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Dweb, Maal. Maal Dweb was created by Clark Ashton Smith (City of the Singing Flame, Malygris, Satampra Zeiros, Zothique) and appeared in “The Maze of the Enchanter” (The Double Shadow and Other Fantasies, 1933) and “The Flower-Women” (Weird Tales, May 1935).

Maal Dweb is the all-powerful tyrant-sorcerer of Xiccarph, who takes tribute from the five planets of the triple suns of Xiccarph and who none can oppose. Those warriors who attempt to assassinate him face horrible fates themselves, being reverted to beasts or simply having their bodies changed but their minds left whole. Maal Dweb is not entirely wicked, however--the fifty most beautiful women delivered to him as tribute are turned into statues, “to preserve their frail, corruptible beauty from the worm-like gnawing of time.” And, since he is given to monotony, he avoids repeating certain kinds of sorceries, and even places himself in the path of danger while armed only with his wits and sorcerous knowledge.

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