Nine Queens: Inspired by "Alien Bodies" by Lawrence Miles, but now more
apocryphal than "canon", this was the story that started it all...The Book of Taliesin
A big thank you to Lawrence Miles for allowing me to keep the Faction Paradox and War references in the fiction, thus allowing me to keep this series of at least marginal interest to Doctor Who fans.
The First Cycle: "Bard"
- Created by Helen FayleBook One: Unknown Origins
Nine Queens: Inspired by "Alien Bodies" by Lawrence Miles, but now more
apocryphal than "canon", this was the story that started it all...
Listen, Learn, Read On: A
new beginning? A re-written version of this will appear in "The Hunting of the
Hart". Taliesin makes someone an offer she can't refuse.
The Hunting of the Hart - (in progress) The Hunt always
begins with the protagonists suddenly finding themselves in strange territory,
not knowing where they are or what lies in store - and for Vivienne and
Taliesin, their arrival on Gwynedd is exactly that. Two strangers, an exiled
prince, and a world on the brink of civil war... and through it all, the Norns
are watching, waiting. But who will be bound upon the boughs of Yggdrasil to
gain its power?
Hallowquest - Elphin of Gwynedd, the man who would be king:
Accompanied only by his bard, Taliesin, must undertake a ritual journey - into
the deepest, darkest regions of his own soul.
The Seige Perilous. In the great hall of Caer Tagel, lies
the Round Table, cut from the heart of Yggdrasil itself, by Merlin. But now the
table is cut, to make room for an obsidian throne, created my Morgaine to allow
her to partake of the table's oracular powers. To sit in the throne is to
invite death or madness - or both. But to take the throne as High King, this is
exactly what Elphin must do...
In the Blood - Faint heart never won fair maiden...
Elphin's bride is about to arrive at Caer Tagel for their wedding, and he's
nervous. The bride to be is having last minute jitters, Vivienne has argued
bitterly with Tal, the four premier bards in the Alliance are arriving and
something is killing off the Caer's guests one by one, in a horribly familiar
fashion.
Regenesis - An old menace from another dimension has been summoned to
the Thirteen Worlds. Published on "The Day of the Daleks" convention website,
January 2001. Yes, enjoy it whilst it lasts, people: this is the only time I
will ever play the "It's got daleks in it" card.
~~~
Book Two: "Dragons and other Fell Beasts"
"Here be
Dragons" - First published in Perfect
Timing 2, November 1999. Taliesin spins a fireside tale.
The Shape of Fire - To be
published in Eye of Orion issues 7 & 8, Summer/Autumn 2001. (Thanks to Simon
Bucher-Jones for allowing me to play with his version of what
the "Enemy" might have been.)
The
Birth of Kastchei the Deathless(A LegendE
Firebird - Tal and Vivienne are separated on a hostile planet ruled by
legendary sorcerer Kastchei Bess- Mertny, "The Undying". With Taliesin facing
talking wolves and the mysterious crone Baba Yaga, Vivienne is faced with the
sorcerer and his enigmatic wife, Alianora Marevna, whilst waiting to choose her
new companion is the legendary fire serpent - Merlin's "Dragon"...
The
Invisible City - With Breceliande's / Skazki's
long Winter now moving into Summer, the balance of power is changing. Taliesin,
Vivienne and Kastchei are caught up in a struggle that could destroy the
Alliance of WorldsE
Maskirovka - The Giants'
Dance: a massive station comprised of dozens of asteroids, created by Merlin,
now a haven for the underworld of the 13 Worlds, becomes the setting for a
showdown. Kastchei's past catches up with his present, as the consequences of
old mistakes - and a familiar face from the Old World - come back to haunt
him. Kai returns with a whole new parcel of trouble on board the Prydwen, and
the one-eyed, scarred Lord of the Dance, Alex Korday promises to give our heroes a bucketload of trouble even as his own demons come home to roost...
Zugzwang - Marius and Taliesin are in a world of trouble on
Orcadia, and it seems only one man can get them out of it! Pirate, mercenary,
reluctant hero - Alex Korday. Who's already got enough on his plate, since his
ship's out for blood. The Prydwen's
Gaiden: (Side stories relating to "Maskirovka" and "ZugZwang") (Forthcoming)
~~~
Book 3: The Summer Stars
Who Pays the
Ferryman? Tal is made an offer he CAN
refuse... First published in "Tales of the Solar System", 2000.
And after this, our exile... Kastchei, solo (TBA)
Arabesques. Sheherazade had it easy... Following a lead to
a new world that might enter into an Alliance with the increasingly beseiged 13
worlds, Taliesin finds out that not everything found in a bottle is
drinkable...
Crown of Thorns. As the civil war finally reaches Gwynedd's
home system, battle is joined from the battlements of Terrabil and Tagel. The Einherjar - under the command of Alex's cousin Stephan Korday - might be the Alliance's only hope...
Ashes to Ashes - With Caer Tagel in ruins, Elphin missing
and a coronation being prepared, the Alliance is in chaos - while for Kastchei,
Vivienne and Taliesin, time is fast running out as they make a last ditch
attempt to save the world they know - a mission which will cost one of them
their life...
The Second Cycle: "Warrior"
(Stories TBA)
The Third Cycle: "Druid"
(Stories TBA)
Related Tales:
"Thorns" - Morgaine reflects
on her life... (Printed in Walking in Eternity, published May 2001) "Shadows" - In the End is
the Beginning, and in the Beginning the End.
Unrelated Tales:
Being the outpourings of a deranged mind that has spent far too long researching Arthur, the Grail and Garter Knights..."
The Sixty Day War" aka: The True and Certain History of Lord Stanley's Chalice...Other Fiction:
The Award Winning "
Dark Labyrinth" - a novel length sequel to the David Bowie film "Labyrinth". This early effort swept the awards online in the Labyrinth community three years ago, and now has a permanent home on this site, some revisions pending.
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