The Universe of Bal-Sagoth

 

“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 now encompass other forms of media such as prose short stories and novellas. Additionally, the canon will also ultimately include graphic novels, illustrated books, role-playing games and more. The forthcoming revised and expanded edition of my Glossary (entitled “The Lexicon”) will also provide readers with unprecedented information on all aspects of the lyrical mythos.”      

Byron Roberts

The Antediluvian Map

This is the antediluvian map which I first drew back around 1989, or thereabouts. This is a colourized version of my original map illustration, which has appeared in several of the Bal-Sagoth albums over the years. The map shows most of the major territories in which my sword & sorcery lyrics, short stories and novellas take place. There's also an expanded version of the map which will be uploaded soon, showing more countries, cities and major rivers. 

CHARACTERS

Many fantastic characters populate the Bal-Sagoth lyrics and the short stories & novellas, from mighty warrior-kings and fearless rogues to nefarious witch-queens, merciless warlords, villainous sorcerers and malefic demigods. Here is a selection of concept artwork showcasing some of those characters.

Caylen-Tor

The barbarian warrior-king CAYLEN-TOR 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 epic adventures continue in the novels “The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor” Volumes I and II published by DMR Books. (Volume III will be released soon.) Caylen-Tor was also immortalized as a set of two metal gaming miniatures from Barbaric Splendor Miniatures. Here's an assortment of Caylen-Tor concept artwork, character illustrations, book covers, and more.

Zurra: Hound of the Z'xulth

Zurra is the villainous central character from the lyrics of the fourth Bal-Sagoth album, and he also features in several forthcoming comic strips and short stories. Here’s a selection of concept artwork and illustrations featuring the malevolent Hound of the Z'xulth, including a thumbnail preview of a four page comic strip:

The King of Hyperborea and Lord Angsaar the Dark Liege of Chaos

The malefic chaos sorcerer Lord Angsaar features in several songs on the Bal-Sagoth albums, most notably the epic "Hyperborean Empire" trilogy, which recounts Angsaar's cataclysmic battle against his nemesis, the noble King of Hyperborea. Lord Angsaar is also referenced in several of the Caylen-Tor and Captain Blackthorne stories published by DMR Books. There follows an assortment of concept artwork, character illustrations and paintings depicting these two characters.

The Obsidian Crown Saga

The epic battle between the Imperium and the Vyrgothian Alliance began in the lyrics of the second Bal-Sagoth album and continued on the sixth. The ancient conflict has also featured in several of my stories published by DMR Books, including two volumes of "The Chronicles of Caylen-Tor". Here is an array of character illustrations and concept artwork inspired by that fantastic confrontation between the mightiest armies of the antediluvian age.

Captain Blackthorne, Joachim Blokk and Bright-Anya Ophidia

The adventures of the Elizabethan privateer Captain Caleb Blackthorne began in the lyrics of the third Bal-Sagoth album. They continued in a trilogy of short stories appearing in the "Swords of Steel" paperback anthology series and the omnibus edition published by DMR Books.

The vampyre hunter Joachim Blokk began his quest in the lyrics of the third Bal-Sagoth album. The first of a trilogy of short stories featuring the character appeared in the sword & sorcery anthology volume "Devil's Armory", published by Barbwire Butterfly Books/Horrified Press. The character will also appear in a comic strip at some point.

The dragon rider Bright-Anya Ophidia from "Draconis Albionensis" will soon continue her adventures in short stories and comics.