"King Holmir's Treasure House"
"King Homir's Treasure House"
4/19-4/21/1987
I.
Wearing Melgar clothes, Jeremy Bane is in Androval on the trail of the ancient Alchemist Melchius. By chance, he spots the renegade Avathor at a low tavern. Peering in through an open window befor entering, Bane discovers Avathor is meeting with high mountain bandit chiefs,and he finds Human adventurerss Ruffian spying there as well (and also posing as a Melgar, although she is Myrrwhan). Ruffian is tall, five feet seven and athletic. She has darkened her distinctive auburn hair to dark bown to fit in better. Over the previous five years, Ruffian has built a reputation as a bold and inventive thief with acrobatic skills
Identifying Avathor's fmous golden horse hitched to a fence by the tavern, Bane plants one of his tracking discs under the saddle. Then he enters, slugs some of the bandits and breaks up the conference. Avathor runs outside. While getting Ruffian ready to flee, Bane is knocked out by Avathor's Korean mercenary Bronze Ronin. This is Mikage Tstsuo, top street fighter with a healing factor. Bane recovers in time to follow the tracking signal to a shack a few miles away where he finds Ruffian beaten, stripped and bound, with the Melgar symbol for "dog" in shallow cuts across her body. He smashes Avathor's men before they can kill her and takes her to safety.
Ruffian explains to Bane about Avathor's plan to rob King Holmir's Treasure House. This is a single vast chamber cut into the side of a sheer mountain wall, with no known entrances or exits other than the massive woodem gate. staffed with a permanent garrison, it holds a vast treasure of gold, silver and gems. Holmir also is known to store valuable statues, paintings and chronicles there for safekeeping.
Following the tracer disc he planted inside the Melgar's saddle, Bane trails Avathor to a remote part of Androval not far from the Royal Treasure House, bringing along the bruised but furious Ruffian, who vows to assassinate Avathor. Both being extremely skilled in stealth, Bane and Ruffian sneak into Avathor's camp in the mountains and overhear him conferring with Dolomir, an agent of Melchius. Avathor is pleased with the compressed air bomb filled with Alchemical poison gas potent enough to kill an army. Modern technology will function perfectly well in Androval but it is taboo culturally and legally.
With Ruffian beside him, Bane overhears Avathor explain his plan. A labor gang of Trolls under Melgar supervision will be headed to the mines with their wagons to fill with ore. This is a common sight in the mountains. Avathor explains the Trolls will wheel away as much gold and silver as they can. But the two are discovered and Bronze Ronin kills Ruffian with his lethal fists. Avathor intervenes, using his electrical powers to stun Bane into helplessness. Bane is captured and strapped to a table with a sharp-edged cabre poised near his neck. A Gralic Leech, Avathor wants to siphon off Bane's speed for his own but has to wait a few days because his body is already holding as many powers as it can for one time.
While Bronze Ronin is busy elsewhere, Bane escapes his cell and witnesses Avathor's second meeting with the Melgar bandit chiefs, who are supplying horsemen to accompany the Trolls for the assault. Avathor plans to breach Treasure House by releasing a deadly Alchemical serum into the atmosphere, killing the personnel. This serum will be sprayed from the air by Melgar mercenary Beldor and her five Air Maidens riding rare winged horses from Okali. Then the Trolls will fill their wagons with as much treasure as will fit and hurry to their tunnels in the mountains.
The bandits scorn Avathor's scheme, particularly one named Khuthir who demands to be paid immediately so he can leave. Avathor admits that since the caravan of Trolls is already on its way, he doesn't need the chiefs anymore. Stepping into an airtight cell, he gasses them to death with an Alchemical potion and rants to himself that he will do the same to any who might tell his tale.. Bane is captured by Beldor and taken back into custody. Bane confronts Avathor over the logistical implausibility of moving tons of gold, silver and gems. The Trolls will only be able to carry off a fraction of the treasure. As Avathor laughs and says he has a more subtle agenda, Bane deduces from the presence of the minion that Avathor has been offered a deadly gas bomb by Melchius the Alchemist to detonate inside the vault and poison the gold for decades. Avathor doesn't care much for claiming the treasure, he wants revenge on King Holmir.
III.
Again trying to escape, Bane engages in a fight with Beldor that ends with them both battered and willing to talk. He tells her that Avathor killed the Melgar bandits and will soon have no use for her. The next day, on the rare winged horses, Beldor's maidens spray the gas over Treasure House, seemingly killing the guards and workers. The garrison is so surprised and fascinated by the flying horses that no arrows are loosed until it is too late. The heavier than air gas quickly forms an ankle-high mist that can be walked through safely for short periods of time. Wheeling overhead, the Air Maidens fly back in the directon from which they had come... except for Beldor, who suddenly breaks away and speeds off to the South.
Avathor's Troll press gang breaks through the outer gates of Treasure House and beats down the door to the inner vault as Avathor arrives with the poison gas bomb. In the vault, Melchius's henchman Dolomir, ties Bane down across the bomb with ropes. This gives Avathor great glee and he can't stop laughing. The Trolls and the bandits loot with frantic haste, loading crates of gold and silver coins, leather bags of jewels and some heirloom weapons on to the carts while also filling their pockets.
"Androval will fall!" gloats Avathor to the stoic Bane. "With no gold or silver that can be handled, with nothing to back it up, Androval's money will be worthless, the economy will collapse and this realm will collapse into raw panic. Holmir will be deposed as he deserves to... and a new, stronger man will claim the throne." Bane says nothing and Avathor leaves him. Bronze Ronin is ordered to remain behind until the last minute to be sure the well-known tricky Bane doesn't get loose somehow.
Unknown to Avathor, Bane's talk with Beldor convinced her to change sides. She diluted the Alchemical solution to harmless levels. So the Alchemical serum has knocked all the Melgarin soldiers out and left them sick but still alive. Avathor locks the inner vault leaving Bane and Bronze Ronin trapped inside. The bomb itself is still fatal and ready to blow.
IV.
As the Troll wagons roll away as quickly as they can manage, Avathor withdraws to a hilltop to observe from a safe distance. Bane frees himself with the razor blades hidden in his cuffs, but Bronze Ronin tackles him before he can stop the bomb. Bane quickly manages to defeat Bronze Ronin then forces the lock off the serum bomb and figures out how to disarm it. He sits down with a bad case of the shakes after realizing how close he came to being killed.
A deep rumbling outside draws him to the ruined gate. One hundred Melgar calvary on their great war horses thunder by in pursuit of the fleeing Trolls. Bane realizes that the fighting will be brief and merciless. Unarmed, facing mounted Melgarin with lances and sabres, even the powerful Trolls will have no chance. Some of the riders stay to safeguafrd the Treasure House. Their captain dismounts. He and Bane fill each other in on the situation, and the captain thanks Bane for saving Androval from ruin and a coup. Beldar is a prisoner at the nearby lancer fort. She had landed her winged horse and informed the officers in charge of the ongoing attack at Treasure House, so her life is safe for the moment.
For her service in preventing all the deaths, Beldor will be pardoned all her crimes by the King. Bane is told he will be the first non-Melgar to be awarded the Green Star medal for heroism. The poison gas bomb is hauled along until a way can be found to safely destroy it. Both are escorted by a squad of the calvary to the Royal Court for audience with the King, but Avathor and his surviving fighters attack the group. In the struggle, Avathor's sword chops open a seal on the gas tank and sprays Avathor with the gas. Bane and Beldor get back safely from the deadly fumes but the Gralic Leech withers into a mere mummy.
12/31/2022
4/19-4/21/1987
I.
Wearing Melgar clothes, Jeremy Bane is in Androval on the trail of the ancient Alchemist Melchius. By chance, he spots the renegade Avathor at a low tavern. Peering in through an open window befor entering, Bane discovers Avathor is meeting with high mountain bandit chiefs,and he finds Human adventurerss Ruffian spying there as well (and also posing as a Melgar, although she is Myrrwhan). Ruffian is tall, five feet seven and athletic. She has darkened her distinctive auburn hair to dark bown to fit in better. Over the previous five years, Ruffian has built a reputation as a bold and inventive thief with acrobatic skills
Identifying Avathor's fmous golden horse hitched to a fence by the tavern, Bane plants one of his tracking discs under the saddle. Then he enters, slugs some of the bandits and breaks up the conference. Avathor runs outside. While getting Ruffian ready to flee, Bane is knocked out by Avathor's Korean mercenary Bronze Ronin. This is Mikage Tstsuo, top street fighter with a healing factor. Bane recovers in time to follow the tracking signal to a shack a few miles away where he finds Ruffian beaten, stripped and bound, with the Melgar symbol for "dog" in shallow cuts across her body. He smashes Avathor's men before they can kill her and takes her to safety.
Ruffian explains to Bane about Avathor's plan to rob King Holmir's Treasure House. This is a single vast chamber cut into the side of a sheer mountain wall, with no known entrances or exits other than the massive woodem gate. staffed with a permanent garrison, it holds a vast treasure of gold, silver and gems. Holmir also is known to store valuable statues, paintings and chronicles there for safekeeping.
Following the tracer disc he planted inside the Melgar's saddle, Bane trails Avathor to a remote part of Androval not far from the Royal Treasure House, bringing along the bruised but furious Ruffian, who vows to assassinate Avathor. Both being extremely skilled in stealth, Bane and Ruffian sneak into Avathor's camp in the mountains and overhear him conferring with Dolomir, an agent of Melchius. Avathor is pleased with the compressed air bomb filled with Alchemical poison gas potent enough to kill an army. Modern technology will function perfectly well in Androval but it is taboo culturally and legally.
With Ruffian beside him, Bane overhears Avathor explain his plan. A labor gang of Trolls under Melgar supervision will be headed to the mines with their wagons to fill with ore. This is a common sight in the mountains. Avathor explains the Trolls will wheel away as much gold and silver as they can. But the two are discovered and Bronze Ronin kills Ruffian with his lethal fists. Avathor intervenes, using his electrical powers to stun Bane into helplessness. Bane is captured and strapped to a table with a sharp-edged cabre poised near his neck. A Gralic Leech, Avathor wants to siphon off Bane's speed for his own but has to wait a few days because his body is already holding as many powers as it can for one time.
While Bronze Ronin is busy elsewhere, Bane escapes his cell and witnesses Avathor's second meeting with the Melgar bandit chiefs, who are supplying horsemen to accompany the Trolls for the assault. Avathor plans to breach Treasure House by releasing a deadly Alchemical serum into the atmosphere, killing the personnel. This serum will be sprayed from the air by Melgar mercenary Beldor and her five Air Maidens riding rare winged horses from Okali. Then the Trolls will fill their wagons with as much treasure as will fit and hurry to their tunnels in the mountains.
The bandits scorn Avathor's scheme, particularly one named Khuthir who demands to be paid immediately so he can leave. Avathor admits that since the caravan of Trolls is already on its way, he doesn't need the chiefs anymore. Stepping into an airtight cell, he gasses them to death with an Alchemical potion and rants to himself that he will do the same to any who might tell his tale.. Bane is captured by Beldor and taken back into custody. Bane confronts Avathor over the logistical implausibility of moving tons of gold, silver and gems. The Trolls will only be able to carry off a fraction of the treasure. As Avathor laughs and says he has a more subtle agenda, Bane deduces from the presence of the minion that Avathor has been offered a deadly gas bomb by Melchius the Alchemist to detonate inside the vault and poison the gold for decades. Avathor doesn't care much for claiming the treasure, he wants revenge on King Holmir.
III.
Again trying to escape, Bane engages in a fight with Beldor that ends with them both battered and willing to talk. He tells her that Avathor killed the Melgar bandits and will soon have no use for her. The next day, on the rare winged horses, Beldor's maidens spray the gas over Treasure House, seemingly killing the guards and workers. The garrison is so surprised and fascinated by the flying horses that no arrows are loosed until it is too late. The heavier than air gas quickly forms an ankle-high mist that can be walked through safely for short periods of time. Wheeling overhead, the Air Maidens fly back in the directon from which they had come... except for Beldor, who suddenly breaks away and speeds off to the South.
Avathor's Troll press gang breaks through the outer gates of Treasure House and beats down the door to the inner vault as Avathor arrives with the poison gas bomb. In the vault, Melchius's henchman Dolomir, ties Bane down across the bomb with ropes. This gives Avathor great glee and he can't stop laughing. The Trolls and the bandits loot with frantic haste, loading crates of gold and silver coins, leather bags of jewels and some heirloom weapons on to the carts while also filling their pockets.
"Androval will fall!" gloats Avathor to the stoic Bane. "With no gold or silver that can be handled, with nothing to back it up, Androval's money will be worthless, the economy will collapse and this realm will collapse into raw panic. Holmir will be deposed as he deserves to... and a new, stronger man will claim the throne." Bane says nothing and Avathor leaves him. Bronze Ronin is ordered to remain behind until the last minute to be sure the well-known tricky Bane doesn't get loose somehow.
Unknown to Avathor, Bane's talk with Beldor convinced her to change sides. She diluted the Alchemical solution to harmless levels. So the Alchemical serum has knocked all the Melgarin soldiers out and left them sick but still alive. Avathor locks the inner vault leaving Bane and Bronze Ronin trapped inside. The bomb itself is still fatal and ready to blow.
IV.
As the Troll wagons roll away as quickly as they can manage, Avathor withdraws to a hilltop to observe from a safe distance. Bane frees himself with the razor blades hidden in his cuffs, but Bronze Ronin tackles him before he can stop the bomb. Bane quickly manages to defeat Bronze Ronin then forces the lock off the serum bomb and figures out how to disarm it. He sits down with a bad case of the shakes after realizing how close he came to being killed.
A deep rumbling outside draws him to the ruined gate. One hundred Melgar calvary on their great war horses thunder by in pursuit of the fleeing Trolls. Bane realizes that the fighting will be brief and merciless. Unarmed, facing mounted Melgarin with lances and sabres, even the powerful Trolls will have no chance. Some of the riders stay to safeguafrd the Treasure House. Their captain dismounts. He and Bane fill each other in on the situation, and the captain thanks Bane for saving Androval from ruin and a coup. Beldar is a prisoner at the nearby lancer fort. She had landed her winged horse and informed the officers in charge of the ongoing attack at Treasure House, so her life is safe for the moment.
For her service in preventing all the deaths, Beldor will be pardoned all her crimes by the King. Bane is told he will be the first non-Melgar to be awarded the Green Star medal for heroism. The poison gas bomb is hauled along until a way can be found to safely destroy it. Both are escorted by a squad of the calvary to the Royal Court for audience with the King, but Avathor and his surviving fighters attack the group. In the struggle, Avathor's sword chops open a seal on the gas tank and sprays Avathor with the gas. Bane and Beldor get back safely from the deadly fumes but the Gralic Leech withers into a mere mummy.
12/31/2022