Moon of Zambebwei – Untitled Synopsis

This untitled synopsis serves as an early version of Robert E. Howard’s The Moon of Zambebwei, showcasing the raw elements of gothic horror, adventure, and voodoo-infused suspense that Howard was known for. The story revolves around Bristol McGrath, a wanderer and adventurer, who answers the desperate plea of his former rival Richard Bellville, only to find himself plunged into a web of dark secrets, betrayal, and a terrifying voodoo cult. Featuring themes of obsession, vengeance, and supernatural horror, this version presents a tightly woven tale of mystery and action, filled with the atmospheric dread of a decaying Southern estate and the lurking menace of Haitian voodoo.

The synopsis reveals key differences from the final story, primarily in character motivations, plot structure, and the identity of the antagonist. While the core premise remains the same, Howard fine-tuned the narrative to enhance the tension and horror elements, shifting some character roles and refining the pacing for greater dramatic impact.

Howard’s story “The Grisly Horror” was published in the magazine Weird Tales, in February 1935 and was later renamed “The Moon of Zambabwei” (the inspiration for the de Camp/Carter version). Kline received the story on July 23, 1934. The story sold for $110 and Howard earned $99 after Kline Agencies had their share.

Bristol McGrath, a seasoned adventurer, receives a mysterious letter from Richard Bellville, his former friend and bitter rival, pleading for help and cryptically referencing Constance Brand, the woman both men had once loved before her mysterious disappearance three years earlier. McGrath travels to the isolated Bellville estate, deep in the Southern wilderness, only to find Ahmed, Bellville’s Arab servant, brutally tortured and left hanging from a tree. Despite his mutilated state, Ahmed warns McGrath of danger by tracing names in the dirt before succumbing to his injuries.

Sensing an ambush on the main road, McGrath takes an old hidden path through the woods and arrives at the decaying Bellville mansion. There, he witnesses Bellville being tortured by a monstrous, sadistic Negro, before leaping into action and killing the assailant. Bellville, mortally wounded, confesses that he kidnapped Constance three years prior and held her prisoner in his mansion, attempting to force her into marriage. However, his control over the local Black population—descendants of his family’s former slaves—crumbled with the arrival of John DeAlbor, a mysterious Haitian who converted the locals into a fanatical voodoo cult. DeAlbor desires Constance for himself, torturing Bellville for information on her whereabouts. With his dying breath, Bellville reveals that she is hidden in a cavern deep in the forest.

As McGrath prepares to leave, he is joined by an Arab man in a turban named Ali, who claims to be Ahmed’s brother, seeking revenge for his sibling’s murder. Together, they navigate the oppressive heat and tangled wilderness, eventually locating the cavern where Constance is hidden. But just as McGrath opens the secret door, Ali betrays him, striking him down from behind. McGrath, still conscious but paralyzed, listens as Ali removes his disguise, revealing himself as none other than John DeAlbor. The voodoo priest had drugged McGrath’s wine, using a jungle potion that activates upon a blow to the nerves, rendering him helpless.

As DeAlbor attempts to flee with Constance, a horde of voodoo followers emerges from the undergrowth, demanding that she be sacrificed in their ritual. Leaving only one warrior behind to execute McGrath, DeAlbor leads his cult away. However, McGrath recovers from his paralysis just in time to engage in a brutal fight with his would-be executioner, ultimately killing him. Tracking the cult through the swamp, he captures DeAlbor, but the cunning priest bargains for his life, claiming that only he can save Constance.

Reluctantly, McGrath allows DeAlbor to lead him to the site of the impending human sacrifice, where Constance is about to be offered to a massive, enraged ape. At the last moment, DeAlbor, realizing his own life is at stake, tries to sacrifice her to appease the cult. McGrath intervenes, shooting the ape, which, in its death throes, turns on the cultists, spreading chaos and destruction. In the ensuing carnage, McGrath seizes the opportunity to escape with Constance, leaving the voodoo cult in ruins.

In a letter (#301) to August Derleth, ca. mid-October 1934, Howard tells him about the sale:

P.S. Wright just bought “Moon of Zambebwei”, a novelet that differs from most of my Weird Tale yarns; a modern story, laid in Mississippi; hope the readers will like it.

And in a letter (#304) to H.P. Lovecraft, ca. December 1934, we learn of the change of the title:

My latest sales to Weird Tales have been a two-part Conan serial: “Beyond the Black River” — a frontier story; and a novelet dealing with Mississippi negroes, etc. “The Moon of Zambebwei”, which I understand will be changed to “The Grisly Horror.”

When Howard hired Kline as his agent, it was with the understanding that he would continue to make submissions directly to Weird Tales, without paying Kline a commission, since he had built up that market himself. However, when Howard’s “The Moon of Zambebwei” was rejected by Terror Tales and Top-Notch, Kline submitted it to Weird Tales, where it was published under the new title. In a letter (#312) to Otis Adelbert Kline, May 13, 1935, Howard says:

I’m writing this to ask for some information in regard to Weird Tales.
As you know, for some time I’ve had a story in almost every issue. One of those yarns you sold Wright, yourself, “The Grisly Horror,” you remember. The others I sold him direct.

Almost a year behind, Howard was paid for the story. In a letter (#333) to Otis Adelbert Kline, January 8, 1936 we learn:

A belated acknowledgment of the check for $99.00 from Weird Tales. A pleasant surprize, as I had not expected a check for “The Grisly Horror” at this time.

The story begins with Bristol McGrath trekking through dense pine forests, driven by a cryptic message from his long-time adversary, Richard Ballville. McGrath discovers Ahmed, an Arab servant, gruesomely tortured and dying, who imparts clues about a dire situation involving Ballville and a mysterious woman named Constance. McGrath’s journey leads him to Ballville Manor, where he uncovers a sinister scene of Richard Ballville being tortured by a monstrous figure from an African cult.

As McGrath delves deeper, he learns that Constance, whom he had loved and believed dead, is alive and held captive by Ballville. Driven by a mix of hate and a twisted love, Ballville confesses to abducting Constance, intending to coerce her into marriage. However, his plans unravel as a more terrifying threat emerges in the form of John De Albor, a cruel priest of an ancient African cult, who has taken control of the local black community and intends to sacrifice Constance to appease his deity.

The narrative reaches its climax in a moonlit clearing, where De Albor attempts to feed Constance to a monstrous ape, a god of his dark religion. McGrath, having followed a tortuous path to save her, confronts the beast and De Albor in a violent showdown. Amid chaos and bloodshed, McGrath manages to kill the creature and save Constance, securing a precarious future for them as they prepare to escape the nightmare woods.

• Bristol McGrath – A seasoned wanderer and adventurer, drawn into the mystery by his past love for Constance and his rivalry with Bellville.
• Richard Bellville – A fallen Southern aristocrat who kidnapped Constance and lost control of his estate to the voodoo priest DeAlbor.
• Constance Brand – The object of both men’s affections, held captive for three years and marked for ritual sacrifice.
• Ahmed – Bellville’s loyal Arab servant and bodyguard, tortured and killed while trying to warn McGrath.
• Ali / John DeAlbor – A cunning and sadistic voodoo priest from Haiti, masquerading as Ahmed’s brother before revealing his true identity.
• Voodoo Cultists – Local Black descendants of Bellville’s former slaves, now followers of DeAlbor, eager to sacrifice Constance.
• The Giant Ape – A monstrous creature meant to be the instrument of sacrifice in the cult’s ritual, ultimately turning against its captors.

This synopsis presents an early iteration of The Moon of Zambebwei with a stronger mystery element and a deeper focus on the gothic atmosphere of Bellville’s decayed estate. Key changes in the final story include:

1. John DeAlbor’s identity: In this version, he is introduced as “Ali,” pretending to be Ahmed’s brother before revealing himself. In the final version, his role as a manipulative voodoo priest is more upfront.
2. McGrath’s investigation: The story originally opens with McGrath actively investigating Constance’s disappearance, whereas in the final version, he is caught up in events more suddenly.
3. The torture of Bellville: The theme of justice and retribution remains strong, with Bellville suffering a fitting end for his crimes before revealing Constance’s location.
4. The role of the ape: The sacrificial beast’s role is more developed in the final version, making its destruction of the cultists a more pivotal climax.

This early draft already contains Howard’s signature blend of action, horror, and adventure, setting the stage for the final, more refined version of The Moon of Zambebwei.

THE GRISLY HORROR.

• TALES OF WEIRD MENACE, Ultimate Edition, REH Foundation Press, March 2025