FULL AUDIO https://hobgoodfellowe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/OOC-Some-fantasy-poetry.mp3 It seems that a question that frequently comes up is: can anyone recommend some good pre-Tolkien fantasy? When this question arises, the usual suspects are then wheeled out. Eddison’s The Worm Ouroboros, or anything by Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Mervyn Peake or Lord Dunsany. Usually Poul Anderson, Hope Mirrlees, Fritz Leiber and…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #102
Soon the shape of a collapsed humanlike thing of huge size came into view. He was half-lying on the ground and half-propped against a tree. The giant did seem to be human in general proportions, but more heavily limbed than any humanfolk, and much taller. Sprawled as he was, it was hard to tell, but…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #101
The stream delved deep and rocky as it plunged through the woodlands. It was soon cascading over cataracts and rushing little waterfalls. Above the banks, tangled grey-barked oaks and black pines draped their thick curtains of leaves over the soil, whilst mosses and ferns grew in abundance atop the round river boulders. In a few…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #100
By the time they reached the edge of the woods, a grey dawn was in the air and the sun was a red promise on the eastern sky. Skirting along the southern scrubs and stands of trees, they spied a thin thread of water in the distance, marked out like a band of beaten silver…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #99
They left Baght Town by the eastern small-gate, paying the gatesmen enough to let them pass quickly, and then promptly forget about them aftwards. Soon, the town was reduced to a mere a rumour of lights and far-off dwindling noises. Dog barks. Drunkards in the darkness. Occasional strands of music and piping. The sort of…
Fever dreams
Hi everyone. Just letting you know that the household has been struck down by another bug brought back from preschool. This one was pretty bad. I was laid out with a fever for a couple days, and I’m only just recovering now. Even then, I’m still a bit symptomatic. The COVID tests kept coming up…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #98
The boy came to his senses At first he felt dizzy, as if he’d been spinning in circles for fun like a small child. Rapidly the dizziness cleared, and was replaced with a dullish ill feeling deep in his gut. He thought he remembered snatches of a voice, grim and old and tough, saying words…
Mythical Creatures and Maps Thereof
I stumbled across Púca Printhouse recently on reddit. The artist has produced some really stunningly artful maps, which you can see here: https://www.pucaprinthouse.com/ Here’s a little sample of the art style. One thing that really impresses me about this is how well researched this is. There are quite a few obscure (but genuine) folkloric creatures…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #97
Moliagul’s face passed in and out of a wan flicker of a smile. He shrugged. A long moment of thoughts passed through his eyes. At last he came to a decision, and gave a small, tired sigh. “My master, the Prince Morholt does sorely want Athairdrost’s head to be less connected to the rest of…
A Charm for the Nameless Child #96
“Now, what to do?” said the Thegn of Moliagul. He cast a glance over the unconscious Caewen, Fleat, Dapplegrim, and finally to the shadow-demon Fetch, bottled up in its glassy prison. The boy followed his gaze. The shadow-thing also seemed to be… well… sleeping wasn’t the right word… inactive? It was just a motionless blotch…