by Robin Furth
When seven-year-old King was on punishment duty sawing wood in his uncle’s barn, he was approached by the CRIMSON KING, Lord of Discordia. The Red King wanted to make little Stevie into a bard of the Outer Dark, but he was destined to be thwarted in this endeavor. Steve King was saved by CUTHBERT ALLGOOD and EDDIE DEAN, who convinced him to serve the cause of the WHITE instead. The Red King (never a good loser) has been gunning for King ever since.
Stephen King makes several guest appearances in the final books of the Dark Tower series. In Song of Susannah, King comes face-to-face with two of his “creations”—Roland of GILEAD and Eddie Dean of NEW YORK. King also plays a kind of deus ex machina by leaving JAKE CHAMBERS a key to SUSANNAH’s room in the PLAZA–PARK HYATT so that Jake and PERE CALLAHAN can retrieve BLACK THIRTEEN. King plays this role again in The Dark Tower, when he warns Susannah Dean that the seemingly friendly JOE COLLINS is not what he seems. (He is actually the were-spider DANDELO.)
Although his characters form the TET CORPORATION to keep King and the ROSE safe, the todanna, or death-bag, which Roland and Eddie saw around the writer back in BRIDGTON, MAINE, is destined to have its day. In 1999—the KEYSTONE YEAR in the KEYSTONE WORLD—Stephen King is hit by a Dodge minivan driven by BRYAN SMITH. King’s life is saved by Jake Chambers, who jumps between him and the oncoming vehicle. King survives the accident but Jake does not. As a badly hurt King lies on the side of SLAB CITY HILL, an angry Roland makes King promise to finish the Dark Tower series. True to his promise, King has done so.
V:54, V:706, V:709, VI:167, VI:168–72, VI:207–8, VI:210 (tale-spinner), VI:211, VI:221, VI:270–303 (294 possessed by Gan; his Beam is the Bear-Turtle Beam), VI:322–24, VI:336, VI:350, VI:389–411 (journal extracts and article about accident), VII:17, VII:18, VII:33, VII:36, VII:39, VII:76, VII:120, VII:121, VII:125 (writah), VII:143–44 (telecaster), VII:145, VII:173–74, VII:266, VII:300, VII:301, VII:302, VII:303–7, VII:311, VII:312–14, VII:332, VII:336, VII:388, VII:405, VII:406, VII:409, VII:424, VII:434, VII:435, VII:436–39, VII:440, VII:441, VII:442, VII:444–62, VII:465, VII:467–68, VII:472, VII:475, VII:480, VII:485, VII:487, VII:505, VII:511–15, VII:524, VII:534, VII:542–45, VII:552, VII:601–13 (uffis), VII:614, VII:627, VII:680–81, VII:689 (enters tale again), VII:690–95 (leaves poem), VII:706, VII:728, VII:802
BACHMAN, RICHARD: See BACHMAN, RICHARD, listed separately
CALDERWOOD, FLOYD: A friend or acquiantance of King’s, Floyd Calderwood also makes a guest appearance in King’s novel It. In that book, he appears in a flashback as a 1905 lumberjack who has a shady past. VI:276
CARLINER, MARK: VI:409
FAN MAIL/HATE MAIL: VI:401–3, VI:406
SPIER, JOHN T.: VI:401
VELE, MRS. CORETTA: VI:402–3, VI:406 (Vermont gramma)
FERMAN, ED: Editor in chief of Fantasy and Science Fiction. VI:390–91
FULCHER, ANDY: Babysitter. VI:391, VI:395
GRANT, DONALD: The publisher who first put King’s novel The Gunslinger into print. VI:392, VI:395, VI:396, VI:403
HATLEN, BURT: Steve King’s professor and friend who teaches at the UNIVERSITY OF MAINE. Burt Hatlen arranged for King to be a writer in residence at the University of Maine at ORONO. VI:391
HAUSER, FRED: VI:407
HOLSTEN, RAND: VI:409
JONES, BETTY: OWEN KING’s babysitter. VI:289, VI:301
KING FAMILY (GENERAL): VI:272, VI:273 (kids), VI:280 (kids), VI:295 (kids), VI:391 (kids), VI:396 (kids), VI:405 (kids), VII:436, VI:438
AUNTIE ETHELYN: King’s aunt. VI:292, VI:389
KING, DAVE: Stephen King’s brother. VI:278, VI:292, VI:389, VI:399
KING, JOE: King’s eldest son. VI:280, VI:281, VI:283, VI:287 (indirect), VI:296, VI:297, VI:301, VI:302, VI:389, VI:390, VI:406, VI:407, VI:408, VI:409
ETHAN (SON): VI:409
WIFE: VI:406, VI:410
KING, NAOMI: King’s daughter. VI:280, VI:390, VI:393, VI:405, VI:410
KING, OWEN: King’s youngest son. VI:280, VI:289, VI:389, VI:391, VI:392, VI:393, VI:404, VI:407, VI:408, VI:410
KING, TABITHA (TABBY): King’s wife. VI:273, VI:280, VI:285, VI:286, VI:289, VI:295, VI:389, VI:390, VI:391, VI:394, VI:398, VI:403–4, VI:406, VI:407, VI:408–9
FATHER: VI:280 (poppa)
MOTHER: VI:280 (nana), VI:389 (nanna)
KING’S MOTHER: VI:278, VI:286
UNCLE OREN: King’s uncle. VI:292, VI:389
KOSTER, ELAINE: She worked for NAL. VI:393
MANSFIELD FAMILY (DAVIE, SANDY, MEGAN): VI:398
MARLOWE: King’s dog, who resembles OY. VII:544–45
McCAULEY, KIRBY: King’s agent. VI:390–91, VI:392, VI:393
McCAUSLAND, CHARLES (CHIP): See MAINE CHARACTERS, listed separately
McCUTCHEON, MAC: VI:276
McKEEN (GROUNDSKEEPER): Great-grandson of GARRETT McKEEN, who lived in the LOVELL area more than one hundred years before our story takes place. The present Mr. McKeen is the groundskeeper for the King’s family home, CARA LAUGHS. Roland thinks of him as King’s bondsman. VII:437–38, VII:441–42, VII:443
McKEEN, GARRETT: Garrett McKeen lived in the Lovell area of Maine at the turn of the twentieth century. His great-grandson is Stephen King’s groundskeeper. VII:439, VII:443
McLEOD, GEORGE: One of King’s old drinking buddies from his UNIVERSITY OF MAINE days. VI:409
ROUTHIER, RAY (REPORTER): This reporter writes King’s obituary, which appears at the very end of Song of Susannah. Luckily, our tet prevents this disaster from taking place. However, altering ka always has its price. King survives being hit by BRYAN SMITH’s van, but Jake Chambers dies in his place. VI:410
SMITH, BRYAN: Bryan Smith (who, we are told, is SHEEMIE’s twinner) has two Rottweilers, BULLET and PISTOL, and an extremely long list of motor vehicle offenses. In the KEYSTONE EARTH, Smith hits both Jake Chambers and Stephen King with his 1985 Dodge minivan. King survives the accident but Jake does not. VII:433–34, VII:440–41, VII:443–44, VII:447, VII:448–62, VII:463, VII:467–68, VII:472, VII:528, VII:543
BULLET: VII:433–34, VII:441 (indirect), VII:444, VII:448–49, VII:456, VII:461
HIPPIES WITH DRUGS: VII:433
PISTOL: VII:433–34, VII:441 (indirect), VII:444, VII:448, VII:456, VII:461
SOYCHAK, MR.: King’s algebra teacher. VI:289
THOMPSON, FLIP: King’s old drinking buddy from his UNIVERSITY OF MAINE days. VI:409
VAUGHN, SAM: VI:393
VERDON, HENRY K.: The sociologist Henry K. Verdon authored the article on WALK-INS which Stephen King pasted into his journal. VI:397–98
VERRILL, CHUCK: Stephen King’s New York editor. VII:448
ZOLTAN: See BORDER DWELLERS, listed separately
KING DANDO
See DANDO (KING DANDO)
KINGERY, MR.
See PIPER SCHOOL CHARACTERS
KING’S TOWN GIRL
This girl was one of the many that Roland loved and then left behind.
I:158
KNOPF, MR.
See PIPER SCHOOL CHARACTERS
KOSTER, ELAINE
See KING, STEPHEN
KUVIAN NIGHT-SOLDIER
It seems likely that the Kuvian night-soldiers were a band of assassins.
I:200
L
LADY BLACKBIRD
See DEAN, SUSANNAH
LADY OF SHADOWS
See DEAN, SUSANNAH
LADY OF THE PLATE
See ORIZA, LADY
LADY OR THE TIGER, THE
See MID-WORLD FOLKLORE: DIANA’S DREAM
LADY ORIZA
See ORIZA, LADY
LADY RICE
See ORIZA, LADY
**LAMERK INDUSTRIES (LAMERK FOUNDRY)
In the days of the GREAT OLD ONES, LaMerk Foundry built the long and rusty bridge leading to the city of LUD. It also manufactured Lud’s manhole covers. According to SYLVIA PITTSTON in the 2003 version of The Gunslinger, the INTERLOPER (also known as THE CRIMSON KING) was responsible for LaMerk’s nasty machines.
In one of the ALTERNATIVE AMERICAS that CALLAHAN travels through, a footbridge (just in the shadow of the GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE) stretches across the HUDSON RIVER. This nineteenth-century bridge was repaired by LaMerk Industries during the bicentennial.
III:290, III:326, IV:100 (Eddie’s bulldozer dream), V:5, V:132, V:292–93, V:460, V:578, V:633, V:650
LAMLA
See TAHEEN: STOAT-HEADED TAHEEN
LARS
See CALLAHAN, FATHER DONALD FRANK: CALLAHAN’S HIDDEN HIGHWAYS ASSOCIATES
LATIGO
See FARSON’S MEN
LATIGO, GEORGE
See FARSON, JOHN: FARSON’S MEN
LAVENDER HILL MOB
According to SUSANNAH DEAN, in her when and where of early 1960s GREENWICH VILLAGE, the term Lavender Hill Mob was an oblique reference to homosexual men.
VII:549
LEABROOK REGISTER
See CALLAHAN, FATHER DONALD FRANK: CALLAHAN’S HIDDEN HIGHWAYS ASSOCIATES
LEEDS, TANYA
See BREAKERS
LEFTY ROSS
See ROSS, TIM
**LEGION
See AGELESS STRANGER
LENGYLL, FRANCIS
See HAMBRY CHARACTERS: HORSEMEN’S ASSOCIATION
LENNOX, RALPH
See KATZ
LESSER DEMONS OF THE PRIM
See DEMONS/SPIRITS/DEVILS
LESTER THE LOBSTER
See LOBSTROSITIES
LEWIS
See MANNI
LIA JAFFORDS
See JAFFORDS FAMILY
LIGHTHOUSE SHELTER WORKERS AND CLIENTS
See CALLAHAN, FATHER DONALD FRANK: CALLAHAN’S LIGHTHOUSE SHELTER ASSOCIATES
LITTLE COFFIN HUNTERS
See BIG COFFIN HUNTERS
LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA
See ELURIA, LITTLE SISTERS OF
LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA
See ELURIA CHARACTERS
LINCOLN, MR.
See HARRIGAN, REVEREND EARL
LION GUARDIAN
See GUARDIANS OF THE BEAM; see also ASLAN
LIPPY
See DANDELO
LISA
See CALLAHAN, FATHER DONALD FRANK: CALLAHAN’S HOME SHELTER ASSOCIATES
LLAMREI
See ELD, ARTHUR
LOBSTROSITIES
These critters, which live on the beaches of the WESTERN SEA, look like a cross between scorpions and giant lobsters. They are four feet long, have bleak eyes on stalks, and sharp, serrated beaks. Every time a wave comes, they assume “The Honor Stance” by holding their claws up in the air. They maintain this position until the water crashes over them. Lobstrosities are most vicious at night, and are responsible for eating two of Roland’s fingers and some of his toes. They constantly murmur Dad-a-chum? Did-a-chick? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-Chek?
II:15–21, II:26, II:28–29, II:31, II:32, II:44, II:55, II:93, II:94, II:99–101, II:107, II:135, II:139, II:140–41, II:161–65 (Eddie and Roland eat them), II:167–68, II:206, II:228, II:230, II:238, II:245, II:248, II:253, II:254, II:258, II:267, II:273, II:283, II:286, II:293, II:294, II:297, II:359–60, II:387–90, II:394, III:13, III:52, III:78, III:79, III:150, IV:23, IV:63 (indirect), IV:68, V:46, V:61, V:241, V:379, V:462 (indirect), V:525, V:540, V:686, VI:10, VI:132, VI:295, VI:296, VI:395, VII:741, VII:797, VII:826
LONDON, JACK
See CAN-TOI
LORD GRENFALL
See ORIZA, LADY
LORD OF DISCORDIA
See CRIMSON KING
LORD OF THE SPIDERS
See CRIMSON KING
LORD PERTH
See MID-WORLD FOLKLORE
LORD SEMINON
See ORIZA, LADY
LOS
See CRIMSON KING
LOST BEASTS OF ELD
See ELD, ARTHUR
LOUISE, SISTER
See ELURIA, LITTLE SISTERS OF
LOVELL, MAINE, CHARACTERS
See MAINE CHARACTERS
LOW MEN
See CAN-TOI
LUD CHARACTERS
See GRAYS and PUBES
LUDDITES
On our level of the TOWER, the Luddites were a group of nineteenth-century textile workers in the English manufacturing districts who rioted and destroyed the machines which they believed were stealing their jobs. Contemporary Luddites are people who are opposed to increased industry or new technology. In MID-WORLD, the Luddites are the inhabitants of the city of LUD. Like their namesakes in our world, their lives have been made unbearable by the totalitarianism of mad machines. See also GRAYS and PUBES.
VI:287
LUNDGREN, DAHLIE
See DEAN, EDDIE: EDDIE’S PAST ASSOCIATES
LUSTER
See PUBES
LYDIA
See GODS OF MID-WORLD
LYDIA’S DIPPER
See GODS OF MID-WORLD: OLD MOTHER
LYMAN JAFFORDS
See JAFFORDS FAMILY
M
MAD DOG OF GILEAD
EDDIE DEAN tells BLAINE the Insane Mono that Roland used to be called the Mad Dog of Gilead.
III:415, IV:5
**MAERLYN (AGELESS STRANGER; ARTHUR ELD’S MAGE; MAERLYN OF THE ELD)
In the 1982 version of The Gunslinger, we were told that Maerlyn was also known as the AGELESS STRANGER, and that—before reaching the DARK TOWER—Roland would have to slay this unknown enemy. In that original version of our story, we were told that Maerlyn, like WALTER, was a minion of the Tower. He darkled and tincted, or lived in all times. The only being more powerful than Maerlyn was the BEAST—both the originator of all glammer and the keeper of the Tower.
In the 2003 edition of The Gunslinger, STEPHEN KING cut all references to Maerlyn. Obviously, sai King discovered that Maerlyn of the ELD, original keeper of the magic seeing spheres known as MAERLYN’S RAINBOW, had quite a different history than the one previously imparted to him by the sneaky Walter O’Dim. However this is not surprising, since we all know that Walter enjoys twisting the truth.
Throughout most of the Dark Tower series, Maerlyn remains an elusive and mysterious character. Yet in some regions of MID-WORLD, people have come to believe that the good magician Maerlyn and the wicked sorcerer Walter are the same being. In The Wind Through the Keyhole, we learn some of the apocryphal stories that explain how a magician serving the White could be turned to the Outer Dark. According to one tale, Maerlyn had once been court mage to ARTHUR ELD himself, but he had been poisoned by the evil glam of the Wizard’s Rainbow, the keeping of which had been given to him in the days before the Elden Kingdom fell. Another version of the Maerlyn/Walter tale maintained that, during the mage’s wanderings after the fall of Arthur Eld’s kingdom, he had discovered certain artyfax of the OLD PEOPLE in the ENDLESS FOREST and his soul had become blackened by them. According to these sources, the wizard still kept a magic house in the Endless Forest, and in the environs of his house, time stood still.
However tempting it might be to think that Maerlyn and Walter are one being, we are given plenty of evidence throughout the series to refute this belief. At the end of Wizard and Glass, Walter himself (in the guise of RICHARD FANNIN) told a half-dead TICK-TOCK that he was not and never would be ARTHUR ELD’s mage. And in Wind Through the Keyhole, we meet the wizard himself, and he assures us that he is the enemy of both the COVENANT MAN (Walter) and Walter’s much more powerful master, the CRIMSON KING.
In Wind, the mythic Maerlyn becomes not only a living, breathing being, but the focus of TIM ROSS’s quest to cure his mother’s blindness. Ironically, Tim set out on his journey to find the wizard because of a vision he saw in a MAGIC PAIL of water, left for him by the treacherous Covenant Man. After his mother had been blinded by her cruel second husband, B
ERN KELLS, and after Tim had found the dead body of his father, JACK ROSS, in a stream in a fallow stub of the COSINGTON-MARCHLY STAKE, Tim stumbled across this bucket as well as the Covenanter’s magic wand. The vision which Tim saw in the battered pail seemed innocent enough at first, and perhaps even helpful. In the clear water, Tim watched as a version of himself—water-Tim—visited the wizard in his many-gabled house in a clearing in the forest. Water-Maerlyn gave water-Tim a black silk blindfold which, when placed over Nell’s eyes, restored her sight. Although this vision was the catalyst that set Tim on his journey, the reality of finding Maerlyn proved to be much more difficult. In Song of Susannah, MIA stated that when magic went away from the world Maerlyn left his many-gabled house and retired to a cave. But in Wind Through the Keyhole, we discover that it wasn’t a cave that Maerlyn finally ended up in, but a cage.
When Tim finally located the real Maerlyn in the clearing of the NORTH FOREST KINNOCK DOGAN, located deep in the Endless Forest, he did not recognize the mage at all. This is not surprising since Maerlyn had been transformed into a huge green-eyed TYGER locked inside a rounded, steel-bar cage. In his tiger form, Maerlyn wore a silver collar around his neck. Hung from the collar were two objects. One looked like a playing card (it was actually a keycard to open the Dogan), and the other was a strangely shaped key. Facing a decision much like that found in the Mid-World legend of DIANA’S DREAM, Tim had to decide between using the cage key and facing the tyger so that he could retrieve the keycard for the Dogan and find shelter from the approaching STARKBLAST, or die in the impending storm.
Drawing his four-shot revolver, Tim opened the tyger’s cage. Much to Tim’s surprise and relief, the beast proved to be peaceful. In fact, since the Dogan was offline and could not be opened, the tyger saved Tim’s life by directing the boy to a magic METAL BOX left by the Dogan’s door. Opening the box with the tyger’s second collar key, Tim discovered a magic napkin, or DIBBIN, which, when shaken out, became a storm-shelter big enough to cover both boy and beast. Once the storm passed, Tim fed the tyger drops of liquid from the MAGIC BROWN BOTTLE also located within the magic metal box. Upon swallowing the drops, the tyger magically transformed back into Maerlyn.