Savage Sword of Conan 98

=The Blood Ruby of Death!=

Creators

 * Writer: JMichael Fleisher
 * Pencils: John Buscema
 * Inks: Rudy Nebres
 * Letters: Joe Rosen

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous appearance in SSOC-109; next appearance in first story of SSOC-177).

Minor Characters

 * Jepthah and Rakko (First and only appearance to date); gamblers
 * Venard and three thieves (First and only appearance to date; all die in this issue)
 * Sorcha (First and only appearance to date). Serving girl/thief

Location

 * Shadizar

Time Frame

 * Two days

Synopsis
Conan, over the objections of other gamblers, chooses to end his streak and take his winnings. However, he is robbed that night and the stealthy thief manages to flee with Conan chasing him out the window. Conan finally captures the thief but discovers it is Sorcha, the serving wench. The chase seems to have ignited the passions of both, but before things can progress they see a man with a knife in his back crawling through the streets below. Conan goes to investigate, and the dying man gives him a map to a treasure of his people. Three armed men approach and attack but Conan fights them off. He tells Sorcha he doesn't believe there is a treasure, and lost the map, but as he tries to leave the city he is followed by both a company of four men and, separately, Sorcha. Conan quickly realizes he is being followed and the others also know that Conan knows, and everyone continues on their way to see who makes the first move, which is Conan, that night, when he confronts Sorcha. Sorcha knows he still has the map and Conan lets her accompany him. The two travel across the land to an ancient geological marvel containing a collapsed volcano, and are forced to chop down a tree to make a rudimentary bridge to a raised island in the center of a surrounding ravine. A stone fortress lies in the center, and they make their way into the ruined structure while a bit behind them, the thieves find the tree bridge. Conan climbs to a higher vantage point to get the lay of the land, and notes his followers, but is interrupted by a scream as Sorcha is attacked by lizard-like monsters. Conan defeats them but is ambushed and rendered unconscious by the thieves. The leader explains the history of the wise and benevolent King Nerklos's kingdom, who was killed by the treacherous Baron Weyhird Gerned and the sorcerer Bhutra Mamnon. The king was protected by powerful magics, and the sorcerer resorted to sacrificing many to create a bloody ruby of death to finally slay Nerklos, but even in death his spirit watched over and protected the kingdom until the two men carried off and hid the corpse, with only one map surviving to its location. The kingdom fell into chaos and disarray, and have sent many men out to find the body, including the man who found the map that Conan followed, who unfortunately drunkenly babbled the story to the thieves. They follow the instructions and find the body of the king, the magic ruby embedded in the skull. When the thieves pull the ruby free, they turn on each other and fight to the death, giving Sorcha time to free just as the final thief kills his compatriots. He turns to the others, but an untied Conan slays him. Sorcha, however, is ensnared by the Ruby's power and attacks Conan, but the temple begins to rumble and collapse, knocking Sorcha out as she drops the gem into a chasm. Conan grabs the girl and barely escapes as the entire plot of land tumbles into the water below.

=The Lady of the Tower!=