Jump to content

Elric of Melniboné: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Elric's saga: tried to clarify what I felt was convoluted
Citation bot (talk | contribs)
Bots
5,435,965 edits
Add: publisher, authors 1-1. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Jay8g | #UCB_toolbar
 
(907 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Fictional character}}
[[Image:elricwhitewolf1.jpg|thumb|''Elric as depicted in "Weird of the White Wolf" (Berkeley Books, 1983)'']]
{{For|the novel|Elric of Melniboné (novel)}}
{{Redirect|Elric}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Elric of Melniboné
| series =
| image = Weird of the white wolf daw 1977.jpg
| caption = Elric as depicted by [[Michael Whelan]] on the 1977 cover of ''The Weird of the White Wolf''
| first = ''[[The Dreaming City]]'', 1961 story
| last =
| creator = [[Michael Moorcock]]
| portrayer =
| voice =
| nickname =
| alias =
| species =
| gender = Male
| occupation = [[Emperor]], [[Magician (fantasy)|sorcerer]], [[warrior]]
| title = Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné
| family =
| spouse =
| significant_other =
| children =
| relatives =
| nationality = [[Melnibonean|Melnibonéan]]
}}


'''Elric of Melniboné'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=4358&page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416042923/http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=4358&page=3 |title=pronunciation |author=Michael Moorcock |date=1 March 2008 |archive-date=16 April 2009 |work=Moorcock's Miscellany |access-date=18 November 2016 |page=3 |quote=Mel-nib-on-ay (as in cafe) |url-status=dead}}</ref> is a fictional character created by English writer [[Michael Moorcock]] and the [[protagonist]] of a series of [[sword and sorcery]] stories taking place on an alternative Earth. The proper name and title of the character are Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné. Later stories by Moorcock marked Elric as a facet of the [[Eternal Champion (character)|Eternal Champion]].
'''Elric of Melniboné''' (pronounced mel-NIH-boh-nay) is a [[fictional character]] created by [[Michael Moorcock]]. He first appeared in print in 1961 in Michael Moorcock’s novelette, "The Dreaming City" (''Science Fantasy'' #47 June 1961); his first appearance in a novel was in ''[[Stormbringer]]'' (1965). His official name is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of [[Melniboné]].


Elric first appeared in print in Moorcock's [[novella]] "[[The Dreaming City]]" (''[[Science Fantasy (magazine)|Science Fantasy]]'' No. 47, June 1961). Moorcock's doomed [[Albinism in humans|albino]] [[antihero]] is one of the better-known characters in fantasy literature, having crossed over into a wide variety of media, such as [[role-playing game]]s, comics, music, and film. The stories have been continuously in print since the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Order of Elric Books |url=https://www.orderofbooks.com/characters/elric/ |website=Order of Books |access-date=2021-05-04}}</ref>
==Elric, a counterstereotype==
{{spoiler}}


==Description==
Elric presents an excellent example of a [[counterstereotype]], because he was written specifically as the polar opposite of [[Robert E. Howard]]'s [[Conan the Barbarian|Conan]] and similar fantasy heroes. Instead of a mighty-thewed [[barbarian]] warrior who fights his way from obscurity to achieve fame and power, Elric is a frail, sickly [[albino]], a highly-educated and cultured (often downright decadent) emperor who abandons his throne. Whereas the conventional [[fantasy]] [[hero]] rescues fair maidens from evil [[magicians in fantasy|wizard]]s and defends his country from invaders, Elric (inadvertently) slays his true love, is himself a powerful wizard, in league with the Chaos lord [[Arioch]], and leads a successful invasion against his homeland of [[Melniboné]].
Elric is described in 1972's ''Elric of Melniboné'':


{{Blockquote|text=It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone.<ref>{{cite book |title=Elric of Melniboné |last=Moorcock |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Moorcock |year=1987 |publisher=Ace |isbn=978-0-441-20398-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/elricofmelnibone00moor/page/192 192] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/elricofmelnibone00moor/page/192}}</ref>}}
Elric's [[tragic hero]] character is also inspired by the character of [[Monsieur Zenith]] created by [[pulp magazine|pulp]] author [[Anthony Skene]] and [[Kullervo]] from the [[Finland|Finnish]] [[Epic poetry|epic]] ''[[Kalevala]]''.


Elric is the last emperor of the stagnating island civilization of Melniboné. Physically weak, the anemic Elric must use drugs (special herbs) to maintain his health and vitality. From childhood, he read freely in the immense royal library and learned of the world outside the Dreaming Isle. Perhaps due to this in-depth study, unlike other members of his race, Elric has a conscience. He witnesses the decadence of his culture, which once ruled the known world, and worries about the rise of the Young Kingdoms populated by humans (Melnibonéans consider themselves separate from humanity), along with the threat they pose to his empire. Because of Elric's introspective self-loathing and hatred of Melnibonéan traditions, his subjects find him odd and unfathomable. However, his cousin Yyrkoon (next in the line of succession, as Elric has no heirs) interprets this behaviour as weakness and plots Elric's death. Complicating matters is Yyrkoon's sister Cymoril, who is deeply in love with Elric; Yyrkoon covets her, and part of his plan for usurpation is to marry Cymoril himself.
Elric is also one of the few sympathetic [[albino]] characters in Western fantasy literature, where characters with albinism are usually villains (see [[Evil albino]]). His image is generally idealized, his albinism treated as a thing of beauty – the stories are replete with descriptions of his "long flowing locks of white hair", "flawless bone-white skin" and "delicate, almost female features."


In addition to his skill with herbs, Elric is an accomplished sorcerer and summoner. As emperor of Melniboné, Elric is able to call for aid upon the traditional patron of the Melniboné emperors, Arioch, a Lord of Chaos and Duke of Hell. From the first story, Elric uses ancient pacts and agreements with not only Arioch, but various other beings—some gods, some demons—to help him accomplish his tasks.
Moorcock's characterisation of Elric is that of a doomed hero based heavily upon [[Scandinavian mythology]], a person whose actions lead to ruin, and ultimately death. Moorcock dwells as much upon Elric's paleness as [[Snorri Sturluson]] does upon [[Balder]]'s similar legendary pallor (which, however, is not said to be a function of albinism as in Elric's case) in the [[Younger Edda]] – compare:


Elric's discovery of the sword [[Stormbringer]] serves as both his greatest asset and disadvantage. The sword confers upon Elric strength, health, and fighting prowess, allowing him to do away with his dependence on drugs, but it must be fed by the souls of intelligent beings. In the end, the blade takes everyone close to Elric and eventually Elric's own soul as well. Most of Moorcock's stories about Elric feature this relationship with Stormbringer, and how it—despite Elric's best intentions—brings doom to everything he holds dear.


==Setting==
{{cquotetxt|He is best, and all praise him; he is so fair of feature, and so bright, that light shines from him. [[Matricaria perforata|A certain herb]] is so white that it is likened to Baldr's brow; of all grasses it is whitest, and by it thou mayest judge his fairness, both in hair and in body.|Snorri Sturluson}}
{{Infobox fictional location
| name = Melniboné
| alt_name =
| image = Melnibone.map.jpg
| caption = Map of the Young Kingdoms, with Melniboné at centre
| image2 =
| caption2 =
| source = ''Elric of Melniboné''
| creator = [[Michael Moorcock]]
| genre = [[Fantasy]], [[Sword and sorcery]]
| blank_label = Motto
| blank_data =
| blank_label1 = Anthem
| blank_data1 =
| locations = Imrryr (capital)
| blank_label2 = Language(s)
| blank_data2 =
| ethnic_groups = Melnibonéans
| type = [[Monarchy]]
| population =
| blank_label3 = Currency
| blank_data3 =
}}
'''Melniboné''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|ɛ|l|ˈ|n|ɪ|b|oʊ|n|eɪ}} {{respell|mel|NIB|o|nay}}), also known as the '''Dragon Isle''', is an imaginary country, an island among the '''Young Kingdoms'''.


Centuries before Elric's birth, Melniboné ruled its world through [[Magic (paranormal)|sorcerous]] might and sheer power. By the time of Elric's birth, it has slipped from its preeminent place, being one of many nations. The Melnibonéans themselves are not wholly human. They are skilled with [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]] and beautiful, though psychologically similar to [[Felidae|cats]], with a callous nature. They are bound by many ancient customs.
{{cquotetxt|It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the color of bone.|Michael Moorcock|''Elric of Melniboné''}}


Melniboné's capital and only surviving city is Imrryr, known as "The Dreaming City". Most of the rest of the island has been allowed to revert to wilderness. Caverns exist below the island, in which [[dragon]]s sleep, awaiting the Melnibonéans' summons to war.
He is a complex character, prone to self-loathing, brooding and despair, compelled to adventure by his own dark [[destiny|fate]] rather than a desire for riches or glory.


==Influences==
Being [[Emperor]] of Melniboné, he is a servant of the Lords of Chaos. Unlike his fellow Melnibonéans, who are decadent, cruel, and mostly devoid of sentiment and the gentler passions, Elric is plagued by his [[conscience]], has modern sensibilities and is very curious about the outside world. Melnibonéans are somewhat like [[elf|elves]] – but more like the amoral fairies in [[Jack Vance]]'s ''[[Lyonesse Trilogy|Lyonesse]]'' books than [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s majestic peoples – and "Elric" is a form of the [[Old Norse language|Norse]] ''Ælfric'' which means ''elf ruler''. In this way, Elric breaks the mold of the stereotypical Albino depicted in stories as a heartless monster.
Moorcock acknowledges the work of [[Bertolt Brecht]], particularly ''[[Threepenny Novel]]'' and ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'', as "one of the chief influences" on the initial Elric sequence; he dedicated 1972's ''Elric of Melniboné'' to Brecht.<ref>[http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=6841 "Mike's Recommended Reading List"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014173520/http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=6841 |date=14 October 2013}} by Michael Moorcock</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.librarything.com/work/108258|title=Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock|website=Library Thing}}</ref> In the same dedication, he cited [[Poul Anderson|Poul Anderson's]] ''[[Three Hearts and Three Lions]]'' and [[Fletcher Pratt]]'s ''[[The Well of the Unicorn]]'' as similarly influential texts. Moorcock has referred to Elric as a type of the "doomed hero", one of the oldest character-types in literature, akin to such hero-villains as [[Mervyn Peake|Mervyn Peake's]] Steerpike in the ''[[Titus Groan]]'' trilogy, Poul Anderson's Scafloc in ''[[The Broken Sword]]'', [[T. H. White|T. H. White's]] Lancelot in ''[[The Once and Future King]]'', [[J. R. R. Tolkien|J. R. R. Tolkien's]] cursed hero [[Túrin Turambar]], and Jane Gaskell's Zerd in ''[[The Serpent (novel)|The Serpent]]''.<ref>Michael Moorocok, "Aspects of Fantasy" in Darrell Schweitzer (ed.), ''Exploring Fantasy Worlds: Essays on Fantastic Literature''. San Bernardino, CA: Borgo Press, 1985, p. 27.</ref> John Clute considers Elric to be a deliberate parody of [[Robert E. Howard]]'s [[Conan the Barbarian|Conan]].<ref>John Clute and John Grant, eds. ''The Encyclopedia of Fantasy''
London: orbit, 1977p. 659.</ref>


The story of [[Kullervo]] from Finnish mythology<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/kvrune31.htm|title=The Kalevala: Rune XXXI. Kullerwoinen Son of Evil.|author=John Martin Crawford|year=1888|website=sacred-texts.com|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> contains elements similar to Elric's story, such as a talking magic sword and fatal alienation of the hero from his family.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/kvrune36.htm|title=The Kalevala: Rune XXXVI. Kullerwoinen's Victory and Death.|author=John Martin Crawford|year=1888|website=sacred-texts.com|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref>{{original research inline|date=May 2023}} Besides Elric, Kullervo has been proposed as having influence on Poul Anderson's 1954 novel ''[[The Broken Sword]]'',{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} and [[J. R. R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[Túrin Turambar]]. Moorcock has stated that "Anderson's a definite influence [on Elric], as stated. But oddly, the [[Kalevala]] was read to us at my boarding school when I was about seven", and "from a very early age I was reading Norse legends and any books I could find about Norse stories".<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=1102 Elric/Turambar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416042718/http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=1102 |date=16 April 2009}} – Moorcock's Miscellany.<!-- Bot generated title --></ref> Moorcock in the same posting stated that "one thing I'm pretty sure of, I was not in any way directly influenced by Prof. T[olkien]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,880844,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Tolkien times two | date=25 January 2003 | access-date=1 May 2010 | first=Michael | last=Moorcock}}</ref>
Elric is the (often unwilling) tool of his evil, [[Sentience|sentient]] [[sword]] [[Stormbringer]], which is itself a [[parody]] of the normal [[sword and sorcery|sword-and-sorcery]] hero's weapon. In Stormbringer, the sickly Elric finds the energy he needs, but at a terrible price &ndash; Stormbringer feeds on the [[soul]]s of those it slays and gives part of their life force to sustain Elric. Stormbringer is [[Intent|willful]], and by no means under Elric's control:


Elric's albinism appears influenced by [[Monsieur Zenith]], an albino [[Sexton Blake]] villain whom Moorcock appreciated enough to write into later multiverse stories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasy-magazine.com/reviews/st-joshi-micheal-moorcock/|title=The Metatemporal Detective by Michael Moorcock (review)|author1=Paula Guran|author2=Rich Horton|work=Fantasy Magazine|date=4 December 2007|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> Moorcock read Zenith stories in his youth and has contributed to their later reprinting, remarking that it "took me forty years to find another copy of Zenith the Albino! In fact it was a friend who found it under lock and key and got a copy of it to Savoy who are, at last, about to reprint it! Why I have spent so much energy making public the evidence of my vast theft from Anthony Skene, I'm not entirely sure... ".<ref>[http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=6938 Lancer pirates? > M. Zenith] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416053914/http://www.multiverse.org/fora/showthread.php?t=6938 |date=16 April 2009}} – Moorcock's Miscellany.<!-- Bot generated title --></ref> Moorcock later said: "As I've said in my introduction to ''Monsieur Zenith: The Albino'', the Anthony Skene's character was a huge influence. For the rest of the character, his ambiguities in particular, I based him on myself at the age I was when I created Elric, which was 20".<ref>Bill Baker, [http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/bakersdozen/back20050105.shtml World Famous Comics >> Baker's Dozen – 5 January 2005.<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The influence of Zenith on Elric is often cited in discussions of Zenith.<ref>E.g.: [http://www.blackstarreview.com/rev-0086.html Monsieur Zenith the Albino<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516071305/http://www.blackstarreview.com/rev-0086.html |date=16 May 2008 }}, and [http://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/whimsy.html Savoy People: The Most Banned Publishing Company in Britain<!-- Bot generated title -->].</ref>
{{cquotetxt|This sword here at my side...
Keeps calling me its master, but I feel like its [[Slavery|slave]].|[[Blue Öyster Cult]]|"Black Blade" (lyrics by [[Michael Moorcock]])}}


==List of stories==
As an embodiment of the [[Eternal Champion]], which mainly takes the form of a champion of [[Law]], Elric is torn between his ancestry and his [[destiny]]. Consequently, as the [[wikt:saga|saga]] progresses Elric's allegiance turns from [[Chaos]] towards Law. He eventually comes to represent a balance between these forces as he develops a hatred for all [[deities|gods]], both of Law and Chaos, for their manipulation of mortals. At the end, Elric's hopes for a world without gods who make a misery of human lives, results in his death while attempting to bring such a world into being.
{{See also|Michael Moorcock bibliography}}
Elric has appeared in many stories since 1962, which have been republished in several collections.


==Characters in the Elric series==
==Related characters==
{{Redirect|Yyrkoon|the French death metal band|Yyrkoon (band)}}
''See also: [[Deities in the Elric series]]''
* Arioch: Lord of Chaos.
* Cymoril: A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin, consort and first great love. He hopes to one day make her his wife and empress. She tries to understand and help Elric, but like his subjects, she has difficulty understanding Elric's motivations and would have him rule as the emperors of old. Despite that she stands by Elric in his weakest state before his acquiring of Stormbringer and she supports his dreams and wishes even when she is put in danger by them.
* Dyvim Slorm: A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin, son of Dyvim Tvar. He fights alongside Elric in the final war against Chaos, wielding the black sword [[Stormbringer|Mournblade]].
* Dyvim Tvar: A Melnibonéan, one of Elric's few friends. He is one of the Dragon Masters, a group of Melnibonéans who can speak to the Dragons of Melniboné. Dyvim Tvar stays loyal to Elric even after he destroys Imrryr. Dyvim Tvar also has more of a moral compass than most Melnibonéans.
* Ernest Wheldrake: An amiable poet and bard who involuntarily travels across the Multiverse. Amorous and good-natured, he is given to sudden expulsions of verse and song. He is writing an epic poem about Elric during their shared adventures.
* Jagreen Lern: The cruel ruler of Pan Tang, skilled with both magic and the use of a battleaxe.
* Moonglum of Elwher: A short, red-haired human with a cheerfully ugly face, adventuring companion to Elric. He and Elric share many dangers and rewards together. The most steadfast and loyal companion of all the Young Kingdom humans Elric encounters. He helps Elric in completing his fated purpose.
* Myshella of Law: Colloquially referred to as the Empress of the Dawn and The Dark Lady of Kaneloon, the powerful sorceress Myshella has acted as a guide and consort to Eternal Champions and adventurers alike down through the ages in the ineffable pursuit of Law. Immortal, ageless, and indescribably powerful. She sometimes rides a metal bird with emerald eyes, and more than once lends this mount to Elric.
* Oone: A Dreamthief by trade, at the Silver Flower Oasis in the Sighing Desert, Lady Oone helps Elric locate The Fortress of the Pearl when another of her order dies in a previous attempt. Her fleeting romance with the albino has considerable significance during the later 'Moonbeam Roads' trilogy.
* Prince Gaynor The Damned: A fallen knight of the Balance, doomed to suffer without release by the forces of Chaos. He inhabits a formless existence, imprisoned in a black-and-gold suit of armor emblazoned with the 8-pointed symbol of Chaos.
* Rackhir, the Red Archer: A human, once a Warrior Priest of Phum but cast out of his order. He and Elric travel and adventure together several times throughout the series. Unlike other characters who serve either Law or Chaos, Rackhir devotes himself to the Balance exclusively.
* Sepiriz: One of the ten remaining Nihrain, this dark-skinned servant of the Balance guides Elric through the final phases of his quest. He is also sometimes called 'The Knight in Black and Yellow'.
* Shaarilla of Myyrrhn: The daughter of a dead necromancer, Shaarilla of the Dancing Mist was born a mutant and an outcast among her people. Unlike her fellows of Myyrrhn, Shaarilla was born without wings. She enlists Elric to locate The Dead Gods' Book in the hopes it might contain a spell to reverse her deformity.
* Smiorgan Baldhead: A Count of the Isle of the Purple Towns, and an affable adventurer who accompanies Elric on his adventures on the Nameless Continent. His fleets aid in the Sacking of Imrryr.
* Theleb K'aarna: A human sorcerer of the Pan Tang isles. After being displaced as Queen Yishana's advisor and chief sorcerer by Elric, he seeks revenge and uses sorcery to hinder several of Elric's plans.
* The Rose: A beautiful, scarlet-haired warrior Elric encounters on his journeys through the Multiverse. She wields a Lawful counterpart to Elric's Chaos-forged demonblade 'Stormbringer' named 'Swift Thorn'. Serving neither Law nor Chaos, she has sworn an oath of revenge against Gaynor The Damned for the eradication of a universe that was precious to her.
* Yishana of Jharkor: A human, ruler of Jharkor. She presents Elric with several problems/adventures and openly covets his company and power. Her selfish desires are the root of several of Elric's problems, but she also aids him from time to time and ultimately becomes an important ally in his fight against Chaos.
* Yyrkoon: Prince of Melniboné, Elric's cousin. He is next in line for the throne, as Elric has no male heir. He worries about Elric's behaviour and takes all of Elric's brooding and philosophical talk as a sign of weakness. He yearns for a return to more traditional emperors and secretly plots Elric's demise. Yyrkoon is a great sorcerer who has made many pacts with unholy forces to obtain his sorcerous strength. As further evidence of his decadent ways, he openly desires his sister Cymoril and intends to make her his wife and Empress if his plans ever reach fruition.
* Zarozinia: A human of the Young Kingdoms. She falls in love with Elric and eventually marries him, for a time allowing him to experience true love and companionship. For her sake, Elric also gives up his blade Stormbringer and reverts to taking sorcerous herbs to sustain his life.


==In popular culture==
'''Arioch, Lord of the Seven Darks, Lord of the Higher Hell, The Knight of Swords''': One of the mightiest Dukes of [[Hell]] and a Chaos Lord. He is the perennial patron of the Melnibonéan emperors and is responsible for much of their sorcerous power and long rule. He finds Elric to be one of his sweetest servants, as Elric's moral dilemmas provide him with much sport.
===Anthologies===
Two anthologies of works by other authors set in the Moorcock multiverse have been published:
*{{cite book|title=Michael Moorcock's Elric: Tales of the White Wolf‬|date=1994|isbn=1-56504-175-5 |last1=Moorcock |first1=Michael |publisher=White Wolf }}
*{{cite book|title=Pawn of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion|date=1996|isbn=1-56504-933-0 |last1=Collins |first1=Nancy A. |publisher=White Wolf Publishing, Incorporated }}


===Comics===
'''Chardros, the Reaper''' (sometimes spelled 'Chardhros'): One of the most powerful Chaos Lords, similar to the [[Grim Reaper]]. He appears in the battle between Law and Chaos at the end of the saga.
[[File:Conan the Barbarian 14.jpg|right|thumb|''Conan the Barbarian'' No. 14 (March 1972), Elric's second appearance in comics. Cover art by [[Barry Windsor-Smith]].]]


The Elric saga has also been adapted for comics and graphic novels several times:
'''Cymoril''': A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin and consort. He hopes to one day make her his wife and Empress. She tries to understand and help Elric, but like his subjects, she has difficulty in understanding Elric's motivations and would have him rule as the emperors of old, with no concern for any but himself.
* In 1968, the French artist [[Philippe Druillet]] drew the first comics version of ''Elric'' in ''Spirits #1'', written by [[Michel Demuth]], which was published as a book the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bedetheque.com/BD-AUT-Druillet-La-Saga-d-Elric-le-Necromancien-119584.html|title=La Saga d'Elric le Nécromancien|website=Bedetheque}}</ref>
* In the early 70s [[James Cawthorn (artist)|James Cawthorn]] published his oversized graphic novel ''Stormbringer'' with Savoy Books.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/storm.html|title=Stormbringer|website=Savoy Book Store}}</ref>
* Elric first appeared in large-circulation comics in America in ''[[Conan the Barbarian (comics)|Conan the Barbarian]]'' issues 14–15 (1972), in an adventure in two parts entitled "A Sword Called Stormbringer!" and "The Green Empress of Melniboné". The comic was written by [[Roy Thomas]] and illustrated by [[Barry Windsor-Smith]], based on a story plotted by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn.<ref>{{Cite comic | writer=[[Roy Thomas|Thomas, Roy]] | penciller=[[Barry Windsor-Smith|Windsor-Smith, Barry]] | story=A Sword Called Stormbringer!", "The Green Empress of Melniboné | title=[[Conan the Barbarian (comics)|Conan the Barbarian]] | volume=1 | issue=14, No. 15 | date=March 1972 | publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]}}</ref>
* [[Star Reach]] comics published Elric stories in the late 1970s. [[First Comics]] published several ''Elric'' mini-series in the 1980s as well.
* [[P. Craig Russell]] has drawn comics adaptations of several Moorcock stories: ''Elric of Melniboné'' (with [[Roy Thomas]] and [[Michael T. Gilbert]], 6-issue mini-series, [[Pacific Comics]], 1983–1984), ''The Dreaming City'' and ''While the Gods Laugh'' (with [[Roy Thomas]], [[Epic Comics]], tpb, [[Marvel Graphic Novel]] No. 2, [[Marvel Comics]], 1982), and ''Stormbringer'' (7-issue [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]], 1997, [[trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]], [[Dark Horse Comics]], 224 pages, 1998, {{ISBN|1-56971-336-7}}).<ref>[http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=47-798 Stormbringer profile and preview]</ref> The character has also been adapted by Walter Simonson, [[Frank Brunner]], [[George Freeman (comics)|George Freeman]], and others in the long-running Elric series at Pacific which Russell had co-created (reportedly tensions between him and Thomas were the reason for his departure).
* 2011 marked the launch of another Elric-based comic, ''Elric: The Balance Lost'' by [[BOOM! Studios]]. The series, written by [[Chris Roberson (author)|Chris Roberson]] and drawn by Francesco Biagini, is available in both traditional hard copy and for digital download.
* In 2014, ''The Ruby Throne'', the first volume of a new four-volume adaptation of ''Elric of Melniboné'' written by Julien Blondel and illustrated by Didier Poli, Jean Bastide, and Robin Recht, was published by Glenat in France and titan in UK. The second volume, ''Stormbringer'', was published in March 2015 by the same team and publisher. The third volume, entitled ''The White Wolf'', was released in September 2017.<ref name="ElricBD">{{cite web|title=Elric BD Facebook Page|url=https://www.facebook.com/ElriclaBD/photos/a.327741404004656.64860.326773474101449/1048816828563773/?type=3&theater |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/326773474101449/1048816828563773 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|website=Elric BD Facebook|publisher=Glénat BD|access-date=15 February 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The fourth volume, ''The Dreaming City'', was released in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Elric: The Dreaming City @ Titan Comics|url=https://titan-comics.com/c/1695-elric-the-dreaming-city/|access-date=2021-08-19|website=titan-comics.com}}</ref> A second cycle of four tomes is beginning in 2024 with the release by GLÉNAT of ELRIC TOME 5 - LE NÉCROMANCIEN (The Necromancer), an adaptation of THE WEIRD OF THE WHITE WOLF by Julien Blondel and Jean-Luc Carradines Cano, with art by Valentin Sécher.


===Music===
'''Donblas, the Justice Maker''': A Lord of Law, the only one named in the saga. He aids Elric in his ultimate struggles against Chaos.
* The name of the album [[Stormbringer (album)|Stormbringer]] by the British [[heavy metal music|heavy rock]] band [[Deep Purple]] is based on Elric's sword "Stormbringer".
* ''[[The Chronicle of the Black Sword]]'' is a 1985 album by UK [[space rock]] band [[Hawkwind]]. Moorcock and Hawkwind had, at this stage, collaborated a number of times. An expanded live album, ''[[Live Chronicles]]'', was released in 1986. This included several [[spoken-word]] interludes by author Moorcock in his capacity as on-stage narrator. The live show also included a [[mime]] artist portraying Elric himself. A video [[concert film]] entitled ''The Chronicle of the Black Sword'' appeared on VHS and later on DVD.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Chronicle of the Black Sword DVD @ Discogs.com|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/649634-Hawkwind-The-Chronicle-Of-The-Black-Sword|access-date=2022-11-03|website=Discogs.com}}</ref>
* The song "[[Black Blade (song)|Black Blade]]" was recorded for the album ''[[Cultösaurus Erectus]]'' (1980) by [[Blue Öyster Cult]], written by singer/guitarist Eric Bloom with lyrics by Moorcock. Moorcock also collaborated on the songs "The Great Sun Jester" (''[[Mirrors (Blue Öyster Cult album)|Mirrors]]'' (1979)) and "[[Veteran of the Psychic Wars]]" (''[[Fire of Unknown Origin]]'' (1981)).{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
* The [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Tygers of Pan Tang]] take their name from the fictional islands of Pan Tang in the Elric series, where the ruling wizards keep pet tigers.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
* The UK space rock (later heavy metal) band [[Mournblade (band)|Mournblade]] take their name from the sister-sword of Elric's blade Stormbringer.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
*[[New wave of British heavy metal]] band [[Diamond Head (English band)|Diamond Head]] made Elric one of the primary lyrical subjects of their 1982 release ''[[Borrowed Time (Diamond Head album)|Borrowed Time]]'' and featured the character on the cover art. Songs from this release were re-recorded by [[Metallica]].{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
*[[Blind Guardian]], a German [[power metal]] band, included the song ''Fast to Madness'' in their 1989 album ''[[Follow the Blind]]'', about Elric of Melniboné.* *
*[[Italian Power Metal Band DOMINE]] have released 4 albums based heavily on Elric, namely "Champion Eternal" in 1997, "Dragonlord" in 1999, "Stormbringer Ruler" in 2002 and "Emperor of the Black Runes" in 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Domine/755 | title=Domine - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives }}</ref>


===Film===
'''Dyvim Slorm''': A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin, son of Dyvim Tvar. He fights alongside Elric in the final war against chaos, wielding the black sword [[Mournblade]].
* [[Wendy Pini]] published a book documenting her attempt to make an animated film project of the ''Stormbringer'' series, ''Law and Chaos: The "Stormbringer" Animated Film Project''.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
* In May 2007, in an interview with [[Empire (magazine)|''Empire'' magazine]], directors [[Chris Weitz|Chris]] and [[Paul Weitz (filmmaker)|Paul Weitz]] stated that they were in the process of adapting a trilogy of films based on Elric for [[Universal Pictures]].<ref name="Empire" /> Chris grew up reading the material<ref name="Empire" /> and has met with Moorcock, who trusted them with the project.<ref name="Empire">{{cite magazine | author=Empire Staff | url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=20750 | title=Weitz Brothers Making Elric | magazine=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] | date=29 May 2007 | access-date=13 July 2008}}</ref> Universal dropped the project and it is now in the hands of [[New Republic Pictures]].<ref name=":0" />


=== Television ===
'''Dyvim Tvar''': A Melnibonéan, Lord of the Dragon Caves. He is Elric's main ally and advisor. A true Melnibonéan, he lends no weight to any thought of deposing Elric, as it is the emperor's prerogative to act and do as he pleases. His main responsibility and personal love is the care of Melniboné's most destructive weapon, the [[dragon]]s. It was on the backs of these beasts that Melniboné carved out its empire and they are the most feared and respected weapons on earth.
* In November 2019, [[New Republic Pictures|New Republic]] announced the development of a television series based on the Elric novels, to be adapted by Glen Mazzara and Vaun Wilmott.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2019-11-19|title=Hot TV Package: Michael Moorcock's Fantasy Novel Series 'The Elric Saga' With Glen Mazzara & Vaun Wilmott|url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/the-elric-saga-tv-series-package-michael-moorcock-glen-mazzara-vaun-wilmott-1202788573/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref>


===Role-playing games===
'''King Grome''': King of the [[Earth (classical element)|earth]] [[elemental]]s. He is very selfish with both his aid and what he considers his ship. He helped create one of the most legendary of artifacts, The Ship which Sails over Land and Sea, and is responsible for the magics that allow the ship to move over land as if it were in water. He viciously disputes King Straasha over ownership of the ship and has vowed to take possession of it, if it ever were to be used in his realm of the land.
* Elric (along with Stormbringer) was listed in the first printing of [[Dungeons & Dragons|Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D)]] ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'' rule book. However, [[Chaosium]] already had a role-playing series in the works based on Elric and Stormbringer, and the initial AD&D printing was not fully authorised. A mutually beneficial deal was worked out between Chaosium and [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], yet TSR chose to remove Elric from later printings of ''Deities & Demigods''.<ref name="example">See the RPGnet brief history of Chaosium [http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory3.phtml for more details.]</ref>
* The world of Elric's Young Kingdoms was the setting of the ''[[Stormbringer (role-playing game)|Stormbringer]]'' [[role-playing game]] by the publisher Chaosium ([[Hawkmoon]] has also been so treated, as has Corum). In 1993 Chaosium released ''Elric!'' which still used their BRP system.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
* After a disagreement between Moorcock and Chaosium, the ''Stormbringer'' line was discontinued. Subsequently, a new version called "Elric of Melniboné" was published by [[Mongoose Publishing]] under their ''[[Runequest]]'' system in 2007.


===Video game===
'''Jagreen Lern''': The Theocrat of Pan Tang. He is the leader and mighty sorcerer of Pan Tang and is chosen by Chaos to lead their armies in conquering Elric's plane. He is ultimately given all of the Chaos Lords' powers in his fight against Elric and the minions of Law and Balance.
A video game based on ''Elric'' was in development by Haiku Studios and to be published by [[Psygnosis]] for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] during the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Elric |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=101 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=December 1997|page=93}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Four-Eyed Dragon |title=Sneak Previews: Elric|magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=112 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |date=January 1998|page=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Lauren|last1=Fielder|first2=Moira|last2=Muldoon|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_04/24_elric/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001119234500/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_04/24_elric/index.html|title=Elric on Hold|website=[[GameSpot]]|archivedate=November 19, 2000|date=April 24, 1998|accessdate=November 7, 2022}}</ref>


===Stormbringer===
'''Kakatal, the Fire Lord''': A powerful [[Fire (classical element)|fire]] elemental. (Described as the ruler of the fire elementals in third-party [[role-playing game]] material; this is neither directly supported nor contradicted by the original stories.)
There have also been several references in popular culture to Elric's sword [[Stormbringer]].
{{See also|Stormbringer#In popular culture}}


== Critical response ==
'''Mabelode, the King of Swords''' (sometimes spelled 'Mabelrode'): A Lord of Chaos, Mabelode is described as being "faceless". He appears in the great battle at the end of the saga.
Writing for [[NPR]], Jason Sheehan calls Elric "far and away the coolest, grimmest, moodiest, most elegant, degenerate, drug-addicted, cursed, twisted and emotionally weird mass murderer of them all".<ref name="Sheehan">{{cite web |last=Sheehan |first=Jason |date=June 17, 2014 |title=Summer Doldrums? These Nautical Reads Will Put Wind In Your Sails |url=https://www.npr.org/2014/06/17/318601990/don-t-risk-the-doldrums-boat-books-to-keep-the-wind-in-your-sails |access-date=September 4, 2014 |publisher=[[NPR]]}}</ref>


==Footnotes==
'''Misha and Graoll, the Lasshaar (Wind Giants, Lords of the Winds, Kings of the Winds)''': Powerful [[Air (classical element)|air]] elementals. They aid Elric in his final revenge on the troublesome sorcerer Theleb K'aarna. (Some third-party [[role-playing game]] material claims that Misha and Graoll are the sons of an elemental Queen Lassa, but there is no support for this in the original stories.)
{{Reflist|30em}}


==External links==
'''Moonglum of Elwher''': A short, red-haired human with a cheerfully ugly face, adventuring companion to Elric. He and Elric share many dangers and rewards together. The most steadfast and loyal companion of all the Young Kingdom humans Elric encounters. His final deed allows Elric to complete his fated purpose.
*[https://www.michaelmoorcock.net/ Moorcock's Miscellany] Official website; formerly Tanelorn, Multiverse.org & Moorcock's Weekly Miscellany)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080615042229/http://www.mmcc.yoyo.pl/ Michael Moorcock's Comics Compendium] incl. Elric adaptations
*[http://www.stormbringer.net/elric.html Stormbringer.net, a source of summaries of the novels]


{{Michael Moorcock}}
'''Myshella, The Dark Lady''': A great sorceress. She fulfills the task set to her by the Lords of Law, which is to tend the Castle Kaneloon as its mistress. She must also find heroes strong enough to withstand the forces of Chaos and thus create new lands on Elric's plane. She plays a part in several of Elric's adventures using her mighty sorcery and mechanical flying steed.
{{Kalevala}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Elric Of Melnibone}}
'''Rackhir, the Red Archer''': A human, once a Warrior Priest of Phum but cast out of his order. He and Elric travel and adventure together several times throughout the series.
[[Category:Eternal Champion (character)]]

[[Category:Michael Moorcock characters]]
'''Sepiriz''': Captain of the Fates. He and his nine brothers are representatives of [[destiny|Fate]] (servants of the Cosmic Balance) and are tasked with bringing about the will of the [[Moirae|Fates]] in preparation for the end of an age.
[[Category:Novels by Michael Moorcock]]

[[Category:Michael Moorcock's Multiverse]]
'''King Straasha''': King of the [[Water (classical element)|sea]] elementals and bound by age old pacts of service to the Emperors of Melniboné. His aid is sought and given on several occasions to Elric. He helped create The Ship which Sails over Land and Sea, providing the necessary magics for ocean travel, and disputes its ownership with King Grome.

'''Terarn Gashtek, Flame Bringer''': An eastern barbarian ruler. His sudden attack upon the west from across the Weeping Wastes takes them completely by surprise. He vows to rule the whole world but ends up settling for far less.

'''Theleb K'aarna''': A human sorcerer of the Pan Tang isles. After being displaced as Queen Yishana's advisor and chief sorcerer by Elric, he seeks revenge and uses sorcery to hinder several of Elric's plans. However, in the end he reaps the whirlwind of Elric's wrath.

'''Vezhan''': The King with Wings. A Lord of Chaos, once served by Rackhir.

'''Queen Yishana''': A human, ruler of Jharkor. She presents Elric with several problems/adventures and openly covets his company and power. Her selfish desires are the root of several of Elric's problems, but she also aids him from time to time and ultimately becomes an important ally in his fight against Chaos.

'''[[Yyrkoon]]''': Prince of Melniboné, Elric's cousin. He is next in line for the throne, as Elric has no male heir. He is greatly concerned at Elric's behavior and takes all of Elric's brooding and philosophical talk as a sign of weakness. He yearns for a return to more traditional emperors and secretly plots Elric's demise. Yyrkoon is considered a great sorcerer and has made many pacts with unholy forces to obtain his sorcerous strength. As further evidence of his decadent ways, he openly desires his sister Cymoril and intends to make her his wife and Empress if his plans for Elric ever reach fruition.

'''Zarozinia''': A human of the Young Kingdoms. She falls in love with Elric and for a time allows him to experience true love and companionship. Elric also gives up his blade Stormbringer and reverts to taking sorcerous herbs to sustain his life, all for the sake of his love of Zarozinia.

==Elric's saga==

===The Elric canon==
''Original Series''
*Elric of Melniboné
*The Sailor on the Seas of Fate
*The Weird of the White Wolf
*The Sleeping Sorceress (a.k.a. The Vanishing Tower)
*The Bane of the Black Sword
*Stormbringer

''Collections''
*Elric at the End of Time (1984)
*Michael Moorcock’s Elric: Tales of the White Wolf (1994)
*Pawns of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion (1996)

''Later Omnibus Editions''
*Elric of Melnibone (1993)
*Stormbringer (1993)

''Later Trilogy''
*The Dreamthief's Daughter
*The Skrayling Tree
*The White Wolf's Son

===Publishing history===

Although the "true" Elric's saga takes place over a number of books, those books entertwine with a lumti-universe that Moorcock created intertwining this series with a number of other series and though yes, complete by itself, it cannot be truly complete without the other books as well.

Elric first appeared in print in 1961 in Michael Moorcock’s [[novelette]] "The Dreaming City" (''Science Fantasy'' #47 June 1961). This was Moorcock's first sale of fiction, published when he was just 22 years old. A further four novelettes ("While the Gods Laugh", "The Stealer of Souls", "Kings in Darkness", "The Flamebringers") and four [[novellas]] ("Dead God's Homecoming", "Black Sword's Brothers", "Sad Giant's Shield", "Doomed Lord's Passing") followed, the last of these terminating the sequence with the close of Elric’s angst-ridden life. The five novelettes were collected in ''The Stealer of Souls'' (collection, Neville Spearman 1963) and the four novellas were first published as a novel in ''Stormbringer'' (''op. cit.''). (This early version of Elric’s saga, ie., these nine short stories – with the full text of ''Stormbringer'', as it appeared in ''Science Fantasy'' – has recently been republished in a single volume as ''Elric'' (Orion/Gollancz 2001), Volume 17 in the '''Fantasy Masterworks''' series.)

Moorcock wrote further Elric tales throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1977 DAW published what’s widely regarded as the canonical version of Elric’s saga: six books that collected the tales according to their internal chronology (and with the text of ''Stormbringer'' restored and revised). These DAW paperbacks all featured cover art work by the same young artist, [[Michael Whelan]], and helped to define the look of both Elric and his sword Stormbringer. Whelan has subsequently done the cover art for other Elric novels, as have many other artists.

A few oddments were collected in ''Elric at the End of Time'' (coll. NEL 1984). The novelette "Elric at the End of Time" fits into the saga between ''The Sailor on the Seas of Fate'' and ''The Weird of the White Wolf''.

In 1989 and 1991 two further novels were written by Michael Moorcock but quite clearly, Moorcock's views on heroic fantasy had changed in the thirty years since he first wrote about Elric and as a result these two novels had a very different feel from the earlier stories. This change is not surprising given that the first Elric story was published at the very beginning of Moorcock's career.

This new set of eight novels was the basis of two omnibus editions published in the UK by Millennium within its ''The Tale of the Eternal Champion'' series (and later in the US by [[White Wolf Game Studio|White Wolf]]):

* ''Elric of Melniboné'' (1993; vt ''Elric: Song of the Black Sword'' 1997 US);
** ''Elric of Melniboné''
** ''The Fortress of the Pearl''
** ''The Sailor on the Seas of Fate''
** ''The Dreaming City''
** ''While the Gods Laugh''
** ''The Singing Citadel''
* ''Stormbringer'' (1993; vt ''Elric: The Stealer of Souls'' 1998 US).
** ''The Sleeping Sorceress'' (aka ''The Vanishing Tower'')
** ''The Revenge of the Rose''
** ''The Stealer of Souls''
** ''Kings in Darkness''
** ''The Flamebringers'' (aka ''The Caravan of Forgotten Dreams'')
** ''Stormbringer''

White Wolf published an anthology of new Elric stories, ''Michael Moorcock’s Elric: Tales of the White Wolf'', ed. [[Edward E. Kramer]], in the US in 1994, and an anthology of new Eternal Champion stories, ''Pawns of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion'', ed. Edward E. Kramer, which includes four new Elric stories, in the US in 1996.

Starting in 2001, Michael Moorcock began publishing a new set of Elric novels, which was completed in 2005. The new trilogy consists of:

* ''The Dreamthief's Daughter'' (2001) – ISBN 0446611204
* ''The Skrayling Tree'' (2003) (previously announced as ''[The] Silverskin'') – ISBN 0446613401
* ''The White Wolf's Son'' (2005) (previously announced as ''Mournblade'' and ''Swordsman of Mirenburg'') – ISBN 0446577022

These latest novels stand somewhat apart from the main Elric sequence and they overlap with his [[Ulrich von Bek]] stories.

=== Chronology ===
The main sequence, according to the saga's internal chronology, comprises the following books (in those cases where a book is composed of several titled sub-stories, these are listed):

* ('''I''') ''Elric of Melniboné'' (novel, Hutchinson 1972, cut vt ''The Dreaming City'' 1972 US)
* ''The Fortress of the Pearl'' (novel, Gollancz 1989)
* ('''II''') ''The Sailor on the Seas of Fate'' (collection, Quartet 1976)
* ('''III''') ''The Weird of the White Wolf'' (collection, DAW 1977)
** ''The Dream of Earl Aubec''
** ''The Dreaming City''
** ''While the Gods Laugh''
** ''The Singing Citadel''
* ('''IV''') ''The Sleeping Sorceress'' (novel, NEL 1971; Ace 1971 as ''The Vanishing Tower'')
* ''The Revenge of the Rose'' (novel, Grafton 1991 as ''The Revenge of the Rose: A Tale of the Albino Prince in the Years of his Wandering'')
* ('''V''') ''The Bane of the Black Sword'' (collection, DAW 1977)
** ''The Stealer of Souls''
** ''Kings in Darkness''
** ''The Flamebringers'' (aka ''The Caravan of Forgotten Dreams'')
** ''To Rescue Tanelorn''
* ('''VI''') ''Stormbringer'' (novel, fix-up, cut, Herbet Jenkins 1965; restored, DAW 1977)
** ''Dead God's Homecoming''
** ''Black Sword's Brothers''
** ''Sad Giant's Shield''
** ''Doomed Lord's Passing''

=== Original comics ===
Elric's first original tale in a comic was a two-part [[Conan the Barbarian]] adventure "A Sword Called Stormbringer!" and “The Green Empress of Melniboné”. These were written by [[Roy Thomas]] from a story plotted by Michael Moorcock and [[James Cawthorn]], and appeared in ''Conan the Barbarian'' #14 and #15 (Marvel Comics, March 1972; artist: [[Barry Windsor-Smith]]; embellisher: [[Sal Buscema]]; letterer: [[John Costanza]]; editor: [[Stan Lee]]).

Moorcock wrote a 12-issue series of comics, ''Michael Moorcock’s Multiverse'', that weaves together stories featuring Elric and (at least) two other avatars of the [[Eternal Champion]]. Each story was illustrated by a different artist: [[Walter Simonson]], [[Mark Reeve]], and [[John Ridgway (comic artist)|John Ridgway]].

Most recently, Moorcock has written a 4-issue comic series, ''Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer'', again with Simonson. This is a direct prequel to ''Elric of Melniboné'', so fits neatly into the chronology of Elric’s saga.

==Music==
* [[Hawkwind]] (British rock band), detailed Elric's story on their album ''Chronicle of the Black Sword'' (1985). Moorcock appears with Hawkwind on the double live version of the ''Live Chronicles'' album where he narrates the tale and provides poetic interludes to move the plot along.

* [[Blue Öyster Cult]]'s song "Black Blade" on their album ''Cultosaurus Erectus'' (1980) was co-written by Moorcock, using Elric's point-of-view.

* [[3 Inches of Blood]] (Canadian metal band) have a song influenced by Elric and other [[Michael Moorcock]] characters. This track is titled "Sailor on the Seas of Fate". They have also recorded a trilogy of songs known as the "Upon The Boiling Sea" trilogy. While "The Boiling Sea" is an area of the ocean described in several of the Elric novels, the songs themselves do not refer to Elric or any other of Moorcock's characters, and appear to have nothing to do with Elric or any other of Moorcock's works.

* [[Blind Guardian]] (German [[power metal]] band) have two songs based on or referencing Elric. These songs are "Damned For All Time" and "Fast to Madness" (both found on their ''Follow the Blind'' album). They have also performed songs referencing [[Hawkmoon]] and [[Corum]].

* [[Domine]] (Italian metal band) have a number of songs based on the Elric saga. These songs are "The Eternal Champion" and "The Chronicles of the Black Sword" (from the ''Champion Eternal'' album), followed by "Last of the Dragonlords (Lord Elric's Imperial March)" and "Dragonlord (The Grand Master of the Mightiest Beasts)" (from the ''Dragonlord (Tales of the Noble Steel)'' album), followed by "Horn of Fate", "The Bearer of the Black Sword", "For Evermore", and "Dawn of a New Age (A Celtic Requiem)" (found on the ''Stormbringer Ruler'' album), and finally, "Arioch, the Chaos Star" and "The Song of the Swords" (from the ''Emperor of the Black Runes'' album). Additionally, Elric (and [[Stormbringer]]) are featured on the cover art for all four albums. [[Michael Moorcock]] himself is also specifically thanked and noted as an influence in the liner notes for each of their albums.

* [[Apollo Ra]] (American metal band) have a song, "Bane of the Black Sword", on their ''Ra Pariah'' album, which deals with Elric's adventures.

* [[Cirith Ungol (band)|Cirith Ungol]] (American metal band) have a song, "Nadsokor", on their ''One Foot In Hell'' album, referencing Elric and the city of beggars found in the Elric saga. The song "Master of the Pit" on the previous album, ''King of the Dead'', also seems to be about Elric slaying Arioch as it mentions a "doom-driven blade drinking the soul of the master". [http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/cirithungol/kingofthedead.html#3] [[Michael Whelan]]'s paintings of Elric are also featured on the cover art of all 4 Cirith Ungol albums, effectively making him the band's [[mascot]] the same way [[Iron Maiden (band)|Iron Maiden]] has [[Eddie the Head]] and [[Megadeth]] has [[Vic Rattlehead]].

* [[Battleroar]] (Greek metal band) have the song "Mourning Sword" on their self-titled album, which deals with Elric and his sword. On their album ''Age of Chaos'' they also have the song "Dyvim Tvar" about this minor character.

* [[Doomsword]] (Italian metal band) features the Elric-based song "Return to Imryyr" on their self-titled debut album. This album also features the band covering the Elric related song "Nadsokor" originally performed by [[Cirith Ungol]].

* [[Dark Moor]] (Spanish metal band) features an Elric related song titled "The Fall of Melnibone" as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their album ''Hall of the Olden Dreams''. The song was later made available to the American and European markets on the album ''Between Light and Darkness''.

* [[Diamond Head (band)|Diamond Head]] ([[NWOBHM]] band) has the song "Borrowed Time" on their ''Borrowed Time'' album, dealing with Elric and told from his point of view. He is also featured on the album's cover artwork.

* [[Tygers of Pan Tang]] ([[NWOBHM]]) took their name from the island of Pan Tang, a land of human sorcerors.

* [[Agnes Vein]] (Greek metal band) has the song "Sailor on the Seas of Fate" on their ''Of Chaos And Law'' album, dealing with Elric and his sword. The album title is also a reference to [[Michael Moorcock]]'s writings.

* UK hard rock band [[Magnum (band)|Magnum]] mention Elric and his sword in the song "Stormbringer" off the reissue of their ''Kingdom of Madness'' album. It was one of the very first songs they recorded, and was not commercially available until this reissue.

* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Panacea Panacea] (German [[drum n bass]] artist) has a song titled "Stormbringer" on the album "Low Profile Darkness".

* [[Deep Purple]] (Uk Hard Rock band)The song "Perfect Strangers" is about Elric, and they have an album named "Stormbringer".

* [[Dream Theater]] (American Metal band) has covered the song "Perfect Strangers" as well.

* The song "Heros Grief" by German technical [[thrash]] band [[Mekong Delta (band)|Mekong Delta]] is about Elric.

* [[Yyrkoon]] (French thrash metal band) is named after Elric's cousin.

==Adaptations==
Elric and Stormbringer have been detailed in the ''[[Stormbringer (role-playing game)|Stormbringer]]'' [[role-playing game]] by the publisher [[Chaosium]] and their licensees. [[Hawkmoon]] has also been so treated, as has [[Corum]].

Stormbringer (along with creatures and artifacts from many other sources) appears as an artifact in the [[roguelike]] computer game ''[[NetHack]]''. Other [[roguelike]]s, particularly those in the [[Zangband]] branch of the [[Angband]] family also feature [[Stormbringer]], among other [[Eternal Champion]] references. The [[Zangband]] variant called [[List of Angband variants|Gumband]] is more explicitly themed around [[Michael Moorcock|Moorcock]]'s writings, even including Elric as an enemy unique (to the dismay of many who consider fighting any of the aspects of the [[Eternal Champion|Champion]] (several of whom are in the game) to be sacrilege).

[[P. Craig Russell]] has drawn comics adaptations taken from three Moorcock novels: ''Elric of Melnibone''(with [[Roy Thomas]] and [[Michael T. Gilbert]]; [[Pacific Comics]]), ''The Dreaming City'' and ''While the Gods Laugh'' (representing the first two-thirds of ''Weird of the White Wolf''; [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]/[[Epic Comics]]), and ''Stormbringer''([[Dark Horse]]). The character has also been separately adapted by [[Walter Simonson]] and [[Frank Brunner]], and by [[George Freeman]] and others on the long-running Elric series at Pacific which Russell had co-created. (Reportedly tensions between himself and Thomas were the reason for his departure)

[[Wendy Pini]] published a book documenting her attempt to make an animated film project of the Stormbringer series. ''Law and Chaos: The "Stormbringer" Animated Film Project'' was published by Father Tree Press of Poughkeepsie, New York in 1987. The book contains original artwork, information on the characters, an overview of the plot, and her personal investment in the project. The film, however, never reached completion.

==References to Elric/Trivia==
*In the second to last episdoe of the TV show [[Alias (TV series)|Alias]], entitled [[Alias_episodes_%28Season_5%29#Reprisal|Repisal]]. A password for one of computer nerd [[Marshall Flinkman|Marshall Flinkman's]] programs is revealed to be "Moonglum of Elwher".

*In the ''Babylon 5 episode'' "[[The Geometry of Shadows]]", the leader of the techo-mages is named Elric in homage to Michael Moorcock's Elric novels.

*Elric appeared in issues #14 and 15 of [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]''. (''see Original Comics'')

*Prince [[Arthas Menethil]] in the ''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'' video game by [[Blizzard Entertainment]] is much like Elric in terms of his complexion, his soul-eating runesword, and his invasion of his homeland.

*The Elric character is affectionately parodied in the ''[[Cerebus the Aardvark]]'' [[graphic novels]] by [[Dave Sim]], as Elrod of Melvinbone, the Albino.

*In ''[[Castlevania: Symphony of the Night]]'', there is a sword called Mourneblade that heals the player character whenever it's used.

*One of the recurring antagonists in the [[2000 AD (comic)|2000AD]] comic strip ''[[Sláine (comics)|Sláine]]'' is named Elfric. He is depicted as pale-skinned with glowing red eyes.

*[[Karl Edward Wagner]] wrote a short story, "The Gothic Touch", in which his immortal antihero [[Kane (fantasy)|Kane]] enlists the aid of Elric and Moonglum, which can be found in Michael Moorcock’s ''Elric: Tales of the White Wolf'' and in Wagner's ''Exorcisms and Ecstasies''.

*Some crossover has occurred where imagery of Elric has influenced how Vampires are portrayed, for example, in the popular video game series ''[[CastleVania]]'', with characters such as [[Alucard]].

*Although Elric was nearly unknown as a given name before the advent of the Moorcockian hero, it has been known to be chosen by a number of fantasy fans for their children to bear.

*The [[Soul Reaver]], the sword that appears throughout the ''[[Legacy of Kain]]'' videogame series (Crystal Dynamics) is also a devourer of souls, granting its frail master's body nourishment. Also in ''Soul Reaver 2'', Raziel's sword turns on him and drains his soul. Raziel realises that the essence of the blade had always been himself. Elric experienced an extremely similar moment after the final defeat of Chaos.

*Ironically, while Elric was conceived as a counterstereotype, he might be the origin of the fantasy genre cliché of characters with albinism usually being sorcerers, psychics or otherwise "supernatural". (examples – Skywise from ''[[Elfquest]]'', the title character of ''[[Powder (film)|Powder]]'', [[Kaworu Nagisa]] from ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'', all the demons in ''[[InuYasha]]'' and the female necromancer who is the mascot of ''[[Guild Wars]]'')

*The character of [[Drizzt Do'Urden]] from the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' line of games and novels resembles Elric in described appearance, angst-ridden introspective personality, and in being a warrior from an evil society who has rejected the dark nature of his own people and come to serve the cause of good.

*Elric shares some similarities with [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[Túrin Turambar]], who appears in various versions of what would be printed as ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. Both are anti-heroes, both are based on [[Kullervo]], both wield sentient black swords (both one of a pair — though this specific detail is not yet present in the earliest version of Túrin's story, found in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', written in the 1920s), both unwittingly kill friends or lovers with them, and both are killed by them. The first Elric stories were published before ''The Silmarillion'', so the detail of the black sword(s) may have been conceived independently by both writers. Incidentally, Moorcock happens to dislike Tolkien's ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', and compared it to [[Winnie-the-Pooh]] in an essay, "[[Epic Pooh]]".

*The [[elf]] Belphanior, one of the main heroes in Thomas Miller's saga [[The Adventurers]], resembles Elric in his adventurers' skills, having eyes that glow red, and possessing a soul-eating black sword (Blackrazor) that lends strength to its wielder. The powerful sorcerer and wanted criminal Belphanior has a personality quite different from the personality of Elric, however. Though harsh and stern, Belphanior is just and energetic, praises personal and general freedom, and refuses to be the servant of any powerful supernatural entity.

==See also==
*[[Actorius]]

==External link==

* [http://www.multiverse.org/ Moorcock's Miscellany] (formerly Tanelorn, Multiverse.org & Moorcock's Weekly Miscellany)

[[Category:Eternal Champion|Elric of Melniboné]]
[[Category:Michael Moorcock characters| Elric of Melniboné]]
[[Category:Books by Michael Moorcock|Elric of Melniboné]]
[[Category:Michael Moorcock's Multiverse|Elric of Melniboné]]
[[Category:Fantasy books by series]]
[[Category:Fantasy books by series]]
[[Category:Fictional albinos]]
[[Category:Fictional characters with albinism]]
[[Category:Fictional drug addicts]]
[[Category:Fictional emperors and empresses]]
[[Category:Fictional emperors and empresses]]
[[Category:Fictional interdimensional travelers]]
[[Category:Fictional magic users]]
[[Category:Fictional mercenaries]]
[[Category:Fictional mercenaries]]
[[Category:Pacific Comics]]
[[Category:Fictional swordfighters in literature]]
[[Category:Parodies of Conan the Barbarian]]
[[Category:Fictional characters who use magic]]
[[Category:Characters in fantasy literature]]

[[Category:Dark fantasy]]
[[de:Elric von Melniboné]]
[[Category:Sword and sorcery]]
[[es:Elric]]
[[Category:Literary characters introduced in 1961]]
[[fr:Elric de Melniboné]]
[[Category:Characters in American novels of the 20th century]]
[[it:Elric di Melniboné]]
[[he:אלריק ממלניבונה]]
[[ja:エルリック]]
[[pt:Elric]]
[[fi:Elric]]

Latest revision as of 09:19, 31 December 2024

For the novel, see Elric of Melniboné (novel).
"Elric" redirects here. For other uses, see Elric (disambiguation).

Elric of Melniboné
Elric as depicted by Michael Whelan on the 1977 cover of The Weird of the White Wolf
First appearanceThe Dreaming City, 1961 story
Created byMichael Moorcock
In-universe information
GenderMale
TitleElric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné
OccupationEmperor, sorcerer, warrior
NationalityMelnibonéan

Elric of Melniboné[1] is a fictional character created by English writer Michael Moorcock and the protagonist of a series of sword and sorcery stories taking place on an alternative Earth. The proper name and title of the character are Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné. Later stories by Moorcock marked Elric as a facet of the Eternal Champion.

Elric first appeared in print in Moorcock's novella "The Dreaming City" (Science Fantasy No. 47, June 1961). Moorcock's doomed albino antihero is one of the better-known characters in fantasy literature, having crossed over into a wide variety of media, such as role-playing games, comics, music, and film. The stories have been continuously in print since the 1970s.[2]

Description

[edit]

Elric is described in 1972's Elric of Melniboné:

It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone.[3]

Elric is the last emperor of the stagnating island civilization of Melniboné. Physically weak, the anemic Elric must use drugs (special herbs) to maintain his health and vitality. From childhood, he read freely in the immense royal library and learned of the world outside the Dreaming Isle. Perhaps due to this in-depth study, unlike other members of his race, Elric has a conscience. He witnesses the decadence of his culture, which once ruled the known world, and worries about the rise of the Young Kingdoms populated by humans (Melnibonéans consider themselves separate from humanity), along with the threat they pose to his empire. Because of Elric's introspective self-loathing and hatred of Melnibonéan traditions, his subjects find him odd and unfathomable. However, his cousin Yyrkoon (next in the line of succession, as Elric has no heirs) interprets this behaviour as weakness and plots Elric's death. Complicating matters is Yyrkoon's sister Cymoril, who is deeply in love with Elric; Yyrkoon covets her, and part of his plan for usurpation is to marry Cymoril himself.

In addition to his skill with herbs, Elric is an accomplished sorcerer and summoner. As emperor of Melniboné, Elric is able to call for aid upon the traditional patron of the Melniboné emperors, Arioch, a Lord of Chaos and Duke of Hell. From the first story, Elric uses ancient pacts and agreements with not only Arioch, but various other beings—some gods, some demons—to help him accomplish his tasks.

Elric's discovery of the sword Stormbringer serves as both his greatest asset and disadvantage. The sword confers upon Elric strength, health, and fighting prowess, allowing him to do away with his dependence on drugs, but it must be fed by the souls of intelligent beings. In the end, the blade takes everyone close to Elric and eventually Elric's own soul as well. Most of Moorcock's stories about Elric feature this relationship with Stormbringer, and how it—despite Elric's best intentions—brings doom to everything he holds dear.

Setting

[edit]
Melniboné
'Elric of Melniboné' location
Map of the Young Kingdoms, with Melniboné at centre
Created byMichael Moorcock
GenreFantasy, Sword and sorcery
In-universe information
TypeMonarchy
Ethnic group(s)Melnibonéans
LocationsImrryr (capital)

Melniboné (/ˌmɛlˈnɪboʊneɪ/ mel-NIB-o-nay), also known as the Dragon Isle, is an imaginary country, an island among the Young Kingdoms.

Centuries before Elric's birth, Melniboné ruled its world through sorcerous might and sheer power. By the time of Elric's birth, it has slipped from its preeminent place, being one of many nations. The Melnibonéans themselves are not wholly human. They are skilled with magic and beautiful, though psychologically similar to cats, with a callous nature. They are bound by many ancient customs.

Melniboné's capital and only surviving city is Imrryr, known as "The Dreaming City". Most of the rest of the island has been allowed to revert to wilderness. Caverns exist below the island, in which dragons sleep, awaiting the Melnibonéans' summons to war.

Influences

[edit]

Moorcock acknowledges the work of Bertolt Brecht, particularly Threepenny Novel and The Threepenny Opera, as "one of the chief influences" on the initial Elric sequence; he dedicated 1972's Elric of Melniboné to Brecht.[4][5] In the same dedication, he cited Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions and Fletcher Pratt's The Well of the Unicorn as similarly influential texts. Moorcock has referred to Elric as a type of the "doomed hero", one of the oldest character-types in literature, akin to such hero-villains as Mervyn Peake's Steerpike in the Titus Groan trilogy, Poul Anderson's Scafloc in The Broken Sword, T. H. White's Lancelot in The Once and Future King, J. R. R. Tolkien's cursed hero Túrin Turambar, and Jane Gaskell's Zerd in The Serpent.[6] John Clute considers Elric to be a deliberate parody of Robert E. Howard's Conan.[7]

The story of Kullervo from Finnish mythology[8] contains elements similar to Elric's story, such as a talking magic sword and fatal alienation of the hero from his family.[9][original research?] Besides Elric, Kullervo has been proposed as having influence on Poul Anderson's 1954 novel The Broken Sword,[citation needed] and J.R.R. Tolkien's Túrin Turambar. Moorcock has stated that "Anderson's a definite influence [on Elric], as stated. But oddly, the Kalevala was read to us at my boarding school when I was about seven", and "from a very early age I was reading Norse legends and any books I could find about Norse stories".[10] Moorcock in the same posting stated that "one thing I'm pretty sure of, I was not in any way directly influenced by Prof. T[olkien]".[11]

Elric's albinism appears influenced by Monsieur Zenith, an albino Sexton Blake villain whom Moorcock appreciated enough to write into later multiverse stories.[12] Moorcock read Zenith stories in his youth and has contributed to their later reprinting, remarking that it "took me forty years to find another copy of Zenith the Albino! In fact it was a friend who found it under lock and key and got a copy of it to Savoy who are, at last, about to reprint it! Why I have spent so much energy making public the evidence of my vast theft from Anthony Skene, I'm not entirely sure... ".[13] Moorcock later said: "As I've said in my introduction to Monsieur Zenith: The Albino, the Anthony Skene's character was a huge influence. For the rest of the character, his ambiguities in particular, I based him on myself at the age I was when I created Elric, which was 20".[14] The influence of Zenith on Elric is often cited in discussions of Zenith.[15]

List of stories

[edit]
See also: Michael Moorcock bibliography

Elric has appeared in many stories since 1962, which have been republished in several collections.

Characters in the Elric series

[edit]
"Yyrkoon" redirects here. For the French death metal band, see Yyrkoon (band).
  • Arioch: Lord of Chaos.
  • Cymoril: A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin, consort and first great love. He hopes to one day make her his wife and empress. She tries to understand and help Elric, but like his subjects, she has difficulty understanding Elric's motivations and would have him rule as the emperors of old. Despite that she stands by Elric in his weakest state before his acquiring of Stormbringer and she supports his dreams and wishes even when she is put in danger by them.
  • Dyvim Slorm: A Melnibonéan, Elric's cousin, son of Dyvim Tvar. He fights alongside Elric in the final war against Chaos, wielding the black sword Mournblade.
  • Dyvim Tvar: A Melnibonéan, one of Elric's few friends. He is one of the Dragon Masters, a group of Melnibonéans who can speak to the Dragons of Melniboné. Dyvim Tvar stays loyal to Elric even after he destroys Imrryr. Dyvim Tvar also has more of a moral compass than most Melnibonéans.
  • Ernest Wheldrake: An amiable poet and bard who involuntarily travels across the Multiverse. Amorous and good-natured, he is given to sudden expulsions of verse and song. He is writing an epic poem about Elric during their shared adventures.
  • Jagreen Lern: The cruel ruler of Pan Tang, skilled with both magic and the use of a battleaxe.
  • Moonglum of Elwher: A short, red-haired human with a cheerfully ugly face, adventuring companion to Elric. He and Elric share many dangers and rewards together. The most steadfast and loyal companion of all the Young Kingdom humans Elric encounters. He helps Elric in completing his fated purpose.
  • Myshella of Law: Colloquially referred to as the Empress of the Dawn and The Dark Lady of Kaneloon, the powerful sorceress Myshella has acted as a guide and consort to Eternal Champions and adventurers alike down through the ages in the ineffable pursuit of Law. Immortal, ageless, and indescribably powerful. She sometimes rides a metal bird with emerald eyes, and more than once lends this mount to Elric.
  • Oone: A Dreamthief by trade, at the Silver Flower Oasis in the Sighing Desert, Lady Oone helps Elric locate The Fortress of the Pearl when another of her order dies in a previous attempt. Her fleeting romance with the albino has considerable significance during the later 'Moonbeam Roads' trilogy.
  • Prince Gaynor The Damned: A fallen knight of the Balance, doomed to suffer without release by the forces of Chaos. He inhabits a formless existence, imprisoned in a black-and-gold suit of armor emblazoned with the 8-pointed symbol of Chaos.
  • Rackhir, the Red Archer: A human, once a Warrior Priest of Phum but cast out of his order. He and Elric travel and adventure together several times throughout the series. Unlike other characters who serve either Law or Chaos, Rackhir devotes himself to the Balance exclusively.
  • Sepiriz: One of the ten remaining Nihrain, this dark-skinned servant of the Balance guides Elric through the final phases of his quest. He is also sometimes called 'The Knight in Black and Yellow'.
  • Shaarilla of Myyrrhn: The daughter of a dead necromancer, Shaarilla of the Dancing Mist was born a mutant and an outcast among her people. Unlike her fellows of Myyrrhn, Shaarilla was born without wings. She enlists Elric to locate The Dead Gods' Book in the hopes it might contain a spell to reverse her deformity.
  • Smiorgan Baldhead: A Count of the Isle of the Purple Towns, and an affable adventurer who accompanies Elric on his adventures on the Nameless Continent. His fleets aid in the Sacking of Imrryr.
  • Theleb K'aarna: A human sorcerer of the Pan Tang isles. After being displaced as Queen Yishana's advisor and chief sorcerer by Elric, he seeks revenge and uses sorcery to hinder several of Elric's plans.
  • The Rose: A beautiful, scarlet-haired warrior Elric encounters on his journeys through the Multiverse. She wields a Lawful counterpart to Elric's Chaos-forged demonblade 'Stormbringer' named 'Swift Thorn'. Serving neither Law nor Chaos, she has sworn an oath of revenge against Gaynor The Damned for the eradication of a universe that was precious to her.
  • Yishana of Jharkor: A human, ruler of Jharkor. She presents Elric with several problems/adventures and openly covets his company and power. Her selfish desires are the root of several of Elric's problems, but she also aids him from time to time and ultimately becomes an important ally in his fight against Chaos.
  • Yyrkoon: Prince of Melniboné, Elric's cousin. He is next in line for the throne, as Elric has no male heir. He worries about Elric's behaviour and takes all of Elric's brooding and philosophical talk as a sign of weakness. He yearns for a return to more traditional emperors and secretly plots Elric's demise. Yyrkoon is a great sorcerer who has made many pacts with unholy forces to obtain his sorcerous strength. As further evidence of his decadent ways, he openly desires his sister Cymoril and intends to make her his wife and Empress if his plans ever reach fruition.
  • Zarozinia: A human of the Young Kingdoms. She falls in love with Elric and eventually marries him, for a time allowing him to experience true love and companionship. For her sake, Elric also gives up his blade Stormbringer and reverts to taking sorcerous herbs to sustain his life.
[edit]

Anthologies

[edit]

Two anthologies of works by other authors set in the Moorcock multiverse have been published:

  • Moorcock, Michael (1994). Michael Moorcock's Elric: Tales of the White Wolf‬. White Wolf. ISBN 1-56504-175-5.
  • Collins, Nancy A. (1996). Pawn of Chaos: Tales of the Eternal Champion. White Wolf Publishing, Incorporated. ISBN 1-56504-933-0.

Comics

[edit]
Conan the Barbarian No. 14 (March 1972), Elric's second appearance in comics. Cover art by Barry Windsor-Smith.

The Elric saga has also been adapted for comics and graphic novels several times:

  • In 1968, the French artist Philippe Druillet drew the first comics version of Elric in Spirits #1, written by Michel Demuth, which was published as a book the same year.[16]
  • In the early 70s James Cawthorn published his oversized graphic novel Stormbringer with Savoy Books.[17]
  • Elric first appeared in large-circulation comics in America in Conan the Barbarian issues 14–15 (1972), in an adventure in two parts entitled "A Sword Called Stormbringer!" and "The Green Empress of Melniboné". The comic was written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith, based on a story plotted by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn.[18]
  • Star Reach comics published Elric stories in the late 1970s. First Comics published several Elric mini-series in the 1980s as well.
  • P. Craig Russell has drawn comics adaptations of several Moorcock stories: Elric of Melniboné (with Roy Thomas and Michael T. Gilbert, 6-issue mini-series, Pacific Comics, 1983–1984), The Dreaming City and While the Gods Laugh (with Roy Thomas, Epic Comics, tpb, Marvel Graphic Novel No. 2, Marvel Comics, 1982), and Stormbringer (7-issue limited series, 1997, trade paperback, Dark Horse Comics, 224 pages, 1998, ISBN 1-56971-336-7).[19] The character has also been adapted by Walter Simonson, Frank Brunner, George Freeman, and others in the long-running Elric series at Pacific which Russell had co-created (reportedly tensions between him and Thomas were the reason for his departure).
  • 2011 marked the launch of another Elric-based comic, Elric: The Balance Lost by BOOM! Studios. The series, written by Chris Roberson and drawn by Francesco Biagini, is available in both traditional hard copy and for digital download.
  • In 2014, The Ruby Throne, the first volume of a new four-volume adaptation of Elric of Melniboné written by Julien Blondel and illustrated by Didier Poli, Jean Bastide, and Robin Recht, was published by Glenat in France and titan in UK. The second volume, Stormbringer, was published in March 2015 by the same team and publisher. The third volume, entitled The White Wolf, was released in September 2017.[20] The fourth volume, The Dreaming City, was released in August 2021.[21] A second cycle of four tomes is beginning in 2024 with the release by GLÉNAT of ELRIC TOME 5 - LE NÉCROMANCIEN (The Necromancer), an adaptation of THE WEIRD OF THE WHITE WOLF by Julien Blondel and Jean-Luc Carradines Cano, with art by Valentin Sécher.

Music

[edit]

Film

[edit]
  • Wendy Pini published a book documenting her attempt to make an animated film project of the Stormbringer series, Law and Chaos: The "Stormbringer" Animated Film Project.[citation needed]
  • In May 2007, in an interview with Empire magazine, directors Chris and Paul Weitz stated that they were in the process of adapting a trilogy of films based on Elric for Universal Pictures.[24] Chris grew up reading the material[24] and has met with Moorcock, who trusted them with the project.[24] Universal dropped the project and it is now in the hands of New Republic Pictures.[25]

Television

[edit]
  • In November 2019, New Republic announced the development of a television series based on the Elric novels, to be adapted by Glen Mazzara and Vaun Wilmott.[25]

Role-playing games

[edit]
  • Elric (along with Stormbringer) was listed in the first printing of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) Deities & Demigods rule book. However, Chaosium already had a role-playing series in the works based on Elric and Stormbringer, and the initial AD&D printing was not fully authorised. A mutually beneficial deal was worked out between Chaosium and TSR, yet TSR chose to remove Elric from later printings of Deities & Demigods.[26]
  • The world of Elric's Young Kingdoms was the setting of the Stormbringer role-playing game by the publisher Chaosium (Hawkmoon has also been so treated, as has Corum). In 1993 Chaosium released Elric! which still used their BRP system.[citation needed]
  • After a disagreement between Moorcock and Chaosium, the Stormbringer line was discontinued. Subsequently, a new version called "Elric of Melniboné" was published by Mongoose Publishing under their Runequest system in 2007.

Video game

[edit]

A video game based on Elric was in development by Haiku Studios and to be published by Psygnosis for the PlayStation during the late 1990s.[27][28][29]

Stormbringer

[edit]

There have also been several references in popular culture to Elric's sword Stormbringer.

See also: Stormbringer § In popular culture

Critical response

[edit]

Writing for NPR, Jason Sheehan calls Elric "far and away the coolest, grimmest, moodiest, most elegant, degenerate, drug-addicted, cursed, twisted and emotionally weird mass murderer of them all".[30]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Michael Moorcock (1 March 2008). "pronunciation". Moorcock's Miscellany. p. 3. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2016. Mel-nib-on-ay (as in cafe)
  2. ^ "Order of Elric Books". Order of Books. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. ^ Moorcock, Michael (1987). Elric of Melniboné. Ace. pp. 192. ISBN 978-0-441-20398-7.
  4. ^ "Mike's Recommended Reading List" Archived 14 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine by Michael Moorcock
  5. ^ Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Michael Moorocok, "Aspects of Fantasy" in Darrell Schweitzer (ed.), Exploring Fantasy Worlds: Essays on Fantastic Literature. San Bernardino, CA: Borgo Press, 1985, p. 27.
  7. ^ John Clute and John Grant, eds. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy London: orbit, 1977p. 659.
  8. ^ John Martin Crawford (1888). "The Kalevala: Rune XXXI. Kullerwoinen Son of Evil". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  9. ^ John Martin Crawford (1888). "The Kalevala: Rune XXXVI. Kullerwoinen's Victory and Death". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  10. ^ Elric/Turambar Archived 16 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Moorcock's Miscellany.
  11. ^ Moorcock, Michael (25 January 2003). "Tolkien times two". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  12. ^ Paula Guran; Rich Horton (4 December 2007). "The Metatemporal Detective by Michael Moorcock (review)". Fantasy Magazine. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  13. ^ Lancer pirates? > M. Zenith Archived 16 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Moorcock's Miscellany.
  14. ^ Bill Baker, World Famous Comics >> Baker's Dozen – 5 January 2005.
  15. ^ E.g.: Monsieur Zenith the Albino Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, and Savoy People: The Most Banned Publishing Company in Britain.
  16. ^ "La Saga d'Elric le Nécromancien". Bedetheque.
  17. ^ "Stormbringer". Savoy Book Store.
  18. ^ Thomas, Roy (w), Windsor-Smith, Barry (p). "A Sword Called Stormbringer!, The Green Empress of Melniboné" Conan the Barbarian, vol. 1, no. 14, No. 15 (March 1972). Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ Stormbringer profile and preview
  20. ^ "Elric BD Facebook Page". Elric BD Facebook. Glénat BD. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Elric: The Dreaming City @ Titan Comics". titan-comics.com. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  22. ^ "The Chronicle of the Black Sword DVD @ Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Domine - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives".
  24. ^ a b c Empire Staff (29 May 2007). "Weitz Brothers Making Elric". Empire. Retrieved 13 July 2008.
  25. ^ a b "Hot TV Package: Michael Moorcock's Fantasy Novel Series 'The Elric Saga' With Glen Mazzara & Vaun Wilmott". Deadline. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  26. ^ See the RPGnet brief history of Chaosium for more details.
  27. ^ "Elric". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 101. Ziff Davis. December 1997. p. 93.
  28. ^ Four-Eyed Dragon (January 1998). "Sneak Previews: Elric". GamePro. No. 112. IDG. p. 56.
  29. ^ Fielder, Lauren; Muldoon, Moira (24 April 1998). "Elric on Hold". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 19 November 2000. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  30. ^ Sheehan, Jason (17 June 2014). "Summer Doldrums? These Nautical Reads Will Put Wind In Your Sails". NPR. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Elric_of_Melniboné&oldid=1266381070"