Law and Chaos
Encyclopedia
Law and Chaos are the dominant metaphysical
forces in the fantasy
stories of Michael Moorcock
, which he derived from Poul Anderson
(especially his Three Hearts and Three Lions). Law
and Chaos
are in constant struggle, but they are kept in check by the Cosmic Balance, an even more powerful force for neutrality. The Eternal Champion
is doomed to be a pawn for the Balance. In order that he can oppose Chaos and serve the interests of Law throughout the Multiverse
, he is reincarnated in the virtually infinite planes of existence.
The Elric series contains the most information about Law, Chaos, and the Balance, as well as the beings called the Lords of the Higher Worlds: the deities
who serve and represent Chaos or Law. This may be explained by three reasons. (1) Moorcock has written more about Elric than any other character. (2) Elric spends more time interacting with deities and cosmic forces because he is a powerful sorcerer
. (3) The Lords of the Higher Worlds are more numerous in Elric’s world or interact with it more frequently. In an episode mirrored in The Vanishing Tower and The King of the Swords, Elric meets another incarnation of the Eternal Champion, Corum Jhaelen Irsei
, who explains to him:
In the world of Hawkmoon
, for example, Chaos is powerful but is seldom personified. The Lords of the Higher Worlds appear mainly in the series about Elric and Corum.
Variations exist in the allegiance of intelligent races to Law or Chaos. In Elric’s world, humans are naturally inclined towards Law and must pervert themselves in order to gain the assistance of Chaos, while the inhuman Melniboné
ans feel a natural sympathy with Chaos. But in Corum’s worlds, the humanoid Vadhagh as the creations of Law tend towards good. The Mabden (humans), though creations of Chaos, are capable of both good and evil without the manipulations of the gods.
) expresses the principle of possibility unfettered by rules. In general, magic
and sorcery draw on the powers of Chaos because they break the laws of nature. The effects of Chaos can be beautiful, but left unchecked, they become too disruptive for life.
Pure Chaos stuff manifests in Stormbringer
and "The Dream of Earl Aubec". It is swirling, constantly changing, multicolored matter with the power to melt and twist anything with which it comes in contact, including living flesh. Mortals find the sight of pure Chaos disturbing. Ironically, a realm controlled by Chaos becomes stagnant: the state of constant change lacks meaning, and eventually all possibilities are exhausted. Corum encounters a similar state of nature when he visits the realm of Xiombarg in The Queen of the Swords. In Stormbringer, when Chaos takes over much of the world, Elric and his companions observe that the sun is motionless and time seems to stand still.
Just as the Eternal Champion can be a servant of Law, though he is often more the servant of the balance, so Chaos also have its own champions. The most formidable is Prince Gaynor the Damned, formerly a servant of the Law but condemned by the Balance to aid Chaos after an unspeakable betrayal. He is completely hidden in shining armor
that constantly changes hue from gold to silver to blue and so on, emblazoned with the symbol of Chaos
- an image of eight arrows, radiating in all directions from a central point, to represent the many possibilities Chaos offers.
Elric’s sword Stormbringer
is a Chaotic being, but not a god; it is powerful enough to slay Chaos Lords, and apparently feels no bond of sympathy with them. It is typical of Chaos to be at war with itself.
as insane. Sorcerers often gain power by entering into diabolical pacts with Chaos Lords. Mortals who ally with Disorder gradually become misshapen or corrupt.
Chaos Lords are sometimes restricted from acting directly against humans. In The Queen of the Swords, for instance, it is said that Xiombarg (as all the gods) is not permitted to strike directly against others unless they attack her, and must instead act through intermediaries. At other times, they may act without prohibition (as, for example, when Elric calls upon the aid of Arioch; the god may attack mortals without hesitation). Similar limitations are probably placed upon the Lords of Law. They are also restricted in their ability to move between planes. For instance, Arioch must be summoned by Elric before he can manifest on Earth.
In the Elric series, there are many Chaos Lords, some more powerful than others, but the relationships between them is not always clear.
In Corum’s world, by contrast, there is a well-developed hierarchy of Chaos. The Fifteen Planes are divided into three groups of five planes, each governed by one of the three Sword Rulers, who are some of the "Old Gods": Arioch ("Knight of Swords"), Xiombarg ("Queen of Swords"), and Mabelode ("the Faceless", "King of Swords"). These gods also appear in the Elric series, but their character is slightly different. Arioch, the first Corum encounters, is the weakest of the three. He appears for much of the time as brutish, crude and direct, in contrast to his sophisticated, subtle nature as Elric’s patron and perhaps less intelligent, though he also shows a different form to Corum. The crudity may be a result of interaction between him and the Mabden. Xiombarg appears as an unspeakably beautiful woman. She is more powerful and is more active in controlling and manipulating the planes under her control. However, when her anger is aroused, it leads to her downfall. Mabelode is most powerful of all. Much of his realm is constantly changing chaos-stuff. He appears as a literally faceless man bearing a golden sword.
The Sword Rulers have vassals; it is possible that similar relationships exist between the deities in Elric’s world though this is not made explicit. Arioch’s vassals include Urleh, a minor god of Chaos serving the sophisticated Mabden (humans) of Lwyn-am-Esh; and the Dog and the Horned Bear, the savage beast-gods of the barbarians. A former priest of Urleh tells Corum that these gods are omnipotent and omniscient only over their spheres of influence; the Dog and the Bear are knowledgeable chiefly about Mabden affairs. Mabelode has a host of Dukes of Hell under him, but the only one named is Duke Teer. He has a vaguely pig-like head and takes great pride in his "Castle Built of Blood".
During the time when most of the Eternal Champion cycle is set, Law is weak and is in fact banished from most mortal planes of existence. Elric must summon the White Lords to his plane by blowing the Horn of Fate. In Corum's realm, the destruction of first Arioch, then Xiombarg permits the return of Law. At the end, all gods are swept away leaving the races to make their own destinies.
Besides the Eternal Champion, Law has servants who aid Law by advising the Champion or in other ways. Myshella, the Dark Lady of Kaneloon, Empress of the Dawn, is a servant of Law in Elric’s world. She serves Law by tempting or guiding heroes to pit their wills against pure Chaos, by which process the lands of Earth are extended. In The Quest for Tanelorn, Hawkmoon
comes upon a unique "Gathering of the Wise," messengers of Law brought together from many planes. Present at the gathering are Sepiriz of Nihrain, who advises Elric in Stormbringer; Abaris of the Magi; Lamsar the Hermit, who guides Rackhir to the Grey Lords in "To Rescue Tanelorn"; the Warrior in Jet and Gold (who also appears in The Dragon in the Sword); Aleryon-a-Nyvish of the Temple of Law, a priest of Ilah in The Queen of the Swords; and the Silver Queen from Phoenix in Obsidian
.
The Symbol of Law is a single Arrow of Law.
Donblas is the only Lord of Law to appear in Elric's World. In Corum’s world, there are three chief Lords of Law, corresponding to the three Sword Rulers. The first is Arkyn, counterpart to Arioch. When first met, his powers are weak and he has difficulty manifesting in Corum’s plane and appears as an indistinct but tall figure. When his powers return, he appears as a gigantic (as tall as the sky) handsome figure. He is the creator of the Vadhagh, his favorite race. There is a brief reference to "Lord Shalod" (the ruler of the second five planes of the Corum mythos), presumably the counterpart to Xiombarg, but he is not described. A counterpart to Mabelode is not named. Like the Chaos Lords, the Lords of Law have their vassals. The only vassal deity of Law named is Ilah, a servant of Arkyn.
The Runestaff is a sentient object associated with the Balance, as Stormbringer is associated with Chaos.
The Grey Lords appear in the story "To Rescue Tanelorn," where it is said that they “are pledged neither to Law nor to Chaos, but will sometimes help either side if the whim takes them.” The Grey Lords take pride, ironically, in their humility. These purposefully neutral gods are gods of the Balance and caretakers of Tanelorn
, the city of the Balance.
Eternal Tanelorn exists in all planes of the Multiverse. It is neutral in the war between Law and Chaos, so it serves as a place of rest and retreat for tired heroes. As a general rule, they can only find the city after a long and difficult search. Its inhabitants are happy and productive because they are free to pursue their own interests instead of the desires of gods. People in Tanelorn feel intense peace.
The fate of Law, Chaos, and the Balance is revealed in The Quest for Tanelorn, in which the history of one cycle of the Multiverse is concluded during the Conjunction of the Million Spheres. After defeating the sorcerers Agak and Gagak, Hawkmoon and Erekose
reach Tanelorn where they meet the Runestaff and Stormbringer in humanoid forms. Hawkmoon learns that the Black Sword and the Black Jewel are two aspects of the same creature. At the beginning of the Great Cycle, powerful smiths (the Chaos Engineers) created the Sword, the Jewel, the Runestaff, and finally the Balance to preserve Order between Law and Chaos, especially to limit the power of Stormbringer.
Erekose takes up the Black Sword and destroys the Balance; then Hawkmoon smashes the Jewel with the Runestaff, which breaks. Thus, the last symbols of Authority are destroyed, leaving humanity free to make its own fate, but Erekose is also killed by the release of power. Hawkmoon is the last surviving incarnation of the Eternal Champion, and with all gods dead, his function as Champion is ended.
The Sword Trilogy introduces two beings who are beyond even the balance, Kwll and Rhynn, also known as the "Lost Gods". The only thing that binds them is their brotherhood. In the King of Swords it is they who first destroy Mabelode and his Dukes of Hell, then the gods of Law as well.
in Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games. In Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Law, Chaos and Neutral (Balance) are combined with Good, Evil and Neutral to create a total of nine alignments.
Moorcock's conception of Chaos also heavily inspired, and in some cases was lifted verbatim by Games Workshop
in the creation of its Warhammer
and Warhammer 40,000
fictional settings. Notably, however, they only briefly used Moorcock's conceptions of Order or the Balance. The descriptions of Chaos, of the eight-pointed star, of the Chaos Lords, the strange multicolored hues of energies, mutations and warping of matter and flesh, and so forth found in the Warhammer settings are all derived directly from Moorcock's works.
Adaptions
While she was attending college, Wendy Pini, of WaRP Graphics, asked for and received permission to try to adapt the Elric series into an animated film. Although the project was not fully realized, she did create Law and Chaos: The Stormbringer Animated Film Projects, (available on Amazon.com, published 1987), the story of her trials and triumphs as she grew and gained experience. And, in the end, she does tell Elric's story in a new and different way
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
forces in the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
stories of Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, which he derived from Poul Anderson
Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
(especially his Three Hearts and Three Lions). Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and Chaos
Chaos (cosmogony)
Chaos refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creation myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth....
are in constant struggle, but they are kept in check by the Cosmic Balance, an even more powerful force for neutrality. The Eternal Champion
Eternal Champion
The Eternal Champion is a fictional creation of the author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his novels.-About the Eternal Champion:...
is doomed to be a pawn for the Balance. In order that he can oppose Chaos and serve the interests of Law throughout the Multiverse
The Multiverse
The Multiverse is a series of parallel universes in many of the science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories written by Michael Moorcock. Central to these works is the concept of an Eternal Champion who has potentially multiple identities across multiple dimensions...
, he is reincarnated in the virtually infinite planes of existence.
The Elric series contains the most information about Law, Chaos, and the Balance, as well as the beings called the Lords of the Higher Worlds: the deities
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
who serve and represent Chaos or Law. This may be explained by three reasons. (1) Moorcock has written more about Elric than any other character. (2) Elric spends more time interacting with deities and cosmic forces because he is a powerful sorcerer
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
. (3) The Lords of the Higher Worlds are more numerous in Elric’s world or interact with it more frequently. In an episode mirrored in The Vanishing Tower and The King of the Swords, Elric meets another incarnation of the Eternal Champion, Corum Jhaelen Irsei
Corum Jhaelen Irsei
Corum Jhaelen Irsei is the name of a fictional fantasy hero in a series of two trilogies written by author Michael Moorcock.- Plot summary :...
, who explains to him:
- There are many planes of existence. In some the Lords of Chaos are strong. In some they are weak. In some, I have heard, they do not exist at all.
In the world of Hawkmoon
Hawkmoon
Dorian Hawkmoon, Duke of Köln is one of the fictional characters created by Michael Moorcock in his series of the Eternal Champion books.-Overview:Dorian Hawkmoon is one of the less "problematic" characters Moorcock ever created a series around...
, for example, Chaos is powerful but is seldom personified. The Lords of the Higher Worlds appear mainly in the series about Elric and Corum.
Variations exist in the allegiance of intelligent races to Law or Chaos. In Elric’s world, humans are naturally inclined towards Law and must pervert themselves in order to gain the assistance of Chaos, while the inhuman Melniboné
Melniboné
Melniboné , also known as the Dragon Isle, is an imaginary country, an island featured in the writings of Michael Moorcock. It is the homeland of Elric, one of the incarnations of the Eternal Champion....
ans feel a natural sympathy with Chaos. But in Corum’s worlds, the humanoid Vadhagh as the creations of Law tend towards good. The Mabden (humans), though creations of Chaos, are capable of both good and evil without the manipulations of the gods.
Chaos
Chaos (disorder, entropyEntropy
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that can be used to determine the energy available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when...
) expresses the principle of possibility unfettered by rules. In general, magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
and sorcery draw on the powers of Chaos because they break the laws of nature. The effects of Chaos can be beautiful, but left unchecked, they become too disruptive for life.
Stormbringer
Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
and "The Dream of Earl Aubec". It is swirling, constantly changing, multicolored matter with the power to melt and twist anything with which it comes in contact, including living flesh. Mortals find the sight of pure Chaos disturbing. Ironically, a realm controlled by Chaos becomes stagnant: the state of constant change lacks meaning, and eventually all possibilities are exhausted. Corum encounters a similar state of nature when he visits the realm of Xiombarg in The Queen of the Swords. In Stormbringer, when Chaos takes over much of the world, Elric and his companions observe that the sun is motionless and time seems to stand still.
Just as the Eternal Champion can be a servant of Law, though he is often more the servant of the balance, so Chaos also have its own champions. The most formidable is Prince Gaynor the Damned, formerly a servant of the Law but condemned by the Balance to aid Chaos after an unspeakable betrayal. He is completely hidden in shining armor
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
that constantly changes hue from gold to silver to blue and so on, emblazoned with the symbol of Chaos
Symbol of Chaos
The Symbol of Chaos originates from Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion stories. In them, the Symbol of Chaos comprises eight arrows in a radial pattern. In contrast, the symbol of Law is a single upright arrow...
- an image of eight arrows, radiating in all directions from a central point, to represent the many possibilities Chaos offers.
Elric’s sword Stormbringer
Stormbringer
Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
is a Chaotic being, but not a god; it is powerful enough to slay Chaos Lords, and apparently feels no bond of sympathy with them. It is typical of Chaos to be at war with itself.
Lords of Chaos
The Chaos Lords have the powers of gods but the behavior, and often the appearance, of demons. When they appear at their worst, they deliberately inflict pain and suffering on mortals for amusement; even at best, they are not concerned with the harmful effects of their creations. The Revenge of the Rose openly portrays AriochArioch
Arioch is a Hebrew name that means "fierce lion". It originally appears in the Book of Genesis chapter 14 as the name of the "King of Ellasar", part of the confederation of kings who did battle with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and with Abraham in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim...
as insane. Sorcerers often gain power by entering into diabolical pacts with Chaos Lords. Mortals who ally with Disorder gradually become misshapen or corrupt.
Chaos Lords are sometimes restricted from acting directly against humans. In The Queen of the Swords, for instance, it is said that Xiombarg (as all the gods) is not permitted to strike directly against others unless they attack her, and must instead act through intermediaries. At other times, they may act without prohibition (as, for example, when Elric calls upon the aid of Arioch; the god may attack mortals without hesitation). Similar limitations are probably placed upon the Lords of Law. They are also restricted in their ability to move between planes. For instance, Arioch must be summoned by Elric before he can manifest on Earth.
In the Elric series, there are many Chaos Lords, some more powerful than others, but the relationships between them is not always clear.
In Corum’s world, by contrast, there is a well-developed hierarchy of Chaos. The Fifteen Planes are divided into three groups of five planes, each governed by one of the three Sword Rulers, who are some of the "Old Gods": Arioch ("Knight of Swords"), Xiombarg ("Queen of Swords"), and Mabelode ("the Faceless", "King of Swords"). These gods also appear in the Elric series, but their character is slightly different. Arioch, the first Corum encounters, is the weakest of the three. He appears for much of the time as brutish, crude and direct, in contrast to his sophisticated, subtle nature as Elric’s patron and perhaps less intelligent, though he also shows a different form to Corum. The crudity may be a result of interaction between him and the Mabden. Xiombarg appears as an unspeakably beautiful woman. She is more powerful and is more active in controlling and manipulating the planes under her control. However, when her anger is aroused, it leads to her downfall. Mabelode is most powerful of all. Much of his realm is constantly changing chaos-stuff. He appears as a literally faceless man bearing a golden sword.
The Sword Rulers have vassals; it is possible that similar relationships exist between the deities in Elric’s world though this is not made explicit. Arioch’s vassals include Urleh, a minor god of Chaos serving the sophisticated Mabden (humans) of Lwyn-am-Esh; and the Dog and the Horned Bear, the savage beast-gods of the barbarians. A former priest of Urleh tells Corum that these gods are omnipotent and omniscient only over their spheres of influence; the Dog and the Bear are knowledgeable chiefly about Mabden affairs. Mabelode has a host of Dukes of Hell under him, but the only one named is Duke Teer. He has a vaguely pig-like head and takes great pride in his "Castle Built of Blood".
Law
Law provides order, structure, and justice to the world. Without it, nothing material could exist. Law appears friendly to life, but a realm controlled by Law alone becomes just as stagnant as one overrun by Chaos. In "To Rescue Tanelorn", the Realm of Law is a barren wasteland; without wrongs to right and injustice to correct, Law becomes meaningless. In The Dreamthief’s Daughter, Law goes mad and tries to overrun the world. Ordinarily, however, Law is benevolent and beautiful in its perfect regularity.During the time when most of the Eternal Champion cycle is set, Law is weak and is in fact banished from most mortal planes of existence. Elric must summon the White Lords to his plane by blowing the Horn of Fate. In Corum's realm, the destruction of first Arioch, then Xiombarg permits the return of Law. At the end, all gods are swept away leaving the races to make their own destinies.
Besides the Eternal Champion, Law has servants who aid Law by advising the Champion or in other ways. Myshella, the Dark Lady of Kaneloon, Empress of the Dawn, is a servant of Law in Elric’s world. She serves Law by tempting or guiding heroes to pit their wills against pure Chaos, by which process the lands of Earth are extended. In The Quest for Tanelorn, Hawkmoon
Hawkmoon
Dorian Hawkmoon, Duke of Köln is one of the fictional characters created by Michael Moorcock in his series of the Eternal Champion books.-Overview:Dorian Hawkmoon is one of the less "problematic" characters Moorcock ever created a series around...
comes upon a unique "Gathering of the Wise," messengers of Law brought together from many planes. Present at the gathering are Sepiriz of Nihrain, who advises Elric in Stormbringer; Abaris of the Magi; Lamsar the Hermit, who guides Rackhir to the Grey Lords in "To Rescue Tanelorn"; the Warrior in Jet and Gold (who also appears in The Dragon in the Sword); Aleryon-a-Nyvish of the Temple of Law, a priest of Ilah in The Queen of the Swords; and the Silver Queen from Phoenix in Obsidian
Phoenix in Obsidian
Phoenix in Obsidian is a science fantasy novel by Michael Moorcock. First published in 1970, it is the second book in a series that follows the adventures of the Eternal Champion as he is flung from one existence to another...
.
The Symbol of Law is a single Arrow of Law.
Lords of Law
The White Lords of Law are much less developed than the Lords of Chaos. Most of the stories are set in a cosmic cycle when Chaos is most powerful. When they appear, the Lords of Law are usually more benevolent than the Chaos Lords, who are seductive — but also sinister, and prone to losing their temper. However, mortals who meet with the Lords of Law are wise to remember that what benefits the gods does not always suit the aims of mortals.Donblas is the only Lord of Law to appear in Elric's World. In Corum’s world, there are three chief Lords of Law, corresponding to the three Sword Rulers. The first is Arkyn, counterpart to Arioch. When first met, his powers are weak and he has difficulty manifesting in Corum’s plane and appears as an indistinct but tall figure. When his powers return, he appears as a gigantic (as tall as the sky) handsome figure. He is the creator of the Vadhagh, his favorite race. There is a brief reference to "Lord Shalod" (the ruler of the second five planes of the Corum mythos), presumably the counterpart to Xiombarg, but he is not described. A counterpart to Mabelode is not named. Like the Chaos Lords, the Lords of Law have their vassals. The only vassal deity of Law named is Ilah, a servant of Arkyn.
The Cosmic Balance
The Cosmic Balance maintains the balance of power between Law and Chaos by keeping both sides from overstepping the rules of war. It rarely manifests directly, but when it does (as in Stormbringer, The Queen Of Swords, and The Quest for Tanelorn) it appears as a great pair of scales suspended in the sky. In The Queen of the Swords, it also manifests to pass judgment between two Lords of the Higher Worlds. The Balance is the power most beneficial to life, which needs a mixture of Law and Chaos to exist. It is also the agent of Fate.The Runestaff is a sentient object associated with the Balance, as Stormbringer is associated with Chaos.
The Grey Lords appear in the story "To Rescue Tanelorn," where it is said that they “are pledged neither to Law nor to Chaos, but will sometimes help either side if the whim takes them.” The Grey Lords take pride, ironically, in their humility. These purposefully neutral gods are gods of the Balance and caretakers of Tanelorn
Tanelorn
Tanelorn is a fictional city set in the Multiverse of Michael Moorcock's fantasy novels.Tanelorn shares some properties with the author's key character, the Eternal Champion, namely its existence in all dimensions, albeit not at the same time...
, the city of the Balance.
Eternal Tanelorn exists in all planes of the Multiverse. It is neutral in the war between Law and Chaos, so it serves as a place of rest and retreat for tired heroes. As a general rule, they can only find the city after a long and difficult search. Its inhabitants are happy and productive because they are free to pursue their own interests instead of the desires of gods. People in Tanelorn feel intense peace.
The fate of Law, Chaos, and the Balance is revealed in The Quest for Tanelorn, in which the history of one cycle of the Multiverse is concluded during the Conjunction of the Million Spheres. After defeating the sorcerers Agak and Gagak, Hawkmoon and Erekose
Erekosë
Many of Michael Moorcock's heroes are aspects of one all-encompassing hero, the Eternal Champion. Erekosë is the title character, so to speak, as the fantasy novel The Eternal Champion and its sequels feature him. He is a unique aspect of the Champion, in that he can remember all of his previous...
reach Tanelorn where they meet the Runestaff and Stormbringer in humanoid forms. Hawkmoon learns that the Black Sword and the Black Jewel are two aspects of the same creature. At the beginning of the Great Cycle, powerful smiths (the Chaos Engineers) created the Sword, the Jewel, the Runestaff, and finally the Balance to preserve Order between Law and Chaos, especially to limit the power of Stormbringer.
Erekose takes up the Black Sword and destroys the Balance; then Hawkmoon smashes the Jewel with the Runestaff, which breaks. Thus, the last symbols of Authority are destroyed, leaving humanity free to make its own fate, but Erekose is also killed by the release of power. Hawkmoon is the last surviving incarnation of the Eternal Champion, and with all gods dead, his function as Champion is ended.
The Sword Trilogy introduces two beings who are beyond even the balance, Kwll and Rhynn, also known as the "Lost Gods". The only thing that binds them is their brotherhood. In the King of Swords it is they who first destroy Mabelode and his Dukes of Hell, then the gods of Law as well.
Cultural Influences
Law and Chaos in Michael Moorcock’s fiction inspired the alignment systemAlignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
in Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games. In Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Law, Chaos and Neutral (Balance) are combined with Good, Evil and Neutral to create a total of nine alignments.
Moorcock's conception of Chaos also heavily inspired, and in some cases was lifted verbatim by Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
in the creation of its Warhammer
Warhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
and Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
fictional settings. Notably, however, they only briefly used Moorcock's conceptions of Order or the Balance. The descriptions of Chaos, of the eight-pointed star, of the Chaos Lords, the strange multicolored hues of energies, mutations and warping of matter and flesh, and so forth found in the Warhammer settings are all derived directly from Moorcock's works.
Adaptions
While she was attending college, Wendy Pini, of WaRP Graphics, asked for and received permission to try to adapt the Elric series into an animated film. Although the project was not fully realized, she did create Law and Chaos: The Stormbringer Animated Film Projects, (available on Amazon.com, published 1987), the story of her trials and triumphs as she grew and gained experience. And, in the end, she does tell Elric's story in a new and different way