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Action Heroes of the Cliffhanger Serials

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Timbrian

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I wanted to create my own “pulp action hero” much similar to George Lucas’s “Indiana Jones” and Sam Rolfe’s "Paladin of Have Gun – Will Travel.” My character is basically, a Pulp Cowboy. I have started my first series of books. Anyway, it’s basically the adventures of an international gunfighter for hire. Now in his first book debut my MC, although I am nearly done, I’ve sort of ran into a bit of a writer’s block. And was wondering if perhaps someone could help me out?

The MC’s debut has him traveling to Kenya, Africa. Once there he has learned of a fictitious lost treasure chest that has been buried for centuries. I later state that the chest is cursed. None shall gaze upon the riches that it holds. If one does, death will possess their soul. The problem is – I don’t know how to make the treasure chest more horrific and deadlier than what I’ve written. So, anybody has any ideas I am prepared to take notes. By the way, the timeframe is 1890.
 
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P-Baker

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I assume you've read a ton of pulp fiction from back in the day, so maybe you could modify some of their ideas. Robert E. Howard was a master at having cowboy-ish heros running into horror. His "Fire of Asshurbanipal" has the treasure guarded not just by a cursed skeleton, but by an even more evil watcher that destroyerd any who saw it. Other basic ideas are people being squashed to jelly when the door to the treasure chamber falls on them; evil winged monsters swooping down and attacking the treasure party; the one who touches the treasure literally being possesed by death and turning on his allies to rend them with tooth and nail; a gem being an actual world itself, and the spirit of the treasure hunter being pulled into it...

In fact, any issue of "Wierd Tales" from the 30's should have a ton of ideas you could update, or restate if you'd rather keep the 30's feel to it.
 
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