The Queen of the Swords

 

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award nominee 1972.

The Cosmic Balance was disturbed–

and the emnity of Xiombarg, dread Queen of the Swords, was turned upon the Vadhagh Prince Corum. For Corum, last of his ancient race to occupy the lowest of the fifteen planes of reality, had slain the Lord Arioch, Knight of the Swords, and brother to Xiombarg. With the help of the enigmatic gifts of the sorcerer Shool – the Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn – Corum had accomplished the first of his hero's tasks, and the whole realm of Chaos was cast into disorder.

And so it was that Mankind, the contemptible Mabden, were once more taken in hand by the Sword Rulers. Beneath the fell and bloody banners of the Dog and the Bear, the Madben marched again and all that was gracious or beautiful on Earth stood in peril. And so Corum, after the briefest of rests, had once again to set out upon his fateful odyssey. With the lovely Margravine Rhalina, the faithful Jhary-a-Conel, companion to heroes, and the winged cat Whiskers, Corum ventured into the realm of Xiombarg, and for a time was lost to mortal men.