"The Sword of the Sorcerer" by Gardner F. Fox (1976)
Originally appeared Kothar-Barbarian Swordsman (1970) Plot: Kothar discovers a tomb where the ancient sorcerer-lich Afgorkon dwells. The undead wizard gives Kothar the magic sword Frostfire. To own the sword, Kothar can own no riches. He is sent to a witch's hut where he meets the Queen Elfa, who gives him Greyling, his horse. Elfa charges Kothar with freeing the wizard Kazazael, who the powerful witch Red Lori has flayed alive then hung up in the sky. To save him, Kothar must find the cloak of the sea serpent Iormungar. The creature lives in a cavern under a waterfall. Kothar goes there but first encounters a giant slug which he kills with his sword. Going farther into the cavern he finds the cloak suspended in the air. He begins climbing the wall when Iormungar the sea sepent shows up. Kothar battles the creature, blinding it. In its thrashing, Iormungar brings the roof down on itself and dies. Kothar takes the cloak back to the wizard and frees him. Kazazael prepares to fight red Lori's magic but needs Kothar to keep the human guards away from him. Kothar gladly faces ten men and wins. Then he sees what looks like Queen Elfa but it is Slothann, Red Lori's demon familiar. Kothar fights with Slothann who transform into a giant panther. Kothar slashes off one of her paws before she flees. Using the severed hand he enters Red Lori's inner chamber. Red Lori tries to enchant Kothar but Kazazael's voice saves him. He tells Kothar to kill her. Red Lori protects herself by sending Belthamquar, her demon-master at Kothar. Kothar saves himself by capturing Red Lori. Lori tries to escape by turning into an ugly demon but this doesn't work. She tries to seduce him by the power of Hastarth the she-demon but Kothar resists. Kazazael arrives and battles Red Lori. The captured witch is not killed but placed in a silver cage in Queen Elfa's castle. Red Lori promises Kothar that she curses him and will follow him in spirit and make his life hell. Elfa offers Kothar riches but he is not willing to give up Frostfire. Monsters: Afgorkon the Lich - The most powerful wizard in Yarth, his undead body remains active as a lich. He dwells in a secret cave in the forest. This is the only monster Kothar doesn't fight. The Giant Sea Slug - This gigantic white sea slug guards the cavern of Iomungar, not thatr the sea serpent needs the help. Kind of a random monstr attack really. Iormungar the Sea Serpent - Kothar doesn't kill this gigantic mosnter so much as cut out its three eyes, blinding it. The enraged monster kills itself by knocking the ceiling in. Slothann - Magical familiar to Red Lori, it uses its transformative powers to look like Queen Elfa, then to become a giant cat. Kothar cuts off her hand but doesn't kill her. She turns into a regular cat and runs away. The Demon Belthamquar - One of the most powerful demons in Yarth, he is Red Lori's master. History: Gardner F. Fox wrote comic books for DC and othr companies. (He is the inventor of Batman's utility belt.) He also created the first Sword & Sorcery comic, "Crom the Barbarian" in 1950. It shouldn't be too surprising that the Kothar stories read like comic books. Gary Gygax confessed this story was the inspiration for the Lich monster in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Fox would later write a series of stories for Dragon Magazine. My favorite image in the story is Kazazael hanging in the sky, flayed and screaming. Rating
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