The Lost Kingdom of Avaria

The Lost Kingdom of Avaria

Start date:	September 27th, 2009
End date:	March 21st, 2010
# of strips:	26 pages
Writer:	Tony DePaul
Artist:	Paul Ryan
Original colorist:	Tom Smith
Preceded by:	"The Love Triangle"
Followed by:	"The Dirty Half-Dozen"

"The Lost Kingdom of Avaria" is the 171st Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Paul Ryan.

Plot synopsis

After spending some time in Baronkhan, the Phantom and his family leave on horseback. Not far from the city gates they discover a group of injured cartographers. They are brought to Baronkhan and report to prince Rex that they were attacked by female warriors dressed in Roman style plate armour using spears and swords. The Phantom explains that the cartographers have entered the land of Avaria. The 10th Phantom once visited this land populated by survivors of the persecutions of the Romans and the Franks. It is decided that the Phantom and his son should travel to Avaria to do some investigation.

Riding into Avaria they meet a group of soldiers on horseback in Roman style plate armour who welcome the Phantom and Kit to Avaria. They are brought to the city gates where drawings are made of all visitors into a register.

While the Phantom and Kit are having lunch, the drawing is compared with earlier visitors and it is discovered that the current visitor looks just like the 10th Phantom whose likeness is also in the register after a visit in 1748. Later that night a group of three soldiers visit the Phantom and Kit's lodgings to arrest them. With Kit hiding on the roof, the soldiers are no match for the Phantom who rides to the royal palace to meet with the khagan who rules Avaria. She poisons him and the Phantom is put into a cell with three arrested cartographers from Baronkhan.

Kit finds a cannon and blows a hole into the palace wall, freeing his father and the three cartographers. With Kit and the three cartographers riding ahead out of Avaria, the Phantom captures the khagan and brings her to Baronkhan as a prisoner. Prince Rex and the Khagan decide that their countries must have friendly relations and exchange ambassadors.

Some time later the Phantom is in the Skull Cave writing down the story. He promises Heloise that soon he will take her also on an adventure.

Appearances

Recurring characters

One-time characters

Cartographers
Avarian soldiers
Avarian advisor
Avarian innkeeper

Locations

The Misty Mountains
- Avaria
- Baronkhan
France
- Paris
Bangalla
- Deep Woods
  - The Skull Cave
    - The Chronicle Room

Old Jungle Sayings

Phantom moves faster than lightning!

Behind the scenes

The story title refers to Avaria as a Kingdom, but since it is ruled by a Khagan it is actually a Khaganate.
Avaria is supposedly founded by descendants of the Avar people.
The 10th Phantom's visit to Avaria was 262 years earlier, and the 21st Phantom writes in a chronicle marked 2009–2010.