Origin[]

The Wyrm was an elder god,^[3] and a rival of Set at a cosmic level, in every reality, across all time.^[2]

Pre-Cataclysmic Age[]

After being defeated by a coalition of made of Khonshu and heroes from various eras, the Wyrm went into influencing Jamus of Lemuria in Pre-Cataclysmic Age, circa 18,500 BC (this era's incarnation of Niord and James Allison). He came from the Unexplored South and into Valusia, sought Tu to speak secrets Tu had told no one else, in order to finally to approach King Kull, claiming that he had traveled from far beyond, past sun and stars, to ask Kull for help in the war of the Wyrm, and offered him the Wyrm Crown "as a gift" of his "deep admiration", along a proposal of alliance between the Wyrm and Valusia.^[2]

Sect of the Red Serpent[]

At some point, when overzealous followers priests of Set considered that the other priests of Set had grown complacent, they formed their own secret faction, the Sect of the Red Serpent, and started slaughtering temple after temple.

The Wyrm, who sought to further strife among the Setites, approached them and planted in their mind the notion that Set, a treacherous god, was worshipped at best by treachery and defiance. He also offered them the Serpent Scepter, which allowed mortals to unlock untapped powers of the Serpent Crown while resisting Set's will. The Sect of the Red Serpent tried to combine the powers of the two artifacts as intended, but the power was too much and destroyed their bodies. The Serpent Crown moved to other wearers, while the Serpent Scepter was hidden by remnants of the Sect of the Red Serpent.^[3]

Hyborian Age: The Valley of the Worm[]

Seemingly during the late Hyborian Age, the Worm resided in the Valley of Broken Stones, within the Country of the Worm in Pictland. In the past, the Worm destroyed Picts that had come the Valley of the Broken Stones and found its hidden temple. The Picts were consequently terrified of the place, and feared what they called Dark One.

After Bragi and his tribe of Aesir settled near the Valley of Broken Stones, despite the Picts' warning, they were all slaughtered by the Worm. To avenge his brother-in-arms, Niord slew Satha and harvested its venom to use on his arrows in order to defeat the demon. As he tried to get his attention a fur-covered being emerged playing a flute, but after killing the creature the flute kept playing and soon the Worm emerged. Niord tried to fight the demon by shooting it with his poisoned arrows, but the creature managed to throw the Aesir to the woods heavily injuring him, while the Worm retreated.^[1] As Niord was dying, the Worm sought to use his soul in his quest and reincarnated him through different millennia.^[2]

1936: Serpent War[]

When James Allison was heading towards death, the Wyrm used him and the bodies of his previous lifetimes to gather the warriors, Conan, Solomon Kane, Dark Agnes, and Moon Knight into a quest to defeat Set, which would allow the Wyrm to finally achieve his goal.^[4] However, after the defeat of Set, the heroes battled the Wyrm in the Hyborian Age, after learning the truth, and with their combined effort, along with the help of Allison, Khonshu, and Set's priestess, Satyne, managed to defeat the Wyrm.^[2]

The Wyrm, an elder god and a demon, demonstrated the following power set:

• Immortality: As a demon, the Wyrm was nearly immortal.^[2]
• Resurrection: The Wyrm was able to reincarnate Niord through different millennia.^[2]
• Time Travel: The Wyrm was able to travel through different time periods.^[2]
• Mind Control: It was able to manipulate James Allison.^[2]

Wyrm Crown: The Wyrm had his own crown just like Set had his Serpent Crown.^[2]

The Wyrm possessed the Serpent Scepter at some point, which he provided to the Sect of the Red Serpent.^[3]

• The Worm was created by Robert E. Howard in his James Allison story "The Valley of the Worm", which was adapted in Supernatural Thrillers #3 (April, 1973), written by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway, and penciled by Gil Kane.
  • Though renamed "The Wyrm" in Conan: Serpent War, the Worm could be somewhat related to De Vermis Mysteriis ("The Mysteries of the Worm"), with Solomon Kane and Moon Knight finding forbidden books, among them seemingly De Vermis Mysteriis (the whole cover isn't seen on-panel), while attacking bases of worshipers of Set in ^[5].
  • In his Cthulhu Mythos short story "Jerusalem's Lot (Night Shift; 1978), Stephen King introduced "The Worm", "Gyyagin vardar!' [...] Servant of Yogsoggoth, the Nameless One! The Worm from beyond Space! Star Eater! Blinder of Time! Verminis!", a being tied to De Vermis Mysteriis.

• In "Birthright!" (Monsters Unleashed #3; November, 1973), also written by Roy Thomas (without Gerry Conway) and penciled by Gil Kane, the Worm in the Lost Valley was inspired by the Worm of the Valley of the Worm: Notably, he shares its name, resembles it in aspect, and the battle in which he dies is the stuff of later legends.