Knights in armor, dragons and castles are just some of the popular styles of medieval bookends. Popular with collectors, replica artifacts of the Middle Ages, such as bookends, harkens back to the days of enchantment and magic. Contests of skill and bravery where jousting knights on mighty steeds would fight for honor, and perhaps the affections of the lady fair. Grand castles of stone topped with imposing parapets.

It was a time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The great and eternal quest for Excalibur, the elusive Singing Sword fueled centuries of folk lore. All of these medieval themes can be found reflected in decorative and collectible bookends.

The saga of Saint George slaying the infamous dragon still endures as a legend of the great Crusades. Though the dragon was a creation of mythology, the story has stood as a metaphor of the battle against evil, the saintly versus the serpent. Rising from a mythical lake in North Africa, the legend has the dragon about to feast on a virgin girl who had been cast out by superstitious villagers. Coming to the girls rescue, Saint George is said to have dealt the dragon a fatal blow and the rest, as they say, is legend.

The slaying of the mythical dragon is one of the most persistent stories of the ages. Images depicting the great encounter have been the subject of artwork from tapestries to collectible bookends. Whether portrayed with a great sword or a lance, images of St. George can be found across the globe. Images of the fierce struggle between man and beast grace the halls of fine art museums. Some collectible book ends capture the scene in great detail and are highly prized by mythology enthusiasts and collectors of medieval keepsakes.

Dragons of all kinds are popular among collectors. Human history is filled with stories and myths about these fierce some creatures. The common image of a dragon is that of a scaly reptilian beast with ferocious features and great strength. Some portrayals of these mythical creatures claim the ability of the dragon to breath fire. Dragons were thought to stand over sacred places and are considered to be creatures possessing the qualities of benevolence and even good fortune. Dragon figures are very popular among some collectors especially as bookends and other statuary.

Castles have always captured our collective imagination. Great castles stand as symbols of great wealth and power. Throughout history, castles have marked the rise and fall of medieval fiefdoms. Some castle bookends are replicas of famous structures, while others may depict scenes of whimsy and fantasy. From the wonder and splendor of Camelot to the darkness and dour of medieval dungeons, castles stand as reminders of a time of wonderment, treachery and power. Castles are a very popular genre in bookends and often made of stone types such as granite.

Another popular figure in medieval mythology is the venerable wizard. Like witches and warlocks, wizards were thought to possess powers of good, evil or sometimes both. The most well known wizard has to be Merlin. The legend on Merlin the Wizard plays heavily in stories of King Arthur.

A number of accounts about this wizard portray him as the antichrist as least a bitter and enigmatic sorcerer. Other stories claim that Merlin was a notorious shape shifter, able to turn himself into any number of creatures. Wizard bookends have been on the must have list of collectors for centuries, emblematic of a combination of supernatural power, magic and whimsy.

Collectible medieval bookends can add to your book collection a sense of the days of yore.

King Arthur is dead and war has engulfed the land. This is the premise behind what could most probably be the longest running role playing computer game online, the Dark Age of Camelot. Borrowing heavily from the Celtic legend with the same characters and the same environment, the Dark Age of Camelot relies on two factors that make it a very scintillating computer game online experience: war and destruction.

Indeed, resource management found in most massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) of this type take a backseat to the sheer thrill of combat in the Dark Age of Camelot. This computer game online is divided into realms. Realms are equivalent to servers in other MMORPG programs. Basically, the player would select the realm where he wants to play in. This realm becomes his character’s game world. But there are special places, which the Dark Age of Camelot has labeled as Frontiers, where players from various realms can battle each other in mortal combat. The result is an exciting and enjoyable experience that allows those many hours of leveling up to finally pay off once you hear the might of your blade striking the final blow on your hapless opponent’s armor.

New Heroes Are Summoned During The Dark Age Of Camelot

As with the legend from which it was based, King Arthur’s death foretells the coming of the darkest times the world has ever seen. Hence, in the Dark Age of Camelot, new heroes are summoned by the kingdom as well as nearby towns. You will be one of these heroes, and your task is to protect your environment against a gamut of evil creatures and the invasive motives of other tribes.

But Camelot isn’t the only kingdom you could choose to serve. You could decide to join its enemies, such as Hibernia, the land of magic and mystery, and Midgard, home of the Norse gods and the Vikings of yore.

This computer game online progresses much like any other MMORPG. You have to slay monsters and complete some quests to earn experience points and increase your level. Your prominence in this MMORPG game world would correspondingly increase, until such point when you’d become a legend yourself, much like the deceased king.

Partying is not as required as in other computer game online worlds, but it is very much recommended. Though you could do well in this MMORPG through your solo adventures, the experience would definitely be more fun and rewarding if you’d join a party. This forms the backbone of Dark Age of Camelot’s social system.

The Dark Age Of Camelot Defines Persistence In A Computer Game Online

The Dark Age of Camelot was released way back in 2001, and it still remains a strong contender in the current MMORPG scene. Whereas other computer game online programs would have spawned two or even three sequels within that 5 year period, the Dark Age of Camelot continues to endure with its original game world. This is indeed a testament to the solid and sound nature of its game play mechanics, balance, and the richness of its own mythology.

But even the most faithful gamers need some things to spice up the experience from time to time. For this reason, the Dark Age of Camelot has released 4 expansion packs to date, namely: Shrouded Isles, Trials of Atlantis, Catacombs, and the most recent hit, Darkness Rising.

Each expansion expands the MMORPG’s game world, and further adds to the story that fuels this computer game online program.

The Future Of The Dark Age Of Camelot As A Computer Game Online Is As Bright As Excalibur’s Blade

Rare are the computer game online programs that last for 2, or even 3 years. But the Dark Age of Camelot has been going strong for 5 long years, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

With a monthly subscription fee of $10, it’s one of the most affordable computer game online worlds that you could invest on. But you could give it a free try via a 14-day trial period, which would also allow you to download the full client.

Camelot is being consumed by evil. It desperately needs a beacon of hope. It needs a new wielder of the mythical sword, Excalibur.

Will you be that hero?