King Reginald, "Regi"
You could say this all began from a belief in my childhood, that the woods around our place were inhabited by Little People. I played often with them in our woods, and made little villages of twigs, and thatched small cottages with moss. Nooks and crannies in old rotten logs were also their dwelling places, for they loved all things cool, green, and mossy.
Many years passed, and I forgot about the whimsical creatures of my childhood as life got in the way. One fortunate day, on a trip to the Oregon Coast, I wandered into an art gallery. There upon the wall, staring back at me, was a painting by artist James Christensen. I was so astounded, for there before me,was a creature just like one of my little people, so brought to life as if by magic. I could not afford the painting, but I could afford his book, "A Journey of the Imagination." I took it home, and devoured its pages, for it brought flooding back to me, all of the friends I had, had, in the woods near my childhood home.
I began immediately to have a desire, to bring them to life in my own way, so I decided to try and sculpt them. Now you must understand, I had never sculpted a thing in my life, and had only made a few paper mache' puppets as a child in grade-school. I told myself, that I would just make one, and if I liked how it turned out then I would try more. The rest they say is history. I had finally found the most joyful occupation, any artist could desire. Bringing those wonderful creatures from my past alive again and into the present.
This is King Reginald. Better known as Regi to his friends. He may look plump, but don't be fooled, he is all business. He is the originator of all things Gomber. It was he, who started me down the path, that led me into his realm of Gomber and for that I am truly thankful.
Here is a part of his saga, as told to me by Mage McGrynnus, another character, you may someday meet.
The Prophecy Of Verynegorthe
‘Twas a day like this in winter, when Prince Reginald rode forth,
From his dying fathers castle, through the streets of Verynegorthe.
The sky was low and glowering, and a mist was o’er the land,
So cold and chill, it matched the feeling, of his fathers hand.
The second son of Cymru, he’d not sit upon the throne,
For the Gwerynothe foretold it, he would claim one for his own.
They had seen a mighty Dragon, and a King was at his side,
Who would rule a magic kingdom, where no evil could abide.
It was through a trackless forest, ruled by creatures dark and Fell,
But Prince Reginald was destined, to go there and break the spell.
This the Mages had been saying, from the day of Regi’s birth,
But the courtiers of the kingdom, had been filled with endless mirth.
For poor Regi was so pudgy, that he did not look the part,
And his brother, was so noble, with a far more braver heart.
That the very thought of Regi, with a Dragon for a friend,
Made them double up with laughter, say it was the living end.
But for others who were wiser, and could see with better eyes,
Knew that short and pudgy Regi, was a knight born in disguise.
As the years went by, and he became, a man most nobly grown,
The Mages sorrowed, he would not, be king upon the throne.
He was now, no longer pudgy, but he’d been a joke so long,
The courtiers who’d made fun of him, knew not that he was strong.
But when that cold and wintry day, he’d said his last goodby,
‘Twas then that Mage McGrynnus knew, the Kingdom soon would die.
He knew the words he’d often read, “On this day of gloom,
If Reginald left Verynegorthe, ‘twould be its final doom.”
Now the Mages had conspired, for not all of it was told,
Of the destruction of the castle, and of Gerald, dead and cold.
Thus Regi only knew in part, the Mages told not all,
Of the curse upon the Kingdom, and how Verynegorthe would fall.
For if he had known the rest of it, he never would have gone,
But this they also could foretell, and knew he must go on.
For if he stayed in Verynegorthe, no kingdom would he gain,
And if he stayed, the Mages knew, no kingdoms would remain.
VERYNEGORTHE - The capital city, of the country of Harthnore, that lies upon the north-eastern edges of Gomber. It lies upon the convergence of two mighty rivers, and was once very powerful, before the shifting of the dragons, and its destruction, by the armies of their old enemies, the Naiadarians.
Many years passed, and I forgot about the whimsical creatures of my childhood as life got in the way. One fortunate day, on a trip to the Oregon Coast, I wandered into an art gallery. There upon the wall, staring back at me, was a painting by artist James Christensen. I was so astounded, for there before me,was a creature just like one of my little people, so brought to life as if by magic. I could not afford the painting, but I could afford his book, "A Journey of the Imagination." I took it home, and devoured its pages, for it brought flooding back to me, all of the friends I had, had, in the woods near my childhood home.
I began immediately to have a desire, to bring them to life in my own way, so I decided to try and sculpt them. Now you must understand, I had never sculpted a thing in my life, and had only made a few paper mache' puppets as a child in grade-school. I told myself, that I would just make one, and if I liked how it turned out then I would try more. The rest they say is history. I had finally found the most joyful occupation, any artist could desire. Bringing those wonderful creatures from my past alive again and into the present.
Here is a part of his saga, as told to me by Mage McGrynnus, another character, you may someday meet.
The Prophecy Of Verynegorthe
‘Twas a day like this in winter, when Prince Reginald rode forth,
From his dying fathers castle, through the streets of Verynegorthe.
The sky was low and glowering, and a mist was o’er the land,
So cold and chill, it matched the feeling, of his fathers hand.
The second son of Cymru, he’d not sit upon the throne,
For the Gwerynothe foretold it, he would claim one for his own.
They had seen a mighty Dragon, and a King was at his side,
Who would rule a magic kingdom, where no evil could abide.
It was through a trackless forest, ruled by creatures dark and Fell,
But Prince Reginald was destined, to go there and break the spell.
This the Mages had been saying, from the day of Regi’s birth,
But the courtiers of the kingdom, had been filled with endless mirth.
For poor Regi was so pudgy, that he did not look the part,
And his brother, was so noble, with a far more braver heart.
That the very thought of Regi, with a Dragon for a friend,
Made them double up with laughter, say it was the living end.
But for others who were wiser, and could see with better eyes,
Knew that short and pudgy Regi, was a knight born in disguise.
As the years went by, and he became, a man most nobly grown,
The Mages sorrowed, he would not, be king upon the throne.
He was now, no longer pudgy, but he’d been a joke so long,
The courtiers who’d made fun of him, knew not that he was strong.
But when that cold and wintry day, he’d said his last goodby,
‘Twas then that Mage McGrynnus knew, the Kingdom soon would die.
He knew the words he’d often read, “On this day of gloom,
If Reginald left Verynegorthe, ‘twould be its final doom.”
Now the Mages had conspired, for not all of it was told,
Of the destruction of the castle, and of Gerald, dead and cold.
Thus Regi only knew in part, the Mages told not all,
Of the curse upon the Kingdom, and how Verynegorthe would fall.
For if he had known the rest of it, he never would have gone,
But this they also could foretell, and knew he must go on.
For if he stayed in Verynegorthe, no kingdom would he gain,
And if he stayed, the Mages knew, no kingdoms would remain.
VERYNEGORTHE - The capital city, of the country of Harthnore, that lies upon the north-eastern edges of Gomber. It lies upon the convergence of two mighty rivers, and was once very powerful, before the shifting of the dragons, and its destruction, by the armies of their old enemies, the Naiadarians.
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