Kamar-Taj
Kamar-Taj is a city that features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
Kamar-Taj was a hidden city located on Earth and situated in the Himalaya mountains. It was home to a race of people that were not outwardly advanced but had developed the arts of joyous living to a degree undreamed by more complex civilizations. The people of Kamar-Taj were noted for being a gentle folk who did not know the meaning of war that tilled the earth whilst enjoying the pageantry of nature. (Strange Tales v1 #148)
During the 12th century, Giacomo Montesi sought a lost parchment from the book of the Darkhold and determined that it was situated in Tibet. In 1350, the priest Montesi sent emissaries to the hidden city his questers had found in the Himalayas. He intended to make a trade for the missing scrolls with the Nine Wise Men of divine Kamar-Taj but was assassinated by human agents of the vampire Varnae. In the 14th century, his son Marcello Montesi managed to re-establish the lines of communication with the city. The eons old vampire Varnae felt that he could not curb the Montesi's quest and thus sought to stop the danger from the Eastern source. He travelled to Tibet and met an ambitious young mystic named Kaluu and imparted to him some of his own arcane knowledge which the inhabitant of Kamar-Taj used it to engage in his own plans. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme v1 #13)
Around 500 years ago, two noted individuals born from the settlement were the Ancient One and his comrade Kaluu. As the pair reached adulthood, they began looking into the secrets of the supernatural. Whilst the Ancient One sought to benefit his people, Kaluu intended to use his knowledge to dominate. Kaluu was instrumental in crafting a spell that allowed him to dominate the minds of the people. Initially, they created a period of peace and tranquillity in the settlement but Kaluu intended to use them to conquer other villages. The Ancient One attempted to convince the people to stop but they had become slaves to Kaluu's commands. He then attempted to craft a spell to defeat his comrade but was frozen in place by magic from Kaluu. Kaluu then led an army from Kamar-Taj against the neighbouring village where he conquered the settlement. Upon his return, the Ancient One's spell came into effect where it manifested into a mystical pestilence that killed the people of Kamar-Taj. The Ancient One survived by the enchantment Kaluu had placed on him and he freed himself whilst Kaluu escaped into the dimension on the edge of the universe where he vowed revenge. Unable to save the people of his home Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One vowed to aid others and combat the forces of evil magic. (Strange Tales v1 #148)
In the aftermath, Kamar-Taj was freed and it resumed the lines of communication with Marcello Montesi. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme v1 #13) The man who became known as Mister Jip sought out Kamar-Taj in the hope of attaining great power. However, he came to find the city in ruin but was discovered by the man who came to be the Ancient One with Jip becoming his first pupil. For decades, he assisted his 'master' and feigned an interest in benevolent magic as he studied collections of arcane lore. However, he studied forbidden lore but his eventual practice of the black rites led to his banishment by his master. It was then that his goal came to know the dark ways and thereby gain omnipotence over all. However, he was not blessed with long life like the Ancient One but learnt of a process of usurping the body of other people. (Strange Tales v2 #11) By 1972, the Deathwalkers managed to acquire the Talisman of Kamar-Taj that they took from the city for their dark magical rituals. (Mighty Avengers v2 #12)
After a young America surgeon, Dr. Stephen Strange, was injured in a accident that ended his career tried to find a cure. He heard rumours of the mystical Ancient One, Strange pawned his last possessions for a ticket to the East. Strange found "Kamar-Taj" but the aged sorcerer refused to cure him, instead offering to teach him in mysticism. Strange refused, but couldn't leave immediately due to a sudden blizzard. While staying for the duration of the storm, Strange witnessed the Ancient One's apprentice, Baron Mordo, secretly attack the teacher with mystically summoned skeletons, which the old man easily dispelled. Strange, his scepticism eroding, confronted Mordo about the treachery but Mordo responded with restraining spells that kept Strange from warning the Ancient One or attacking Mordo physically. Amazed by these displays of magic, Strange underwent a change of heart. Deciding that the only way to stop Mordo was to learn magic himself in order to challenge Mordo on his terms, Strange accepted the Ancient One's offer. Pleased by Strange's acceptance for unselfish reasons, the Ancient One removed the mystic restraints, explaining that he was well aware of Mordo's treachery but preferred to keep Mordo close by in order to control and possibly change him. (Strange Tales v1 #115)
A young girl named Christa Ludlow from Colorado was making a trek to Nepal and ended up staying in the lamasery at Kamar-Taj. During this time, Doctor Strange had journeyed to the site alongside his apprentice Rintrah. Whilst there, they were attacked by the demon Erlik Khan who had been freed after the talismans that kept him in check were destroyed. This was part of an ambush where Khan preyed on the fact that Strange had called upon black magic in recent times. He forced Strange's hand to call on dark magic which incidentally caused the death of Christa whereupon Erlik fled as he was looking to ensure Doctor Strange's fall into becoming a black magician. (Strange Tales v2 #6)
Under High Lama Arnie Green, the halls of the monastery at Kamar-Taj became filled with the chanting of monks for the first time in 20 years. During this time, the region faced turmoil due to tensions between India and China wit this resulting in the Indian Defense Minister Morarji Desai sending his nations' army to occupy Kamar-Taj. The High Lama's anger unleashed mystical energy that inadvertently broke a spell embodied by the flame of a candle thus allowing the demonic Khats to be freed where they began to attack Doctor Strange. (Doctor Strange v2 #77)
The Asgardian Sigurd the Everglorious journeyed to Kamar-Taj in order to find the sorcerer Kaluu as he desired to reincarnate after death along with gain the ability to know whether a lie was told during the pact. It was later revealed that this was not Kaluu but rather the demon Mephisto who tricked Sigurd into signing a contact with blood to send him to Hell. However, the contract was switched by Loki with the terms amended that included sending Mephisto back to his realm whilst Sigurd was send back to Asgardia per the orders of the All-Mother. (Loki: Agent of Asgard v1 #4)
Overview
It was a hidden land that was situated high up in the Himalayas. (Strange Tales v1 #148)
Locations within the area included the:
- Lamasery of the Ancient Ones : (Strange Tales v2 #11)
It was noted as being a divine city that was headed by Nine Wise Men. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme v1 #13) The avatar that represented the people was embodied by the High Lama with it not being deemed appropriate for them to unleash any mystical curses. (Doctor Strange v2 #77) Later on, Wong established the Secret Disciples of Strange who were monks that bore the price for the Sorcerer Supreme's magic. (Doctor Strange v4 #5)
The Talisman of Kamar-Taj was a noted mystical relic that could be used for magical rituals. (Mighty Avengers v2 #12)
Inhabitants
- Yao :
- Kaluu :
- Misha :
- Wong :
- Baron Mordo :
- Stephen Strange :
Notes
- Kamar-Taj was created Stan Lee and Steve Ditko where it debuted as the Ancient One's city where it made its first appearance in Strange Tales v1 #110 (July, 1963).
In other media
Television
- In She-Hulk, Kamar-Taj appeared in the setting of the live-action television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Films
- In Doctor Strange, Kamar-Taj appeared in the live-action film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was home to one of four sanctums that protected the world from evil magic. The site served as the home of the Ancient One where she trained her disciples. Following his car accident and the subsequent nerve damage suffered in his hands, Dr. Stephen Strange exhausted most of his wealth and sought out various medical procedures in an attempt to fix them, only to be told that it was impossible. After hearing from a counselor that a man named Jonathan Pangborn also received a similar injury and recovered completely from it, Strange sought out to find Pangborn and discover how he had done so. During their encounter, Pangborn revealed that he had gone to a place known as Kamar-Taj in Kathmandu where his mind learned to heal what his body could not. Although Strange was skeptical, he used the last of his funds to travel to Nepal in a last-ditch effort to be healed from his affliction. Once there, Strange was met by the Ancient One and Karl Mordo, who both took their turns to train him to become a Master.
- In Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Kamar-Taj appeared in the setting of the live-action sequel. It remained the home of the masters of the mystic arts when Wong ascended to the position of Sorcerer Supreme. He would continue others in the mystic arts. It was later used to help shelter America Chavez when she came to Earth-616 and it was learnt that she was being targeted by the Scarlet Witch who looked to claim her powers. This led to Wanda Maximoff laying siege to Kamar-Taj where she managed to breach their mystical barrier and began killing its sorcerers as she looked to lay claim to Chavez.
Appearances
- Strange Tales v1: (1963)
- Strange Tales v2:
- Doctor Strange v2:
- Loki: Agent of Asgard v1:
- Mighty Avengers v2:
External Links
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