"He's Not Such a Bad Little Imp, After All"

Ketta cares for Kwee; that must really be some crunchy old cheese.

Kwee's Cheese

Krezdorn!

Krezdorn

Far in the dim of a summer's eve

I seem to see, past the shadow's weave,

On the verge of sight

A distant light

Sifting through the murmuring trees.

 

Krezdorn--magic Krezdorn--

Where the mystic wizards weave--

Krezdorn--faery Krezdorn--

In the Land of Make-Believe!

 

In the gloom of the noon of an autumn day

I seem to hear, as the dead leaves play,

The fading knell

Of a crystal bell

In the wind where the bare trees groan and sway.

 

Krezdorn--eldritch Krezdorn--

Where the fauns and satyrs play--

Krezdorn--mythic Krezdorn--

Full of wandering dreams astray!

Many years ago I saw the name Krezdorn Street in the phonebook and thought what a good name that was for an over-the-top, goofy, somewhat twee fantasy land. This poem was the result.

Galt of Melikot

Galt, First Minister of Melikot. From Episode Six of The Wizard, The Prince, The Warrior, and His Son, "The Cuckoo's Nest." Forlan is made up of a loose alliance of city-states, most holding allegiance to the King in Morg City (more formally known as Mog-Sel-Tyr). The King in turn is pledged to send military assistance in times of emergency. Most cities began as colonies of Morgs which then attracted the more nomadic tribes of Humans to settle down within. Melikot is on the more northerly borders of Forlan, almost against the forbidding Knash Mountains from which (especially in the bad old days) used to come regular Ogre raids. The populace of Melikot these days is 1/3 Morg and 2/3 Human, which is perfectly reflected (mainly by accident) in their present Council of Three, where Galt is joined by his Human fellows, Hod and Padram. They are numbered not by rank but for convenience of reference. Most of the city-states of Forlan are governed by these kinds of executive councils; there are maybe two or three proud or tetchy cities that claim a 'King,' usually a hereditary sinecure. Galt is past his 200th year, which puts him in late middle age for a Morg.

It's Gotta Happen SOMEtime Or Other

Another (Imaginary) Country Heard From

Roth and Hannu, Morg City's favorite power couple.

Breklir:

Barda:

Zin:

Rotha and Hannu are from The Peculiar Wooing of General Roth (which see on this blog). Breklir, Barda, and Zin are all characters in my proposed series, The Wizard the Prince, the Warrior, and His Son. And now, for a bit of whimsy, A. I. Al unexpectedly pops into Ortha:

Fleshed Out

Vintage line illustrations, turned into 'photorealistic' images. I don't know why, exactly, but I find this sort of thing endlessly fascinating.