title: The Savage Mountains (Horseclans) (Volume 5)
author:  Robert Adams 
description: Robert Adams (1932-1990) was a career soldier whose Horseclans series drew on his military background to lend verisimilitude to the exploits of 26th century of immortal mutant warriors in a balkanized North America. The Coming of the Horseclans (originally published in 1975) was the first of 18 novels in the sequence, which ended, with The Clan of the Cats (1988), only on account of the authors death. His non-Horseclans work included two other series. Castaways in Time (1980) and its five sequels were a mix of alternate history and time travel. The Stairway to Forever and Monsters and Magicians (both 1988) were the only volumes to appear of a projected fantasy series. He also co-edited several anthologies, among them Barbarians (1985, with Martin H. Greenberg and Charles H. Waugh), four Magic in Ithkar volumes (1985-87, with Andre Norton), Robert Adams Book of Alternate Worlds (1987, with Pamela Crippen Adams and Martin H. Greenberg) and Robert Adams Book of Soldiers (1988, same co-editors).
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  _Title : #05 : The Savage Mountains_
  
  
  _Series : Horseclans_
  
  
  _Author : Robert Adams_
  
  
  _Location : Gillian Archives_
  
  
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  ## PROLOGUE
  
  
  The narrow, winding streets of the city were dark and utterly deserted, save
  for the solitary figure whose worn, oft-patched boots crunched through the
  fresh-fallen snow. The fine stuff of the hooded cloak which shrouded the
  walker had commenced to fray in places, but still was thick and warm. The
  scabbard of a broadsword jutted out at the hooded one’s side, though of all
  the folk still alive within the walls of the doomed city, he was the man least
  likely to be attacked.
  
  
  Not that Vahrohneeskos Drehkos Daiviz of Morguhnpolis was universally loved.
  There were full many who actively hated the short, stocky, middle-aged
  nobleman, especially among the more religious elements of the population. But
  there was not a man or woman who would have d