Zothique by Clark Ashton Smith
Zothique is a fictional setting crafted by writer Clark Ashton Smith, characterized by its dark fantasy themes and a richly imagined world steeped in necromancy and the macabre. The stories set in Zothique often revolve around powerful necromancers, their sinister empires, and the tragic fates of those who cross their paths. In tales such as "The Empire of the Necromancers," magicians grapple with the consequences of their despotism, leading to rebellion and chaos. Other narratives explore themes of loss and regret, as seen in "The Voyage of King Euvoran," where a king's quest for his lost crown results in unexpected humiliation.
The stories frequently feature surreal elements and erotic fantasy, with characters facing moral dilemmas and existential anguish, exemplified by "Xeethra," where an encounter with the underworld leads to a profound existential crisis. Zothique is also home to intense conflicts and tragic outcomes, such as the horrific climax of "The Dark Eidolon." The setting is notable for its blend of horror, dark fantasy, and eroticism, showcasing a range of compelling tales that delve into human desires and the supernatural. Overall, Zothique offers a captivating exploration of dark themes that entice readers interested in fantasy literature.
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Zothique
First published: 1970
Type of work: Stories
Type of plot: Fantasy—magical world
Time of work: The distant future
Locale: Zothique
The Plot
In “The Empire of the Necromancers” (1932), two magicians conjure themselves an empire out of the dust of the ages and the corpses of the ancient dead, but their despotic rule leads to bloody rebellion by their subjects. The eponymous hero of “The Voyage of King Euvoran” (1933) offends a necromancer and is punished by the loss of his remarkable crown, which is carried away by the fabulous bird whose feathers topped it. Misled by an apparently favorable oracle, the king goes in quest of his lost crown but finds instead a peculiarly apt humiliation.
In “Xeethra” (1934), a goat-boy strays into the underworld of the dark god Thasaidon, where he eats a magical fruit that makes him conscious of a former existence as a king. He finds his kingdom desolate and sells his soul in order to enter a dream in which its lost glory is restored to him, agreeing to surrender it if ever he regrets his estate. When Thasaidon contrives to seduce the all-important moment of regret, the anguish of his loss becomes his hell.
In “The Dark Eidolon” (1935), a necromancer defies his supernatural protector in order to carry forward his vendetta against a king who abused him in his youth. The story reaches its destructive climax in a literal feast of horrors.
In “Necromancy in Naat” (1936), the sole survivor of a shipwreck, a prince who has been searching for his lost love, is pressed into the service of a family of necromancers. He is reunited with the downed crew of the ship and his similarly resurrected loved one. He joins a plot by which the two sons of the family hope to usurp their father, but it goes gruesomely wrong. The prince is killed, and the last necromancer commits suicide, leaving the resurrected servants to find a “ghostly comfort” in their liberation.
“The Isle of the Torturers” (1933) is an account of a sadistic orgy whose victim eventually wins a Pyrrhic victory over his tormentors. “The Witchcraft of Ulua” (1934) and “The Death of Ilalotha” (1937) are intense erotic fantasies featuring malevolent femmes fatales. The necrophilia of the latter tale is echoed in “The Charnel God” (1934), in which a young man must save his cataleptic fiancée from the priests of the dark god Mordiggian. The collection also contains “The Weaver in the Vault” (1934), “The Tomb-Spawn” (1934), “The Last Hieroglyph” (1935), “The Black Abbot of Puthuum” (1936), “The Garden of Adompha” (1938), “The Master of the Crabs” (1948), and “Morthylla” (1953).