Joshua Reynolds's Blog, page 32

Cast the Bones

People on the outside think there’s something magical about writing, that you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the morning with a story, but it isn’t like that. You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and that’s all there is to it.

-Harlan Ellison (1934-2018)

Albion Triumphant

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Today, our exploration of the Royal Occultist universe delves into the secretive brotherhood known as the Order of the Cosmic Ram…

The origins of the Order of the Cosmic Ram are shrouded in mystery, even to the bulk of its membership, which is comprised of men from the highest levels of English society. The Order are devoted to the ideal of the British Empire and Albion Triumphant.

Or, rather, that ideal as they define it.

Theories abound as to the Order’s antecedents–some occult scholars believe that the members of the Order are simply the Knights Templar by another name, while others believe that they are a radical English splinter group of the Rosicrucians.

The rites and rituals of the Order of the Cosmic Ram are as mysterious as their origins. What is known, however, is their goal–nothing less than the domination of the world by a newly invigorated British Empire, guided and controlled by the Order’s members.

It is, in part, due to this stated goal of global totalitarianism that the Order has as deplorable a reputation as it does amongst the various occult groups which make London their headquarters. The Order has made enemies of the Ordo Templi Orientis, the Black Brotherhood, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Voyagers Club, the Church of Starry Wisdom, the Sisterhood of Rats and the Strix Society amongst others with their activities, which include the theft of rare grimoires or objects of esoteric interest, the assault or assassination of prominent occult figures opposed to their goals, and being generally unpleasant about the whole thing.

Recently, the Order has come to the attention of the Ministry of Esoteric Observation due to their part in the murder of several prominent members of the Voyagers Club in 1920,  the Jade Suit Incident of that same year, as well as the 1921 Seeley Affair. In all three cases, the Order’s activities were curtailed by Charles St. Cyprian and Ebe Gallowglass. Later, in 1924, the duo again thwarted a scheme by a member of the Order, relating to one of the famed obsidian mirrors of Dr. John Dee.

The Order of the Cosmic Ram was created specifically to be a reoccurring foe(s) for the Royal Occultist. They first appeared in the “Sign of the Salamander”, but I’ve since sprinkled them into a few other stories. They’re also the main antagonists of the second Royal Occultist novel, The Jade Suit of Death. And they’re mentioned in many others, whenever there’s a roll-call of bad guys.

With series characters, you run the risk of occasionally coming up empty when it comes to interesting antagonists, so having some you can tag in, as it were, is of immense benefit. The Order provide a ready-made source of conflict, being occult imperialists of the worst sort, and every time they appear we learn a bit more about their organisation and goals. We also find out, in The Jade Suit of Death, that St. Cyprian himself was once a member, albeit (very) briefly, which adds another layer of complexity to his constant thwarting of their various intrigues.

I’d like to write more about the Order in the future, but only time will tell if I can come up with a suitably sinister scheme for them. In the meantime, why not enjoy this audio version of “The Maida Vale Mummy”, ably performed by Richard Gough-Thomas, Erik Crossley, Jen Edwards and Ruth Narramore?

The Order of the Cosmic Ram has appeared in the following stories:

“The Maida Vale Mummy”
THE JADE SUIT OF DEATH
“Sign of the Salamander”
“The Black Brotherhood”

For more on the adventures of St. Cyprian and Gallowglass, as well as past and future holders of the office, take a look at the Royal Occultist chronology on this site, as well as a number of free short stories, available only on Patreon. And be sure to ‘Like’ the Royal Occultist Facebook page, in order to keep up with all the latest news and info on the series!

Soul Wars

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My newest Age of Sigmar novel, Soul Wars, is now available for pre-order from Black Library, as a limited edition, a hardback, ebook and an audiobook.

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 It is said that all who live belong ultimately to the Undying King. In the shadowy lands of Shyish, Nagash, God of Death, calls forth his soulless legions to reassert his dominion. His dread advance begins with the free city of Glymmsforge, bastion of Azyr in the Realm of Death. Standing between Nagash and his prize are the brooding Anvils of the Heldenhammer, an ancient host of Stormcast Eternals, and Lord-Castellant Pharus Thaum, guardian of the Ten Thousand Tombs. As battles between the living and the dead rage throughout the Mortal Realms, the War of Heaven and Death begins anew. But even Sigmar’s chosen may not be enough to cease the onslaught. For how does one destroy what is already dead?

Soul Wars is tied to the release of the new starter set for Age of Sigmar – also up for pre-order, and also called Soul Wars. While the novel is stand-alone (for the time being), I’d quite like to revisit some of the characters again. It also has the distinction of being the largest novel I’ve written to date, topping out at over three hundred pages.

Soul Wars is available to pre-order as a limited edition, or as a standard hardback via the Black Library site. It can also be pre-ordered via Amazon.com and its subsidiaries.

Ghosts of Demesnus

Black Library has released a new Hallowed Knights story this week, if you’re into such things. “The Ghosts of Demesnus” finds Gardus Steel Soul embarking on a personal journey into the secret places of his past – will he find the answers he seeks, or something more sinister?

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Gardus Steel Soul, Lord-Celestant of the Hallowed Knights, has been having strange dreams. Changed by his reforgings on the Anvil of Apotheosis, Gardus now shines with celestial light… and dreams. Leaving his warriors behind in Hammerhal Ghyra, Gardus embarks on a personal mission, journeying to the fish-markets of Demesnus, which he remembers as once being the greatest centre of learning in the Realm of Life. Will he find the secrets to the changes wrought upon his body and mind in Demesnus – or will he simply find himself in danger?

I’ve been wanting to write this one for a year or two now. Chronologically, it falls between Hallowed Knights: Plague Garden and the forthcoming Hallowed Knights: Black Pyramid (of which I’ll write more later), and just before the short story, “A Dirge of Dust and Steel”, available in the Black Library Events Anthology.

Gardus is one of my favourite characters to write about. He’s fairly sensible, despite his predilection for displays of heroism, and his greatest desire is to turn his sword into a ploughshare, and vanish into obscurity – something makes him fairly unique among the pantheon of current Warhammer characters, I think.

“Ghosts of Demesnus” explores that yearning, as well as Gardus’ persistent doubts and fears as to his own worth. It also takes a look at life in one of the smaller cities in the Realm of Life, as well as the politics of Sigmar’s attempted reconquest of the Mortal Realms.

Also, there’s a seeing-eye gryph-hound.

“Ghosts of Demesnus” is available as a direct download from the Black Library site. It’s also available for the Kindle, from Amazon.com and its various subsidiaries. And if you’d like to read more about the Hallowed Knights, why not check out Hallowed Knights: Plague Garden or the recently released short story, “The Resolute”?

The Cavalier Occultist

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Today’s look at the Royal Occultist universe deals with one of the previous incumbents – the oft-mentioned Earl of Holderness, Prince Rupert of the Rhine. 

Prince Rupert of the Rhine, 1st Earl of Holderness, Duke of Bavaria, soldier, admiral, scientist, slave-trader and sportsman was the holder of the offices of Royal Occultist during the turbulent period of history known as the English Civil War.

It is unknown what incident marked Rupert’s elevation to the office of Royal Occultist not long after his arrival in England, but he soon proved his aptitude for the esoteric during the Affair of the Buckinghamshire Devil in 1642.

With the broken remains of the eponymous devil buried beneath an innocuous field, Rupert set about proving his worth as both a military commander and the Queen’s Conjurer.

Rupert’s career as Royal Occultist was fraught, to say the least. The civil war was a period of mass chaos, marked by witchcraft and necromancy on an unprecedented scale as dark forces sought to take advantage of the troubles. From the renegade alchemist O’Neill to the degenerate d’Amptons of Derbyshire, Rupert’s opponents were too numerous to properly record. Even so, he managed to assemble one of the largest occult libraries in the Occident, as well as a not inconsiderable arsenal of mystical artefacts over the course of his tenure, and he is known to have developed and refined a number of rituals still used by the holder of the offices to this day.

Despite this, his conduct during his tenure was not without blemish–Rupert was not above attempting to turn the horrors he faced to his own advantage, such as his attempt to bind the monstrous Knights of St. George to the Royalist cause or his association with a certain mysterious ‘Lapland lady’, who often accompanied Rupert on his investigations in the shape of a white dog. Indeed, Rupert is known to have used vile sorceries against the King’s enemies on no less than two occasions, and is rumoured to have made an attempt on Oliver Cromwell’s life through mystic means.

Rupert was stripped of the offices in 1655, and soon after, his quarrels with the Royalist court-in-exile sent him to the Germanies, where he is known to have consulted with a certain Baron Vordenburg of Styria, on the matter of the Devil Ferenczy, as well as the Circus of Night. He re-assumed the post briefly in 1660 following the Restoration in order to combat the machinations of the Kind Folk, but, weary and disinterested, soon stepped aside, in favour of another.

Rupert is one among a number of historical personages that I tapped early on to be former holders of the office of Royal Occultist. I thought that by interweaving real and imaginary people, I could give the stories a bit of grounding. Too, Rupert, like John Dee, is interesting in and of himself. Scientist, artist, statesman…Rupert was a Renaissance man in the truest sense of the word. If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend Charles Spencer’s book, Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier (2007).

While Rupert’s adventures have yet to be chronicled – though I’m considering it – his presence is felt in a number of the Royal Occultist stories. Like John Dee, he’s mentioned in most of them, however briefly. And “The Riders of St. George” – which you can read for free on Patreon – deals with the fallout of one of Rupert’s own investigations.

For more on the adventures of St. Cyprian and Gallowglass, as well as past and future holders of the office, take a look at the Royal Occultist chronology on this site, as well as a number of free short stories, available only on Patreon. And be sure to ‘Like’ the Royal Occultist Facebook page, in order to keep up with all the latest news and info on the series!

The Vordenburg Papers

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Yesterday saw the wrap-up of my five part Royal Occultist serial, “The Coventry Street Terror”. If you haven’t caught up with it, why not do so this weekend?

All five parts are available on Patreon, and absolutely free to read, whether you’re a patron or not. Just click the ‘serial’ tag, and get started!

And if you’ve already read and enjoyed the story, why not take a moment to vote in this quick poll, regarding the possible further adventures of Baron Vordenburg?

For more on the adventures of St. Cyprian and Gallowglass, as well as past and future holders of the office, take a look at the Royal Occultist chronology on this site, as well as a number of free short stories, available only on Patreon. And be sure to ‘Like’ the Royal Occultist Facebook page, in order to keep up with all the latest news and info on the series!

BL Live 2018

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Just a reminder – I’ll be in Nottingham this weekend, at Black Library Live. I’ll be signing books, as well as participating in a number of seminars. If you’re in Nottingham tomorrow, why not stop by and say ‘hi’?

Murder by Gaslight

EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing has revealed the cover for the forthcoming Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes. Edited by Charles Prepolec and J.R. Campbell, Gaslight Gothic includes stories by Stephen Volk, James Lovegrove and others, including myself. 

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My contribution, “The Adventure of the Ignoble Sportsmen”, finds Holmes and Watson investigating a series of mysterious deaths linked to a gentlemen’s sporting club. It also finds them joining forces once more with Mr. Leverton, of Pinkerton’s Detective Agency.

I’ll keep you updated on when the book hits the shelves. In the meantime, why not check out the other Sherlock Holmes stories I’ve written? “The Affair of the Wretched Flesh” finds Holmes and Watson investigating a bloody case involving murder and stolen animals, while “The Adventure of the Sultan’s Tiger” sees the pair clashing with a ghostly tiger. And if that’s not enough, why not check out “The Door of Eternal Night”, which sees the Great Detective team-up with the Royal Occultist, as well as Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle himself!

The Baron and the Terror

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Welcome to the second instalment of my look into the Royal Occultist universe. Today we’re taking a look at the Styrian monster-hunter, Baron Palman Vordenburg. 

Baron Palman Vordenburg is the last in a line of Styrian noblemen, formerly of Graz, Upper Styria, and later of Piccadilly, London. Vordenburg comes from a long line of vampire hunters, stretching back through the centuries, and carries on his family legacy with a single-minded aplomb.

Prior to WWI, he held a position similar to that of the Royal Occultist, albeit acting on behalf of the Hapsburg Monarchy. In this capacity, he hunted and dispatched any number of continental horrors, including vampires, werewolves and ghouls. In the years following the war, Vordenburg, in search of a fresh start, upped stakes for England.

St. Cyprian and Gallowglass first meet Vordenburg during the events of the so-called ‘Coventry Street Terror’ in April of 1922, where his assistance in eliminating the undead monstrosity known as the ‘Wolf of Styria’ proves invaluable. Following this incident, Vordenburg becomes something of a consulting monster-hunter, offering his services to clients both in England and abroad.

Originally intended to be a spin-off character for a publication that has since ceased to be, Baron Vordenburg is based loosely on the actor Horst Janson, of Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1974) fame. He took his name from the aristocratic vampire hunter who appeared in Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novel, Carmilla. Is there a link between the three characters? I like to think so, if only because I’m an inveterate Wold Newtonian, and I enjoy dropping hints like that in even the most innocuous stories.

The Baron is also one of the first examples of the Royal Occultist’s international peers to appear in the stories. The British Empire isn’t alone in needing regular occult consultation. France, Russia, even the United States, all have their version of the office. Other characters like the Baron have appeared here and there throughout the series, both as allies and as enemies.

“The Coventry Street Terror”, the story in which the Baron makes his first appearance, was to be a backdoor pilot of sorts, appearing in the first issue of the aforementioned publication. Ideally, the story would introduce the character to existing fans of the Royal Occultist and new readers alike. Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be and I wound up serialising the story on the old Royal Occultist site  a year or so back.

But, I like the good baron too much to let him vanish into obscurity. So, to that end, “The Coventry Street Terror” is being serialised, starting today, over at my Patreon. It’s absolutely free to read, and a new instalment will be posted every morning, at the same time, Monday to Friday. Go check it out!

Baron Vordenburg has appeared in the following stories:

“The Coventry Street Terror”

For more on the adventures of St. Cyprian and Gallowglass, as well as past and future holders of the office, take a look at the Royal Occultist chronology on this site, as well as a number of free short stories, available only on Patreon. And be sure to ‘Like’ the Royal Occultist Facebook page, in order to keep up with all the latest news and info on the series!

Soul’d Out

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Quick note to say I’ll be talking Soul Wars on Warhammer TV Friday 15th June, between 4-5pm. You can catch it live on https://www.twitch.tv/warhammer, if you’re interested.  And remember that on 16th June, I’ll be appearing at Black Library Live 2018, in Nottingham. 

You can also head over to the Black Library Facebook page to ask me questions about Soul Wars, or about the rest of my Black Library work. You’ve got until the 14th of June, if there’s something you’ve always wanted to ask me…that you haven’t already, in one of the hundred other places available for you to do that, I mean.