Ulan Dhor-Jack Vance chapter from the novel Mazirian the Magician

Ulan Dhor-Jack Vance chapter from the novel Mazirian the Magician

AKA: Mazirian the Magician, chapter 5

The Dying Earth, chapter 5

Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I, chapter 5

Ulan Dhor Ends a Dream

This is a 24 page chapter (#5) in the 1950 Jack Vance novel Mazirian the Magician. This novel is also known as “The Dying Earth” and “Tales of the Dying Earth, Book I.” This story appears to have never been published as a stand-alone story in any anthology

Ulan Dhor is sent by his uncle Prince Kandive the Golden to the ancient city of Ampridatvir to seek two tablets that once belonged to Rogol Domedonfors.  According to myth the two tablets are useless by themselves, but if they are laid together side by side a message can be read and whomever reads it, "will have the key to the ancient knowledge, and will wield the power."  When Ulan arrives at the city of Ampridatvir he finds that some people are dressed in grey and others in green and neither can see the other.  When something happens that involves a person of the other color, it is blamed on invisible ghosts.  There are some people who dress in red and can be seen by the grays and greens.  The reds attempt to raid the temple and are attacked by both grays and greens.  Everyone takes shelter at night when the horrible demons called Gauns roam about with "great long arms that clutch and rend."  This is an intriguing and imaginative story with an unusual ending.  I’ve read it numerous times and rated it a 4 “Really liked it.”