ZURRA: HOUND OF THE Z'XULTH

The chaos fiend Zurra is the primary protagonist in the lyrics of the fourth Bal-Sagoth album "The Power Cosmic". A genetic experiment gone hideously awry, Zurra was created in the Mera spawning vats deep beneath the Pre-Cambrian sea. His bitter battles against the forces of Omniversal Order, as well as his ceaseless attempts to liberate his Z'xulth brethren from the confines of their infernal prison, have made him one of the most feared and dangerous arch-fiends in the galaxy. The cataclysmic destruction wrought by Zurra during the War of the Lexicon has become a grim and sinistrous legend throughout the universe.
And yet, the story of Zurra did not begin or end in the lyrics of "The Power Cosmic". Over the years I have written many stories chronicling the nefarious exploits of the Hound of the Z'xulth, and one of those tales has taken the form of a comic strip. Recounting the events surrounding Zurra's escape from a maximum security penitentiary asteroid, the comic will be uploaded in full soon, and will eventually be collected in a print edition once enough material has been completed.
Below is the Zurra logo and a thumbnail preview of four pages from the comic.

  

Below is a preliminary sketch of Zurra as he appeared on the cover of "The Power Cosmic". Artwork by Martin Hanford.

Finally, here's a great piece of fan art featuring Zurra, rendered by Overlord:

The villainy of Zurra will continue soon in the comics and also in a series of short stories I've written detailing the exploits of the Hound of the Z'xulth. Additionally, the revised and expanded lyrical glossary, which I've dubbed "The Lexicon", features a very extensive entry on this most malefic and fearsome character.

More soon!

BYRON

The Lexicon: Character Illustrations

Here are several character illustrations from the forthcoming revised and expanded glossary, which is entitled "The Lexicon".
The artwork is by Martin Hanford, and these images will accompany the relevant character entries in the glossary.


First is Bright-Anya Ophidia, mistress of the Draconis Albionensis, commander of the Legio IX Draconis and the Britannic Spitfire Cavalry.
This illustration depicts her during her earlier years, just prior to the wars with the Serpent Kings.

Below is the dreaded Zul'tekh, one of the fearsome Guardians of the Astral Gate. This illustration shows him with the malefic and mysterious Black Pyramid.

Here is the Prime Voyager of the Kl'aa. He is shown on the moon's Mare Imbrium, with the lunar excavators which release both him and the Z'xulth hybrid fiend Zurra from their ancient slumber.

The Praesidium of Ys! Before the arch-fiend Zurra's fateful return to the ancient praesidium, the arcane sanctuary had seen a myriad visitors throughout the eons, all seeking the sorcerous lore contained within its shadowed vaults...

 

More previews of illustrations from The Lexicon soon!

BYRON

Short Stories and the Lexicon

Bal-Sagoth the band is just one facet of the vast and far reaching world of these stories. The lyrics of the six albums are reflections of a much larger and more intricate body of work, and only a relatively small part of that has thus far been revealed in the lyric booklets. As I originally intended, the chronicles of this baroque fantasy world will ultimately encompass such things as prose short stories, graphic novels, illustrated books, and more. Additionally, the forthcoming revised and expanded edition of my Glossary (called “The Lexicon”) will provide readers with unprecedented information on all aspects of the lyrical mythos. The lyrics of the Bal-Sagoth hexalogy can be read at www.bal-sagoth.com, www.bal-sagoth.co.uk and www.byron-a-roberts.co.uk.

This is the map detailing the world in which the antediluvian era stories take place.



Soon to be appearing in short stories is my character CAYLEN-TOR, who first appeared in the lyrics of the second BAL-SAGOTH album. This character has proven to be a fan favourite over the years, and his adventures are set to continue soon. Here is a selection of illustrations featuring Caylen-Tor, beginning with my original character sketch upon which all subsequent renditions were based.



And here is a larger picture of the awesome version by Samuel Santos (which is now available as a t-shirt.):



Here is a collection of illustrations featuring The King of Hyperborea. Included here are my two original character sketches, featuring the King both as an older, bearded warrior and also as a younger man, followed by a selection of great pieces by Martin Hanford, Simon Lee and Samuel Santos. "Ride them down!"

And here is a great sketch by Samuel Santos depicting my character Lord Angsaar, the Dark Liege of Chaos.



And this is the original preliminary rough sketch of the Lord Angsaar painting which appears in the limited edition digipak release of "The Power Cosmic". Artwork by Martin Hanford:



Here's a great illustration by Martin Hanford of my character Professor Caleb Blackthorne III:



This is a great illustration of one of the Guardian Spirits of Ur, the fearsome yet alluring entities which safeguard the sanctity of the city's hidden catacombs and the terrifying lore contained therein:

Blodu Ok Jarna!
BYRON