Skull-face

"Skull-Face" by Robert E. Howard is a gripping weird horror story that follows Stephen Costigan, an American lost in a haze of hashish, whose life spirals into chaos as he is haunted by visions and sinister figures. His descent into addiction pulls him into a terrifying world dominated by the chilling Skull-Faced Man and the alluring Zuleika. Amidst opium dens and growing danger, Costigan confronts his inner demons and becomes entangled in a web of drug trafficking and manipulation by a powerful, shadowy antagonist. The story paints a vivid picture of despair and moral decline, set against a backdrop of clashing cultures, foreshadowing a perilous and intriguing plot which promises to test Costigan in ways he couldn't have imagined.

Robert Ervin Howard was an American writer who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He created the character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre.