The Lions of Inganok
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The Lions of Inganok
Kevin L. O'Brien
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Text Copyright 2013 by Kevin L. O'Brien
Cover design and typography copyright 2013 by Kevin L. O'Brien
Aladdin font distributed under a free use license by Weatherly Systems, Inc.
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License Notes
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If you see any misspellings or typographical errors, please notify Kevin L. O'Brien using one of his online social networks. Thank you.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents, including those based on the real world, are either products of the imagination of Kevin L. O'Brien or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Because some ebook platforms do not support special characters, certain words may appear misspelled, but this was done deliberately to avoid the problem of the platforms deleting the characters. Also, the LRF platform used by older models of the Sony Reader does not permit the use of links to external URLs, whereas the PDB platform used by Palm reading devices does not support any form of linking whatsoever.
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Table of Contents
Preface
The Lions of Inganok
About the Author
Other Books by Kevin L. O'Brien
Connect with Kevin L. O'Brien
Sample Excerpts
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Preface
In Barbarians R Us, we found out that Medb hErenn supports herself in the Dreamlands as a freelance troubleshooter, solving other people's problems for pay. However, she actually started out working for a moneylender based in Ulthar, to whom she owed a loan. While the tale of how she became indebted to him and accepted his offer of employment will be described in future stories, this one explains how she acquired the funds to repay him and become independent.
H. P. Lovecraft, who created the Dreamlands, revealed in his epic novella, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, that the onyx city of Inganok, or Inquanok as it is sometimes called, has no cats, and that in fact cats refuse to visit it. No explanation for why is given. This story offers a partial explanation; additional details will be revealed in future stories.
Back to TOC
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Medb hErenn was eating lunch in the common room of The Hostel of the Laughing Cat in Ulthar when Cremedevoyageur entered, and without ceremony or permission hopped into an empty chair at her table. The young tomcat had a rangy stocky build, with a short fawn-colored coat covered with bronze tiger stripes that were bold on his face, legs, and tail, and pale everywhere else. He was a junior member of the feline messenger service in the Land of the Dreams of Men, but he was also a good friend who often accompanied her on her adventures, so he was always welcome.
He greeted her companions Teehar'owan the bird and Conaed the Zoog, called Runt, and got down to business. "Her Most Serene Feline Majesty, the High Queen of All Cats Great and Small, wishes to purchase your services as adventurer for a period of a few months."
She looked up from her plate of roast pork loin and potatoes in surprise. "Months? Why so long?"
"You must travel to the onyx city of Inganok in the North Lands; that alone will take two weeks. How long it will take you to complete your mission, Her Majesty's Council of Elders can not say, but they doubt you would be able to do so in less than a month."
"I cannot possibly leave Ulthar for so long, unless ordered by Seidhloch."
The cat gave her a sly, half-lidded stare. "It is the understanding of the Council that you do not like being beholden to any man. Is this true?"
The massive woman returned his stare with a cold gaze of her own. "It is, as you well know. From my days in the Waking World, when I ruled the province of Connacht in Erin, I had wealth and land enough to buy any man I wanted. Ach, men vied with each other to be my consort, but it was I who choose who would rule beside me, and it was I who paid him the bride-price."
"So it chafes you to owe money to any man, much less one like the moneylender."
"Indeed." She made no effort to hide her sour tone.
"And as long as you do, you must work for him as his steward, overseeing his business and mercantile ventures outside of Ulthar."
She felt herself growing testy. "Is there a point to this, or are you merely making conversation?"
"Her Majesty feels that you would be amendable to her offer if the reward is great enough. Is that an accurate assessment?"
Despite his evasion, she did not miss the implication of his words. "How great?"
"Say, ten times the original amount of your loan."
Stunned, she sat back in her chair. That would make it five thousand tahlers, a queenly sum indeed. However, she recovered her composure quickly. "What does Selgach Mor wish me to do?"
"Her Majesty asks that you recover an artifact sacred to the feline race, a statue dedicated to the Divine Mother, Bast."
She knew the object, having seen it in the shrine of the temple of the Great Ones, the Little Gods of Earth. It had been carved in the shape of a sitting cat from a large piece of the curious black jade reputed to be mined in fabulous Cathuria, with lapis-lazuli eyes and a carnelian nose, and ornamented with earrings, a collar, and bracelets made from pure gold encrusted with precious gems. Alone of all the Elder Gods was Bast worshiped in the Land of Dreams, with the center of her cult in Ulthar. Daily the cat queen and her council made obeisance to it with the help of Atal and his priests.
"I assume it has gone missing."
Creme replied in a low grow. "Stolen, and spirited away into the north."
"I am not surprised. It sat on the altar in plain view, with no safeguards to protect it except the inhabitants of the temple. Only the threat of retribution from your people kept it inviolate." She then smiled. "Apparently that was not enough. But surely your people should be able to recover it easily, or do you wish me to accompany you?"
Creme growled again. "Unfortunately, we are unable to retrieve it ourselves. We have tracked it as far as Inganok, where it remains, but none of my people can willingly go there. Hence our need for a human adventurer."
She felt puzzled. "Why?"
"Long ago, Her Majesty placed the city under a ban. No cat may go there, on pain of death, but truth be told none of us has any wish to enter the city; its reputation is a metaphor for evil among us."
"I do not understand." She hoped for more details.
Unfortunately, Creme disappointed her. "Alas, Madam, only Her Majesty and the Council know why."
"Runt, what do you know of it?"
The Zoog was well nicknamed. He was only about half the size of his people, but his verdigris-speckled bronze fur was darker and his tarnished silver facial stripes bolder. He closed his peat-brown eyes and concentrated for some moments as the pink tendrils at the end of his prehensile noise quivered. When he opened them again, he looked not at his companions, but seemed to peer at something far away.
"Nigh onto a thousand years ago," he began in a sing-song voice, "cats traveled freely to Inganok. Her Most Serene Feline Majesty and the Council of Elders came twice a year to worship at the Temple of the Elder Ones. Then one day the High Priest performed a forbidden ceremony. He opened a gate unto the very depths of space, releasing beings from the Outer Spheres into the Land of the Dreams of Men. The Queen of Cats and Her Council, with the aid of a human sorceress, drove back the entities and closed the gate, but many cats were killed in the struggle, and afterward the city was tainted. The Queen cursed Inganok, in the name of Bast, and forbade any cat to go there again, and so it has been down to this day."
He fell silent, then
blinked and shook himself. Creme stared at him, his dust-blue eyes wide with astonished wonder, but said nothing.
She mulled the story over for some moments. "How long do I have to consider?"
"Her Majesty requires that you give me an immediate answer. There is some urgency to the matter, and she wishes that you start as soon as possible. If you are unwilling to accept it, we must find another; I have been instructed to approach Carbhfind next, but we would prefer to avoid any delay."
"Very well, I accept the commission. However, from what I have learned, there would seem to be some element of danger, especially if fell forces are involved. As such, her suggested compensation is generous, but not entirely adequate."
Creme's tail twitched in a manner she had come to interpret as amusement. "What would you consider more fair?"
"Fifty times."
He meowed in surprise. "Your audacity knows no bounds,