Tales from the Tapestry
You may be looking for Tapestry Tales.
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Tales from the Tapestry |
| Publisher: | Dapplewood Press |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | R. Dean Becker |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | |
| Date(s): | 1990-1991 |
| Medium: | print zine |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Tales from the Tapestry is a het Beauty and the Beast series of AU novels by R. Dean Becker.
Issue 1
Tales from the Tapestry 1 is subtitled, "Through the Crystal Tapestry." It was published in June 1990 and contains 143 pages.
The the art is by R. Dean Becker, Pat Leslie, Phyllis Berwick, Barbara Gipson, and Marilyn Cole.
The story is a continuation of "Come -- Dare the Silver Mirror" in 'Neath the Sidewalks of New York #1.
It includes a poem by by R. Dean Becker called "A Shadowed World."
From a flyer:
After "The Rest is Silence." what might Vincent and Catherine's lives have been if, instead of tragedy they had found joy.
This ADULT fanzine follows the first few months of their marriage, how Catherine adapts to her new life, how Joe takes the news, and how Elliot fits into her marriage and life . There are dangers at work Above, and Narcissa is working a Great Magic Below that at will take them "Through the Crystal.
"The Tale to This Point":
It has been written elsewhere how Catherine followed Vincent into the dark cave. There, with her love and strength. she overcame the power of his madness, freeing him to at last move beyond his fear, to fully accept Catherine's love. With kisses in the dark they plighted their troth, and made a decision about the future which would accept no delay.
Despite Father's fearful objections, the two of them departed, vanishing into the tunnels on their -- honeymoon! A stop to bathe in the Mirror Pool led to the moment of consummation for a passion which had been too long denied. It was a moment which stretched into hours, the beginning of a new phase of their unending love.
At last they turned their backs on the Pool and journeyed to a magically beautiful cavern that -- until now -- only Vincent had ever seen. An idyllic interlude within that grotto healed the wounds of both body and soul, and brought a bliss more complete than either had ever dared imagine.
But every honeymoon must end eventually. After two weeks Vincent and Catherine returned to waiting friends and family, and found that Master Po was waiting Below -- just in case the two lovers would care to have a wedding! And so it came about that Vincent and Catherine were married that same day, exchanging their vows in the Great Hall while over a hundred of the tunnel folk looked happily on.
There was even a ring for Catherine's finger, a gift from Father: Margaret's wedding band, returned to him when their own fragile happiness had been destroyed.
Then, quite unexpectedly. Narcissa was there, with gifts of her own very special fashioning for the bride and groom: paired circlets for their necks. She carried torches made of braided strands of crystal which seemed to blaze with the mingled glory of fire and ice, their gleaming threads bound into twin knobs of intricately etched bone.
As Father, Narcissa and Peter Alcott looked on, the newlyweds donned these most exotic of gifts. The seemingly delicate circlets settled into place around their throats, etched bone finials not quite meeting at the front, and Vincent and Catherine felt suddenly as if silver cobwebs, unseen and gossamer soft, had been spun between them. Joining them more surely than ever before.
When they turned to question Narcissa, she was gone.
from issue #1, Barb Gipson
from issue #1, Phyllis Berwick
from issue #1, R. Dean Becker
from issue #1, Phyllis Berwick
from issue #1, R. Dean Becker
from issue #1, Phyllis Berwick
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1
Continuation of novelette found in 'Neath the Sidewalks of New York 1. After Vincent and Catherine's wedding, a tapestry in the Great Hall proves more than it seems and they are thrown into a fantasy semi-medieval world where one of the two local races are people like Vincent...and the other isn't exactly like Catherine. Pleasant reading. Contains more ideas than get developed fully. A mild X, considering. [1]
Vincent and Catherine return from their honeymoon and begin the adjustment to married life. Joe and Elliot figure prominently in the story line. While celebrating Winterfest, Vincent and Catherine fall through a tapestry and discover an incredible fantasy universe. Explicit sex. [2]
Issue 2
Tales from the Tapestry 2 is subtitled, "To Weave the Tapestry Anew." It was published in September 1990 and contains 211 pages.
The art is by R. Dean Becker, Marilyn Cole, Pat Leslie, and Pam Martin.
From a flyer:
Vincent , Catherine, and Mouse have gone "through the crystal tapestry," into the magical word of Vincent's origins. Now the must survive against hostile forces and betrayal, and attempt to make their way back Home. Along their way Vincent finds his family embroiled in intrigue and civil war, _ _ and he learns the truth about his mysterious past and Narcissa's role in his life.
From the editor, Sharon Wells:
It has been my pleasure to be editor of R. Dean Becker's "Tales from the Tapestry" series. I know many of you finished reading Volume I and said, "Where's the rest?" Well, my friends, here it is! Personally, though I enjoyed every word of the first volume, I really got lost in the wonders of the world Vincent and Catherine (and Mouse) found themselves stranded in within the pages of this volume.
I would like to urge all of you to write to R. Dean Becker care of Dapplewood, and let her know (and the artists as well) how you reacted to this unique series. I've asked you to do the same for me in "The Book of Secrets," and have been happily trying to repeat past successes and learn from the misadventures that did not please you, the reader.
The lives of Vincent and Catherine are magical, whether they be in New York or some alternate universe. We all care deeply about them, wishing them good, getting angry when someone hurts them, applauding when they manage to overcome all the forces against them. Yes, we care because, in a way, they live within our own hearts. They are symbols of all that is good and courageous within each of us; constant reminders that we are only human.
I trust you will enjoy the journey that you are about to embark upon as you follow Vincent and Catherine into this new adventure. There is, to coin a phrase, Love and Hope in the world they explore, dangers and joys. May your time with them be a happy one.
from issue #2, Pam Martin
from issue #2, Pam Martin
from issue #2, Pam Martin
from issue #2, R. Dean Becker
from issue #2, Pat Leslie
from issue #2, Pam Martin
from issue #2, R. Dean Becker
from issue #2, Pam Martin
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2
In this best, second volume of what bids fair to be an ongoing series, Vincent and Catherine try to come to terms with having been forced (in TFTT-1) through an interdimensional gate into the feuding factions of the more or less late-medieval fantasy world where Vincent is heir to the kingdom of an imprisoned king awaiting ransom. To deliver that ransom and escape factions who want Vincent either captured or dead, Vincent, Catherine, Mouse, and others, particularly Vincent's half-brother Aedain (a charmer!) undertake an exciting, dangerous, and absorbing journey. A strong plot enhances the pleasant inventions that go unbridled and rather aimless in the earlier volume. The sex is married and reasonably sedate. Pam Martin's art is wonderful.[3]
In this second volume of the series, Vincent, Catherine, and Mouse discover they have been to the land of Vincent's origin. As they struggle to find a way home, Vincent becomes embroiled in an evil war and his family's intrigues. Nice art. Explicit sex.[4]
Issue 3
Tales from the Tapestry 3 is subtitled, "New Patterns in the Tapestry." It was published in July 1991 and contains 195 pages. It was edited by Sharon Wells.
The art is by Pam Martin, R. Dean Becker, and Marilyn Cole.
The zine includes poetry by pro writers William Shakespeare, Pindar, Cretien de Troyes, Charles Lamb, Santayana, TS Elliot, Wordsworth, Chuant-Tzu, C. Peter Cavafy, Anais Nin, Wendell Berry, and W.B Yeats.
"This story is dedicated to my beastly friends who wouldn't take MAYBE for an answer!"
From a flyer:
Once again we follow the sweeping saga of Vincent and Catherine (and don't forget Mouse) and the new life they have found in a magical place beyond the borders of our world. This time they are joined by Father who finds himself in the marvelous world of Vincent's heritage. He is transported through the tapestry by a mystic young woman who has come to the Tunnels, Fiona, who finds her life dramatically changed when she and Vincent's strong-willed brother form a most unusual and unwanted bond.
The author's foreword:
Welcome — or welcome back — to the world of Auruth. For those of you who are newcomers. I hope this short introduction will help you feel a bit more at home, and even readers who have visited before should learn something new here and there. (By the way, Vincent and Catherine had intended to take you on this tour, but they have lately found themselves rather busy, so they asked me to fill in. Don't worry, you'll be meeting them very soon.)
The world of Auruth lies both very near to Earth, and unimaginably far away, on the other side of a dimensional wall that very few on either world can either sense or breach. It is a planet of much the same size and composition as Earth, though only two great continents interrupt the ceaseless progress of its oceans. These continents are joined by the slenderest of ties: a narrow bridge of land which winds its way across the top of the world. In the far prehistory of this world, the separation of these two land masses allowed for something which never happened on our own Earth — the parallel evolution of two distinct sentient species. On the continent which came to be called Orthun there arose a hominid race who now refer to themselves as the MARCUN; uniformly dark of skin and eyes and hair, in every respect they are so like one of our own kind that they could walk down the streets of Earth and never be noticed, as indeed one of them has.
The other landmass saw the evolution of a felinoid people, the AURLUT, who termed their continent — and by extension the whole world — Auruth. Since the following story takes place within the boundaries of their land, I will follow their practice in this matter. Their Marcun neighbors will no doubt protest this decision, but being a chronicler of the Aurlut people, and especially of the Royal House of Sharrelun. I feel it best to stay within my area of expertise. Besides. I'm rather embarrassed to admit that I really know very little about the land of Orthun.
As for the Aurlut homeland, it is a vast continent which over time has come to be divided into seven reasonably peaceful and prosperous kingdoms (not counting Nerissa, 01 which more later.) That isn't to say there aren't periods of friction and strife between neighboring realms, not to mention within any one of the kingdoms, but so far this world has avoided the wholesale destructive slaughters which Earth has suffered over the centuries. Perhaps it has to do with its peoples' mental sensitivity. I hey possess, in varying degrees, powers ol empathy and in the royal families a certain measure of telepathic ability. Both Marcun and Aurlut species have these powers, the Aurlut more strongly.
This Is a world which has yet to enjoy the "blessings" of an industrial revolution. As a society it is mildly feudal in nature: as Catherine told Vincent at one point during their earlier adventures. Culturally, Auruth reminded her of 14th century Europe with a dash of earlier. Plantagenet England thrown in for good measure. As the map shows, it is not an overpopulated world. The larger towns are well scattered throughout the various kingdoms, though there are many, many smaller hamlets which are not indicated, for which lack the cartographer begs forgiveness. Herding, farming, and all those other skills which spell civilization, (weaving and pottery, to name only two), take up the hours of most folks' days in Auruth, as they did in the not-so-distant past on our own world.
Due to the separation of their respective homelands — not to mention an ice age or two — the Aurlut and Marcun peoples did not encounter each other until both species were well along the road of intellectual and cultural evolution. It was not initially a peaceful encounter, but over the course of time relations between them improved; Aurlut raiders no longer journeyed to Orthun for plunder and slaves, and the Marcun ceased to flay alive any unlucky Aurlut captive they happened to acquire. Well before the time of this writing the two continents had begun to engage in some modest trading and cultural exchanges, and some years ago, one of those exchanges included the State marriage between Ulirra, daughter of one of the wealthiest Marcun trading families, and the Chyrev Ronoon av Konal, ruler of the Aurlut kingdom of Ardwenda.
The result of that union, in a roundabout sort of way. was the Ch'Alvedon av Ronoon, fair-born heir to Ardwenda's throne, who was lost through the dimensional Gates when he was but two days old: In short. Vincent.
Ah yes, the Gates. Every world has them, you know, or to be more accurate has the potential to have Gates; strange areas on land or in the seas where the "walls between the worlds" are thin, and where creatures from...somewhere else will sometimes slip through, to become the stuff of myth and legend. The so-called Bermuda Triangle on Earth is one of the largest, most untamed natural gate-points ever discovered. We can only wonder what sorts of myths our lost ones have spawned over the centuries, on whatever worlds they reappeared. We will never know, for without the focusing latticework of crystal to harness the Triangle's wild power, and without the adamantine will of a trained mind (which Vincent is currently striving to achieve) to tame and guide that energy, this eerie patch of ocean will never become a true Gate — only an enticing potential.
But there are other "thin spots," both on Earth and Auruth, and on Auruth at least there are those who understand the placement of the crystal lattices, and minds who are well versed in the songs that bend the powers of the Gates to their will. To journey across a continent or between the worlds, such a one need only know the proper resonance. Narcissa — or N'Yarta. as she was known on Auruth, before she came to Earth in search of the infant prince — is such a one. Within the chamber which came to be called The Great Hall she found a place to build her secret Gate, concealing it behind a silken tapestry, and when the time seemed right, she sent Vincent, Catherine, and Mouse (that last was admittedly an accident, but a fortunate one, as it turned out) through time and space to the world which had given Vincent birth, and where she hoped he and his lady might find a life that offered a good deal more than fear and hiding.
So the three of them came to Auruth, met Marcun and Aurlut alike, found friends and enemies, and found Vincent's family: his royal father, Ronoon; his half-brother, Aedain, Earl of Naslya and leader of an extremely efficient mercenary troop: and his mother, Sydelle af Edlyn, Chief Bard of the land of Nerissa. and Ronoon's soulbonded mate.
I know, you thought I said Ulirra was his mother. She bore him, but only after he was conceived of Sydelle and Ronoon: a truth known only by the three parties who were most intimately involved, and by the Healers of Nerissa, whose very special skills made such a thing possible. Maybe this would be a good time to tell you about Nerissa. as I promised earlier.
Nerissa is in fact a part of the Aurlut continent, just as the map shows it to be, but to the people of the Seven Kingdoms it is little more than a legend, a place no one has ever seen — or if they have, have not returned to tell about. Rumor says that, if it exists at all, it lies on the other side of the Lands of Madness and beyond the Smoking Mountains, a range of active volcanoes and ancient, uninviting lava flows which extends the length of the continent, and in this case rumor is quite surprisingly accurate. As for the legends concerning its inhabitants, they are said to be White Marcun (which everyone knows is impossible, since all Marcun are dark skinned), and also to be wizards, sorcerers with power enough to control all the fearsome creatures which share their faraway land. Well, two out of three isn't bad, though in actuality the Nerissans aren't wizards, simply highly skilled practitioners of various different sorts of parapsychological arts: but they do generally have light skin, so that says something for legend, I suppose. Thanks to its being "mythical", and the supposed abode of wizards and monsters, Nerissa has enjoyed a pleasantly undisturbed existence, sheltered and secret, apart from the boisterous activity of the Seven Kingdoms — in some ways, quite like the Tunnels. The Gate of Duiflyth lies at the hub of Nerissa. with the demesnes of the Eight Clans scattered around it. And at the heart of each Clan is a carefully wrought Harmonic Arch, an artifact unique to Nerissa. Fashioned long ago in a time of great danger, each is attuned by its own unique harmony to the resonance of Duillyth. Only through its link with the Gate can one of them be used, but then it is the matter of a single breath to travel from the furthest point of Nerissa to its heart, and onward from there to wherever need dictates. Needless to say, it is not a thing for casual usage, and for the most part the folk of this kingdom travel by means of their njoms. Just like all the other inhabitants of Auruth.
Throughout the Seven Kingdoms, each king (or queen) is advised by a Council of Nobles. It is much the same in Nerissa. although there it is a Synod of Barons that advises the ruler. They've been especially busy lately, since their king (or Chyrev, as he's called) ascended the throne Just six months ago. Before that time he'd not even known Nerissa existed! Still, he has done well, and since he is the son of the Chief Bard and Ardwenda's king, no one doubts that he'd be swift to learn how to rule.
So now you understand why Vincent and Catherine were too busy to greet you as they would have preferred. Contrary to what most of us might think, being Chyrev is hard work, even in a kingdom as sedate as Nerissa. And in Catherine's case, taking on the duties of Chyrav was no piece of cake, either! Perhaps you can imagine how busy they both are — or perhaps you'd rather be told!
But before we do that we should make a detour by way of the Tunnels. Time hasn't stood still there; in fact it has moved much faster than in Auruth, and Narcissa has put that time to good use. And as usual when Narcissa becomes involved, things are likely to become just that much more interesting for everyone concerned, whatever world they happen to be on!
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
from issue #3
Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3
Further doings in a fantasy world inhabited, in part, by people like Vincent, where Vincent's now a king; just about everybody's happy, happy, happy, though Vincent's briefly-seen brother, Aedain, and Fiona, a witch, show promise of a few interesting sharp edges. Pleasant, un-taxing story with graphic sex scenes every 40 pages or so. The art, mostly by Pam Martin, is vivid and excellent. [5]
The adventure begun in Volumes 1 and 2 continues. Vincent becomes King in this alternate universe, we meet his brother, Father visits and, in the end, all make their way back to the Tunnels. Explicit sex.[6]
References
- ^ from Helpers' Network Quality Fanzine Review -- 1997, Archived version
- ^ from The Beauty and the Beast Buyer's Guide to Fanzines
- ^ from Helpers' Network Quality Fanzine Review -- 1997, Archived version
- ^ from The Beauty and the Beast Buyer's Guide to Fanzines
- ^ from Helpers' Network Quality Fanzine Review -- 1997, Archived version
- ^ from The Beauty and the Beast Buyer's Guide to Fanzines