Author's Note: This story is meant as a homage to the old 1930s adventure serials as well as a nod to the Indiana Jones series, both of which helped to influence Talespin and give the show an adventurous and humorous tone. Talespin is property of the Disney Corporation and all Talespin characters are used without permission, but respectfully. All other characters are my own.
Prologue
"With this there grows In my most ill-composed affection such A stanchless avarice that, were I king, I should cut off the nobles for their lands, Desire his jewels and this other's house: And my more-having would be as a sauce To make me hunger more; that I should forge Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal, Destroying them for wealth"-William Shakespeare
The Amazonia Jungle, May 12th, 1533-
A machete swung down onto a branch, severing it from the tree that it was attached to, thus allowing the wolf holding it to move forward along the small path before him. The wolf walked a few more steps and now found a clearing before him. The sun shone bright in his eyes causing him to cover them with his free hand. He then cautiously stepped out of the treeline and found himself facing a stone pyramid.
"Madre de Dios!" exclaimed the wolf who turned his head and said over his shoulder, "Capitan! Capitan! Mira! Mira!"
Capitan Gustavo Vargas Lobo stepped forward to his soldier's side and gazed up at the massive stone edifice before them. Vargas stared in awe at the structure; the four-sided pyramid was easily 200 feet tall and over 100 feet wide on each side. A series of steps worked their way up the sides of the building which was flanked by a number of smaller buildings.
Vargas put a hand on the shoulder of the young soldier, "Flores, you are the first civilized person to lay eyes on this temple."
Flores asked in a shaky voice, "Is, is this the Temple Capitan?"
"Si Flores," said the grinning wolf, "Es el Templo del Rey Esmeralda!"
"The Temple of the Emerald King!" exclaimed the soldier, "We found it!"
Four weeks earlier the column of armor clad conquistadors had left their garrison at the fortified town of Tima on their quest to seek the fabled Temple of the Emerald King. The 43 men belonged to the forces of Francisco Perro Gonzalez and had left the fort under his orders. Perro, the conqueror of the Tinca Empire, had charged his second-in-command with seeking the fabled city which was rumored to be filled with a fabulous treasure in emeralds from a hidden mine. The city was believed to be overseen by a relative of the deposed Sapa Tinca Atahwhalpah named Uthurunku who went by the title of Sinchi. This Sinchi was better known as the 'Emerald King' because he had been tasked by his royal relative to be the overseer of the Temple of the Emeralds. Through the years, and many different Sinchi, each of the overseers had come to be referred to as the Emerald King. Now after negotiating a treacherous jungle, native insurgents, mosquitoes, and poisonous snakes, the weary conquistadors found themselves at the legendary Temple.
Flores was about to walk out into the open but was stopped by Vargas who put an arm to his chest. The Capitan backed up into the treeline taking his soldier with him. Flores looked into his Capitan's face and locked eyes with his leader.
"Do you hear anything muchacho?" Vargas asked in a low voice.
"No Capitan," whispered Flores.
"Listen muchachos," Vargas whispered loudly, "There is no noise."
No birds chirped, no animals bellowed, it was eerily quiet. The men became tense and readied themselves for action.
"Capitan Vargas," came the voice of a native jaguar.
Vargas turned to look at the young jaguar that stood alongside another native jaguar. The two were Tinca natives who had fought on the losing side of a civil war against Atahwhalpah's forces during a power struggle a couple of years before. Both of these men had suffered under the Sapa Tinca and were more than willing to act as interpreters and guides for the conquistadors as they had quickly picked up on the language of the invaders. Besides, the foreigners paid well.
"There are a few warriors hiding off to our right," said the jaguar that was named Manca, "They have been watching our progress."
"Si Capitan," said the younger of the two natives named Cacha, "This place…defended by the Sinchi."
"Will they attack us?" asked Vargas.
"Si Capitan," replied Manca.
Vargas smiled at the thought of battle. He was bred to fight and would take pleasure in wresting the temple from these heathens.
"Sargento Torres," Vargas said to his second-in-command, "Ready the men for battle."
"Si Capitan," said the wolf sargento who quietly sent word down the line to the others.
The Temple-
From atop the Temple a pair of eyes looked out from a darkened alcove and watched the invaders arrival. The figure then looked into another section of the treeline and saw a small group of warriors who were lying in wait for his order to attack. He knew that his men were no match for the invaders. He had heard tales of the warriors who wore shiny metal and carried weapons that belched fire and made a sound like thunder. He had heard from survivors of the battle at Catamarca how these men had defeated 7,000 Tinca warriors and taken the Sapa Tinca captive. The entire army of the Tinca had fell apart shortly after their leader's capture and now the invaders were here at the sacred Temple.
The figure saw his men slowly creeping toward the invaders. Soon they would strike and then fall back into the temple where he and his remaining warriors would make a last stand against the greedy conquistadors.
"Sinchi," came a voice from behind him.
The jaguar turned and faced the Villac Umu, the high priest, "Yes?"
"Our warriors will not be able to stop them," said the elderly high priest, "Not in a direct confrontation."
Sinchi Uthurunku looked at the resplendently clad high priest who, with his bejeweled robe, ornamental staff, and headdress of macaw and parrot feathers presented a more regal appearance than himself. If one didn't know that he was the cousin of the Sapa Tinca and the protector of the temple they would think that the high priest was in charge.
"You are correct Villac Umu, but it is not my intent to engage them directly…we will draw them into the temple."
"You can draw them here," said the elderly jaguar, "This is a sacred place and the gods will allow us to stop them…I have read it in the stars."
"Yes," said the Sinchi, "The gods will be greatly offended by the invaders and their anger will be channeled into our warriors. We will force them to fight us in the confines of the temple and we will have the advantage."
The Sinchi knew that the high priests of the state religion claimed to be able to discern the will of the gods by reading the stars and interpreting various signs, but he himself put little stock in it. He knew one thing for certain though: He and his men would a fall to the invaders, but he would ensure that the invaders would gain nothing.
The elderly high priest knew better than to doubt this royal kinsman. The Sinchi Uthurunku was a renowned warrior and commanded the respect and admiration of the warrior guardians of the temple. Of course despite his formidablity, the odds were completely against the Sinchi and his men getting out alive. Their fight would be to the death.
"The vengeance of the gods will be wrought upon these invaders!" cursed the high priest.
"Then we shall be the instruments of their vengeance!" said the Sinchi who then gave a fierce cry to rally his men.
Outside-
"What was that?" said a frightened young conquistador.
"It's the signal for the warriors to fight!" said Cacha who raised a bow and prepared to fire an arrow.
"Get ready men," said Sargento Torres.
At that moment the group of jaguar warriors stood up from where they had been laying and fired their arrows and threw their bolas toward the soldiers.
"How did they get so close?" asked a young soldier right before the bolas struck him and wrapped themselves around his thin neck.
"ATTACK!" yelled Vargas as he drew his sword and rallied his troops.
Three conquistadors armed with harquebus's trained their firearms on the closest jaguars and fired. The weapons roared to life and two of the jaguars fell dead. The harquebusiers were joined by crossbowmen who killed two more of the jaguar warriors. At this the remaining warriors turned and fled out of the treeline in a mad dash for the temple.
"Sargento Torres!" said Vargas.
"Si Capitan!"
"Lead half of the men to the west side of the temple and I will take the east and for God's sake do not fire on us!"
"Si Capitan," said Torres who said to the soldiers around him, "Follow me!"
The Temple-
The Sinchi watched as his men attacked and then were repulsed by the invaders. Now they remaining men were making their way to join their fellow warriors in the temple. Three of them fell dead to the blasts of the strange-looking wood and metal weapons that some of the armor clad soldiers wielded. Fighting alongside the invaders were two jaguars. The Sinchi seethed at these two and realized that they had belonged to the warring faction that had been defeated two years earlier. Apparently they had decided to throw their lot in with the invaders.
Now he saw that the invaders had divided themselves into two groups and were closing in on the temple. His few bowmen took up their positions and fired down at the attackers. Their arrows glanced off of the metal breast pieces of the enemy but a few arrows found unprotected legs and arms. One of the enemy went down clutching the arrow that had struck him in the throat and another fell over dead, the recipient of an arrow to the left eye.
His bowmen were not enough however and the enemy troops surged forward. They fired their weapons up at the bowmen as well as lobbing more arrows. The guards at the entrance were cut down and now the attackers were entering this sacred temple.
The Sinchi pulled a heavy wooden club from his side and went for his spear. He knew that he would die today but he wasn't going to die alone. He swore he'd take the leader of the invaders with him.
The Conquistadors-
Vargas entered the torch-lit temple with his men and gazed in awe of the scene before him: The stone was intricately carved with strange glyphs and paintings. These paintings showed the riches of the temple as well as bizarre scenes of various figures.
"Where is the gold?" he asked to no one in particular while dismissing the symbols of the figures.
"Capitan," replied a soldier, "They are retreating deeper into the temple…it seems as if it has underground passages."
"Then that is where they hide their riches!" Vargas said, "Sargento, you and a few of the men hold this chamber."
"Si Capitan…but what will you do?"
"I will take the others and stop these savages," said Vargas who turned to his interpreters, "Manca come with me, Cacha, stay with Sargento Torres."
The two natives did as told.
Torres took command of the large anteroom of the temple and prepared to defend it from any warriors that he and his men may have missed. The young native however gazed at the carvings on the wall and what he saw made him shudder with dread.
The Hall-
Over the next twenty minutes Vargas and his men fought their way through the passages and now came into a large hall that was filled with treasures including dazzling green emeralds which were seated in the walls, and the remainder of the defenders.
An arrow struck Vargas in the chest, badly denting his armor, but causing him no harm. His men then surged forward and cut down the few remaining defenders. But at the end of the hall stood two men: one in bright robes and feather and the other armed with a spear and club. He ordered his men not to harm these two.
Flores took in the breathtaking scope of the hall: It must've been over 100 feet long and 40 feet wide. Its arched ceiling was over 30 feet tall at its apex and the room itself was filled with carvings and adorned with riches. He absentmidedly pried an emerald from the wall and placed it in his pocket, some of his fellow troops did likewise.
Looking closer Flores noticed that some of the carvings were of men performing strange rituals, while others showed what looked to be the gods that these people worshipped, but it was another set of carvings that really caught his attention.
This series of carvings showed what looked like a rain of stones from the ceiling some of which were crushing people that were unlucky to be in their path. The next showed men trapped, next to that were men who appeared to be dying, but the worst was yet to come: in the next frame were men eating each other as they struggled to stay alive.
Fear then overcame the impressionable young Flores who gulped and slowly began to back away toward the exit. Without his fellow conquistadors noticing, he made his way toward the anteroom.
For a few tense seconds the conquistadors and the two jaguars faced off with one another. Finally Vargas spoke.
"Manca, tell them everything I say…word for word."
"Si Capitan," said Manca who had been busy reading the inscriptions on the wall. He didn't like what he saw but he knew better than to runaway. He didn't want to risk the wrath of his benefactor and there was a possibility that what was inscribed on the wall was an empty threat.
"Your warriors have fought bravely," started Vargas. His words were translated by Manca, "But you have been defeated. Surrender and I will let you both leave with your lives…I swear it upon my life."
Manca wondered if the Capitan would hold true to his word and then translated the reply from the high priest who had started speaking.
"He say, leave now or you and your men will be cursed with a slow and agonizing death for offending the gods and desecrating this temple."
Vargas held back from laughing at the warning, "Tell him that if he does not leave then he and his friend will be cursed with a slow and agonizing death for offending me."
Manca gulped and then translated. The words on the walls were similar to the ones in the anteroom and they conveyed a dire message to anyone who desecrated the temple.
The Anteroom-
"Is something bothering you," Torres asked Cacha. Torres had noticed that the young jaguar was trembling, "We have killed off all of their warriors."
The jaguar turned to face the sargento and said in a voice gripped with fear, "We will be cursed!"
The Hall-
The Sinchi knew that the invaders weren't going to leave without getting what they had come for and that thought made him smile. He brought his hand to a stone in the wall. The stone was loose and behind it was a mechanism that when pushed would trap the invaders within the temple. They would get what they came for…but they would never leave.
The high priest knew he couldn't reason with the men, "You have defiled this sacred place and have offended the gods. For this you must suffer the fate of greedy men."
Manca translated the high priest's words with a trembling voice. A sinking feeling in his gut told him that he was going to die.
Vargas snorted derisively.
Then the Sinchi spoke and as he did so he pressed on the stone.
"What was that he said?" asked Vargas.
Manca slowly turned to face Vargas and with a voice filled with terror he said…
The Anteroom-
"Cursed? What do you mean cursed?" Torres asked Cacha.
Before he could answer he saw Flores enter into the room with a nervous expression on his face. Cacha turned away from the young conquistador and answered the sargento.
"They that desecrate the Temple of the Emerald King will be cursed…they shall die in agony." Torres and his men focused all of their attention on the words of the jaguar. "Those that come here seeking power and riches will meet with death."
The conquistadors looked at one another with trepidation. Finally Torres spoke, "That sounds like a bunch of heathen nonsense!"
Cacha pointed at a series of carvings that unbeknownst to him matched the ones that Flores had seen in the hall.
Flores followed Cacha's finger and saw the same carvings that he had seen.
"We have desecrated this sacred place and we will be cursed!" Cacha said with fear in his voice, "The carvings say that only those with a noble purpose, they without greed will be granted safety here."
"Nonsense," repeated Torres.
Cacha continued by pointing out a group of figures on one carving. In the glyphs were many men who were trapped in the temple and left to die. "That is us!" He said and then pointed to another carving that showed two groups of figures: One group was significantly larger than the other and this group was shown to be meeting a fate similar to the one that was about to befall Vargas' men. The smaller group, made up of four figures, was shown to be both entering and exiting the temple in safety. Cacha pointed at the four figures and said, "These are the people we should be!"
"What are you babbling about!" yelled an harquebus-armed conquistador, "Make sense!"
"Someday people with a noble purpose will come here and they will live…but others like yourselves will come too…but they will die."
The Hall-
"We will die in darkness and despair," said Manca.
Vargas blinked in surprise and then laughed, "You silly little people and your infantile beliefs!"
His men laughed with him…until the first stone fell from the ceiling.
The Anteroom-
"What is that Sargento?" said the conquistador with the harquebus.
"It is time for us to die," said Cacha sadly as he knelt on the floor and begged the gods for forgiveness for bringing these men here and defiling the sacred temple.
Flores took one step back, whirled around, and took off in a sprint a moment before a large stone dropped from the ceiling and down onto the harquebus-wielding soldier.
The Hall-
"Mierda!" screamed a soldier as a large stone crushed the soldier standing next to him.
"What is going on?" said Vargas in anger.
"They have cursed us Capitan," answered Manca, "We have been cursed."
More stones fell from the ceiling and from where they had dislodged was another ceiling, the true ceiling that had held the false, booby-trapped, ceiling in place.
A trio of conquistadors made for the tunnel out of the hall but they were crushed to death as it caved in. Men were screaming in terror and shouting in panic. Several crossed themselves but Vargas stood defiant. He strode forward, narrowly missing a stone that would have killed him if it hit him, and plunged his sword into the high priest.
The high priest had held his ground and remained emotionless as the cold steel blade of Vargas's sword pierced his stomach and exited out his back. He crumpled over with a faint sigh and died a moment after he hit the floor.
Vargas withdrew his sword from the fallen high priest and then looked around for the Sinchi. The jaguar who held the title of 'Emerald King' was nowhere to be seen.
"De donde va ese hijo de puta?" Vargas said angrily. Then he saw another tunnel that he hadn't noticed before. It was right behind where the Sinchi had stood and had been blocked from his view. Ignoring the falling stones and screams behind him, Vargas pressed on.
The Anteroom-
Flores narrowly escaped being crushed to death as the entrance of the temple was closed off by falling stones. He tripped, fell forward, and landed face first onto the ground outside the temple. He rolled over and saw that one of his fellow conquistadors wasn't so lucky. The pig crossbowman had died just a few feet away from safety.
Inside Sargento Torres was killed by a pillar that landed on him along with three others and now there were only three left alive in the anteroom, one of which was Cacha.
The Hall-
By the time the stones had stopped falling there were just a dozen survivors left in the hall. Out of 43 conquistadors there were only 14 left alive (with the exception of Flores) along with the two native translators. These men tried to claw their way out but they were trapped by several tons of stone. They had no food and water but what they had brought with them. In a few days they would begin to turn on one another.
The Mine-
Vargas was seething in fury; most of his men were dead or dying and the person responsible had him trapped in here. He held his sword in front of him and scanned the torch-lit tunnel. He continued walking and came to a large opening. He stared down and saw something that amazed him.
A large open pit mine, over two hundred yards in circumference, was right below him. The temple that the Emerald King protected actually sat over a mine. The wolf licked his salivating lips at the sight before him. Here were more than enough riches to make him the master of the New World. What Perro had found in other parts of this land would pale in comparison to the treasure that was waiting below. He would return to his garrison, gather more men, and return. He would become so rich that he would be ennobled by his king and possibly could win the hand of one of the king's daughters. All he had to do was to find a way out…that and kill the Emerald King.
The sound of footsteps grabbed Vargas's attention. He turned and came face to face with Sinchi Uthurunku. The Emerald King held a long spear in one hand and a heavy wooden club in the other.
"Ah so you want to die then," sneered Vargas, "You killed my men so I shall oblige!"
Sinchi Uthurunku jumped out of the way as Vargas swung his sword at him. He countered with a swing of his club. His blow struck Vargas on the side and sent him staggering but it caused little harm and only dented his armor.
"Bastardo," it will take more than that to kill me!" Vargas said and produced a dagger. Armed with two blades he lunged at the Emerald King.
Manca stepped out of the tunnel and entered into a large open space. He paid little attention to the pit as he was drawn to the scene playing out at the rim of the pit: Vargas and the Emerald King were in engaged in a fight to the death.
Some of the uninjured conquistadors followed Manca out of the tunnel and watched as their Capitan fought the jaguar warrior. The two men swung and parried, thrust, and turned as they competed in their deadly ballet. The Capitan's sword drew blood from the jaguar's leg but it didn't slow him down. A spear thrust hit Vargas full on the chest and sent him reeling backward. He jumped out of the way of the charging jaguar and spun around. The jaguar's spear went for Vargas' head but missed as Vargas went to the ground. He was followed by the Jaguar's spear. Vargas narrowly missed being skewering by rolling to his side then he swung hard and cut the spear in two.
The Sinchi backed up and tossed his broken weapon to the floor. Then he swung his club at Vargas' sword with all his might. The two weapons collided and immediately flew out of their owners hands. Vargas then received an elbow to his face and he reacted by dropping his dagger. He then took a kick to the side and hit the rim of the pit. The jaguar brought his foot down toward him with the intent of pulverizing Vargas' face but once again the wolf was too quick. He rolled away, got to a knee, and hit the jaguar in the side as hard as he could. He stood up quickly, got behind the jaguar, and brought a knee to the back of the jaguar's leg.
Sinchi Uthurunku fell to the ground and felt Vargas' arms wrap around his neck and squeeze. He fell forward with the wolf on top of him and saw the broken point of his spear lying a few feet away. He reached for it.
Vargas's men cheered as they saw their leader fall onto his adversary and Manca felt a small measure of hope that they might find a way out.
Vargas looked to his left and saw his dagger. His eyes widened at the sight and he freed his left hand and reached for it.
Sinchi felt Vargas's grip on him lessen and he took full advantage of it. He quickly raised his head up and struck the right side of Vargas' jaw. He rolled left, dislodged the wolf, and went for his broken spear.
Vargas was flung off the jaguar but he had landed close to his dagger. He picked it up at the same moment that the jaguar had grabbed his own weapon. The two quickly turned back at each other and thrust out their weapons at the same moment.
Vargas' blade struck the jaguar in the stomach and he yelled in triumph as he saw the noble jaguar go to his knees. He looked into the jaguar's face and smiled. His smile was short-lived however. The dying jaguar motioned to the right with his eyes. Vargas looked to down and saw that the jaguar's arm was leading to his body. He looked at his left side and saw the jaguar's hand. It was holding something. Vargas then felt an excruciating pain in his side. The spear point of the broken spear was lodged in his side! It had been slipped in at the unarmored area right below his arm. The blade was now lodged between his ribs. A moment later the Sinchi gave a thrust and the tip hit Vargas' heart.
Vargas's surviving men rushed to their dying leader's side and crouched down next to him to hear his last words. Only Manca went to the fallen jaguar. He knelt next to the dying Sinchi and felt sorrow at the sight of his fellow Tinca. Though the Sinchi and he were from opposing sides Manca felt a bond with the dying warrior. The Sinchi's eyes gazed deep into his and then he whispered. Manca leaned in close to the jaguar and listened to his last words.
As soon as the Sinchi expired Manca looked over at the conquistadors who were now staring at him.
"Wha-what d-did that bastardo say?" asked Vargas in a feeble voice.
Manca looked from Vargas to the others and then answered in a quiet and emotionless voice: "We have proven ourselves unworthy…We offended the gods and we now pay…we are cursed to die in darkness."
Vargas spat blood and sneered, "You pathetic heathen! You and all your kind are worthless!"
Vargas's men watched as their leader hacked up more blood and began to choke.
"Only those of noble purpose can enter and leave here in peace…we made war so we die," said Manca who stood and gazed into the pit mine.
There must be a way out of their underground tomb Manca reasoned. He resolved to find one, but not for himself or the conquistadors, instead he would find a way for those that were sure to come after…those with noble intentions in their hearts.
Vargas choked on his blood and struggled to breathe but it was too late. His vision dimmed as his life flowed from his wound. He took one last, strained breath and expired. Ironically the vainglorious and cruel Capitan would be spared the horrors that his men would soon endure at the hands of one another.
The Garrison at Tima, Six Weeks Later-
A disheveled and half-mad wolf in a tattered conquistador uniform stumbled onto the dusty street that was in the center of the village of Tima. He walked toward the garrison but collapsed of exhaustion. A group of passersby picked him up and carried him to the garrison. It only took a few minutes for him to be identified as a member of Vargas's troop. He was then taken to a building that had been set aside as an infirmary. There he was placed under the care of the garrison doctor and a group of Dominican missionaries. There the young conquistador named Flores would recount what happened to his fellow conquistadors.
Friar Salazar listened intently to the young wolf as he explained everything that had happened from the moment Capitan Vargas and his men had left Tima to the moment the young wolf had arrived on the streets of the town. Flores, told of how he and his fellow soldiers had found the legendary Temple of the Emerald King and how they had captured it from the defenders. The Dominican friar listened in amazement as he was told of the fate that the conquistadors had suffered and of the curse that had caused it. He then proved his tale by producing the emerald that he had taken from the temple.
Friar Eduardo Salazar's eyes widened at the sight of the gem and he instantly knew that the soldier has said was true.
"You believe me Padre…don't you?" Flores asked.
"Yes my son," answered Salazar, "El General will want to know the location of the Temple though."
"He mustn't!" cried Flores, "Those without noble intentions in their hearts will perish!"
Salazar did his best to calm the young soldier and placated him by telling him how General Perro was too preoccupied with chasing down any fighters that were still loyal to Atahwhalpah along with trying to locate a legendary city of gold that was supposedly hidden deep in the jungle. It seemed as though the gold held more appeal to Perro. Flores made Salazar promise to keep the knowledge of the stolen emerald secret from Perro and his men. He then hid the gem in the robes that had been provided him by the friar.
Over the next few days Flores was questioned by Perro's aide-de-camp as well as by Friar Salazar about the fate of Capitan Vargas's men and of the Temple. Flores made the decision to act overly distressed and confused in an effort to keep Perro from finding out from him the location of the temple and sending out more men for fear that they too would perish. He did however entrust the truth to Friar Salazar.
A couple of months after his arrival at the garrison, Flores his vows. He then learned that Friar Salazar was being recalled to Hispania where he was to serve as the secretary to his brother who had just been elevated to Cardinal. Before Salazar left, Flores drew up a map to the Temple and ripped it in half. He gave Friar Salazar the first half and told him that one day people worthy enough would seek the Temple for noble intentions and that they could find the remains of the fallen conquistadors and give them a proper Christian burial.
Salazar nodded in understanding and took his half of the map with him back to Hispania where it would be kept at a cathedral.
"Someday Alberto, those worthy enough will find the map and they will come here to seek out your half," said Salazar who added, "And the emerald."
"Padre," said Flores in solemn voice, "Only those that are of noblest intention will safely enter and leave the Temple. It will be up to them to see that my fellow soldiers receive a Christian burial. But they will not find my half of the map easily...or the emerald. They shall have to prove themselves worthy of finding it."
Salazar smiled at the young soldier turned monk and bade him farewell. That was the last the two of them ever saw of one another.
Friar Salazar served at his brother's side and was later elevated to bishop while Flores lived out his days in the quiet spiritual contemplation of a monk at the mission at Tima where he died at the unprecedented age of 105.
The Temple-
After the events of Vargas's sacking, the jungle slowly crept forth and reclaimed the temple complex, successfully concealing it with vines and other plant life. In time only the animals visited it, those Tinca who knew about it avoided it as a cursed place and refused to talk about it to the conquistadors. Over the years several expeditions were mounted to search for it but the Temple of the Emerald King eluded all who sought it and so it would remain hidden for 400 years until 1933.