The Double Shadow

When two thieves decide to go on the heist of a lifetime, they find themselves face-to-muck with something far older and more evil than anticipated.

Reading of Clark Ashton Smith's Atlantean poems: "Atlantis," "Bond," "The Muse of Atlantis," and "Tolometh."

Malygris has not moved in a year. But is it safe yet for the citizens of Susran to assume this one-powerful necromancer is now dead?

When a band of pirates discover a lost cask of Atlantean wine, the result is quite different than they'd anticipated. Ager Falernus and Cecuba were known for Roman wines. Valdepeñas is a Spanish town with excellent soil for wine. We've learned in a note from a letter that this ending is a third rewrite, as requested by Farnsworth Wright. Next week, we'll be doing "The Death of Malygris."

Two magician/necromancers manage to cast a long-forgotten spell and summon up something beyond their comprehension and outside their power to control. This story was first accepted by Strange Tales, which then folded before publishing.. Smith published it himself in 1933 in a volume titled The Double Shadow with "The Maze of the Enchanter," "The Voyage of King Euvoran," "A Night in Malnéant," "The Devotee of Evil," and "The Willow Landscape."

Voyage is the second of Smith's Poseidonis stories and the first we've had so far in the podcast with scientists instead of magicians or necromancers. It was published in the August 1931 issue of Weird Tales, just over a year after "The Last Incantation." Lovecraft's "The Whisperer in Darkness" was published in the same volume.

The first of our Poseidonis stories is "The Last Incantation," the story of a necromancer who has gained immense power, but not as much as he thought. We've jumped back in time to June of 1930, when this story was published in Weird Tales and to an era after the glory of Atlantis, but before Averoigne. The series is bookended with stories about Malygris, possibly the greatest sorcerer/necromancer we've run across so far. Music by: Erdenstern

In which we wrap up with three Averoigne fragments, reflect on our episodes, and look at some literary criticism. Next up, Poseidonis! This week is our last in Averoigne. We talk about the three major synopses from the Eldritch Dark and a little biographical and critical information. Synopses: "Queen of the Sabbat," "The Werewolf of Averoigne," and "The Sorceress of Averoigne | The Tower of Istarelle." The essay Phil referenced is "Into the Woods: The Human Geography of Averoigne" by Stefan Dziemianowicz, in The Freedom of Fantastic Things: Selected Criticism on Clark Ashton Smith ed. by Scott Connors. Tim quoted from "Eblis in Bakelite" by James Blish, "James Blish versus Ashton Smith; to Wit, the Young Turk Syndrome" by Donald Sidney-Fryer, and "Who Discovered Clark Ashton Smith?" by Scott Connors, all published in the Lost Worlds journal. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music.

This week, we're covering "The Satyr," (probably) the last-published Averoigne tale, although at least one of the first written. We'll be talking about both the published ending and the unpublished variant, which are available at eldritchdark.com.

This week’s episode is on “The Enchantress of Sylaire.” Enchantress was published in the July 1941 issue of Weird Tales. Illustration from Weird Tales most likely by Clark Ashton Smith. The Wikipedia entry for Cromlech has an illustration of a basic one, as well as more complex outlines. A few links here for those interested in illustrations of monsters carrying women and the “carry phenomenon.” Next time, we’ll be doing the last of the Averoigne stories, “The Satyr.” You may also want to read read its variant conclusion, which we’ll be discussing on the show. Thanks again to Kevin MacLeod for the music.

Pierre, the apothecary's apprentice, is captured by the disturbing witch, known to villagers as "Mother of Toads." As with our episode on "Maker of Gargoyles," we warn listeners that this contains sexual violence, this time against a male character. The film Phil mentions is incorporated in the film Theater of the Bizarre. The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft includes a full-text version of the story with several impressive illlustrations. Our next episode will be "The Enchantress of Sylaire." Thanks again to Kevin MacLeod for the music!

When the monks of Perigon uncover an ancient statue of Venus, it proves a blight on the monastery. This week is a somewhat shorter episode on Smith’s “Disinterment of Venus." After a number of revisions, this story first appeared in the July 1934 issue of Weird Tales alongside “Through the Gates of the Silver Key” by HPL and E. Hoffman Price and other stories. The goddess Smith had originally intended to conflate with this Venus was Kotys (or “Cotys", "Cotto", "Cottyto", "Cottytus" depending on the spelling). According to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, her priests were called “Baptes." [Their] midnight orgies were so obscene that they disgusted even the even the goddess herself. (p.73) Our next episode will be “Mother of Toads." This one will carry a warning for sexual violence. Music by: Kevin MacLeod

When Clark Ashton Smith's "Satanic Prelate" goes up against a young monk, how will things turn out for Averoigne? Will the monk survive? This week's episode is on Clark Ashton Smith's "The Holiness of Azédarac" (originally titled "The Satanic Prelate"). "Holiness" was published in Weird Tales in November of 1933.

When a beast haunts the abbey of Perigon and countryside of Averoigne, it's up to a sorcerer to save his land from this peril. This week we cover the version of "The Beast of Averoigne" published in the May 1933 issue of Weird Tales. We'll also be discussing the original draft. Both of these can be read on The Eldritch Dark's website. Visit our site to check out awesome Beast art by Mike Mucci and be sure to check out our forums at http://thedoubleshadow.com/forums

In "The Mandrakes," Clark Ashton Smith gives us a further werewolf tease with the story of Gilles Grenier and his wife Sabine, an unhappy couple who supply their town with love potions. But the pair's troubles affect their customers in ways no one would have expected.