Cthulhu Mythos Encyclopedia

by Harms, Daniel

  See Carter, Randolph; Hiamaldi. (“The Statement of Randolph Carter”, Lovecraft (O); “Through the Gates of the Silver Key”, Lovecraft and Price; The Transition of Titus Crow, Lumley.)

  WATCHERS ON THE OTHER SIDE. First novel by Nayland Colum. Colum’s book met with some success in the popular market during the Forties, and the author was writing a sequel when he vanished.

  What exactly this novel contained is unknown, but Colum may have had some sort of link through his dreams to the Great Old Ones, adding unusual concepts to his work.

  (“The Keeper of the Key”, Derleth (O).)

  WE PASS FROM VIEW. Volume published by True Light Press in 1964. Its author and publisher, Roland Franklyn, was the leader of a small cult based in Brichester, England. Rumor has it that most copies of the book disappeared from Franklyn’s house before they could be distributed. In the years following the author’s death in 1967, many of the remaining copies have also gone missing.

  In his book, Franklyn set forth the dogma of his sect. One of his strange doctrines was that a reincarnated soul could exist in more than one body at a time. To get in touch with these other incarnations, the author instructs the initiate to use hallucinogenic drugs and chants to such beings as Daoloth and Eihort. Furthermore, for the soul to be reincarnated after death, a person’s body must be cremated, lest the burrowers of the graveyards drag the corpse below to the feast of Eihort.

  See Brichester; Eihort; Franklyn, Roland. (“The Franklyn Paragraphs”, Campbell (O).)

  WEBB, WILLIAM CHANNING. Professor of Anthropology at Princeton who contributed to the study of the Cthulhu cult.

  Webb made a tour of Greenland in search of runic inscriptions in 1860. There he found a cult dedicated to a squid-god to which they chanted and made human sacrifices. In 1908, when Legrasse visited the American Archaeological Society meetings in Saint Louis, Webb was able to confirm the similarity between the cults Legrasse investigated in New Orleans and those he observed in Greenland.

  Webb later joined Legrasse on his later delvings into the Cthulhu cult, and he met his end while accompanying his friend to Nepal in 1925.

  (“Nothing To Fear but Dust”, Henderson; “Patiently Waiting”, Henderson; “The Call of Cthulhu”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WENDIGO. 1) Title of the Great Old One Ithaqua. In one reference, the Wendigo is referred to as Ithaqua’s cousin. (“The Windigo”, Blackwood (O); “The Thing that Walked on the Wind”, Derleth; “The Seal of R’lyeh”, Derleth.)

  2) Hypothetical species of which Ithaqua is a member. It is believed that by mating with humans, a wendigo can beget others of its own kind. Two wendigos were once sighted together, but the creatures engaged in a tremendous battle that ended only when one of the combatants perished. The existence of other such beings may explain the reference in which the Wendigo who controls the shantaks is called the “cousin” of Ithaqua. See Ithaqua. (“Born of the Winds”, Lumley (O); S. Petersen’s Field Guide to Cthulhu Monsters, Petersen et. al.)

  3) Transformed servitor race created by Ithaqua out of those he captures. These appear much like Ithaqua himself, but are of lesser size and power. (“The Windigo”, Blackwood (O); Alone against the Wendigo, Rahman.)

  [The Wendigo comes from the tales of the Cree and Ojibwa of the Great Lakes region, who call the spirit the witiko or windigo. These monsters are human-like spirits who are taller than the mightiest trees and live at the North Pole, coming south to catch and devour humans. According to legend, when two Wendigos meet, they join in a titanic battle that ends in the destruction of one or both of the monsters. The myths also say that the Wendigo sometimes touches the mind of a human. Such people usually become obsessed with cannibalism, becoming so dangerous to their family and neighbors that they are often slain by their tribe. There has been considerable debate as to whether “windigo psychosis” ever existed, as no European has witnessed a case demonstrating these symptoms.

  When Derleth felt that the Mythos needed Great Old Ones of all four elements, he included the Wendigo Ithaqua as one of them. Since then, it has been popular to circumscribe Ithaqua’s range to the far north—though the mythical Wendigo’s range was further to the south.]

  WENDY-SMITH, SIR AMERY (?-1937). Archaeologist who was well known in his field as the author of On Ancient Civilizations and the inventor of the Wendy-Smith test for the dating of artifacts. His title is a matter of some controversy; some say he was knighted in 1901, while others hold that he was actually a baronet. Wendy-Smith’s earlier accomplishments, however, have been greatly overshadowed by his eccentric behavior later in life.

  Near the end of his career, Wendy-Smith worked to translate the G’harne Fragments, a set of writings taken from the jungles of Africa by the explorer Windrop. His research in this direction culminated with a journey to the lost city of G’harne, during which the other members of the expedition were killed in an earthquake and only Wendy-Smith escaped to civilization. It is believed that this tragedy affected Sir Amery’s mind, this condition forcing him to retire after his return. Wendy-Smith died in 1933 when his cottage on the Yorkshire moors collapsed. His nephew, Paul, wrote an account of the scientist’s last days that was discovered after his own house in Marske, Yorkshire was destroyed.

  See G’harne; G’harne Fragments. (Keeper’s Compendium, Herber; Beneath the Moors, Lumley; The Burrowers Beneath, Lumley; “Cement Surroundings”, Lumley (O); “In the Vaults Beneath, Lumley.)

  WEST, HERBERT (c. 1880-1921). Brilliant doctor and humanitarian. West attended Miskatonic University Medical School and rendered Arkham great service during the typhoid epidemic of 1905. West went on to establish a clinic for the poor factory-workers of Bolton, Massachusetts, and even volunteered for medical service with the Canadians in World War I. His disappearance from his home in Boston is still unsolved.

  Rumors of Doctor West’s experiments with the revivification of the dead have been matters of popular rumor, but the author wishes to assure his readers that these are only scurrilous efforts to impeach a dead man’s character.

  See Meadow Hill. (“Herbert West—Reanimator”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WHATELEY, LAVINIA (c. 1878-1926). Albino daughter of Wizard Whateley, and mother of Wilbur. Lavinia gave birth to Wilbur in 1913, but began to grow apart from her son after Wizard Whateley’s death in 1924. On Halloween Night, 1926, Lavinia vanished, perhaps killed by her own son.

  See Whateley, Wilbur. (“The Dunwich Horror”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WHATELEY, (WIZARD) ELEZER or NOAH (also OLD WHATELEY) (?–August 1, 1924). Dunwich resident, reputed wizard, and father of Lavinia Whateley. The townsfolk lynched his father, Oliver Whateley, because he was suspected of witchcraft. Old Whateley’s own neighbors regarded him with fear and loathing, especially after one incident that occurred in one of the hilltop stone circles near Dunwich. Whateley was married at one time, and his wife gave birth to Lavinia around 1878. His wife’s violent death (circa 1890) does not seem to have been investigated to any extent. Whateley passed away in 1924 from natural causes.

  See Kamog; Whateley, Lavinia; Whateley, Wilbur. (Return to Dunwich, Herber; “The Dunwich Horror”, Lovecraft (O); “Wilbur Whateley Waiting”, Price; “The Black Brat of Dunwich”, Sargent.)

  WHATELEY, OLD. See Noah Whateley.

  WHATELEY, WILBUR. (February 2, 1913–August 3, 1928) Child of Lavinia Whateley and an unknown father. Whateley grew up quickly, being able to speak when eleven months old and having almost reached eight feet in height at the time of his death. He was known to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Wizard Whateley in holding rites on top of the hills near Dunwich.

  Despite his poor reputation among the townsfolk of his native town, Whateley gained some recognition as a scholar of the black arts and corresponded with many knowledgeable individuals, including Doctor Armitage of Miskatonic University. Whateley never fulfilled his potential, dying in a failed attempt to steal Miskatonic’s copy of the Necronomicon. His body vanished under shocking circumstances. His reputation rema
ins strong in the Dunwich area, and rumors as to his “twin brother” still abound.

  See Armitage, Henry; Bugg-Shoggog; Whateley, Lavinia; Whateley, Wizard. (“The Dunwich Horror”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WHATELEY, WIZARD. See Whateley, Noah.

  WHITE ACOLYTE. Mythical figure given great importance in the worship of Chaugnar Faugn, based on the prophecies of Mu Sang. It is said that a white man from the West will come to take Chaugnar Faugn away with him to his own land and nurse the god until it becomes so powerful that it no longer needs him. At this time, Chaugnar will devour the entire universe, and everything will come to an end. Some say that the legend of the White Acolyte was planted by another god who intends to lure others to Chaugnar to free himself.

  See Chaugnar Faugn. (“The Horror from the Hills”, Long (O); Tatters of the King, Wiseman.)

  WILMARTH, ALBERT N. Noted folklorist and assistant professor of English at Miskatonic University. Wilmarth became involved in the debate over the inhuman bodies seen after the Vermont floods of 1927. Wilmarth strongly asserted that the creatures sighted in the waters did not exist. After a spirited defense of his viewpoints, however, he inexplicably dropped out of the debate. Later, he visited a correspondent in Vermont, but, upon arriving, found his friend to be missing. The subsequent investigation turned up little evidence, and Wilmarth returned to Arkham baffled.

  Following these events, Wilmarth confided in his colleagues Henry Armitage and Nathaniel Peaslee about his discoveries. These men began a campaign to discover the sources behind the legends that were the groundwork of their experiences. Wilmarth made many long trips in order to visit sites and talk to his network of informants.

  In the end, this proved to be his undoing. Overwrought by his experiences and horrified by the results of a trip to visit the West Coast poet Georg Fischer, Wilmarth became ill in 1937 and died shortly thereafter (though according to others he survived well into the sixties). His folklore collection is kept at the Miskatonic University Library.

  See Akeley, Henry Wentworth; Emeritus Alcove; Vhoorl; Wilmarth Foundation. (“The Terror from the Depths”, Leiber; “To Arkham and the Stars”, Leiber; “The Whisperer in Darkness”, Lovecraft (O); The Burrowers Beneath, Lumley; “The Atrocity Archives”, Stross.)

  WILMARTH FOUNDATION. Organization based at Miskatonic University devoted to continuing the pioneering work of Albert Wilmarth. The founders established this organization just before Wilmarth’s death, and although its basic premises were thought absurd by many, the organization grew by leaps and bounds, gaining much support from highly placed individuals in various governments and corporations. Since then, the Wilmarth Foundation has mounted expeditions to many countries, including England, France, and Turkey, in search of their foes. Despite a major setback in 1980, when a storm and flood destroyed Miskatonic University, the institute has continued in its work, with a high degree of success.

  The Wilmarth Foundation’s operations are usually organized in much the same way. First, telepaths capable of detecting Mythos entities are sent on a surveying mission to pinpoint the locations of any targets. Next, Foundation members bearing Elder Sign pendants arrive in the area and use their influence on local authorities to keep their actions secret from the public. Finally, the threat is dealt with using the creature’s natural weakness, or, barring knowledge of that, through the use of a carefully chosen amount of explosives. It is using this basic plan that the Wilmarth Foundation dealt with the American and British cthonian threat during the 1970s.

  The Wilmarth Foundation is governed by a board of directors made up of senior professors at Miskatonic, headed by a president. During the 1970s, Wingate Peaslee held this post, but following his death in the events after the bombing of Devil’s Reef in 1980, Arthur Meyer took over. It has since transferred to Martin Wendy-Smith.

  See Crow, Titus; G’harne Fragments; Marigny, Henri-Laurent de; Peaslee, Wingate; Silberhutte. (The Burrowers Beneath, Lumley (O); The Transition of Titus Crow, Lumley; The Sand Dwellers, Niswander.)

  WIND-WALKER. See Ithaqua.

  WINGED ONES. Entities that, according to some ancient traditions, came from the stars to earth to instruct humanity in the Elder Lore. These creatures might have been the mi-go, but the Elder Things and the Fishers from Outside are also possible candidates.

  (“Through the Gates of the Silver Key”, Lovecraft and Price (O).)

  WITCH-HOUSE. House in Arkham at 197 E. Pickman Street which was the home of Keziah Mason. It gained some attention from antiquarians due to the curious angles of the walls in one of its rooms. After two centuries, it became a boarding house, but was forced to close due to the attacks of vicious rodents. In March 1931, a gale severely damaged the house. When it was demolished that December, the workmen found some shocking items which were later donated to Miskatonic University. The occultist Morgan Smith later bought the site and erected a house on it, hoping to exploit the place’s psychic energies.

  See Brown Jenkin; Ellery; Gilman, Walter. (“The Dark Stairway”, Berglund and Weinberg; Arkham Unveiled, Herber et. al.; “The Dreams in the Witch-House”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WOOD OF N’GAI. See N’gai, Wood of.

  WONDROUS INTELLIGENCES. See Woodville, James.

  WOODVILLE, JAMES. English merchant who lived in Suffolk during the time of Cromwell. After a curious bout of amnesia, Woodville wrote a book called Wondrous Intelligences, which discussed his unusual sex life and the Great Race of Yith.

  (“City beneath the Sands”, DiTillio and Willis; “The Shadow out of Time”, Lovecraft (O); “The Adventure of Exham Priory”, MacIntyre.)

  WORDS OF FEAR. Incantation that is said to be “unutterable”, and therefore useless.

  (“The Offering”, Carter; “The Diary of Alonzo Typer”, Lovecraft and Lumley (O).)

  WORLD OF SEVEN SUNS. Planet often thought to be near Fomalhaut, though this author speculates that it might refer to the Big Dipper due to its associations with Tezcatlipoca, Set, and Zeus Lycaeus. According to one visitor to this world, the species that once lived there created seven artificial suns to replace a natural sun which had burned out.

  This star is believed to be a dwelling of Nyarlathotep, but others hold he lives on Sharnoth beyond the edge of the universe.

  (“Sword of the Seven Suns”, Berglund; “The Color from Beyond”, Cabos; “The Whisperer in Darkness”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WORM THAT WALKS. 1) Summoned creature that resembles a rotting corpse with huge claws. The Worm is sent to pursue a specific victim, with whom it must form a psychic link before it can attack. While it does so, it can appear as another person for short periods of time. (“The Worm that Walks”, Petersen (O).)

  2) Wizards who have such force of will that they are able to rebuild their bodies out of crawling beings, especially worms, after their deaths. These are some of the most feared priests of the Old Ones. (Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game, Cook and Tynes.)

  WORMIUS, OLAUS. Monk who translated the Necronomicon from Greek into Latin in the year 1228. This Olaus Wormius, who is not to be confused with the later doctor of the same name, was born in Jutland. He later went on to perform other translations in both Latin and Greek.

  [See the appendix for a more detailed discussion of Wormius.]

  See Necronomicon (appendices). (The Art of Playing Mythos, Aniolowski et. al.; “Zoth-Ommog”, Carter; “History of the Necronomicon”, Lovecraft (O).)

  WORMS OF THE EARTH. Creatures that share the traits of both humans and reptiles. It is likely that the Worms of the Earth were crossbreeds between normal snakes and the serpent-people of Valusia, who withdrew into Britain during their decline. The Worms were the first people of that island, but the Pictish invaders drove from their surface homes. They withdrew into their burrows and caverns, from which they emerged only under the greatest need.

  Over the years, the Worms of the Earth became less and less human in form, but their magical power grew as it never had before. As memory of the battles between the Picts and their foes faded,
the Worms became the bogeymen of the newcomers, who blamed them for the abduction of infants from their cradles and other nefarious deeds.

  Several scholars have advanced the belief that the “Little People” of legend were actually the aboriginal inhabitants of Britain, who fled into the wilds when other groups began to colonize their former lands and who carried out acts of guerrilla warfare against their foes. Traditionally, the Little Folk were believed to possess many supernatural powers, such as curdling milk, destroying crops, and stealing away people who came too near the hills in which they lived. It would seem that the Worms are the source behind these myths, as well as the Norse tales of the dvergar. It is unknown whether any of the Worms of the Earth still survive, or whether they have become extinct in the centuries since their exodus to their burrows.

  The title “Worms of the Earth” has also been given to the yuggya, but it is unlikely that any connection between these and the cave dwellers of Britain exists.

  See Bran Mak Morn; serpent people. (“The Winfield Heritance”, Carter; “People of the Dark”, Howard (O); “The Worms of the Earth”, Howard; Heir to Darkness, Rahman.)

  X

  XADA-HGLA. Azathoth’s only known avatar. Xada-Hgla has a shell like that of a clam from which many long pseudopods protrude. Inside the shell is a hairy, green-eyed face. It was this form which Azathoth possessed before the Elder Gods took away his reason. Images of Xada-Hgla may still be found in the shan’s teleporting temples.

  See Azathoth; Shan. (Ye Booke of Monstres, Aniolowski; “The Insects from Shaggai”, Campbell (O).)

  XASTUR. Female being who may be an avatar of Hastur. Xastur is said to kill sleeping men, but she is also the subject of a Litany, the Eighth word of which may destroy supernatural creatures. In the teachings of Arthur Praxis’ Critical Mass Theologians, Xastur is the Collective Mind that desires to make contact with the people of Earth.