Weird Revisited: In Deep Crimson Shadows

This past week, I had a brief vacation in Michigan and picked up a book on Colonial-era French folklore. It had a chapter on Nain Rouge, which reminded me of this Weird Adventures related post from 2011.

Check out the great art above from Chris Hűth for Weird Adventures. This is, of course, the Red Dwarf--the malign genius loci of Motorton in the Steel League.

Since the days when the site of Motorton was a plague-pit for Old Fort Narrows, the area has been the home of the dwarf. He’s a harbinger of calamity; doom in a dapper, red suit.

Rumor says that those unlucky enough to have an audience with the dwarf are brought to a Room with Red Velvet Curtains (sometimes just “The Red Room”). Visitors--survivors--describe the room as located in the basement of a ritzy old hotel, but no one has been able to relocated the building or provide directions to it later.

What comes from a meeting with the dwarf can’t be predicted. Sometimes, he’ll tell his visitor’s future. Other times, he’ll ask them for a favor, or tell them how they can get their heart’s desire. However it starts, it always plays out badly.

It’s worth noting that the infernal criminal organization known as the Hell Syndicate stays out of Motorton.  It’s the dwarf’s city.

Characters may have heard other rumors about the dwarf:

1. He can only be harmed by magical weapons.
2. The tea he sometimes offers visitors can bring strange visions, and cause madness
3. He carries a pocket watch whose hands only move when someone dies--or maybe when someone particular dies.
4. Bones excavated from the old, mass plague graves can be used to ward against him.
5. He’s only dangerous because Motorton’s sick. If the city could be healed, the dwarf would be benevolent.
6. The dwarf is only a midget human sorcerer cashing in on an old legend. It’s all smoke and mirrors.
7. There’s a red leather journal of a young girl, who died in an asylum, that contains, in its ramblings, the Red Dwarf’s true name, and the ritual to bind him to service.
8. The dwarf is always accompanied by the same gang--a black-haired moll in a red dress with a silky voice, and twin bruisers with the same first name.
9. The Red Room is actually the lowest level of Hell. The Dwarf is actually Morningstar in disguise.
10. The Dwarf isn’t a real entity at all, just the physical representation of the death curse of a Native shaman on the Ealderdish invaders. Treating it like a real being only increases its power.

Wednesday Comics: DC, December 1985 (week 2)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to the end of Crisis! This week, I'm looking at comics that were published on September 12, 1985.

Shadow of the Bat #1: This is not, of course, the post-Crisis series. That Batman: Shadow of the Bat doesn't debut until 1992. This is another reprint limited series focusing on the work of Englehart and Rogers, whose late 70s collaboration on bat-titles is celebrated. These first couple of issues, though, are pre-team-up of those creators. Here we have 3 Batman stories with Englehart and Simonson from 1977, and a House of Mystery story with Rogers on art written by DeMatteis. In keeping with my policy on reprints, I won't be reviewing it, but I'm noting it was out there. It runs for 5 issues.

Amethyst #12: Newell and Doran/Kesel fill-in on this issue. Amy is babysitting neighbor kids and tells them a previously unrevealed adventure of Amethyst and Prince Topaz where they must find a way to stop the onyx plague that turns its victims to stone. The solution involves a quest to the Emissaries of Varn. It's a shame Doran didn't draw more Amethyst as her art fits the material well. 

Batman #390: The skies are still red as Moench's and Mandrake's story veers into high melodrama. After their kiss in the Gotham Observatory, Batman and Nocturna have a talk. She feels her theft is justified and won't give it up, but Batman can't just let it slide. Nocturna points out that Batman is attracted to "dark and dangerous" women, but he feels compelled to stop them from being that way. If they change to suit him, he can't love them. Batman, perhaps stung by the truth, leaves. Meanwhile, the Night Slayer is still stalking the night, and Catwoman's quest to clear her name by catching him brings her to the Observatory. Robin intervenes to stop her from taking in Nocturna, and as she is fighting him, Batman shows up. He likewise tells her to stand down. Catwoman realizes Batman has feelings for Nocturna and is hurt, and in her anger, vows again to bring in Night Slayer, whatever it takes. 

Then she's struck by lightning.

Batman in anger and guilt blames Nocturna and carries Catwoman's body (dead or alive, it's unclear) away with Robin coming after him. Another earthquake in the series that has been shaking Gotham creates a rift between the observatory and where they stand. 

All that aside, we get more of the buddy relationship Moench is developing between Bullock and Robin. It's really a shame that that will all go away following Batman: Year One.

Legion of Super-Heroes #17: This is the second issue of Legion (not counting the Subs) I remember reading, though technically I read it in its reprint in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #342 in 1986. LaRocque comes on as penciler this issue. Super-wealthy Leland McCauley wants to get his rival RJ Brande out of the way. Charon, the man he's hired to do that, says that the only way is to get the Legion of Super-Heroes out of way. Then we cut to Dream Girl awaking form one of her precognitive dreams saying RJ Brande is going to die and it's the Legion's fault! 

The Legion rushes to the rescue and deals with the assassin, then confronts McCauley. Brande refuses to press charges, though so they have to let him go. Brande decides to give up his public persona and this petty squabbling and head on into space on his own, anonymously, thus making Dream Girl's prediction sort of true.

Omega Men #33: In the first story, Klein and McManus bring most the Omega Men to a planet Nimbus is imprisoned on where they hope to settle the refugees of the Spider Guild invasion. Meanwhile, the other group that we last saw in Blue Devil has an audience with Harry Hokum.

In the second story by Parkhouse and Gibbons, an escaped, "mad android" hiding among the folk dwelling in the sewer system becomes a healer, but he's still hunted.

 

Star Trek #21: Rozakis Tom Sutton/Villagran give Spock a spotlight story in his new command. The Surak arrives at an unexplored planet. Beaming down with two crewmembers, Spock finds himself alone, and in a dream-like environment. He realizes it is a dream and manages to breakout by force of will. He then has to employ the Vulcan mind meld to help the other crew escape and finds the monster in the mind of Commander Brinks, who isn't fond of her captain, bears a resemblance to him.

Super Powers #4: Superman and Firestorm are investigating one of the "Seeds of Doom" and encounter a Roman gladiator and Steppenwolf. They follow Steppenwolf into the past, Firestorm and the Gladiator having to be wrapped in Superman's somehow expanded cape for the journey.  In the Roman era, our heroes are captured and rendered powerless by Steppenwolf, then forced to fight in the arena. Firestorm manages to save both himself and Superman by separating into his component identities to escape the inhibiting device. The heroes defeat Steppenwolf and return to their own time to find the seed shriveled and dead.

Superman #414: Maggin and Swan/Williamson continue the story from last month's DCP #87. The Man of Steel is the captive of the Superman Revenge Squad. They take him to New Krypton, the home of the Kandorians, and forced to watch their conquest of the planet. Though they aren't able to win militarily, they employ means to mind control the Kryptonian population. They even bring them in to beat up Superman, and the poor guy seems so defeated he winds up sitting in a corner with his cape over his head. That's a ruse though, because when Sylvia (the human wife of Superman's cousin Van-Zee) shows up, she gives Superman a Phantom Zone Projector he had told her a little while ago to carry, predicting just such a Revenge Squad plot. The alien leaders are sent to the Zone. Before leaving New Krypton for what will be the last time thanks to Crisis, Superman retrieves Supergirl's body from space and brings it to her parents, Zor-El and Alura. 

This is the last story where any of those Kryptonian survivors (or the Superman Revenger Squad) appear for some time, though many have ultimately been reintroduced in one form or another.

[Greyhawk] Veluna

The Velunans pride themselves on being the first people to adopt the faith of Nomism. Whether or not this is true, it is certain that the Velunan branch predates the Aerdian church. In fact, it may be that, as is popularly claimed, the religious communities of Veluna predate the nation itself. When Veluna was organized as a part of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, the archimandrites of the church were treated as fiefholders.

In the Velunan version of the religion, Rao is considered the personification of divine law. He is a serene and distant god, and the monks spend much time in meditation upon his glory. The common folk are more interested in the earthier Saint Cuthbert who is believed to intercede with Rao and allow those who achieve less than spiritual oneness with the Law to enter Heaven.

The Canon is the spiritual and temporal head of Veluna. The Canons are held to delay their own spiritual perfection so that they may minister to the needs of the people. The Canon is supported in the task of managing the country a council by ministers, but also has a council formed from the remaining nobles of the country whose fealty the Canon commands.

Veluna has at times been controlled by Keoland, though that land too recognizes the spiritual authority of the church.

Some Links on Naming

Thanks to Prismatic Wasteland's post, I was made aware of a blogwagon in the GLoGosphere about naming. I am not a GloGger, but that post got me thinking about the posts I have written about naming:

In 2021, I wrote a post giving my thoughts "On Fantasy Naming."

In 2023, I made some "Observations on Science Fiction Names."

In 2025, I advocated following Tolkien's practice and engaging in strategic translation.

In 2018, I presented this potentially handy Sword & Planet Name Generator.

In 2015, I discussed cultural naming practices in the Strange Stars universe.

Wednesday Comics: DC, December 1985 (week 1)

My mission: to read DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to the end of Crisis. This week, I'm looking at the comics that were on stands in the week of September 5, 1985. 

Outsiders #2: Barr and Aparo continue the story from last issue. The Outsiders realize Looker is likely captured and use the Mom android to lure out the rest of the Nuclear Family. The confrontation doesn't go well for them, and the Nuclear Family heads flies off to cause a nuclear explosion in L.A., leaving the Outsiders unconscious. Luckily, our heroes run into the scientist studying fear who had previously helped Shanner but is now getting out of town to escape the nuclear threat. She lets them know what the Nuclear Family is up to. The Outsiders race to stop them. In a fight at the nuclear plant, it looks like the Outsiders will lose again until a desperate but clever attack by a combo of Geo-Force and Metamorpho shorts out the androids.

Infinity, Inc. Annual #1: This Crisis crossover has very little Crisis in it. We get a reference to the red skies, and Obsidian returns to the group, but (unlike everyone else summoned by Harbinger so far) he only has vague memories of what happened while he was gone. The Thomases and McFarlane/Harris spend most of the issue dealing with the villainess Thorn and revealing the mysterious backstory of Jade and Obsidian. This mostly consists of Alan Scott or Harlequin narrating (and retconning, I imagine) the events of past issues. To summarize what we learn: Thorn the other personality of Rose, and both were also Alyx, the supposedly deceased wife of Scott. Obsidian and Jade are indeed their children, whose existence Scott was unaware of. Harlequin is revealed to be his co-worker Molly Mayne who has had a crush on him since forever. Those Mayne and Scott get married at the end of the issue.

DC Comics Presents #88: An editorial comment at the start of this issue by Englehart and Giffen/Kesel says something like "this is how things are going to be here from now on," but I'm not sure what they mean by that. Anyway, the Crisis is more part of the setting for this issue than actually crossing over with the story in any significant way. Because of the Crisis, sensationalist newsman Jack Ryder, is giving airtime to the cranks and crackpots who claim the end of the world is nigh. Stodgy, old mainstream media moguls are worried this is freaking people out and so ask America's most trust newsman, Clark Kent, to have a talk with Ryder and get him to tone it down. Ryder says no. The stodgy old guys seem to have a point here, as Ryder's most recent guest, the Hermit, uses his media exposure to form a psychic link between an ancient demon and Ryder's viewers. Superman and the Creeper have to team-up to defeat the demon.

It's interesting that, even at this point, Engelhart suggests (at a Comics Code approved, kid's comic level) Ryder is sort of a conservative shock jock (he has him call Kent "left" as an insult). I would have thought that characterization came later.

Fury of Firestorm #42: Conway and Kayanan/Akin pick-up Firehawk's and Wonder Girl's quest from this month's COIE #9 except that (much like with the Red Tornado thing) the accounts don't quite match. Here, the two are looking for both Terry and Lorraine's father, who wasn't mentioned before. Also, Firehawk thanks Wonder Girl and the Titans for being there for her as she was freaking out over this whole Crisis thing, but we haven't seen or got mention of any such breakdown in COIE #8 or #9. All that aside, this issue mostly deals with expanding Firehawk's character and shows her working through some uncertainty about being a hero in a very patriotic way: by joining Wonder Girl to play havoc with the British forces that have Washington and his troops pinned down in Brooklyn. Thanks to the Crisis, to travel through the New York City area is the travel through time, so in addition to helping Washington they meet Tomahawk and Dan Hunter. In the end, our heroes still haven't found Terry or Senator Reilly, but Firehawk has found something out about herself.

Hex #4: Wagner fills in for Texeira this issue. Poor Jonah Hex just can't get a moment to stop and catch his breath in this future. He crashes his stolen flier, barely escaping a fall into a canyon, and then he's forced to trek across the wastes without supplies. He's saved from drinking out of a contaminated puddle by the timely re-appearance of Stiletta--the real one. She explains that the Conglomerate has a stranglehold on society (such as it is) by controlling the supply of "Soames," pills used to purify the tainted water supply. She also reveals that she's the daughter of Borsten, who is a time traveler from 2042 who found out a nuclear war was coming in 2045. He jumped into the future two years farther with a cache of technology so he could rule amid the ashes. So far, the criminal Conglomerate has been an impediment to his plans.

Hex and Stiletta have a narrow escape from oversized leech-like worms, but then the guys who supplied the drug dealer Hex killed find them. Meanwhile, Harris is being interrogated in a Vietnam simulation by Bortsen's men to get him to tell them where Hex is.

Justice League of America #245: Luke McDonnell comes onboard as penciler in this Crisis crossover that followed directly from COIE #9 last week. Thanks to Warp, Steel is sent into the far future of the year 1,000,000. There he's helped by a woman named Olanda as they are pursued by the robotic servitors of the mysterious Six. The woman takes Steel to her father who turns out to be the aged Lord of Time, who last fought the Justice League as a younger man in '81 in JLA #199. He also appears in the background of COIE #9-10. The Lord of Time reveals he took refuge in the far future and cloned children from his genetic material to form a family. Eventually, his six sons rebelled, jealous of his favoritism for his daughter, and stole his Chrono-Cube, brought killer robots from the past, and attacked. Only their slow decision-making due to their reliance on consensus among themselves as kept them from overwhelming their father and Olanda. 

Steel helps Olanda and the old man get back the Chrono-Cube. The Lord of Time then uses it to go back and prevent his younger self from making the Six. 

Vigilante #24: Cover by Dan Day this month. Kupperberg and Smith/Maygar have a middle-aged mother whose daughter is killed in Time Square threatening to go Death Wish after Judge Chase lets the men go free that she believes are responsible. Chase, feeling a kinship with the woman, ultimately takes a bullet to stop her. It's revealed that the two men aren't responsible after someone else confesses to the crime. Meanwhile, the Vigilante hunts the drug dealer whose lawyer he killed last issue, and the Electrocutioner is also still on a rampage. Also, Marcia's psychiatrist thinks he knows the identity of "the friend" she told him was the Vigilante.

Weird Revisited: Random Ultra-Warriors Generator

Looking back through some old files on Google Drive I found this generator I made back in 2015 for MOTU-esque characters. Could also be used for something more broadly post-apocalytpic, too.

The Random Ultra-Warriors Generator is just a first draft--I haven't updated it since I made it, so maybe also "final."

[Greyhawk] Onnwal

Occupying a narrow, rocky peninsula, Onnwal has ever relied on the sea and the hills for its livelihood. When it was an obedient part of the South Province of the Great Kingdom, it served as a convenient place for agents of the crown to oversee (and tax) trade looking to enter the Azure Sea from Gearnat Strait. 

It's capital, Scant, was not the largest port, but it was an important one. It was fortified town with a castle serving as a customs house on a rocky islet just offshore. After the Iron League rebelled against the crown, the castle periodically changed hands between the Onnwalers and the Overking's forces, causing its upkeep to be neglected, even as Scant itself stayed well-defended.  At the best of times, command of the isolated castle was a post few sought, though it did provide an opportunity for its occupants to collect bribes provided they weren't just killed by pirates.

Onwal's proximity to Pomarj and its raiders are part of why the coast is only sparsely developed, the other reason being its occasionally marshy terrain. The relationship Onnwal and Pomarj is not completely adversarial, however. Coastal villages have profited from wrecking and aiding smugglers. The Iron League as a whole takes a dim view of latter, and those that are caught are punished, but few are caught.

The hills of the Headlands were mined first for copper and tin and later platinum. Much of this was done by dwarf clans, though for the most part humans and dwarves have shared the region peacefully. The strong dwarven presence has led to human miners of the region adopting dwarven customs and superstitions to a degree.

I've conceived of Onnwal a lot like Cornwall, a bit like Romney Marsh, and with its Mediterranean climate, a little like Koroni, Greece during the Middle Ages, too.