Lords of Kerballa

About the Book

The Master of Darkness is the tyrannical ruler of the western coastal city of Kerballa. In an attempt to extend his rule inland, he has kidnapped the Princess of Time and is holding her prisoner in his castle until she agrees to marry him. The young knight, Red John, is in love with the Princess. He sets out on a quest to free her accompanied by his friend Morduc, an Elven Prince. As they are crossing a river, John is swept away by a flash flood. Morduc continues on their quest alone. During that journey he meets his own true love Marianna, learns to speak Froggan, and survives a trip through dark and dangerous caverns beneath the mountains east of Kerballa. Meanwhile, a jungle tribe far downriver has saved John from the flood. He returns the favor by saving the tribe from the Monkey King. As a reward, he is offered the chief’s daughter and royal rule, but declines, remaining faithful to the Princess. With Palla Nad and Yanibo, two new jungle friends, he arrives at the southern port city of Imbal where they all sign on as performers with a travelling circus. The circus docks at Kerballa on the very same day that Morduc enters the city disguised as a seedy old street magician. Both are eventually invited to perform at the castle. During their performances they succeed in rescuing the Princess just as lightning bolts begin to rain down upon the castle. The Master of Darkness is presumed dead and buried beneath the smoking rubble. Red John is elected the governor of the newly free Kerballa. In a festive wedding in the town square Red John marries the Princess, and Morduc marries his beloved Marianna.

About the Author

J. H. Underhill first told episodes of his MORDUC® stories to his two children forty years ago, and then, thirty years later to his two grandchildren. After a 42-year teaching career in college and high school, 33 of them as English Department Chair at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor Michigan, he retired in 2004 and began to assemble the stories of Morduc’s adventures, the first of which is LORDS OF KEBALLA. He has directed a yearly Shakespeare or modern play with high school students for 17 seasons. He is one of the founders of the Acorn Glen Center for Self Directed Learning in Ann Arbor and has taught literature, Government, and Geometry at Adventurers Homeschool Cooperative in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He holds a BA in English from Amherst College, and an MA and Ed.D. in English from the University of Michigan. Currently he is the Director and Advisor of the Drama Club at Washtenaw International High School, a new International Baccalaureate school in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mr. Underhill is married to Diana C. Underhill, J.D., University of Michigan, and lives in Ann Arbor with her and their cat, Katherine the Great.