Korm's Master

Illustration for the story Korm's Master (available here on NOT), the title of which refers not only to Belmok as the head of his department, but also the subject Korm is seeking to be Master of.

 

A. I. Al Speaks on His Likes and Dislikes, His Problematic Existence, and His Discontents

Illustrated Edition

Samuel and Samantha meet their Aunt Jocasta (from the story of the same name on this blog).

The 'Swamp Ape,' from Daisy Bellamy's story And Then There Was the Time (ditto).

And from Ortha and the land of Forlan, the Harvest Pilgim, a fantastic figure of fun who appears at the Autumn Festival, a sort of in-world combo of Santa Claus and Trick-or-Treats.

Theophanies and Revelations

The 'theophany' during the night in the wilderness on Deacon's Peak; the Raven's Curse from Taken From Life.

Office Corrections

No phone in the outer office, Harry Truman instead of FDR in the inner. Small details, but important to me.

The Inner Office of the Secretary of the DEA, circa 1950

Yaargh. My mistake. The photo of FDR should be Truman.

 

Athenor

Athenor, the little brass boy/homunculus from the chapter of the same name in Elf & Bear. If not immediately sentient upon creation, he became increasingly more so, although his creator, Dr. Gilpin, refused to acknowledge it, preferring he remain the simple tool/machine he was created to be. He was named Athenor from the alchemist's forge that he was made in, so you could say in a strange way Gilpin named him after his 'mother.' Of course, tragedy ensued as Athenor came to consider Gilpin his father, and the doctor refused to acknowledge his personhood, always calling him it. Only after the tragedy and heroic sacrifice did Gilpin finally accept him as his 'son.'

Noj and Yam, Ghamen Elders

Ogre Patrol on the Prowl

A scene from Mighty Mikku, a short story published here on the blog.

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

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

Kren

Kren, from the short story Kren, available on this blog.

Our Morgs and Morg City

Morg City, featuring the famous Sun Tower. And Taryn lifts Roth's bird and bottle, instigating the main events of Sergeant Roth, which see here on NOT.

"Great Gammoth Stands With Outstretched Hands ..."

"Great Gammoth stands

With outstretched hands

On the green hill

Of Golberand,

 

"And calls his child

Back from the wild

Paths of the deep

To havens mild."

The only glimpse we have of the lost Morgish homeland, called simply Home in their lore and legend.

 

Bob Bellamy Through The Ages

Bob as he appeared in my book, A Grave on Deacon's Peak. Bob as he was as an apprentice in the Bureau of Shadows, from the unfinished Bob's Book 2.  Bob as he was in Slavery's Ghost. Bob during the heyday of his career. Bob in retirement in Walnut Springs, as seen in Remember the Bellamy. And last as the incredibly Old Bob, as he appeared in A Friend You Haven't Met. Most titles available on this blog.

The Battle of the Bowling Alley

Roth, a Morgish visitor to our world, is able to destroy the Tekkel, an invading eldritch abomination, in the climactic scene in the abandoned bowling alley in St. Helwigs (see the short story, A Friend You Haven't Met, published here on NOT). Ignore the signage. 

Shutting the Door: Illustrations

Illustrations for Shutting the Door, a short story published here on NOT. The Young Dunwolf; Barek in a rare moment of candor with his visor up; Dunwolf and Barek in the Domain of Doors in front of the iron door to Thoravil; John Kraft confronts Dunwolf with a moral choice; one of the Tekkel, a race of eldritch abominations Barek is trying to recruit to his cause.

If You Know, You Know

Drifted off during cartoons, and woke up from a strange dream (I think it had babysitting elements from Leave It to Beaver, which was on): Me and Mike were at Loop Dr. and K&S had dropped Kam off. Mike was complaining about the sudden nature of it, then he started speaking in rhythm, then singing Laughter Loving Dionysus [a poem I had written and that John used SUNO to put to music]! It was just like the episode of the mother-in-law in Amadeus. That woke me up! But I drifted off again, and suddenly he was singing about smoking cornsilk and Gene Autrey, ala I Wonder What My Poppa Dreamed [another song]. Then I was just awake. Needless to say, the playlist I had made was going.

Doomed, Doomed, Doomed

Poor Koppa and Melniar. The romantic element in Goldfire. He was Human and she was a Wose, nothing more incompatible there physically than between, say an Elf and a Man in Middle-earth, or a Human and a Vulcan. The big problem was that Koppa's magic would preserve him alive for hundreds of years, aging only slowly, until long after Melniar had grown old and passed away. In the end, I think, they decided to part and follow their own avocations to spare themselves inevitable heartbreak, though that decision was heartbreaking in itself. But it was chosen, rather than simply fated, and to that extent it was more bearable. 

 In fact we had a little imagined scenario where, in a modern-style hospital, an incredibly old man lies dying; he opens up his eyes to see the full moon outside his window. He murmurs, "Melniar. Oh, Melniar ..." and quietly dies. The moon was always Melniar's particular devotion.

Searching for the Lost Library

Korm and Gho from Korm and the Lost Library (see elsewhere on this blog).

More Ortha Efforts

From Eye of Darkness: the younger Belmok, the younger Thron, Leren the Ivra, and the Quest of the Eye of Darkness; Raksil, the evil incarnate Yorn (that is to say, he is evil and incarnate, but he's not Evil Incarnate). From not only his own short story but from Goldfire: Thron plays a game with Korm. And from the unfinished story Thrand, the older Melniar and Melniar attending Thrand.