the Jade Tower: Featuring Onyx Tigerheart in Bloomington, MN

Once again, the promise of riches almost lured Onyx to his doom. Hired by Ganduin Tierre, an aristocrat who agreed to pay him a small fortune in exchange for seeing him safely back to his home in Murah, the pair ventured out into brutal heat, blissfully unaware of how truly unprepared they were for the harsh journey that awaited them. After nearly succumbing to the elements, he awoke within an opulent coastal estate, cooked by the summer sun and utterly astounded by his survival.
Summoned by Ganduin's servants to attend an evening of celebration, he endured soulless socialites and gluttonous revelry until a veiled oracle entered the dining chamber. She foretold omens of death and offered cautionary warnings to Onyx that failed to impress him as much as the civilized beauty and femininity of the oracle herself. When his long night of strong drink and heated passion came to an end, he woke before dawn suffering from a warrior's restlessness and beckoned by the wild call of the night. Undaunted by the prospect of the oracle's prophecy, he stole silently away from his host's villa and the woman in his bed to walk in the moonlight, guided only by the gentle green glow of a distant tower and his unquenchable desire for adventure. Upon gaining entry into the ruined structure, however, he found himself greeted by a phantom voice that threatened to bring his life to a grim, grisly end.
For readers of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian and Kull, Exile of Atlantis stories, and for those who enjoy the sword & sorcery sub-genre in general, The Jade Tower is a must read.