Conan comes across a spoiled woman, Lady Aztrian, under atack by wolves. He chases the animals off and, in order to safely pass through Numalia's city gates, accompanies the woman as her chariot driver. After a brief run-in with the owner of the Hall of Relics, Kallian, and the guardsman Dionus, Aztrian reveals she has heavy gambling debts, and asks Conan to break into the Hall of Relics and steal a treasure recently brought to the city by Stygians for Karanthes, priest of Ibis. Conan is intrigued and that night sneaks into the museum only to find Kallian dead and the golden bowl, which contained the treasure, empty. Conan is discovered and held by Arus, a watchman at the House of Relics, who quickly summons the guard. Demetrio and Dionus of the guard arrive, and soon Aztrian as well, and