Allan Walsh - Author

Here we go with another image I have created using AI tools. This one is an illustration of a character known as ‘The Caretaker’ from my short horror story ‘Low Life’. Yes, I know the title of this blog post refers to dark fantasy worlds, but that’s not referring to the genre of the book, it’s referring to the world, and I reckon the world is dark and it is not real, therefore it is a fantasy…

This weeks post is for one of my personal favourites, the… RED‑BELLIED EMBER DRAKE Draco porphyriacus ignis — “The Riverfire Serpent” Origin From the Red‑Bellied Black Snake, these drakes became semi‑aquatic fire‑aligned predators. Physiology Glossy obsidian scales Underside glows ember‑red when agitated Steam‑venting gills Paddle‑like tail Behaviour Ambushes from riverbeds Uses heat…

Hello Readers, I hope you are ready for another animal from my creature files. Everyone knows Australia is home to a host of dangerous creatures, but few know of the Marrin-Gul (Shadow that Hunts). More commonly known as the Bush Bastard by those at the local outback pub. This ancient monstrosity is a seasoned hunter; it covers ground quickly with its fast bounds and tears its prey apart with…

Hello Readers, 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…

Hello Readers, The next dragon in this series is the… MULGA EARTH‑DRAGON Draco australis terravore — “The Burrowing Titan” Origin From the King Brown, these dragons became muscular, armour‑plated earth‑aligned beasts. Physiology Thick, iron‑like scales Massive forelimbs for digging Blunt, crushing jaws Dust‑storm coloured hide Behaviour Slow but unstoppable Creates vast tunnel…

Hello Readers, Welcome to the next post from my creature files. You may recall the Rib-back, a Canadian terror from a previous post. Well while I was searching for this beast I came across another frightful being. It’s the kind of thing the locals whispered about around campfires when the wind cut through the pines. Known as the Shadow-tail Cabin Creeper, this is no ordinary Raccoon. You’ll be…

Hello Readers, Here is another post from my creature files. This terrifying animal was once extinct, but scientists meddling with the cloning of genes tried to bring it back to life and re-introduce it to the world. They partially succeeded, though you can’t really say this Thylacine is alive. Meet the Bone-Striped Tiger, an undead devil sometimes referred to as a Rot Runner by the…

When I wrote the ‘Blood Rage’ trilogy, I created a whole world for my characters to live in. The world that I wanted to set their story in. It was the world of Armada; a dark, gritty, medieval-style, fantasy world. One of the locations in this world is ‘The Dead Duck’, a tavern whose landlord holds an allegiance to a guild of thieves known as ‘The Crimson Guild’. The image above is an…

Hello Readers, I know you’ve all been waiting for the second post in this series, so I will jump straight in: COASTAL TAIPAN SERPENT‑WYRM Draco scutellatus littoralis — “The Reef‑Hunter” Origin From the Coastal Taipan, these dragons evolved along mangroves and tropical coasts, developing amphibious traits and elongated, eel‑like bodies. Physiology Long, whip‑slender frame Finned tail for…

Hello Readers, This is the second post from my creature files. This week we have crossed the timeline to the Northern Hemisphere in search of strange beasts and find ourselves in Canada. And what dark creature could be more appropriate than this Ribbed-back Revenant, more commonly referred to as a Rib-back. This monster evolved from the grizzly bear and dons a partial exoskeleton of ribs,…

Hello Readers, 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…

Hello Readers, I’ve been playing around with AI recently and thought I would have a go at creating some images of Australian specific dragons to add to my bestiary. I considered what this should look like to give them a distinctive Australian feel and how it would have come about. This got me thinking about the wildlife, which in turn sparked the idea “what would it look like if our snakes had…

Hello Readers, Welcome to my creature files, a series of posts about fantasy creatures. Some of these will be from my stories, others from mythology and folktales, and some I have just created for fun – Like this week’s creature. The Nocturnal Maw; a larger, darker relative of the drop bear, and its better known, cuter, friendlier cousin the Koala. NOCTURNAL MAW Phascoloctonus sanguinolentus —…

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…

Hello Readers, The final item in this blessed weapon series is a collaborative piece designed, forged, and crafted by the Elves, Dwarves, and Human mages together. The length of this bow is magically determined by the range of its target, and its arrows always fly silent and true. I hope you’ve enjoyed this magical weapon series. If there is a weapon you’d like to see forged in the darkness or…

Hello Readers, I’ve saved this one for the last in this series of quotes from my tales. A colourful image with another quote from my short fantasy story ‘Making Magic’. And for extra brownie points I’ve included a dragon. If you’d like to share your favourite quote, you can do so in the comments. Happy reading!

Hello Readers, 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…