Phoenix in Obsidian/The Silver Warriors (1970)

Dell 1973, Frank Frazetta

Return of the Eternal Champion
In 1969, the fourth and final volume of the History of the Runestaff quartet was published, depicting Dorian Hawkmoon's epic victory over the Dark Empire of Granbretan (for a few years anyways). In the very last chapter of the last book, Orland Fank also identifies Hawkmoon as a "Champion Eternal". This reminded well-read fans of Moorcock's Eternal Champion concept, first unveiled in the Science Fantasy novella "The Eternal Champion", way back in 1962. Although only seven years had passed since Erekosë's initial appearance, Moorcock had covered so much stylistic ground by then that it must have seemed like eons had passed (at least, it does to me, now).

Moorcock soon added new material to the "The Eternal Champion" novella in order to publish it as a full-length novel (with the same title), and with the fantasy market becoming more popular than ever, a sequel to this newly-refurbished novel soon appeared in the form of Phoenix In Obsidian (see cover below). Three years later this sequel saw a newly-wrapped American edition with a brilliant Frank Frazetta cover, and was renamed The Silver Warriors (see cover at top). Just as Robert E. Howard's Conan the Cimmerian had gotten a nice lift from Frazetta's iconic Lancer/Ace covers, Moorcock's second Eternal Champion novel got a nice boost in shelf-space real estate from the master painter's efforts.

Mayflower 1970, Bob Haberfield

Who Is John Daker?
In Phoenix In Obsidian, the hero of The Eternal Champion is whisked away to a new identity on a new world in order to fulfill another mission on behalf of the Cosmic Balance. Aside from the first few chapters of the book, the premise of the main narrative really has very little to do with its predecessor. For some readers of the first book this may have been frustrating, but it was certainly unexpected, and essentially implied that, unlike Elric and Hawkmoon, Erekosë's saga encompassed a multiplicity of realities, with none of his individual adventures or identities necessarily being dependent on a previous one. In the 1980s, the Von Bek sequence would permit the exploration of a variety of time periods through a bloodline-based saga, and later Elric too would be able to do something similar through "dream quests". However it all started in the 1960s and 70s with Erekosë/John Daker, who forged an unpredictable mythic sequence based on "one-off" protagonists and realities.

Structure and Plot
Following the stylistic structure established so effectively in the Hawkmoon books, Phoenix In Obsidian is divided into four major sections preceded by an opening Prologue. The Prologue features characters not present in the rest of the book, but who speak somewhat as introductory "scribes of the multiverse". The use of literary commentary spoken by elevated super-beings often gives a nice mythic quality to any affair (see Homer's Iliad).

The novel proper begins with Erekosë enjoying a peaceful life with his true love Ermizhad in Loos Ptokai. However, he is soon drawn to another plane (during a "Conjunction of the Ghost Worlds") and eventually awakens in the body of Urlik Skarsol, a "Count of the White Wastes", sledding across a frozen-over future Earth orbiting a dying sun. However, arriving at the obsidian city of Rowernarc, he is puzzled to find no cosmic battle to be fought. With nothing else to do, he accepts an invitation to join a giant sea-stag hunt. Unfortunately, his oddly-elusive host Bishop Belphig treacherously leaves him stranded in the wilderness. After a brief encounter with multiversal tourist-guide Jermays the Crooked (last seen in Stormbringer), Urlik is finally found by those who had originally called for him, the sea-faring people of the Scarlet Fjord.

While helping rescue some of their enslaved people from the mysterious Silver Warriors, Urlik learns that these near-invulnerable aliens are being led by Belphig, who soon plans to mount an attack on the Scarlet Fjord directly. In order to free the Silver Warriors from Belphig's control, Urlik flies to the site of Earth's now-crashed Moon to free the Lady of the Chalice, the Silver Warriors' Queen (held captive there by Belphig). After the Silver Warriors are freed and Belphig defeated, Urlik fulfills his dark destiny and slays the Lady of the Chalice with his Black Sword. Her blood is used as an offering to the Cosmic Balance in order to revitalize this Earth's dying Sun.

The title of the book refers to the fact that Erekosë/Urlik is a "Phoenix", continually being reborn, and at one point becomes marooned inside an obsidian cave.

Berkley 1985, Robert Gould

Multiverse Conjunctions
Like the newly-revised version of The Eternal Champion, Phoenix In Obsidian name-drops several characters from the Moorcock stable past, present and future as other incarnations of the Eternal Champion:

• Corum Jhaelen Irsei (The Knight of Swords, etc)
• Konrad Arflane (The Ice Schooner)
• Asquiol of Pompei (The Sundered Worlds, in later editions switched out for Renark Von Bek)
• Von Bek (The War Hound and the World's Pain, etc)
• Aubec of Kaneloon ("Master of Chaos")
• Ryan (The Black Corridor)
• Hawkmoon (The Jewel In the Skull, etc)
• Powys (The Winds of Limbo/The Fireclown)
• Cornell (The Chinese Agent, etc)
• Sojan (Sojan the Swordsman)
• Klan ("Klan the Spoiler")
• Clovis Marca (The Shores of Death)
• Elric ("The Dreaming City", etc)
• Cornelius (The Final Programme, etc)

Even at this point in time, evidence was mounting to support the idea that any Moorcock hero could be (and probably was) an Eternal Champion (as Hawkmoon had just recently been anointed in The Runestaff). Readers unaware of the previous works did not miss anything from the main plot, but faithful Moorcock fans could appreciate the further definition of an underlying multiverse. In fact, from the very beginning of Phoenix, the Prologue (from the "Chronicle of the Black Sword") gives a bird's eye dissertation on the role of the Eternal Champion as a servant of the Cosmic Balance and even cites the "Master of Chaos" himself, Earl Aubec of Malador. Additionally, the speaker named Isarda comes from the eternal city of Tanelorn, mentioned in one of the Red Archer's first tales.

Later, Hawkmoon's mysterious ally the Warrior in Jet and Gold appears in a dream (as "The Knight in Black and Yellow"), urging Urlik to embrace his destiny. The Runestaff (or an intimidating staff very similar to it) is used to summon the Lady of the Chalice. The character of Isarda in the Prologue may be a male incarnation of Hawkmoon's true love Yisselda (as both characters' names appear to derive from "Isolde"). Jermays the Crooked returns from his first appearance in Elric's Stormbringer, while the character Bladrak Morningspear has a last name that calls to mind the hellsword Mournblade. The Chalice used to hold the blood of the Lady of the Chalice obviously evokes the mythology of the Holy Grail, which would become an important multiverse artifact on its own in a few years. The Conjunction of the Ghost Worlds mentioned by the Eldren pre-echoes Corum’s Conjunction of the Million Spheres in the Swords Trilogy, shortly to follow.

Grafton 1987, Mark Salwowski
(Urlik entering the Scarlet Fjord)

Avenues To New Worlds
In addition to the final Runestaff book, several other Moorcock collections and new editions appeared in 1969, including The Time Dweller (a short story collection), an expanded Behold The Man, The Ice Schooner (originally serialized in SF Impulse) and The Winds of Limbo (originally The Fireclown). Perhaps with these "vintage" works freshly-polished for consumption, it seemed appropriate for Phoenix In Obsidian to incorporate a few of the SF concepts found in those books. For example, the sea lion mounts employed on Urlik's future Earth call to mind the same kind of mounts used in "The Time Dweller". Another lunar body which has collided and embedded itself in the Earth can be found in The Twilight Man. Urlik's sea-stag hunt also calls to mind similar imagery found in Arflane's odyssey in The Ice Schooner. This one may be more of a "political tendency" but, like Bishop Beesley from A Cure For Cancer, Bishop Belphig is not a particularly flattering example of the clergy. In a way, the Eternal Champion books featuring Erekosë/John Daker almost act as vortices which draw together threads extending from less "direct" novels.

Rodney Matthews: The Sea Chariot of Rowernarc, 1978

Detailed Synopsis

Prologue

• Isarda of Tanelorn and an unnamed Woman (probably Myshella from "Master of Chaos") discuss the flux of time and reality, and how it bows to the whims of the One who Guides the Hand (holding the Balance). Isarda wonders at the fate of those specific individuals who are able to at times divert the flow of Chaos to their own will (such as Earl Aubec).

Book One: Premonitions

1. Of An Earth Reborn: Erekosë lives in peace with Ermizhad and the Eldren, although he feels guilt at times for eradicating the human race.
2. Of A Growing Doom: Erekosë learns that a Conjunction with the Ghost Worlds is coming, and that his brother-in-law Arjavh fears that Erekosë will be drawn away from this reality back to the 20th Century world of John Daker. At night, he dreams of the names of the Champions Eternal being called.
3. Of A Visitation: Although Erekosë takes a sleeping potion, he still is woken by the vision of an armored, bearded man, Urlik Skarsol. He realizes that Urlik is himself and is reluctantly drawn to an icy world - Earth in its dying days.

Book Two: The Champion’s Road

1. The Ice Wastes: Urlik examines his chariot and cargo and realizes that Erekosë has become Urlik. He despairs but can only wait to see where his bear-drawn chariot takes him.
2. The Obsidian City: Riding through a mountain of obsidian volcanic rock, Urlik reaches a deserted beach. Eventually he is greeted by men in strange suits riding sea-lion mounts. They take him up the cliffs to Rowernarc, the Obsidian City.
3. The Lord Spiritual: Urlik is granted an audience with Bishop Belphig, the Lord Spiritual of the cliffside warren. Belphig can think of no reason why Urlik has been called to this world, since there is no great struggle at hand. He offers lodging to Urlik for as long as he desires.
4. The Lord Temporal: Urlik meets the Lord Temporal, Shanosfane, and tells him his story. Shanosfane cannot think of why Urlik has been called either. He does however mention the alien Silver Warriors, who seek to colonize the planet. However he does not really care what happens.
5. The Black Sword: Urlik becomes disgusted with the debauchery rampant at Rowernarc. He has a dream where a knight in Yellow and Black taunts him by mentioning the Black Sword, which Urlik fears. Urlik finds distraction in a slave girl, and then is invited on a sea-stag hunt.
6. The Great Salt Sea: Urlik boards Bishop Belphig’s ship, which is drawn by giant sea lion mutations. Urlik feels that he cannot trust Belphig.
7. The Bell and the Chalice: The ship encounters the sound of tolling bells, which unnerves Belphig. Belphig claims to have no idea what it means. Later, a screaming, floating chalice appears, commanding Urlik to wield the Black Sword or this world will die. Urlik again refuses and the chalice fades away.
8. The Sea-Stag’s Lair: The gigantic sea-stag is sighted and Urlik wounds it, driving it away. Belphig insists on pursuing it to its lair, a cave in the obsidian mountains.
9. The Slaughtering in the Cave: Urlik and a team of men enter the cave. The sea-stag kills all of Belphig’s men and Urlik is trapped. He eventually leaps on top of the beast and uses his axe on the stag’s skull, killing it. However, by the time he reaches the mouth of the cave, Belphig’s ship has already departed without him.

Book Three: Visions and Revelations

1. The Laughing Dwarf: Alone and despairing on the obsidian island of the sea-stag, Urlik is visited by a dwarf who calls himself Jermays the Crooked. Jermays wonders why Urlik does not recognize him, and they discuss the role of the Eternal Champion. Urlik refuses to take up the Black Sword and Jermays disappears. A boat approaches (drawn by scaled herons) commanded by Bladrak Morningspear. It turns out that Bladrak had summoned Urlik in the first place (to help fight against the Silver Warriors) and he had been led to Urlik’s island by the Lady of the Chalice. He brings with him the feared Black Sword.
2. The Scarlet Fjord: As Bladrak takes Urlik past burning cliffs to their home base on the Scarlet Fjord, Bladrak explains that they summoned Urlik with the help of the Lady of the Chalice and the ringing of the Bell. He offers Urlik the “Cold Sword” but Urlik declines.
3. The Raid on Nalanarc: Urlik accompanies Bladrak on a mission to rescue slaves held in thrall by the Silver Warriors on Nalanarc, who are building ships in preparation for an invasion of Rowernarc. Urlik proposes a plan to lure the Silver Warriors out with a decoy and then mount a rescue in the confusion. During the rescue operation Urlik discovers that Bishop Belphig is conspiring with the Silver Warriors. Bladrak and Urlik depart with the rescued slaves.
4. The Lady of the Chalice: Urlik realizes that Belphig had planned to dispose of him all along. He and Bladrak arrive at a strange cave with a staff standing in the center (the Runestaff). The Lady of the Chalice is summoned and she advises that they try to save Lord Shanosfane with the aid of the Black Sword. Urlik eventually agrees to go on a solo mission to Rowernarc with the hated sword.
5. The Waking of the Sword: Urlik approaches the case holding the Black Sword and asks Bladrak to leave the room. When he grasps the sword he remembers his past lives and remembers rejecting the sword just before he became the bored, listless John Daker, living in the 20th Century. A serving girl enters and the Sword takes her life against Urlik’s will.
6. The Black Blade’s Fief: Urlik is taken to Rowernarc and he manages to reacquire his bear-driven chariot. Belphig and the Silver Warriors have already conquered Rowernarc, but Urlik rushes inside riding his chariot and retrieves Lord Shanosfane, killing many Silver Warriors and Rowernarc traitors in the process. Back at the Scarlet Fjord, Shanosfane reveals that the Silver Warriors do Belphig’s bidding because Belphig holds their queen captive. The Black Sword takes Shanosfane’s life, fulfilling a prophecy that it requires the blood of a good man (the Black Fief) to do what needs to be done.

Book Four: The Blood of the Sun

1. Siege of the Scarlet Fjord: Belphig and his fleet arrive and lay siege to the Scarlet Fjord. With no chance of escape and low provisions, the Lady of the Chalice is once again summoned for advice. She reveals that the previous engineers who lived in the caves of the Scarlet Fjord have escaped through time, but they left behind an “air-chariot”. Urlik must fly the air-chariot to “Moon” (the site of the crashed Moon) and rescue the Silver Warriors’ queen. However the air-chariot emits radiation, harmful to its pilot.
2. The City Called Moon: Urlik fights off the debilitating effects of the flying chariot's radiation leakage and reaches Moon. There he fights off more of Belphig’s guards and reaches the queen of the Silver Warriors who is trapped behind an invisible barrier. Urlik hits the barrier with the Black Sword and the feedback shock knocks him out.
3. The Phoenix and the Queen: Urlik wakes to see that the queen has been freed and is actually the Lady of the Chalice. She had used her powers of mental projection to communicate earlier and had summoned Urlik in a trance. They return to the Scarlet Fjord, and although they crash into the sea, the Silver Warriors see their freed queen and turn on Belphig. The Black Sword takes Belphig despite Urlik’s wishes.
4. The Knife and the Cup: Urlik and the Silver Queen journey out to the frozen South and recover Urlik’s bear-chariot. After riding further into the wilderness, Urlik asks the Silver Queen to conjure the Chalice. As she conjures the Chalice, the Black Sword impales the queen in the back. When the Chalice appears the Black Sword pours blood out into the Chalice. When it is filled a giant hand lifts it into the sky. The red sun suddenly undergoes a change in color, and Urlik knows that he has given new life to this dying world. The Black Sword disappears and Urlik waits for his next transition.

Original Frank Frazetta art used for The Silver Warriors (1973)

Unlike the recent Hawkmoon quartet or the Corum trilogy soon to follow, the Erekosë saga is spread across decades, and the next major installment would not appear until 15 more years had passed. For this reason Erekose's appearances have always been special occasions - and sometimes confusing ones! In fact, Erekosë has had three different "finales" over the years...so far.

Wikiverse Entry
Wikipedia Entry

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