Friday Fiction: The Yearhorn

YEARHORN NOTES

[The Yearhorn was planned as an anthology "magazine,", a booklet not unlike The Arena, a place for fantasy and horror stories set in the land of Alben (or Albenn). John and I would write alternate tales. The framing device was a group of monks who gathered to drink and tell strange stories. We worked on this off and on (never very diligently; it was more of a wistful idea than a project) during the early Eighties, straddling my high school and college years.]

1. To The Bridge - Man out hunting, storm, Holders come pick him up, he limps, they talk, drink, reach bridge, driver tells of demon, they go out, he finally joins them, shoot blessed arrow at him, Holders get him, as he is wounded he disappears, he leaves them, limps no more. (I seem to remember 'the Holders' were an order dedicated to 'holding back the Darkness')

2. Vintage Year

3. The Old Boy

4. Black Candle

4. Fate's Trophy(?)

5. J[ohn] C[raft] Story- Young woodcutter's son, John Craft godfather, secret names, names, words, years pass after JC leaves, woodcutter dies, son takes over, goes through old study, finds ring JC gave him, puts it on, transport to Elfland, finds out as kid he had become great king and come back as a kid again, doesn't accept second lordship, goes back, lives long, finally puts on ring and leaves this world.

TALES TOLD BY:

#1. Father Merry - To The Bridge [by Bryan]

#2. Brother Grones - Black Candle [by John]

#3. Brother Crowberr - The Old Boy [by Bryan]

#4. Brother Bellmon - Vintage Year [by John]

#5. Brother Horace - Fate's Trophy [by Bryan]

#6. Brother Weatherstone (John Craft) - JC Story [by John] 

 

THE PLAYER AND THE SONG

THE YEARHORN

THE GOOD KING DOLBIN

 

[I know that at least "The Old Boy" and "Vintage Year" were actually written; not so sure about the others. A picture by me for a cover for The Yearhorn, drawn on a Mr. Gatti's sub paper, survives.]