Savage Sword of Conan 180

=The Tomb of Lost Visions=

Creators

 * Writer: Doug Moench
 * Penciller: Mike Docherty
 * Inker: Alcala & Co.
 * Letterer: Diana Albers

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous chronological appearance CA-8; next chronological appearance CA-9).

Minor Characters

 * Syreena (First appearance). Dies in this issue.
 * Antagonides (First and only appearance to date). Prefect of Ramaraj.
 * Shebeshek, Jhia, and Ragathis (First appearance and only appearance to date for all). Priests from Khaurun.
 * Romatha (First appeaance). Sergeant in the prefect's guard. Dies in this issue.
 * Klepsis (First and only appearance to date). Cutpurse.

Location

 * The Zamorian city Ramaraj.

Time Frame

 * A couple weeks.

Synopsis
Conan waits outside the home of the prefect of Ramaraj, Antagonides, for a midnight tryst with Syreena, the prefect's concubine. Antagonides has been distracted by three priests who propose to help him overthrow the king of Zamora with the aid of the contents of a mysterious box seemingly filled with gems. Conan, sneakingaway from Syreena, overhears parts of the conversation and determines to steal the box filled with what he believes are priceless gems. Sneaking back to Syreena, Conan is caught by Sgt. Romatha, who sends him back to the barracks. As punishment, Conan is ordered to keep the blacksmith's bellows warm all day and night, a nearly impossible task which Conan completes despite the heat and the effort. He even forges a mighty sword with which to taunt the sergeant., who throws him in solitary for two days. Meanwhile, Antagonides ponders the box of gems and ultimately decides to ally with the priests. Come payday, Romatha confiscates Conan's money so the barbarian desperately rtries to arm wrestle tavern dwellers for money. They wisely refuse, and Conan almost goes without mead until he spies a cutpurse, Klepsis, at work and demands half. Conan then asks the cutpurse to teach him the art of thievery. Klepsis is wary, but teaches Conan what he can over the next several nights. Days for Conan are reserved for laborious, humiliating tasks assigned by Romatha, and while working in the stables, he gets a glimpse of one of the priests without his hood on -- he is a demon! Conan decides the time is right to steal the box of gems since the priests have left the city. Conan steals the wages from the paymaster, knowing he will get thrown in the dungeon. He is captured, but instead of going to a cell, Romatha hangs him over a cauldron of boiling oil. Conan manages to cut the ropes binding him and makes his way to the treasure room for the box, then out the sewers to freedom. And, though he has stolen the box, it is then stolen from him by Klepsis and then from Klepsis by a returned priest. Conan and Kelpsis steal their way to the mountains hoping to track down the priests and come across the demons and Antagonides performing a ceremony in a rock formation. A giant eye appears in the sky and shines light on the stones. At the same time, Romatha intrudes on Syreena and rapes her. Conan kills Romatha and as he leaves the tent discovers that a pit has appeared in the center of the stones and the priests and Antagonides have descended into it to raise the spirits of monsters long buried in the tar beneath the stones using the power of the Cask of Visions. The conspirators leave a giant serpent to guard the gems and Conan takes the opportunity to steal back the cask with Klepsis's help. Conan and Syreena leave the old man at the stones and ride away, but when Conan opens the cask for Syreena to see, she melts into ooze and the gems are revealed to be dozens of magical eyes. Avoiding their searing light, Conan rides off alone, once again muttering about sorcery.