Tanelorn
Encyclopedia
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 (time being a very strange concept in Moorcock's fiction). The city's nature is to appear and disappear both in place and time throughout the multiverse, as it sees fit. Because it can never be destroyed, it is sometimes called The Eternal City. (Its inhabitants, however, may be killed.) In the world of Elric, Moorcock's most famous Champion, the city exists in the Young Kingdoms, somewhere on the fringe of the Sighing Desert. Various characters hint that Tanelorn is accessible from any dimension, to anyone who seeks it, but the search is usually difficult and long. Elric is unique among incarnations of the Eternal Champion in finding the city easily, and in choosing to leave it.
The city serves as a safe harbour for the Eternal Champions and their companions; in the city, they forget for a brief time the burdens their roles lay upon them. Since the city is so closely linked with the Champions, the theme of the championate is ever-present. In one book, inside the bounds of the city are statues of all Eternal Champions, past, present and future, including Erekosë
. Tanelorn changes its appearance from one realm to the next.
The city is not allied with either Chaos or Law
, but at times it is brought into connection with the Grey Lords (the keepers of balance in Moorcock's Multiverse). Therefore it is prone to attack, especially from the agents of Chaos.
In Moorcock's Swords Trilogy, it is revealed that Kwll, one of the two most powerful gods, is imprisoned in Tanelorn, as it is the only city close enough to hold a being of his power.
There are 2 Blind Guardian
songs named "The Quest For Tanelorn" (which is the title of the final book about Hawkmoon
), and "Tanelorn (Into The Void)".
It is revealed at the end of the novel The Quest for Tanelorn, that the city was made by the Captain of the Dark Ship, and his brother, the Steersman.
The music video by Men At Work of the song Down Under shows "Tanelorn Rules" on the front of a van,perhaps referring to the Tanelorn Music Festival, held on the October Labour Day holiday weekend in 1981 near Stroud, in between Newcastle and Gloucester. This festival was subsequently regarded by some as being the 'end' of the age of Aquarius, as subsequent Australian outdoor festivals such as Narara '85 had much of the atmosphere of an outdoor 'beerbarn', dominated by pub rock.
Tanelorn.net is a German RPG and fantasy forum.
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
's fantasy novels.
Tanelorn shares some properties with the author's key character, 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:...
, namely its existence in all dimensions, albeit not at the same time (time being a very strange concept in Moorcock's fiction). The city's nature is to appear and disappear both in place and time throughout the multiverse, as it sees fit. Because it can never be destroyed, it is sometimes called The Eternal City. (Its inhabitants, however, may be killed.) In the world of Elric, Moorcock's most famous Champion, the city exists in the Young Kingdoms, somewhere on the fringe of the Sighing Desert. Various characters hint that Tanelorn is accessible from any dimension, to anyone who seeks it, but the search is usually difficult and long. Elric is unique among incarnations of the Eternal Champion in finding the city easily, and in choosing to leave it.
The city serves as a safe harbour for the Eternal Champions and their companions; in the city, they forget for a brief time the burdens their roles lay upon them. Since the city is so closely linked with the Champions, the theme of the championate is ever-present. In one book, inside the bounds of the city are statues of all Eternal Champions, past, present and future, including Erekosë
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...
. Tanelorn changes its appearance from one realm to the next.
The city is not allied with either Chaos or Law
Law and Chaos
Law and Chaos are the dominant metaphysical forces in the fantasy stories of Michael Moorcock, which he derived from Poul Anderson . 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...
, but at times it is brought into connection with the Grey Lords (the keepers of balance in Moorcock's Multiverse). Therefore it is prone to attack, especially from the agents of Chaos.
In Moorcock's Swords Trilogy, it is revealed that Kwll, one of the two most powerful gods, is imprisoned in Tanelorn, as it is the only city close enough to hold a being of his power.
There are 2 Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
songs named "The Quest For Tanelorn" (which is the title of the final book about 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...
), and "Tanelorn (Into The Void)".
It is revealed at the end of the novel The Quest for Tanelorn, that the city was made by the Captain of the Dark Ship, and his brother, the Steersman.
External links
- Moorcock's Miscellany (formerly Tanelorn, Multiverse.org & Moorcock's Weekly Miscellany)
The music video by Men At Work of the song Down Under shows "Tanelorn Rules" on the front of a van,perhaps referring to the Tanelorn Music Festival, held on the October Labour Day holiday weekend in 1981 near Stroud, in between Newcastle and Gloucester. This festival was subsequently regarded by some as being the 'end' of the age of Aquarius, as subsequent Australian outdoor festivals such as Narara '85 had much of the atmosphere of an outdoor 'beerbarn', dominated by pub rock.
Tanelorn.net is a German RPG and fantasy forum.