YouTube video by The Eternal Loop The Dark Man - By Stephen King

youtu.be/lgj8gCbmTig
'The Dark Man'

A poem by Stephen King

1969

'The Dark Man'
A poem by Stephen King published in 1969 which would serve as the genesis for the character of Randal Flagg, the primary villain in 'The Stand'. 'The Eyes of the Dragon' and 'the Dark Tower' series.

Randal Flagg as envisioned by artist Michael Whelan

Hated this on the first reading -it's almost impenetrable- but really enjoyed it on the second.
Giles being drawn older than he is in Buffy Season 11 doesn't help either.

Joss Whedon's input in minimal though, that's something of a mislead.

Stephen King's 'The Reaper's Image'

A second published story for King printed in 1969 in 'Startling Mystery Stories'
Paid: $35
The story concerns an antique collector attempting to buy a 'legendary mirror' from a museum that allegedly reveals the Grim Reaper to those who look into it.

YouTube video by Fast Asleep with Gena Marie "The Glass Floor" by Stephen King, relaxing storytelling

youtu.be/jjucye1s3uw
The Glass Floor
By Stephen King.

Stephen King's 'the Glass Floor'

Written by King aged 19 and inspired by the notion of
'what it would be like to stand in a room where the floor was a mirror'.
Revisiting the story in 1990, King described it as 'clumsy and badly written -the product of an uninformed storyteller's mind'

Stephen King's First Published Story
'The Glass Floor'
Published Autumn 1967 Issue of Startling Mystery Stories
Paid: $35

A copy of the magazine is held in the Library of the University of Maine.
It appears in the Deluxe edition of King's book of short stories: 'Night Shift'.

Carrie
Movie Rating. 10
The first, and still the best adaptation of a King Novel to this date.
Perfect casting across the board and directed by a master (Brian De Palma)
The Prom scene and final closing graveyard moment are still some of the most frightening and effective scenes in movie History.

The real Carrie White?

Carrie is based on 2 girls Stephen King went to school with:

Tina White: who was bullied by classmates for 'wearing the same clothes every day'
And
Sandra Irving: who was raised by a fanatically religious single mother and completely ignored and ostracized by her peers.

Carrie 1973

Deviations from book to film.
Carrie's appearance differs greatly.
The novel: she is overweight and acne ridden
The movie: slim and willowy

The novel: The prom scene is followed by Carrie walking through town, furiously destroying it
The terrifying tombstone ending does not appear.

YouTube video by The Boston Globe How Stephen King’s ‘Carrie’ changed horror fiction

youtu.be/8BT2r5yFocE
Stephen King on Carrie 50 years later.

Carrie 1974
King's First Novel which was originally intended as a short story, but expanded organically as King wrote.
His initial first draft, he hated and threw away.
Only at his wife Tabitha's insistence -who literally took it out of the trash bin-did he return to it and begin writing again.

Battle Spells 101 #1

FIREBALL
Elemental Attack spell. Very effective against undead enemies.

LIGHTNING
Elemental Attack spell. Moderate attack.

TURN UNDEAD
Attack spell that only works against undead enemies.

FREEZE
Stops an enemies movement for one turn. Warning: They can still attack.

Early Goals
Acquire Magic
Learn the ability to cast magic spells from the Archmage Aurange (cost 5K gold) who lives north of the King's castle.

Magic is extremely useful in this game both in battles and in adventuring, though you can play the game without using it at all.
This is not recommended