Claw the Unconquered#6(1976)

Claw and Ghilkyn approach a village that has been devastated by the creature N'Hglthss from another dimension. The pair of adventurers seek to destroy the creature with the use of a silver sword known as Moonthorn. The mythical blade can only be attained by uniting the three facets of the talisman known as Grimstone. The first facet has successfully been attained and the pair is in search of the second. As they ride through the devastation they encounter a girl that is being accosted by a group of thieves. Claw and Ghilkyn make short work of the thieves as they befriend the young girl named Dfylahna. She states that she is from a village known as Dhylka-Ryn and she is in search of men to help her get rid of a curse which has befallen on her people. She relates the story of Kurah Shan a village youth who is treated cruelly by everyone. Kurah Shan flees the village but encounters a talisman which grants him great power. He then places a curse on the village which had treated him so cruelly. The village is surrounded by a spell which has monsters guarding the perimeter which prevents anyone from leaving or entering. Kurah demands that the people pay him homage or else he will starve them to death. Dfylahna was able to escape the village because she had shown Kurah kindness but she also wants to bring back help so that she can free her people from this terrible plight. Claw and Ghilkyn agree to accompany Dfylahna with the intent of recovering the talisman from Kurah. They approach the perimeter of the village and fight off the dark monsters to gain entry into Dhylka-Ryn. It is there that they encounter Dfylahna's cruel father who admonishes the girl for bringing back a half naked savage and a dandy as help. Claw puts the fat old man in his place and proceeds to follow the girl to a lighted structure where Kurah has built his shrine. The pair of adventurers enter the shrine and they are immediately attacked by a mob of dark monsters. Claw and Ghilkyn notice that the beasts they fight are getting bigger. They realize that the creatures they are fighting are creatures they have vanquished in the past and they now feed off of their fear. The only way to defeat them is to get rid of their fears which they readily do. The creatures then disappear and the pair of adventurers approach Kurah himself. Kurah then uses the talisman to surround Claw in a ring of dark fire. Claw is helpless and he thinks he is facing the moment of death. He then goes into a trance as his claw hand takes over and seems to create a vacuum which gets rid of the black flames. Claw comes out of his trance and readily defeats Kurah while retrieving the second facet of the talisman for himself. They return the girl back to her village where they are approached by the girls father once more. The father is imploring them to stay in case other dangers arise. He then offers the girl to Claw for his pleasure If he stays. Claw looks into the evil gaze of the father and punches him in the face. He and Ghilkyn then leave in search of the third facet.