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elric

Elric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by British author Michael Moorcock. He is the emperor of the ancient, decadent island civilization of Melniboné and a central figure in Moorcock’s Eternal Champion cycle. Often described as pale and albino, with long white hair, Elric is a puissant sorcerer who relies on magic as well as physical prowess.

Elric’s most defining possession is Stormbringer, a black, sentient sword that grants him strength and vitality

The character’s narratives are set within Moorcock’s broader mythos of the Eternal Champion, a being whose various

Publication history places Elric in short stories from the early 1960s and in a series of novels

See also: Stormbringer, Melniboné, Eternal Champion.

in
combat
but
continuously
devours
the
souls
of
those
it
touches.
The
sword’s
hunger
is
both
a
source
of
power
and
a
core
moral
burden
for
Elric,
shaping
his
decisions
and
ultimate
fate.
The
relationship
between
Elric
and
Stormbringer
is
a
recurring
element
in
his
stories,
highlighting
themes
of
dependency,
fate,
and
the
costs
of
power.
incarnations
appear
across
different
worlds
and
timelines
to
influence
the
struggle
between
order
(Law)
and
chaos.
Elric’s
adventures
often
place
him
at
odds
with
traditional
heroic
ideals,
presenting
a
tragic,
morally
complex
protagonist
who
struggles
with
personal
loss,
political
revolt,
and
the
corrupting
lure
of
his
own
power.
and
collections
that
established
and
expanded
the
Elric
of
Melniboné
and
Stormbringer
cycles.
Moorcock’s
work
helped
redefine
sword
and
sorcery
by
foregrounding
psychological
ambiguity,
ethical
conflict,
and
cosmological
scope,
influencing
later
fantasy
authors
and
game
designers.