Claw the Unconquered (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1975. It was published on February 20, 1975.
Synopsis for "The Sword and the Silent Scream"
King Occulas of the Yellow Eye has come to power in the Kingdom Pytharia. He has ascended to the throne through treachery and assassination. Occulas recalls his earlier days when he was Prince and impatient to assume power. He consults an old wizard who informs Occulas that he will soon be king within a week but that his reign will be threatened by one who has a webbed like dragons paw. The dragon like hand represents justice it also represents a threat to the rule of king Occulus. The search begins immediately for one who has such a hand. The kings men locate a man named Kregar with such a claw like hand and he is immediately assassinated along with his wife who witnessed the murder. Their young son is left in a crib by the side of a hill where he is found and rescued. The young baby also possesses the same claw like hand as his father. As the years progress, Occulus continues to be haunted by the omen of the claw hand. The old Wizard informs him that another man lives with that same hand and his name is Valcan who is known as Claw. Occulus is now more determined than ever to locate this claw handed man and eliminate him. The wizard presents Occulus with the Eye of Kann, a jewel so powerful that it will not only eliminate his enemies but it will also eliminate its user. He decides to instruct his servant Zedon on its use especially since Zedon has his eye on power someday. In the meantime Valcan battles his way through the city trying to escape the city guardsmen. He had experienced an altercation earlier with a thief and now runs away from being apprehended and imprisoned. He runs into a beautiful bar girl who discovers his claw hand. She offers to guide Valcan to safety but she leads him to a religious temple that was formerly used by followers of Kann. The middle of the temple contains a plant like creature that suddenly comes to life with the help of Zedon and the Eye of Kann Jewel. The plant attacks Valcan and the girl but he skillfully uses his sword to defeat the monstrous creature. Valcan then finds the burnt out husk of Zedon in the rubble. His death was directly a result of using the jewel's powerful energy force to bring the plant creature to life. Valcan is sure that the bar girl had deliberately led him to a trap but she maintains her innocence. Days later the girl attempts to kill Valcan with a knife but he subdues her and leaves her alone in the desert to be found by jackals later. The bar girl had been attempting to kill Valcan to collect the reward money put out by king Occulus for his death.
Appearing in "The Sword and the Silent Scream"
Featured Characters:
- Claw the Unconquered (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Kregar (First appearance)
- Valcan's Mother (Unnamed) (First appearance)
- Gods of Elder Light (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Occulas of the Yellow Eye (First appearance)
- Miftung (First appearance)
- Tarmag
- Jarmal
- Zedon
- Kann the All-Consuming
Other Characters:
- Tavern Girl
- Soth (Mentioned only) (First appearance)
Locations:
- Myrra[1]
- Pytharia (First appearance)
- Ichar (First appearance)
- Castle Darkmorn (First appearance)
- Temple of Kann
- Ichar (First appearance)
- Pytharia (First appearance)
Items:
- Claw's Gauntlet (First appearance)
- Eye of Kann
Vehicles:
See Also
Links and References
- ↑ According The Books of Magic #3, Stalker and Claw are inhabitants of Myrra, but how their respective lands (Geranth and Pytharia) are connected with it is unknown.