by Rachel Gray
In that enlightening moment, a sudden realization came to Carter, with the help of Yog-Sothoth—perhaps one he’d always known, but was never confirmed. Humanity, everything in fact, were a part of something greater. Just what this “something” was couldn’t be grasped by Carter. It transcended space and time. It can’t be seen, and most don’t know they’re a part of it.
In the end, it was the understanding of the big picture that Carter came away with. He realized the different facets of himself, whether it be young Carter, old Carter—they were parts of a larger, formless entity. And in Carter’s case, that entity was Yog-Sothoth.
In the Cthulhu Mythos, this is the type of knowledge which challenges sanity. Certainly Carter’s was at risk after such a revelation. And honestly, where do you go after that?
With the secrets of the universe revealed, Yog-Sothoth offered Carter the chance to take advantage of his new ability to be many places at once. Carter immediately confessed he wished to visit the planet of Yaddith. Although it was, now occupied by slimy, nasty dholes, the planet had once been home to a mysterious and wise race, often cropping up in Carter’s dreams.
So with a warning to keep his silver key handy, and his sigils memorized so he could return to Earth, Yog-Sothoth transported Carter back in time, to the planet of Yaddith.
And by sigils, Yog-Sothoth was referring, of course, to the ones scrawled on the piece of parchment—the same parchment sitting in Carter’s car, back in Arkham.
MYTHOS CONFUSION TIP:
WAIT, I DON’T GET IT
Ultimate truths, by their nature alone, are incredibly difficult to understand. At best, humans can glimpse a shadow of the whole and perhaps form a rudimentary concept as to what it means. To assist in this undertaking, here is an example:
Let’s say you are a corner of a triangle—yes, a triangle. As a corner, you give little thought to the lines extending away from you on either side. It’s your business to be a corner—nothing more, nothing less. However these extending lines are technically a part of you, there is no awareness of them beyond your existence as a corner. In fact, you have no awareness of the triangle’s other two corners. And you’ll never have any understanding of this triangle in its entirety, or even the greater concept of a triangle and its mathematical and geometrical qualities. You are just a corner, or perhaps you prefer to be called a right angle. Makes no difference in the big picture.
ONE WAY TICKET
Carter’s consciousness zipped through space and time, landing in the body of Zkauba, a wizard from Yaddith. Zkauba wasn’t overjoyed about hosting his new co-occupant. And Carter, now trapped without a return ticket, simply wanted to go home (perhaps he should have stuck with the writing).
The two warred for dominance over Zkauba’s body. Not to be outdone, Carter concocted a clever drug cocktail, which allowed him to take semi-permanent control, and spent his days researching a way to return home. Before long, he developed an ultra high-tech, metallic light-wave envelope he could ride back to Earth—albeit in the aesthetically unappealing, alien form of his host, Zkauba.
With the assistance of the rather unusual gadget, Carter finally arrived on Earth safely. With not a moment lost, he set about deciphering the sigils on his recovered parchment. His hope was the translated sigils would allow him to return in human form—not the odd looking alien shape he presently inhabited.
And with this revelation, Swami Chandraputra concluded, maybe the cranky lawyer Aspinwall would consider giving Carter a few days . . .? (I’ll bet you forgot the swami was speaking.)
MYTHOS SURVIVAL TIP:
CHECK YOUR LUGGAGE
If you find need to travel across space and time, always be prepared for the return trip. Nothing’s more embarrassing than arriving at your destination planet, light-years away, or eons away, and realizing that you don’t have the proper tools to get back home.
In addition to any artifacts you may need, double check that you have the appropriate sigils and incantations memorized. If you’re planning for an extended stay, take a written copy with you.
THE END OF RANDOLPH CARTER
Naturally, Aspinwall proclaimed Chandraputra a fraud. The so-called swami clearly spoke with an obvious Yankee dialect. In fact, on closer inspection it was evident the swami was wearing a mask. Obviously, the “foreigner” was attempting to scam the cousins of their rightful fortune. Charging forward, Aspinwall attempted to tear off Chandraputra’s mask, in what today would be considered typical Scooby Doo fashion (again, Lovecraft was ahead of his time).
When the mask came away, everyone shrieked in horror. Before them stood—although they didn’t know it—the hideous, alien form of Zkauba, the Yaddith magician. Then the real problems started. The excitement awakened Zkauba’s dormant personality. In an instant, he slipped inside a mysterious, ticking device inside the room—originally assumed to be a clock. In reality, it was the space-time-traveling, metal envelope.
Zkauba—with Carter—disappeared. And from that moment onward, no one has ever seen the strange, alien creature. The same goes for the mysterious swami. As for Carter, it appears he likely resides permanently on Yaddith, imprisoned within the body of Zkauba—one can hope that, perhaps, he somehow ended up in the Dreamlands instead, hanging out in his long-lost city, chatting about art with his ghoul-friend Pickman, sipping moon-wine.
MYTHOS SURVIVAL TIP:
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
Always keep your Mythos goodies well hidden, and well guarded. While you might think that you have cleverly hidden your space-time traveling, metal envelope by making it look like a clock, it’s not worth the risk of having someone, especially your malicious alternate personality, discover it. Put all eldritch devices out of sight—in an out-of-the-way, inaccessible, locked room. Inside the room, they should be in a chest or bureau, under lock and key.
At the very least he’s not in a cemetery.
More
Mythos
Monsters
... those who described these strange shapes felt quite sure that they were not human, despite some superficial resemblance in size and general outline. Nor, said the witnesses, could they have been any kind of animal known to Vermont. They were pinkish things about five feet long; with crustaceous bodies bearing vast pairs of dorsal fins or membranous wings and several sets of articulated limbs, and with a sort of convoluted ellipsoid, covered with multitudes of very short antennae, where a head would ordinarily be.
—H.P. Lovecraft, “The Whisperer in Darkness”
The Cthulhu Mythos teems with strange and powerful creatures, some of which you may have already encountered (especially if you’re working through this book systematically, as originally instructed. If you’re skipping about, you may have some important creatures you are likely to encounter. Go back, and start again.)
This section will cover some of the beasts—and ancient races—not discussed in prior sections. For a complete list of all of the creatures, deities, and denizens of the Mythos, visit the Cthulhu Quick Reference section.
THE YIG
Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, is common amongst many humans. In addition to being slimy, wriggly, and often just plain creepy, snakes are dangerous. But if you venture into certain parts of Oklahoma, be careful you don’t act upon your fears.
Legend tells of the Yig, the half-human father of serpents, who hisses derisively upon anyone hurting any of his snake-children. Local Native Americans take the legend of Yig seriously—they won’t even defend themselves against attacking rattlers.
SWEET HOME OKLAHOMA
“The Curse of Yig” is one of the few tales in which Lovecraft ventured westward in the United States. In this story, a husband and wife, Walker and Audrey Davis, set out from Arkansas, along with their trusty dog, Old Wolf. The couple was looking for a better life in Oklahoma, planning to set up a farm. Sadly for Walker, Oklahoma wasn’t really the best choice—he suffered from ophidiophobia (don’t we all). In Walker’s youth, an old Indian squaw had ominou
sly intoned a warning—she said snakes would ultimately be the end of him.
As the two journeyed, Audrey discovered a nest of newborn snakes. She was eager not to rattle her husband. Instead, she used the butt of her rifle to smash the wriggling monstrosities to mushy bits. But Walker found her out. He grew incredibly agitated—not because of the snakes, but because of potential repercussions from the snake-god, Yig. He chastised Audrey for the rest of the trip—as if traveling to Oklahoma by wagon wasn’t painful enough.
At their farm site, deep in Wichita country, the couple constructed a cabin and began tilling their land. Soon, there was a good harvest. And they quickly became friends with the neighbors, Joe and Sally Compton. Sally was of little help putting Audrey’s mind at ease in regard to the snake situation—she delighted in telling Audrey the most gruesome tales of horrible snake-deaths. And Walker’s frequent visits to the Wichita Indians didn’t help—the tribe reminded Walker of Yig’s long memory, and how the snake-god tended to hold a grudge. It didn’t take long before Audrey was worried sick about the whole snake-killing incident. As a safeguard, the couple distributed charms around the house, hoping to ward off the vengeful Yig.
ONLY A DREAM
By Halloween, the couple had relaxed a bit. They invited friends to stop by, throwing a party to celebrate the fall harvest. Guests arrived from all of the neighboring farms. And the barbecue was one of the best in fall harvest history. Delighted couples, including Walker and Audrey, whirled about the dance floor.
The evening went a bit too well—when the exhausted Davises finally flopped into bed for the evening, they neglected to place their anti-Yig charms about the house.
In the deep of the night, the couple awakened with a start. A strange sound buzzed within the cabin. Walker leaped from the bed, grabbing a lantern. And there, in the light, the couple beheld an enormous, speckled mass of squirming, seething rattlesnakes.
Walker screamed and dropped the lantern. Darkness quickly draped the room. Then Walker fell silent.
Audrey responded as any caring, loving spouse would have. She lay in the bed, clamping her eyes closed, and assumed she must have been dreaming. After lying motionless for awhile, Audrey accepted the reality of her situation. It wasn’t a dream. She needed to take action.
And she did. Audrey lay in the bed, motionless (maybe it wasn’t an entirely new plan). But this time she understood—the horrible event wasn’t a dream.
There, in the dark, she considered the situation. Audrey reasoned Walker must be long-dead by now, and beyond rescue (clearly Walker was a husband and a friend). So, if she could just lie still for awhile, perhaps the snakes would forget about her, and slither on their way.
Try as she might, she couldn’t stay put. Knowing snakes slithered around the house was too much for her to endure. Just then, a large, formless shape grew in the darkness, slinking slowly toward her. Creeping closer. Audrey had no doubt the monstrous Yig was coming for her.
Without hesitation—surprisingly, given her previous hesitations—she grabbed the axe resting near the nightstand, and viciously chopped the attacking form to bits. No doubt the creature had it coming for killing her dear, late husband Walker.
MY BAD
At surnrise, concerned neighbor (and obviously a good friend) Sally Compton arrived to check on the Davises. But she was stunned and horrified at what she found. The dog, Old Wolf, lay in a disgusting heap by the fireplace—puffed and swollen from the poison of repeated rattlesnake bites. And Audrey lay on the floor, hissing like a snake.
Nearby, the butchered remains of Walker Davis showed no evidence of a single rattlesnake bite.
The situation was regarded as the most unfortunate case of mistaken identity ever. Walker had fainted upon spotting the mass of wriggling snakes. When he regained his senses and began groping about in the dark, a paranoid Audrey mistook him for Yig. It could happen to anyone.
Though no one had an explanation for the barely-humanoid, hissing, wriggling children Audrey gave birth to nine months later. Shortly afterward, she died.
HORRORS UNDERGROUND
In “The Mound,” Lovecraft returns the reader to Oklahoma. And it turns out that Oklahoma suffers from more than just a snake problem. Outside of Binger, in Caddo County, a large mound rises up above the plain. The mound is rumored to be haunted—onlookers report spotting a ghost-like, Indian man, pacing the mound during the day, and a headless squaw by night.
Plenty of curious people have investigated the legends of the mound, over the years—resulting in death and insanity (big clue there). And while most investigators disappear, go mad, or both, one unfortunate man named Captain Lawton (after disappearing, and going mad) was discovered a week later, near the mound—but his feet had been removed (even bigger warning).
MYTHOS SURVIVAL TIP:
DON’T PANIC!
The actions of Audrey Davis show what happens when you’re not thinking clearly. When dealing with the Cthulhu Mythos, or just a typical night prowler, hasty decisions bring about dire consequences, such as chopped-up spouses. If you encounter a Mythos monster, don’t turn into a jellied mass, or start shrieking. Take a deep breath. Relax. Count to five. And hope your friend has offered himself or herself in an attempt to spare your life. Regardless, remaining calm allows you to make smart decisions. Besides, any Mythos creature managing to kill you before you finish counting to five, likely would have caught and killed you anyway—friend or not.
But not heeding dire warnings is what investigators do best in the Cthulhu Mythos—as do those who are not well informed about the Cthulhu Mythos. As it turns out, there was one determined investigator who continued snooping around the mound, ignoring the locals’ cautioning. And, it seemed to pay off. He unearthed an odd, magnetic cylinder buried in the dirt. The cylinder contained a yellow scroll with the narrative of Pánfilo de Zamacona y Nuñez (yes, that Pánfilo de Zamacona y Nuñez).
It seems, Zamacona had been part of Coronado’s expedition team, which headed north from Mexico in 1540. According to the scroll, Zamacona discovered an ancient, subterranean city called K’n-yan.
ALL ABOUT THE OLD ONES
The expeditionary team had heard rumors of the Old Ones, alien creatures who had once lived upon Earth, but truly had little knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos. Reports had these Old Ones living in colonies, and even trading with humans way back in the day. But then something mysteriously caused the land to sink beneath the water. Blaming Earth’s inhabitants, the Old Ones grew reclusive and antisocial, moving their cities underground. The great mounds, like the one near Binger, were believed to be caved-in passages leading to the Old Ones’ ancient cities.
It was believed that due to their age and advanced understanding of technology, the Old Ones possessed a variety of nifty powers—they could animate dead corpses, and utilized this to create an entire slave class (poor Herbert West, the things he could have learned). The Old Ones also communicated telepathically, and allegedly could materialize and dematerialize at will. Zamacona was stunned by the tales of the Old Ones and their powers, and decided to locate one of their underground cities. Exploring the land of the mysterious mound in Oklahoma, he discovered an opening, and immediately descended toward the interior.
MOVING UNDERGROUND
Zamacona traveled for many days, and finally stumbled upon an eerie underground landscape, lit by a misty blue light. And from this location, in the distance, Zamacona spotted glittering cities. To his delight, the cities were constructed entirely of gold. And although fame, fortune, and a solid retirement plan were nearly within Zamacona’s grasp, it was not to be—the Old Ones hunted Zamacona down.
The Old Ones resembled the local Indians of the area—particularly the guardians who kept watch at the mound, day and night (although it was harder to make out a resemblance with the squaw, her being headless). They communicated telepathically with Zacamona, explaining he had, indeed, discovered the ancient realm of K’n-yan. The Old Ones also explained why they were so darned antisoci
al.
Long ago, they arrived on Earth from beyond the stars, led here by the great god Tulu (aka Cthulhu). But when most of the land abruptly sunk underneath the ocean, imprisoning Tulu in his watery city of Relex (aka R’lyeh), they assumed evil space-devils were at work. Anyone allowed to remain on the surface must have been in league with such devils. Closing their city to the outside, the Old Ones went into hiding, imprisoning and killing anyone who attempted to enter. Bad news for Zamacona.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE ATTACKED BY A MYTHOS MONSTER
There’s a clear lesson to be learned from the mistakes of Audrey Davis and her encounters with the Yig. Keeping a level head during a crisis makes all the difference:
If you think you’re being attacked by a Mythos creature, never assume it’s a dream. In this instance, being wrong is always safer. After all, if it is a dream, you’ll just wake up (hopefully). But assuming it’s a dream does nothing to help the situation. You might as well put on some ruby slippers and wish yourself away, if you think that’ll help. Re-read the information box More on Friends, Partners, and Loved Ones in the Mythos. Avoid mixing these. No matter how it’s approached, the outcome is painful—assuming there is an actual emotional attachment. If not, then have at it. In that case, the “partner” is a glorified friend who is all the more willing to sacrifice his—or her—self to save you.
