Erotica, fantasy, and horror writer.
They are laughing at you always. And they never stop.
The Granddaddy of all Fantasy fiction tropes must surely be the Medieval Inn, with its open hearths and wenches in low-cut bodices, unsavory characters lurking about, and bowls of hot stew. (No less a luminary than Tolkien created the seminal template with The Prancing Pony.) In truth, inns served a vital function in the Medieval/Renaissance …
The Black Queen’s personal life was full of misery, which was odd for such a powerful figure. Sad to say, she wasn’t above taking it out on her slaves. (Misery by FrankT on DeviantArt)
Secret societies are a mainstay in popular fiction. (Just look at Dan Brown.) In fantasy and science fiction, we have the Bene Gesserit, The Dharma Initiative, The Talamasca, The Sith. In mundane life, there are many, from the sinister to the accepted. Freemasons are one. But there’s also Aleister Crowley’s occult group Order of the …
Dungeon Quest by Joe Daly Fantagraphics, 2010 As I often do, I picked up this graphic novel at random. The name intrigued me, as it implied AD&D gaming sessions, and also the figurine on the cover, which did not fit the name at all. It seemed more Pre-Columbian, Toltec maybe, except for that very big …
A crazed artist vented her rage at the mannequin’s seeming perfection. Shortly she moved on to human subjects.
Not as glamorous as evil societies or those dedicated to dark magic. But every sizable town and city in a typical Medieval European society has them. There are guilds devoted to workers and tradesmen, merchants’ leagues, secret societies like Freemasons, civic leagues dedicated to improve some aspect of city life, and even rebels lurking below …
Her visage was so terrible she always kept it masked…. until the day a handsome man was able to pierce it. But that’s another story.
Fantasy fiction (and science fiction, for that matter) is full of secret societies, thieves’ guilds, Hellfire clubs, and other associations for like-minded individuals. Often these are major drivers of the plot. Frank Herbert’s Dune would not be the same without the Bene Gesserit, or The Wheel of Time series the Aes Sedai. H.P. Lovecraft had …
Crumpets and finger sandwiches, anyone? (Ceramic art by Ronit Baranga)