This image was generated (with the help of AI) from the description within a scene from my short horror story ‘The Cold and The Dead’. It took me a few attempts to get the wagon in the right style. The shack in the background and some of the details are not how I imagined, so you’ll find the actual descriptions in the book differ a little, but overall, I’m pleased with how it turned out.
If there is a scene from one of my books that you’d like me to re-create in an image, please leave a comment to let me know which one.
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
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Welcome to the last of my ‘Dark City’ posts. The final post in this series brings us to… Toronto!
What questions flood your mind when you gaze upon this dark fantasy city? Here are a few I’ve created for you to ponder over:
When the crimson aurora coils above the CN Tower, what forgotten creatures awaken beneath its steel veins?
Which spirits haunt the mist‑choked streets of Queen and Spadina, and what do they whisper to those who walk alone after midnight?
What lies beneath the frozen waters of Lake Ontario, and does it stir when the moon turns red and the runes begin to hum?
What memories do the gargoyles keep of the first night the sky broke open and the city learned to fear its own reflection?
When the Flatiron’s walls pulse with red light, which souls are drawn to its doorway — and which never return?
I hope you’ve enjoyed my ‘Dark City’ Series. If you’d like to see your city (or any other city) transported into a place within this dark fantasy realm, just let me know which city you want to see in the comments, and if I get time, I will see what I can do to bring it to life.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, you can visit my Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
If you want to conjure up your own mug with a ‘Dark City’ design, check out my Merch here.
My ‘Dark City’ Series of posts is almost at an end, and who knows, I may bring it back to life again another day. But for now, I bring you a dark fantasy portrayal of… Perth!
Perth City. Another place I have yet to visit. Even though I live in Australia, this city is approximately 5 hours flight from Brisbane, and I can get to a number of international destinations in less time than it takes me to get to Perth. However, I still plan to get there one day.
But to visit the Perth of this dark fantasy world it would do you well to ponder these questions:
When the Blood Moon rises over the Swan River, how much blood flows from the ancient runes lit by its glow?
What creatures stir in the mistthat coils around King’s Park, and what secrets does it whisper about the forest’s oldest stones?
When the auroras twist crimson and green above the skyline, do they mark the return of the river god, or the opening of a portal to another realm?
What tribute must the fishermen offer at Elizabeth Quay to keep the tentacled behemoth beneath the waters from rising?
Whichcathedral bells toll backwards at midnight, and what souls respond to their call?
The creature in the water looks oddly familiar to me… I wonder… could it be… is this the lake dweller from one of my own tales or is it just a coincidence?
Come back next week for the final image in my ‘dark city’ series.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, visit Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
If you are interested, you can purchase your very own ‘Dark City’ mug from my merchandisestore.
The next city to plunge into the darkness is… Vancouver!
I’m a big fan of Vancouver City. In fact, I’ve only just returned from a holiday in Canada, and I spent some more time in Vancouver after having enjoyed the hospitality of this city in the past. But this re-imagined version of the city is not the Vancouver I know, and it makes me wonder if the seaplanes in the real world have been replaced by the dragons seen in the sky.
Here are some questions to tweak your dark curiosity…
When the storm clouds coil above the city, what runes awaken on the glass towers of Coal Harbour and why are they there?
What is the cost of passage paid by for the ferrymen to the serpents that dwell beneath Lions Gate Bridge — Do all their passengers make it to the other side?
Which forgotten gods breathe through the neon haze of Granville Street, feeding on the desires of wanderers?
When the fog rolls down from Grouse Mountain, what spectral beings cross the seawall unseen?
What ancient oath binds the ravens circling the Vancouver Lookout, and why do their eyes burn with green fire?
Which souls are trapped within the reflections of False Creek, pleading for release when the moon turns crimson?
When the rain falls black and heavy, what creatures rise from the alleys of Gastown to hunt by the flicker of lanterns?
What memory does the city itself keep — is there really a heartbeat echoing through glass, steel, and shadow — waiting for the one who can hear it?
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, visit Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
If you’d like to conjure up your own mug with a ‘Dark City’ design, check out my Merch here.
This weeks ‘Dark City’ post has strayed a little to a more rugged terrain with a township sitting at the base of some jagged mountains. Welcome to a dark fantasy infused ‘Banff’.
What a beautiful sight for the eyes of those strange beaked creatures gathering by the runes. But are they admiring the view or working out who will become their next meal.
Now you’ve considered my first question, here are a few more for you to ponder upon:
When the auroras twist into unnatural shapes above the mountains, what warnings do their colours spell out across the sky?
Which spirits linger in the frozen lake when the ice cracks under the blood moon’s gaze?
Do the shadowed creatures make bargains with travellers who stray from the torchlit paths, or do they just add more bones to those already scattered across the landscape?
When the mist rolls down from the peaks, whose whispers guide the lost back to town — and whose lead them deeper into the darkness?
Which ancient deity carved the valley, and what tribute must the townsfolk offer each winter to keep the snow from turning crimson?
What unseen eyes watch from the treeline when the last lantern flickers out?
I hope for your sake that you are not unfortunate enough to find out the answers to these questions, for I’d truly like to see you return for next week’s post in the ‘Dark City” series.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, visit Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
If you’d like to purchase your very own ‘Dark City’ mug, check out my merchandise.
The next city to undergo a dark fantasy transformation is… Quebec!
I love Quebec, but the thought of living in a dark fantasy version of this old city sends shivers down my spine.
Here are some questions to mull over, but don’t spend too long pondering these questions, for I fear you may get sucked in to this world… never to return!
When the Blood Moon rises above Château Frontenac, which runes flare to life, and what evil beings do they offer protection from?
What spectral ferrymen drift across the St Lawrence River, and what is the price of the toll they demand for passage through the mist?
Beneath the cobblestones of Old Quebec, what ancient machinery hums unseen, binding the city to an eternal winter? And why… does the cold hold something monstrous at bay?
When the aurora bleeds crimson and green, do the cathedral bells toll for the living—or for those who never left?
What creatures of shadow and ice prowl the narrow alleys of Petit‑Champlain, whispering names that no mortal should remember?
Which statues turn their heads at midnight, and what do they watch for beyond the walls of the Citadel?
Come back next week to find out which city is destined to follow Quebec into the gloomy shadows of dark fantasy.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, visit Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
For those of you who are interested, you can purchase your very own ‘Dark City’ mug from my merchandise.
