Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death

Marlow Briggs, a smokejumper, is vacationing at a Mayan archaeological dig operated by Heng Long. His girlfriend, Eva Torres, is employed deciphering various Mayan codices. Eva has begun to find the work unsavory, and attempts to resign. Long, however, still requires her services. To enforce Eva’s compliance, Long has his lieutenant, Kim Carreras, kill Marlow with Kukulkan’s Fangs. Unbeknownst to all, the scythe is ornamented with the Mask of Death, which houses the spirit of a long-dead Mayan monarch, King Tepechalic Ix. King Tep, acting through the mask, revives Briggs and dubs him the “Sacred Warrior,” the “Ek Chuah Ix” (or “Chuchu” for short). Throughout the adventure Tep provides advice, exposition and commentary on Briggs’s combat prowess (or lack thereof), while Briggs provides the muscle by wielding Kukulkan’s Fangs. Together, Marlow Briggs and Mask of Death set out to defeat Long, rescue Eva, and shut down the mining operation Long has established.