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Tag: Beyond the Black Gate

Tonight the Keepers of Mystery discuss one of the novels of Poul Anderson, The Broken Sword. Specifically cited on Appendix N, it has also been cited by author Michael Moorcock as having greatly influenced his stories.

The book tells the story of Skafloc, elven-fosterling and originally son of Orm the Strong. The story begins with the marriage of Orm the Strong and Aelfrida of the English. Orm kills a witch’s family on the land and later half-converts to Christianity, but quarrels with the local priest and sends him off the land. Meanwhile, an elf named Imric, with the help of the witch, seeks to capture the newly born son of Orm. In his place, Imric leaves a changeling called Valgard. The real son of Orm is taken away to elven lands and named Skafloc by the elves who raise him. As the story continues, both Skafloc and Valgard have significant roles in the war between the trolls and the elves as things escalate until the restoration of…the Broken Sword.

podcast Alexander James Adams, Ashraf Braden, Beyond the Black Gate, Colin Brodd, Dan Osarchuk, David W. Fisher, Divinities & Cults Vol 1, Doom of the Savage Kings, Dying Earth, Ed Stanek, Glowburn, Greg Oppedisano, Harley Stroh, Heather Alexander, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Isles of the Celts, James Spahn, James Walls, Källa, Kamila, Lankhmar, Lukwata, Magnús Þór Sigmundsson, Marc Bruner, Michael Curtis, Poul Anderson, Rafn R. Jónsson, Ragnarök Nordic Viking Folk, Sequentia Ensemble, Sigur Rós, Skáld, Steindór Andersen and Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Terry Olson, The Bachwezi, The Broken Sword, The Isle of Fury, The Kakondo, the Old Gods Return, The Purple Planet, The Sorcerer’s Tower of Sanguine Slant, The Tale of Halfdanur the Black, The Trolls of Mistwood, Thieves of Cold Corner, Tribes of the North, Twilight of the Solstice, Týr, Valkyrik, Viking Crawl Classics, Warrior Horde of the Einherjar

Sanctum Secorum #39 – Greyfax Grimwald

October 16, 2018Written by Gatekeeper

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Drawn together by an enchanted summons, three loyal friends — Bear, Dwarf, and Otter — bid farewell to their fair home in the kingdom of Lorini and embark on a magical journey to the fabled World Beyond Time. A place where glows the ageless Circle of Light.

Along the way they meet many marvelous friends, including the mighty wizard Greyfax Grimwald. But little does the trio realize the dangers that await them: the gloomy border of the Northerland … the green fires of the Palace of Darkness…evil spells and dark enchantments … the dread city of Humans and — most fearsome of all — the evil Dark Queen.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight we take a walk on the wild side with a special-length episode where we discuss Greyfax Grimwald, the first of the Circle of Light series and pair it with Primal Tales.

Sanctum Secorum #38 – Nine Princes in Amber

September 6, 2018Written by Gatekeeper

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Carl Corey wakes in a medical clinic, with little to no knowledge of who he is or how he got there. He suspects he is being over-medicated, so he overpowers the nurse and doctor and escapes his room. He finds the manager of the clinic, and learns that he was recovering from a car accident in a private clinic, paid for by his sister, Evelyn Flaumel.

He flees and heads to her house. She addresses him as Corwin and calls herself Flora. Hiding his lack of memory, he convinces her to let him stay. In Flora’s library he locates a set of customized Tarot cards— the Trumps—whose Major Arcana are replaced with images which he recognizes as his family. As he looks over the cards he remembers all his brothers: sneaky Random, Julian the hunter, well-built Gérard, arrogant Eric, himself, Benedict the master tactician and swordsman, sinister Caine, scheming Bleys, and the mysterious Brand. He also views his four sisters: Flora who offered him sanctuary, Deirdre who was dear to him, reserved Llewella, and Fiona, whom Corwin hated. Carl Corey investigates, discovering the truth, piece by piece: he is really Prince Corwin, of Amber, the one true world of which our Earth is just a shadow. He is one of nine men who might rule Amber, if he can fight his way past the armies of his older brother Eric.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Returning from our Gen Con Hiatus, tonight we discuss Nine Princes in Amber, the first book of Roger Zelazny’s Amber Chronicles and we match it up with the noir goodness that it Nowhere City Nights.

Sanctum Secorum #36 – The Book of Three

June 7, 2018Written by Gatekeeper

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The youth Taran lives at Caer Dallben with his guardians, the ancient enchanter Dallben and the farmer and retired soldier Coll . He is dissatisfied with his life, and longs to become a great hero like the High Prince Gwydion . Due to the threat posed by a warlord known as the Horned King, Taran is forbidden from leaving the farm and charged with the care of Hen Wen, the oracular white pig. When the pig escapes, Taran follows her into the forbidden forest. After a long, fruitless chase he is attacked by a host of horsemen galloping toward his home, led by the Horned King himself. He manages to escape, but drops, wounded, to the ground. He awakes to find his wound treated by none other than Gwydion, the crown prince in Prydain’s ruling House of Dôn (, who has been traveling to Caer Dallben to consult Hen Wen. Gwydion, determined to find the pig, takes Taran along with him. Guided by Gurgi , a hairy humanoid living in the forest, they reach the Horned King’s camp, and learn that his target will be Caer Dathyl , the home castle of the House of Dôn. Gwydion determines to warn the royal court, but the group is attacked before that can happen…

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight we discuss the Book of Three, the first book in Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain series and pair it up with Beyond the Black Gate!

Sanctum Secorum #29 – Creep, Shadow!

October 12, 2017Written by Gatekeeper

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Had the last King and Princess of wicked Ys, returned after three thousand years? Why were they creating an exact replica of Stonehenge on their New Jersey estate? What was the Mael Bennique, the Breaker of Chests? And what was the dread Gatherer in the Cairn? And can men and women really be turned into shadows and made the helpless slaves of the one who transformed them? Ethnologist Dr. Alan Caranac (who may just be the reincarnation of the Alain de Carnac who brought about the destruction of sinful Ys and its evil rulers) has to find out the answer, for one of his best friends has been killed, and perhaps transformed into a shadow, while his fiancee Helen, her brother, Bill, and the famed Dr. Lowell have already been marked for death or worse! But first Alan will have to enter the tower of the Demoiselle Dahut de Ys in New York and journey through it thousands of years into the past to her tower in the legendary city from which she draws her name. And then return, if he can!

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight we return to the printed page as we discuss A Merritt’s Creep, Shadow! while pairing it up with a Harley Stroh classic, The Bride of the Black Manse.

podcast Abraham Merritt, Al Bowlly, Attack of the Frawgs, Beyond the Black Gate, Brendan LaSalle, Cab Calloway, Carl Bussler, Chick Webb, Creep Shadow!, Creeping Beauties of the Woods, Daniel J. Bishop, Dark Trails, DCC Lankhmar, Dieter Zimmerman, Don BEstor, Duke Ellington, Freddy Martin, Harley Stroh, Jim Manzie, Jobe Bittman, Joseph Goodman, Leo Reisman, Michael Curtis, Neon Knights, Not in Kansas Anymore, Orkestra Obsolete, Postmodern Jukebox, Prayers of the Forgotten, Ray Noble, Richard Himber, Shudder Mountains, Stephen Newton, The 13th Skull, The Arwich Grinder, The Bride of the Black Manse, The Chained Coffin, The Emerald Enchanter, The Floating Oasis of the Ascended God, The Haunting of Larvik Island, The Imperishable Sorceress, The Infernal Crucible of Sezrekan the Mad, The One Who Watches from Below, The People of the Pit, The Portsmith Mermaid, The Tower Out of Time, They Served Brandolyn Red

Sanctum Secorum #27 – The King of Elfland’s Daughter

August 4, 2017Written by Gatekeeper

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The lord of Erl is told by the parliament of his people that they want to be ruled by a magic lord. Obeying the immemorial custom, the lord sends his son Alveric to fetch the King of Elfland’s daughter, Lirazel, to be his bride. He makes his way to Elfland, where time passes at a rate far slower than the real world, and wins her. They return to Erl and have a son, but in the manner of fairy brides of folklore, she fits uneasily with his people. She returns to the waiting arms of her father in Elfland, and her lovesick husband goes searching for her, abandoning the kingdom of Erl and wandering in a now-hopeless quest. However, Lirazel becomes lonesome for her mortal husband and son. Seeing that she is unhappy, the King of Elfland uses a powerful magic to engulf the land of Erl. Erl is transformed into a part of Elfland, and Lirazel and her loved ones are reunited forever in an eternal, enchanted world.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight we discuss Lord Dunsany’s novel The King of Elfland’s Daughter as well as Daniel J. Bishop’s adventure Through the Dragonwall.

Sanctum Secorum #19 – Steel Magic

December 2, 2016Written by Gatekeeper

Episode #09 – H. P. Lovecraft

February 12, 2016Written by Gatekeeper

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Get the Sanctum Secorum #09 Companion on DrivethruRPG.

H. P. Lovecraft was a master of pulp horror and, love him or hate him, his influence on modern culture cannot be ignored. Name-dropped by such authors as Stephen King and Robert Bloch; referenced on such television programs as The Night Gallery, The Venture Brothers, and Supernatural; and influential in comics such as Bat-Man (yes, Arkham Asylum really was a nod to Lovecraft) Lovecraft’s reach is long indeed. His communication and collaboration with other greats such as Robert E Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and the rest of the “Lovecraft Circle” have shaped fantasy and horror for generations.

Tonight we merely skim the surface, discussing two of Lovecraft’s works, delving into the squamous side of things we discuss Dagon and The Shadow Over Innsmouth.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. In this episode we examine two of the works by Appendix N author, and literary legend, H. P. Lovecraft and match them up with The Portsmouth Mermaid from Daniel J. Bishop and Purple Duck Games.

In addition, we have bonus content to bring to your game: magic items, weapons, and so much more…after the jump.

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Tag: Beyond the Black Gate

Sanctum Secorum #52 – The Hounds of Skaith

Sanctum Secorum #51 – The Broken Sword

Sanctum Secorum #39 – Greyfax Grimwald

Sanctum Secorum #38 – Nine Princes in Amber

Sanctum Secorum #36 – The Book of Three

Sanctum Secorum #29 – Creep, Shadow!

Sanctum Secorum #27 – The King of Elfland’s Daughter

Sanctum Secorum #19 – Steel Magic

Episode #09 – H. P. Lovecraft

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