I went to generate a pic of Elric on a Melnibonéan dragon by using the prompt “Albino warrior, black armor, rainbow dragon” and look what I got! But it’s so cool looking I’m going to keep it.
A more conventional Elric was generated later and you can see him to the side.
I did an earlier discussion of the Elric of Melniboné series here, and writing recently about House of the Dragon made me want to return. Martin lifted the whole dragon-riding, magic-using people trope from there, and also, perhaps, from The Dragonriders of Pern series as Martin’s dragons, like Anne McCaffrey’s, are named. Another similarity are the character names of Melniboné which, like those of the Valyrians, are unpleasantly alien, not alien like, say, the heroes of the latest Hugo winner, but alien characters from the comics of Buck Rogers and Flash Gorgon. Moorcock gave his a slight Latin touch, but on the whole, the names are alphabet soup, ranging from head-scratchers like Yyrkoon and Xionbarg to the more conventional Elric and Shaarilla. Below is a list I cobbled up from letter combinations used most frequently.
Melnibonéan Character Names
| Male
Yishleod Yisshorn Myric Zarleb Myhir Sadric Morchan Thelgan Smiir Jaggen Rackhen Dvokwar Hroan Ezghovir Vijoon Ailogon Orjic |
Female
Zareena Yyrana Elinia Cynia Myella Shayara Anaanis Yishuna Zaruna Shaia Yinzia Tvana Eesel Osika Quaahra Ariona Oophyra |
