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow some things out of their nightmares]].

* DeusExitMachina: Conan and Balthus separate near the end of the story, mainly so Conan can have a fight with a forest demon while Balthus defends the escaping settlers [[spoiler: in a HeroicSacrifice]] .

* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler: Zothar Sag is half swamp demon]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Balthus and the dog]].

* TheLostWoods: The Pictish wilderness definitely counts, as does the boarder lands the settlers call home, to a lesser extent.

* PantheraAwesome: A saber-toothed tiger! Even Conan is shocked that one is still alive. Later an actually jaguar tracks the heroes through the forest.

* BringNewsBack: What Conan and Balthus try
* DeusExitMachina: Conan and Balthus separate near the end of the story, mainly so Conan can have a fight with a forest demon while Balthus defends the escaping settlers [[spoiler: in a HeroicSacrifice]] .
* DisproportionateRetribution: Conan vows vengeance against Zothar Sag for the killing of his frontiersman allies.

* FriendOrFoe: Conan deludes a Pict

* HumanSacrifice: Part of the RitualMagic

* TheNativesAreRestless: Picts

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests putting a permanent end to the problem, and assembles a small team, including Balthus, to sneak into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory, a [[DeathWorld savage land]] for a savage people, populated by all manner of beast, and [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow some things out of their nightmares]].

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests killing him, and assembles a small team, including Balthus, to sneak into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory, a [[DeathWorld savage land]] for a savage people, populated by all manner of beast, and [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow some things out of their nightmares]].

Often considered one of Creator/RoberEHoward's greatest works, it features many of the recurring themes present in his other works, such as the man's inmate barbarism and the impermanence of civilization, yet given far more focus here.

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests killing him, and assembles a small team, including Balthus, to sneak into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory.

Balthus is an young man, recently sent to help defend the border lands of western Aquilonia; lands which encroach upon the territory of the savage [[TheSavageIndian Picts]]. He meets and befriends Conan, a Cimmerian, who has been serving at the nearby fort as a tracker and soldier for several months. There have been a recent rash of murders, perpetrated by demonic minions of Zothar Sag, a Pictish chieftain. Conan suggests killing him, and assembles a small team, including Balthus, to seek into Zothar Sag's camp and kill him. However, this will require them to cross [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Black River]] and into Pictish territory.

Balthus is a man living in a frontier fort while the Picts are restless. He is captured in the forest and intended for sacrifice while Conan rescues him. They return with the news, and Conan giving Balthus many long lectures on things.

* DeusExitMachina: Conan and Balthus separate near the end of the story, mainly just so Conan can have a fight with a forest demon while Balthus gives a [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]].

* DeusExitMachina: Conan and Balthus separate.
* DisproportionateRetribution: Conan vows it
* DistressedDude: Balthus

* LibationForTheDead: Conan at the end
* TheLostWoods: The setting

* PantheraAwesome: A saber-toothed tiger
* PowerGlows: The fire demon
* RitualMagic: The Picts practice it
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: The Picts
* ToAbsentFriends: The dead are discussed at the end.
* WouldNotShootACivilian: Dead civilians enrage Balthus

* ABoyAndHisDog: Balthus and Slasher.

* ABoyAndHisDog: Balthus and Slasher.

->''“Barbarism is the natural state of mankind,” the borderer said, still staring somberly at the Cimmerian. “Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism must always ultimately triumph.”''

"[[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Black_River Beyond the Black River]]" is a Literature/ConanTheBarbarian story by Creator/RobertEHoward. Published in 2 parts, from May to June, 1935.

"[[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Black_River Beyond the Black River]]" is a ConanTheBarbarian story by Creator/RobertEHoward. Published in 2 parts, from May to June, 1935.

"[[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Black_River Beyond the Black River]]" is a ConanTheBarbarian story by RobertEHoward. Published in 2 parts, from May to June, 1935.