THE WALLS HAVE EYES

Many of you are beginning to wonder how long Shrew Khan can "hold the fort" at Giloh. After all, Keno's rescue mission has stretched out over several long weeks. But let's put things in perspective. Think of the Khan Chronicles as "24", with shrews. Because the episodes are so short, only a few hours of "real time" can span several weeks of episodes.

On the other hand, I don't blame you you starting to worry about Shrew Khan and his regiment, while Keno is sitting in Emperor Nang's dungeon. And this episodes brings with it even more to be concerned about, as you will soon see. But don't snap just yet. Hang on a little while longer, and things will somehow resolve themselves...I hope. The saga continues...



I enjoy looking at Mrs. Trowbridge's preliminary sketches. She always did very careful charcoal sketches before beginning her paintings. I wish you could see the originals. I thought I would share with you the sketch that she did of Emperor Nang's guard. Note some of the changes betweeen the sketch and the final art. She added straps to the sandals, and a few other details.

FEAR FACTOR

In this week's episode, Keno finds himself alone in a dungeon in the emperor's palace at Shomu. He is overcome with despair and guilt for he feels that he has let down his comrades who are trying to hold the Giloh outpost from the onslaught of the Phantom Mongol. Instead of gaining support from the emperor's army, he sits helpless and bloody in his cell. The only sound that he hears is the moan of fellow prisoners, and the hiss of cockroaches. What will become of Keno? Our story resumes...

THE DUNGEON

Go to the November, 2006 archives of the Trowbridge Chronicles to pick up the Khan Chronicles from the beginning.

When I first began reading Mrs. Trowbridge's Khan Chronicles I found myself admiring Keno. He is loyal, resourceful, courageous, and of course, hard-wired to run. He also seems to have a knack for getting himself into precarious situations. This week's episode is no exception. He has gained entrance into Emperor Nang's palace at Shomu and is seeking permission from the emperor to receive military assistance from the royal army. At the moment, it seems that Keno's plans have been put on hold. Our story resumes...

THE WAR ROOM

Mrs. Trowbridge occasionally created her delicate renderings from a primitive form of colored pencil which she fashioned by combining colorful finely ground stones (which she found in Wild Rose Creek or at the seashore) with a waxy substance from some plant source in the rain forest. I am very familiar with the stones that she collected on her trips to the shore. I filled a bag with these stones of many colors on my last trip to Shi Shi Beach. My Shi Shi jar of stones decorates the sunny window sill in my studio. To bring out the brilliance of the colors of the stones, I filled the jar with water.

I have come to know Mrs. T's work well enough to recognize the different media that she used in her paintings. The rendering on the first journal page was definitely created with her colored pencils. She would sometimes use them when she traveled in the rain forest or into the high meadows because of their convenience.

As Shrew Khan and his regiment cling to life at the Giloh outpost, Keno is received by Emperor Nang in his palatial court. And now, we return to the Chronicles of Khan...

THE EMPEROR'S COURT

To read the Khan Chronicles from the beginning, go to the November archives of the Trowbridge Chronicles.

Keno felt overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation at the Giloh outpost, but he was briefly distracted by the splendor that surrounded him in Emperor Nang's court. How would the emperor respond to Keno's request for help? Our story continues...