The Treasure of the Tipoo Sultan

Southern India, 184-. The Princely State of Mysore is in a state of uneasy calm. Some 4- years ago, the Tipoo Sultan was defeated by the British in the Fourth Mysore War. Since then, the British East India Company have suzerainty of the East India Company over Mysore, meaning they control Mysore's foreign and defence affairs and have a great hand in the internal affairs of state. Indeed, given Mysore's history of antipathy towards the British, control over Mysore is greater than in many other Princely States. Both the native aristocrats and the populace are starting to chafe under the reforming hand of the British and their Commissioner, Sir Mark Cubbon.

Contributing to this is that the rule of the native Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III is questioned. When the Tipoo Sultan was defeated, much of the royal regalia was never recovered. Rumours persist that the Tipoo Sultan secreted it somewhere. As well as its fantastic monetary value, whoever possesses the regalia could become kingmaker in Mysore. Many have sought it; none have found it, and some have never returned.

But now, in a small stall in the bazaar of the city of Mysore, small parts of the lost regalia are being offered for sale. Perhaps this heralds the opportunity for someone to recover the crown jewels of Mysore!

Principal Characters

Akshamala Rao

aka 'Akshi' or 'Shami'

Biography

The daughter of minor nobility in the court of Mysore, Akshi boarded in England as a young girl, returning to live in her homeland as a precosious & opinionated young woman. Her Western attitudes caused a rift between her family and that of the man chosen to marry her, a betrothal that Shami happily ended, choosing a life of adventuring instead. She has crossed paths with English secret agent John Taylor many times, but neither has learned of the other's identity yet...

Novel: Silk Road to Ruin

When bandits prey on the poor dirt farmers of Mysore, Akshi Rao pledges to bring justice to a lawless land! When she meets with the bandit chieftain though, will her passion overcome her honour?!

Her only ally is Wolfgang of the Madhammer brigade, muscle-bound hero trained in the ancient arts of the Lotus Sutra.

Following the irresistible lure of an old flame, Percival Caldecotte finds himself embroiled in the politics of rival bandit gangs and is forced to adopt an uneasy mask of bravery or face bloody ruin!

Aspects

• Sympathy for the Devil
• The Old School Tie
• "I am sorry, but I am afraid the answer must be no."
• Deep, mysterious eyes
• The common touch
• Stolen moments of passion
• A pure heart fears no evil
• Blood stained Thuggee dagger
• At home in court
• Back to back with Percy!

Percival Caldecotte

Biography

Born to minor nobility in England, Percival had a varied upbringing, ranging from the best public schools to the workhouse, as his father managed to bankrupt the family with his gambling debts, but brought them bouts of prosperity through various schemes of dubious legality. Young Percival learned much from this. His reputation was ruined for good when he was expelled from Eton after seducing his housemaster's daughter and convincing her to help him steal the family silver.

Caldecotte fled England shortly after an unfortunate misunderstanding involving a charitable fund for the preservation of Westminster Abbey, and decided to seek his fortune in India. He arrived penniless in Mysore, but was taken in my Sir Mark Cubbins, who mistook him for another Percival Caldecotte, the son of a senior member of the East India Company. Once again, Caldecotte was forced to flee in fear of his life after a misunderstanding invovling Cubbins' granddaughter, Cynthia, and he has had to learn to fend for himself in this strange new world, armed with nothing but his wits.

Novel: Three Princesses of Hyderabad

Blackmailed by John Taylor over some minor indiscretion, Percival Caldecotte is forced to infiltrate the court of Hyderbad and sow dissent. In playing the affections of the king's three daughters off each other, Caldecotte ignites a feminine firestorm that not even he can fight!

Akshamala Rao must fend off the clumsy propositions of Percival... until she discovers they have a common cause!

Caught in a triad of love, lust, and lascivious intent, only his friend Prince Wolfgang has the connections and bravado to secure his escape back to Mysore!

Aspects

• Born to the Court and the Gutter
• What? She's your daughter?
• You mean the other Percival Caldecotte
• Taylor knows me too well
• The green-eyed monster
• Lies so good even I believe them
• Fair fights are for idiots
• Heart of Kali (a giant ruby)
• Definitely not in love with Shami
• Haunted by the dark heart of India

Prince Wolfgang von Madhammer

Novel: The Lure of the Deadly Lotus

Prince Madhammer, a royal seeker of knowledge in the Indian subcontinent, is taken in by the queer conspiracy of the Thuggee. Hypontised into horrific, hellish plots in heated Hyderabad, the Teutonic terror is lost among the bare-chested throng of the savage assassins.

The deadly assassin sent to kill Akshamala Rao's father has the hypnotic spell on him broken after one glance into her dark eyes; together, they uproot the evil cult which has enthralled him!

While searching for his erstwhile comrade Madhammer, Percival Caldecotte falls under the spell of a bewitching priestess of Kali. Can he melt her heart before she rips his from his chest?

Aspects

• Illuminated Teutonic Knight
• Bloodied in princely war
• Egad! He is using the lost art of the Lotus Sutra!
• Gregarious seeker of knowledge
• "Fool me twice... you just don't fool me twice"
• The Thuggee shall pay!
• The Madhammer brigade
• Bare-chested saviour
• Forgotten, horrific atrocities
• Shamala the lemur

Supporting Characters

Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III

The nominal ruler of Mysore. He wants to assert more of his independence, as much as other Princely States, but realises that full independence is impossible.

Chaluvaja Wodeyar, the Maharaja's daughter

Shahzada Abdul Kaliq Sultan Sahib, the Maharaja's Vizir

He is a son of the Tipoo Sultan and bears no love for the British.

Syed Abdul Kaliq, the Vizir's son

EIC Commissioner Sir Mark Cubbon

He wants to improve the poor lot of the native poor. He is working to introduce independent civil institutions and reduce the burden of the aristocracy on the poor.

Captain John Taylor, a political officer

Henry Winter, Chair of the Mysore Chamber of Commerce

General Naraka Kanthirava, head of the Mysore Native forces

Colonel Sir Thomas Richards, head of the EIC forces

French mercenaries

A few old men, and their families, still hanging on after the glory days of when they were turning the Tipoo Sultan's army into a European-styled force

Nawab Asaf Jah IV of Hyderabad

Hyderabad is a long-term opponent of Mysore, but he's mollified somewhat when Hyderabad annexed a large part of Mysore in the settlement of the Fourth Mysore War.

Generally keeping out of things: Mysore is no threat and Hyderabad got a lot of its lands. It's still providing support and a haven for various bandit groups, just for badness's sake.

The Dacoits

Bandits. Becoming more prevalent with worsening economic situation. Many attempt to ambush caravans crossing the Western Ghats from the coast while others simply raid where they can.

Lightning Arrow

A mysterious warrior, he leads a small group of fighters in defence of honest people against the bandits. No-one has ever seen his face. Favours the bow, hence the name. Absolutely not Chaluvaja Wodeyar in disguise.

The Thuggee

Once prevalent, now outlawed and eliminated by the British.