The Book of Eibon Histories of the Elder Magi, Episodes of Eibon of Mhu Thulan, the Papyrus of the Dark Wisdom, Psalms of the Silent, and the Eibonic RitualsUltima Thule and Mhu Thulan by Laurence J. CornfordContents Mav OF MEU THULAN by Larne. orf x Tat EsoY BOOK: JnmoDNCrION 10 Tin Blow oF Eau by Rabo 8, Pri si Histoxy AND CaKONOLOGY OF Ty Book Ein by Lin Caner. <3 The Lire or Eivon ACCORDING To CeNON OF VaRAAD by Lin Carer .9 won Sa; of, THE APOMATHLGSATA OF ENON by Rais M Pre. 20 Book ONe: Hisrontes oF THE EupeR Mast Tat Dovots TOWER: The History oF Zegm che Necromancer by Lin Carer n Tit Devounie oF Sura HHA The Hitory of Xhyl he Apothecary by Jab RF 4 ‘Tht Swot oF Monto: The History ofthe Shaman Yhemos by Lin Cov 6 Th DUSCENT 0 THE ABYSS: The History af he Sorcerer Hann Doe by Lin Carter 8 Te Suc IN THE Panne: The Hicry of he Thaumatarge Promeron &y Li Cane 6 De fACk HOM BLLOW: The History af Prom che Exorcis by Lasrom. Cond Tht Sax oF ADCHAIS: The History ofthe Wied Hormogor by Levrns). Crfnd Tu Auxasnst: The History of Eayela he Alchemist by Lauren. Coin! ss Tie Cowine oF tH Wore Wout The Hier of Bagh the Warlock fy Clark Ain Swit 96 Tr Lice exon te POLL: The History of Phateayn the Enchant 65 Low Carr and Clark Ahan Sith us Te Sits 19 THe CrP The Hiory ofthe Necromancer Avenue 2 Clon Asn Smit and Lin Corr 0 The Fearon how Ti Stas: The Hor of Yaduggor she Eremiee by Lin Cover 4 Contents ‘Thre Gust Decay: The History of Nabus the Wonder Worker by ars MP Book Two: ErtsoDes OF Elton oF MHu THULAN Te Uraase AvosinaTion by Clark Aes Swish a Lin Cae Urmsson by Clr Ase Sith Laven J Conf, an and L Term ANNOTATIONS 0K THE BOOK OF GH by Kar M, Pie ‘Te Buisowen Bent by Rae M. Poi De THE VALE OF Pant by Lin Carter Shaun by Liv Cer [Tae Haun OF Unnwon by Las L Cin The Orsrune co 2H Yow by Lawrme Crfnd rie Damon OF HL RING by Lavoe J. Cm The DOOR 0 SATURN by Clk Ain Sith Book Trace: Paryaus oF THe Dank Wisoow Awour “Parva OF tht Dans Wisuon” by Kiet MP 1. Te Unucormen SouReE by Lie Cr Itt Pouan Ones fy a Carr it Ye uur Buns by Lax Carer INT Gnuar Race OF Yi by Lin Carer WTH Cary OF THE ARLKIS by Lin Carter YI. Tet Comme OF Crust by Lit Caer [Book FOUR: PSALMS OF THE SENT vou “PSA OF rt SMENY" Jp Ao Pre Powys Fo Toarnoccun by Rand L. Try “To ATMALNACNA by hed Le Try 1 v9Contents Contents The PaavEk OF Y2DUGGOR TG AMER by Rd Tome. 277 roe Avjunation or PROM & Spon Sit 307 Paayan 10 LonD Yox-LeCuons by Richard L.Temey ns the Laur OF XASTUE Spb Soni 308 rn avrssemunvt or GHI2CUTH by Rind L Tomy 2» Tw Hiv Foewuus by Sipe Set 30 Ta Sunmonine OF PHAKOL by Rich LT 280 re WasbING Ur Ras by Super Semi au Ta UNMsHONDING GODS by Rid L Tien 281 “ru Exons OF usar by Jongh Pber yn Te HOU OF HAON-DON by Rida LTemey 283 rhe BLACK RITE OF YADOIE & JosphS. Pb a Tie Dan Semcon by Rash Tr 284 ru FoncorTes iru or Mak byJphS Per 28 The Cone GoD by Rihana 285 The Konorbansan Dit byt S rb sat TH Don rons om ta thy Roun. re ura Vow bough SP wa Hrvernonea; OF 08S Pomcy by Rika Tame. 2 fom tne Arai fends Pale - Tae Minions oF Zvtzntnent by Ril L Ty 288 tvs aoourvor acs Haas bh Hr - evncnnne by Raddy oe rw Bac Lira or NG se0 Ve0 JOS Per 37 USeones by Mad Famine 290 ecu meta rsum T Fr wo Ataris by Mish Fone on To Sunwuon ano Isttuct Zire, THe ENANATION OF YOTH Teamioccn by Mik Fomine 2 by Jo. Pale. os Rum SHAMONT by Mia ening 294 ro Wax Feet Awone THs Hanns OF 21 by Jor ,Palor 346 uve or 1H Guns WEA cin) by Ane K: Shar 295 Two Nic OF He Nn by Midd Ch oa Mo THULAMStfhvoeasion 10 ABKOTH by Am K.Sduaer 296 The Bans Sunt oF Yar by Thomas Bren 3s oon Hy or Deuveenncs by An Sader a9 Tu Nw Buccs oF SeanHOM fy Thome: Br sz “Tw Surmucamon oF Caan by Rr ME Pre 28 The Scant Stn y Tas Bn x3 “Twa Tuts Deven Cuctt oF Powe by Thoma Bre st Book Five: THe Einosic ReTuats -AwaE THE Boone RUNS” Rab Pre 301 Arpenoices Te Gaatn Dvcay by Seen Seam 02 the AcourT oF ti Fant by Lin Carer as te DSLOKGING OF HA PT by Sipe eit 303 aos Ancnvis oF 1 MaDW by Li Cre 366 TH Yun INCANTATION by Spb Sein 305 “pu tncuus oF Antes by Roker ML Pie 340 Ta Fxscxaions or Guonen by Spon Som 306 Tw Ensns oF E00 by Re Pr and Laren Cfo 387 msThe Ebony Book: Introduction to The Bout of Eibon Bind up the esiony Sel she esching ang ny disciples, lel 816 bony and Isory ti af omy, et is ov Nain, Lvs i Trsmted ta Grinue ws rt aston Sts Bt Bor swe silent ard bow Loven per hs enw Vlg reece fo, Of cane he we unay font of Be Nutone owas Remy ott check at owt ah Mako ry mors hee 1 eng neh, Love oe Aba Anarene) br heed Rennie The How Stn toed Bans hace ins Doo Sr ny Jany 1980 bre eae Eo tea: Wa Ta uy 193) Tur wht Sth ee eae forbade nd thc aco bok oy cle HL" Oy Net ne Ose 197 eo My a gy. 13-47 A hl pss “heh seme vm bal As Ey Badr oa (cel Unu pat] Kn ee yn pans Bs on thvselog Fn ing ol eng aig en lal thu evo "Buf Chan Ey Bho ‘Scims ncoee om pry halen tw Hose tunis Onan Reli Ti lat Bos oe tig th th Bk im Bat ne of she lc She he ces “bon ant "on” Sy Net ih Te Bak Sproul wo tote The Eon Bok Le Seth he ha Iba ier eso“ che shy a re en Tove mow ih eh ess ends eed in Aue nto how fo He mee hem bese, A Enowashe pp wn aviator es rhe Diaper tes ine spe ol ogee Nas os Sec UsnptRt Chugh Ler German for Dele came aphasia De Tiwi The Bo of te ce st ir hy i tine tn Nora fc pra ha eeenamed ates tive books, he was doing the sme thing he din “The (Challenge fom Beyond” by supplying hs mm conception and background for Richard F Seargh’s Ehdoww Shan. (HPL blasts conerascted Searighe’s own preempted version, in his story "The Warder of Knowledge,” which Lovecrafe hadnt yet ssen—and which did nat see Brine sill my 1990 Fedogan & Bremer anthology Tae of the Lavra ‘Myth He was esceilly usurping his colleague’ creations, This becomes al che more eidene when we remind ures hi € 8 Bloch vicually eee cll his rimoie anything but goa old Myre of ‘he Wm in any of i sais, And Sih ade very ie ue of Ei, com pared with Lvecai mentioning he hoary volume na grand rl oer sori an that’s eaunting the fragment The Ifa Star He never used cicero vec’ any des Wiese erea phenomenon ano che Revision Mythos ha Ihave di cused eaewher, Jota Lovcrafe osruced a parallel Mychos fr ute in store ghost-aritien for cents, emuting 4 new broad of Old Ones that forinaily did oe apes ht acksomledged storie (Vig, Ghatanothos, RhancTegoth, Nug and Ye, it seems ha he ws sme eruble to change the cetvons of his ends jst ensagh ro sound gensinely Lover io ‘he context of his om ale, whatever the Books’ Signor might want co dbo withers in seiromn ition, cordingly Lovecraft hs sts ec, supplied mew author fr is versions, ai 40 eplace Smith's mage Eibon sltogethe! Philipps Faber ce cansatr ofthe Lain Lit Irom (eter to'Smih lanvacy 28,1932), while Gaspard du Nod is he renderer ofthe Liye dion. Admits, ds Nord comes fom Smiths "The Colosus of ‘Yeunjne” where however he hit ao connection te Eihor, Laver sso ied dt Nord a oe ofthe sgn res on the death warn Fo his tax heat to Rabert Bloc, who was gunning For hia in “The Shamble from the Sars el romped toward» puncepeual analysis of Lovet ile vers Smih’ 1 Sais “bon” purningly reminds os ofthe black oF ebony, Lavecas tained “von” may sggest the white of or. Thi why very onceina while ne uns ats yo that makes te COME ink "Laer Ins” Here the rip of« Kabbalsne ceberg a big hat which axed (lato. Here ew hie ofthe magia coincidence of opPOsKES, Ari the doctrine of the Tace absert, whercby Mythos grimoirs are sparingly quoted, since ei evocative Sorcery & more poten RESON Chan in play Here the germ ofthe pseudobisograpii device ofthe varia version ofa geimoie which becomes more and other than ies counerpare {eg Wier Halls conjectural eranlaton othe Elio Shr or Boey’s Inemetion i viginal Note pon th Navanomton, or dhe Sasex Mana) The bok i ‘ack but when canted becomes white Balefl Myths and Lieurgies ‘with Smith, se Fs of che ese ate simple and seighlorwar Ebon wrote a book called the Bio El, fe i ever called anything ele. But [veces in peus-pedaney So not ony de make up two ernae mares for the Batt he also hep swaching concepions of hs povk, Let us brie race hit eferenet 2 che shaping vole ‘Sich had writen all he wae going ro wre consteing Eton andi tome bythe tie Lewcerat rade hit fst reference cit. This i in “The (rams in she Witch Hose” Janury-febrry 1932), where me ead tae Gilman had we ereible hits fom. che fengmencaty Buk of i to coelace with bi abject Forma 60 the propenits of space and che Hokage of dimensions known ad wnkgows,” would st then, chat only foincns ofthe bask sureive. This igh mean shat only lier sera toys survive (swith the Oxyhyochus Paps hich aes rrred ot £0 Tarchecn agmene of the Gospel according ro Thomas, once a complete Franusripe ofthat ancient book wae discovered at Nag Hammad, Egy, ia 13) or tha we know he book ony From quotation of i from ancient chon who bad acest 0 like the Gospel according 0 che Hebrews But in he"The Man of Son Heald, Mad Dan Morcis hs fir tore thas Faget a is dpa He peak simply of the Bat f Eid and refers 10 page 679. Among abet sea ifered the ripe fora nasty res called “The Green Decay” the Ciptalzed proper aun implying bathe was reading an Enplish rans tien even chowgl e syst came from Holland, We cannoe rule out the Posy thar he was feading the Norman French Litre Ei, since ‘Aone ype found copy ofthat edition which Rad alo been broufit ‘om Polaad eo New York State, the lrale of both "The Man of Sion and “The Diary of Alonzo Tpper" (ober, 1983. The Var der Heyl copy sro alo a holes incace Soa, since Tyee speaks of “the Blakes chapters ofthe Live dion: "The Losin le was ot used in "The Maa of cone” simply because tovecaf had apparently aoe yet come up with this it of evi, which curs ire in a December 13, 193 le Simic “lais] Ales bone cnang references ering et of tbles—she Ler tod— inthe poncoon of ee Averones, which as sid ro have been brought by them fom tha lose ance land [in che western acean which fd sunk pseu che waves] whence chey came. Whether this cook be ential tick cha infamous Live wid whch inthe eweleh century the ward wien the sme year, 1932, for HazelGaspard du Nord translated fom some (4 fis) unasceraned language ingo the Fench of Averoign, isa problem wth whet scholaip mast sooner or larer wesc.” OF course they ate the shine book, The note of uncertainty Lovecraft is typical distancing device used sought his work 8 when che explorers ofthe Ansarccan city of the Comoude snake vague and conecural reading ofthe wal crvings "Don't had ne £0, now, but here's what [hike say” H's ginko kee the dane bropped open ro some postliy of mundane explanation 0 the render Wil rerain a vestige of wonder: bux what if they've Bot Fahe” tee Trvetan Tovey, Te Fata) [Notice chat Lovecraft ete makes no rfrence co codes, hour! Book, or even of eral bearing the ile Ler fom, Desi ee atch Innonty 28, 1932 leer steady menions “the Bas of Eon the medieval Latin vei of Philipps Faber fn] the Morany of Mskarnie Unies” he does oe refer thi inthe lester passage about Favs Alesis (or does he call he Mskaton’ Latin version the Lib fo) Noy Favs Alesis knew only ase oF inecribed tablets ike te Ten Command ens he Elo Shard, Ee El or the Bs of Moa, And wl ppeat that she cide is Flviss Alesis rather than that used hy che ‘Averoes, who would nat have spokea Lcin, We dons know fom tht ps ‘956, what their table version ofa “Buk En” would have unde ke Av any race, che implication ia the December 13. 199% leer hae Gaspard dv Nord craslated rom shete lystone cables, whic had therm selves been bough, ike che Tables oF che Lay with the Hyperbrean and ‘Aclanteans i hee wancerings. PresurayLovecrfe a this ime thought of Bon a cuting yp into tablets, a0 weting on patchrents, cho Smith always depcs sorcerers wrtng on seal ‘There's nothing co suggest thatthe Averonian abet wer Fagen tary, and in “Out ofthe Acone (written, sgnn, for Hazel Held, 1933), savant corse an apparently complete and inact “Bas of Ei, cept to descend from forgorten Hyperborea” Inthe same sentence the Prabore Maruscrips ae called the “Paakoic fragments” implying cnt eo 2 nonfagmentay Eid. Burin "The Shadow ou of Tame” Wingate esl consuls “he soriving Fagen of che piling Bu of En” (1934), Se Lovecrafe was by 0 means striving for & uniform repetentton of ‘he Book's pyiealsate. The contradictory images ewes for ar sly ‘aranecropes fr aecertusting che honyatiuy ofthe wok T cll fragmentary one way of sying how od i thas jt barely sve Co ‘ou day: Only enough remains ofthe text hint sts mol lot sce, ‘An analogous device i to spak af the undented language which the Eubniecablts were writen. Something i wren chere util the ens ‘mate giphs ell ris hat we done know what they tell se Confsion nly maps whe, in “The Haunce of she Dark (193), ober Blake dicosers “the snes Ltr fi a6 bound book sanding oa shel alongside ther comes. Thi ou fst reference io a story co Tain ea calle Lier ems, Lover chen eves has Gaspard da Nord’ area Eton maybe 8 endering of the Latin text of Philipps Faber ater shan ofthe inscribed cables ofthe Aver na 1937 lee o ry Leber he harmonizes: "Gaspard du Nor’ translation of che Lr lon (whether from the corp Lain texto Fm the acon Hyperborean orginal we cin be exe hiaccomplahments were dark and obscure) ao medieval enc inthe 12th cenury rough abou gh consequences” ‘The Analogy of Seriptare ‘When we come tlt 10 the ox ofthe Bak of ion presented in thi 0: lume, We widen our circ Frm ehe coneeprans oF fibon's book held by Clark Ashi Sith and H.R Lovecraft har of Lin Carter, ho wove ce ions share fe vide ico several pan he fae sction cons Ing of recipes and formulae, inure and incantations, sel, petals and the lke V envision the Fst ook a Histories of the Elder Magi’ tha ix precautionary accounes of wizeds who lived fore Ebon ime Since these sualy came co a ether sieky end, I presume that he used them a pare ‘es im teaching his sees. The second part fell Epes of Eibon of Mins Thulan, nd these are strative of fog’ own if, oi in he Fist person... The thin pte called Papyrus of the Dac Wador’ and an ‘extended mythologiel rate desabing che ceaion of the OXd Ones he causes of thet rebelon aga che Elder Gods, hom Earth came int the univene, ad capele hires of he ine slecllce races who do sated the cart in ur bei thecelution of amankind iu wl heey ae for yourself how Lin Care eed ou thi scheme, but forthe presen, let ut ace two chings om his description. Fist, che business about che nine ulea-ellne races smacks oF Madame Blavatsky, ‘whom Li, follwing Frit Leiber, righly lauded a one of che chi ins coce on pl aman. Icey to demonacrae the wide nluece the dest contained in Blavatsky eccentic volumes lst Onell and The Sent Darina on Edgar Rice Burroughs, HP Lovee nd Henry Koto mong others. Het varias “root rates” and “Children of oe Fre Mise ype in weid ftom atthe Martian Thar, the Lemurian Rahal, and (he Concheads of primal Australia. Second, the “Papyrus of che Dark Wisdom,” 2 tle desived fom Sih’ Blak Bask of ple germs, aes, aed story ideas, 90 doube appesed to Lin Because of is echo of the various arcent Egyptian papys eg, The Raps of sn, aka The spin Bask ofsi The Hak of Eibon he Dead he mined for chapter eigen bis noel Ch of he Blk Pharab ee Th Nyarlatbep Cy, hive found chat she conceptual rok of biblical “Higher Cri’ ‘canbe surprisingly helpful in understanding even Fee ancient ens suck asthe Biko Eo. This possible because che great versal Sieh tnd Levecafe stain in ther inuitve and tute charactrztions of ‘hei sprout tomes. Le was the sme tof the poetics and composion of ancient sexs tha led bh co the Higher Coie’ analytical paradigms tnd co che Ficioners convincing ulavons. To ilaserace my post, ever {rial New Tesamene scholars believe he Secret Gospel of Mak ostens by dicorred by Morton Sith ws acvall a hoax perpetrated by hin. He new 40 well whar an ancient rex ought co ook like cathe would be able wh ate one damn well (like the inane drivel tha eis co ps fra Ancien ex in The Clipe Prope), Joseph Smith was 3 good bit more ‘cco even f he real a8 Mate Twain eid, “chlooform in pie Si che Book of Numbers! To put ehe shoe on the ote oo, Lovecraft sould have made anexcllen biblical cic had he been 50 indind. “The Bi Ebr you at holding cn be aminatingly compared with th Book of fens, Modern scolaship has convincingly divided the Book offs into nce basic sections, each primary the work of 2 dierent tuchor or gro of shor, Fist Isiah ithe Propecia ben Amos of Jerusalem wh lived in he time of Kings Heackis, Usui, and Abas. He is he greatest pt among ce bibhel ropes. His rales base with Ste as well as ight, Hs paiusagune acquisitive agicusinss barns fre ‘losing an sal frre oun asf hey were writen in the 1980s. His bli tering denunciations of religions hypacites who oppress he por have lst none of their ege He is che kindof man who would atace bac eneries nd diciples. Tradionlegend nays he was smn asunder by his pesecur. Bor his disciples kept hi fre alghe They pated down his orice in oa and seen form, This materi cin be Found alli interwoven with sumerous interplaions great and sal si chapters 1-39. These “son of the prophets,” dips of che popes, wee guile of prophets chemscives, anda eng sey ised their own prophesies, and the bes of them were placed alongside hove aeibted ro chee master Since ‘he axiom ofthe ancient world waeThe dcp ox above hs aches, but shen fully rained wll be like is teacher” the diciples and sucess {ough fetoun in dhe shadow of shih, shu thei rales were aiid so hi, The grates of thee echoes of lah was the anonymous prophet ‘thom we cll the Second Tea (r Devteo-nah) che author of Isiah fhaper 40-55. Deatero-aiah prophesied onthe ex of Cy conquest of ‘Babylon andthe cod ofthe Babylonian Exile He scl lesa pot than Issiah of Jerusalem, though his sles gute diferent, and he hss hs own, fit themes He he at of he moving ad mse Seat SEEING caper suse ow uous He wb geno sie rei opaming lacs chop down aces ol gia Shafran nl hewn he et nding 49-20" Chop 56-66 se 8 mised bg, spre a aly fy pow saan lee Kao Tied i oF Fah A en ok ace of dp hs sow. hey er champions of erp ash, he art myth o ave saying seein ple hana past te apt pile eer pe tk ofthe Pein goverment, sped te rnnng ese he pty side ofthe pure fund Numbers Sheng uct ae we cle Dokl hih wasn itseland sy al kan cpr fr Tei He of Bh, Esey ane et dno oe th cents naa pope of ish In rei fe tumeny th ie conan ues oes dng ee a a ahem uber nh ett Ala ene wrrescite ea jh ne sna wa Mol” Lan An fr is ae lec aly 25 lean” propcy. Heong 7 Tong ost oa” the eve aan impli ped in he eae of the Bak of ie Posn a Let inomed Reha FSerigh by 13, 1936 coop proeted by suc cl” Thee at the 8 Tee us Eon, (wham in Carer en ese Deserts Eer Mag” wal aay oh on aw sor pole st some ofthe cum 0 Sha serena, nvin ih ba beer sre, wr we cee dagen of ting te Sth as (Names 1532-20 cee cans prempases fhe pel rah Num 16 sere song cee ee aus 01-9) oth he A ee ca popes se prepa (2 Sone 667), dang © och Kags 225-23) hing onan schch lds See dad ing aca hy (Cotas 1128-32) “just a che Book of Isiah cin be apportioned among thee principal scons can the Biko ibn The first Ebon sof couse, Cla Ashon| Sich author of "The Comming of the Wie Worn,” caper FX, Deuter Tibor is Lin Carter who wrote by far the bulk of the book, The Tho tuboicserarum the work, primi, of Laurence J. Corford. who ta, pcly asa bobby, ventured vee many yes fil in some ofthe gaps the Bot a5 Carer had outed it. Ore Teco-Eibonic ater include John I. Fate and yours rl.so Th Book of itn 1 am proud to take a ole analogous co tha of Zayibn-Tiit, che Muslim savane charged by the Caliph Abu-beke 9 lle she ao ind vidal ura ofthe Korn for the fcr a bok Robert M Price Redactor of Mu Thus Api 18, 1997istry and Chrnslgy of TB of Ein 3 About “History and Chronology of The Book of Eibon” viously modeled pon Lovecaf's 1927 pamphlet “History of the Narnstion” and caking see From August Desltseiion of LPLs work CHtory and Chronology of che Naver hit ibi- -piclpreedohsory peers to provide the translating and publicon Tistory of che Back of Eilon. As such ic parallels my bra survey in che Tnooution of Loveerai's developing concep of the Bk of Ed. But suhereas I have soughe grave the (by a0 means ulna elation ofthe concep i HPL’ min, Lin Carter provided a harmonized arco nt fextual with se published sori themelves, pare oftheir narrative un ‘verse, the history of the ook sccusing implicitly ia and between che sto fies a0 ying Behind then inthe minds of HPL and CAS. 11 obvious hat bibliographic paige sch thi or chat given by Sober E Howard for Von Jars Unansdmchicer Kaen a "The Thing on the Roof") has the faction af supplying vevsiilitade Le makes che Bk of Ean ser more like areal book. Bus that is a0 ony fune.on. Seth 4 “istry and chronology” alo serves a «distancing devi e preven he send from too 40 oro easly sececing the emerging character of che rime at an actual revelation of arane truth Such a conlusion mot tevelop only gradually, a5 the reader i ae Fine encouraged co mania hi sundae dele and then wesned yay fom by slow degree. Only 0 an dread and ominous unease mount. Hf he supernatural be taken for stance atthe tare we ate dealing witha Fancy Te Lard ofthe Ring here che supernatural defined inc the ground ruler of the naretoe world and canna awe ws. Thus the hotor author wane rose eo discredit the magic book fist, ake ie appe like soe old scrap bok of superst tins and ae surprise ell works Let provide an naling. perfec one eink. In my reaching of i cal eas, |i students at epulaly dismayed shen use histor icam to ditenchant che Bible, They have learned to take che Bible a4 the ‘Word of God, niles inerrant, a8 age. For them cis racy 3 face of mature. Wha icin doer to peneteate the holy guerdo of pus propaganda an seazre she ible Fram he catepory of rere ro tha oF hi ‘ory. ABT ke 0p vt showa thatthe Bible did ot spy al ot oft sky one day. Tae marks of its origin ariong real harman beings, no gods, ave exeryshere evident, once one removes the dogmatic binders Almost every bibles wen, fr example an be show toe a patchaore of radians and incerplared reas having acurolted over the centutis “Thee texts sere hand-opied aver many age, sufering ex Gerpeons4nd "eoections which can aow never be ceeiny rested, Even the choice of which belong cose canon ofscriptre i hardly slevdeat, and the able of contencs as many centuries unde pute and temans 0 033) All his, however, makes te sical hes ofthe Bible or the Koran the Upanishads, of which the same chings may be shown al the more ‘wondrous, sexing chat che break oth fen pages which are eniely su is 1 che wicsicudes of aff merely human wekings, which is jst wht they sr “We have this resnure in earthen vessel” (2 Cointhians 47), Even so With the Ba of Eibn fr ehe Nevonowian). The books ate shown fo hang trickled doa the centuries by hack ae by crook, somerimes alse hap hazard, becoming gabled in eansation, Lowered, errata ‘Wilbur Wharce'sincamplee “Dee copy,” whch nonetheless able co tel bist how to “open ro Yog-Sachth." Here she revelations ae anything but ‘edifying, but the eck whe same. Despite the fact that these book are reveled robe mere man books, jus a6 Wizard Whatley and Ean amd Alhsaed are noc gods bur eccenti old ne, she blck eth they slate Surprie us by earings be aft el ‘Hisory and Chroology ofthe Bank f Eien” ws criginaly published 264 Chamel Howte Chapbook by Lin Cae in 1984 History and Chronology of The Book of Eibon by Lin Carter Tue Histosy cording to the tadiional account, the so-called Book of A™ ‘es ogame ne fgsen Tho lane guage somewhat mare chao acentuy before the onset of the usr ce Age by the wirard Eibon of Mhu Thulan ina prehistoric polar land which the Greek and Roman writers, ages later, knew at Hyperborea ‘Ths “primordial manual of sorcery” was a “cllecton of dark tnd baleful mths, leurs, rituals and incamtacons both evil and esoteric” Also, ic preserved “the oldest ncantaions, and the secret, manvforgoten lore of log-Sotot (Yos-Sothoth) and of Sodagul (Bahosgv:)” ‘Alcer the death (or dsapperance) oft orignal author, the exe was come, fom manuscripts and treatises found among his papers by Eibo'sfvorite disciple Cyron of Vitaad. Cyeon himself ‘wre an acount, the Vite oo, of hi Masters ie, ad something of his lst days (which became chapter x of hk 1)" ‘century os see, when Hypesbores was absndoned bore che advance ofthe glaciers, copy or copies ofthe Book were saved from che collapse of Hyperborean civilization and wee carted to che mainland of Europe by the members ofa secret brotherhood of so. eres, who revered Ebon memes Copies of the Book probably existed in che ftse post Hypeaborean setlements of Zabna, and Lomar, and in the later ies of Sanath i the souchely land of Mar ‘Many centuries later, followers of the great Prophet Kish (who foretold che destruction and Fal of Sarnath) rendered che Buk in the lnguage of ther epoch, cher shortly before ora some period aver thigh form Stoath the Dood! The Ba of bw i suid to have come down through a seis of manifold rranslaion fom‘ Tn posto a (ehe) prchiscorc original,” and his che fast of these of which we have any record. * The ceadition asserts char a Punic eranslacon from che Kishite ‘was made, about 1600 &.C, by the Syro-Phoenivian Scholar, lise [Narbu. There are thine eraces of a Byrantine-Greek (or Graeco Baccrian—the authorities differ widely) version made at some date subsequent to the Punic by an unknown write, but we have merely rumors of this and sean evidence Sil later, peas as easly asthe ninth ora lat asthe rent cen tury A, the Medieval Latin eranslaion of C Pilippus Faber copy ‘of which is preserved in che Library of Miskatonic University was [At Some period before the year 1200, i is ehoughe most likely the novorius necromancer Nathaire (whose name was ried fe quendy and censoriusly in he iter witcheeafe eas in the ancient French province of Averoign) discovered a copy ofthe Geek version Jn, ie was rumored, the tomb of an ancient wizard. (Some have spec slated that i wus the Same Graeco-Bactrian somls in which the Taamens of Caruamegss, co which Hyperborean origins ae abo ascribed, was uncovered about 935 4.0.7 Ie vas probably dering the closing yeas ofthe 1h century that the celebrated alchemist and occu scholar, Gaspard du Nord of YYvones, made bis famous translation of the Boab into. Norman French, calling it the Lior Ein, He had for his ext nt the Latin version of Caius Philippus Faber, the Lider fos, but dhe Greek, te ‘wold alraos have co have ben the same copy excavated by Nathaite, since da Noxd had studied dabolm and agceomany, oF 30 ie wae lace testified, from Nastaire, and only quit the coven of Nathaire about a year before the commencement of the shocking event (called the "Ylourgne Horror") which broughe abou ye dowofll of is for- ‘mer mencor, and which began ia the spring of the year 1208." Insofar as Scholarship knows, throughout its lng history, che Bo of Eidou has never been prince, only circslated in manusctipe among the sere clk of Europe and Ameries. Even ducing che persecutions, when eclesiatc authorces mistakenly (but understandably) sup presed such cults, believing chem al Satan-worshippers or witchcraft Hisar ond Chslgy of Te Bf Ein 2 ceovens, it fale £0 extispae the circlation of Eibon's maleic and nighemarish come. ‘Only in this cencuy, 2 far as we know oF may presume, his any axtempt been made to pot du Noed's Norman-French into English hhomever the version whereof I speak has only, as yet, appeared in pare, ards no yee compleced U, Tie CHronovosy append here an outline of the chronology as given by the famed German occults,Fredrich-Wilhelm von Junzt From Dir Unansprclibe Kalo, Appendix i (Dusseldors, 1839) 1. Witten by the wizasd Eibon in che Tsath-yo language in Hiyperorea before the fe Age 2. Arcanged and edited into is present form by Eibon's pupil, CCyron of Varad, who conetibuced the Vite frowi and the ext of ib, ch. 3. Carved to Zabna avd, later, to Lomar and Sarnath when LHyperborea was abundoned co the advancing glaciers “The KishiteReeston. Translated into the tongue of Mar by fo: lowers ofthe Prophet Kish, probably after their fight fom ee doomed city 5. The Panie Vson, Made by che Syro-Phoenician writer, mile Narba circ 1600 8. All copies of the original Thay text by thie ci. probably 6. Lier lenis, Latin version by €. Philipps Faber (10h Century 42) 1. Line dbo, Tanslated inca Norman-French, late 13eh Gentry, by M, Gaspard du Now. 8. Copies of the ds Nord ceanslarion were circulated in secret throughout Europe during the Medieval period. The book, in any version, is noc known co have ever been printed8 The Bak of Eon (Nove shat the Hert Dokgor sems unaware ofthe rumored Greek translacion) NL Novrs to THe Hisrony ‘Gack Asheon Smith, “Ubbo-Sathla Smith, "The Holiness of Azederse "Thats, "The Door o Satur, " "Enact daca regadiag the Prakotic Mss. ae lacking. They were brought down from Hyperborea by a seceet cult fal eo that which preserved che Book of Exon) & ae inthe secrec Hypetborean language.” H. P Lover in a leet to Richard F Seanghe, dated February 15, 1936, Seated Lenn, vol V. * Lovecraft, “The Doom chat Came ro Saenath.” Cate, “The Scone From Moar,” (unpublished, Smith, “Ubbo Sats According 0 Lovecraft ina lete published in Dram an Fai, According to Smith in "UbboSatble” Gaspard du Nord trans lated he Eide fom a Greek version For the histories of Gaspard du Nord ofthe infamous Nathaire and the “Ylourgne Horeos,” see Smith's story “The Colossus ol Yow me Gest ‘The presumed date of du Nord ceanslation "te 3th cen ‘ury”—is argued because Smith, in "Ylourgae,” informs us that du Nord, sho obtained the manuscripc in 1281, “lvad fn much honoe ca ripe age.” In hs published lers, H. B-Lovecralt per sistent refers dui Nord roche 12th cenrury, which is incoerec. ® tye io Eton Acocing to Cron of araad 2 About “The Life of Eibon” he purpose oF ancine document ike hi one watt serve as: casters fo he author who Ws o posed a he dpe of the sin he Iogiaed, Who beter to ead the community in the Master’ abiene? One icine example Th Lif of Suit Antony by Athans. He m2 in ne midst af his contest with Aras oer the ue ofthe vine nature Othe {Cris Lig The pone was vo ci che legacy ofthe great hermit foe ‘huni, a 6c clan the ascetics sanctity om bell of Athanasiog ‘eclagalopinis. Anathes well known example would be che Gotpel of Joh. As the Laue "who fin the Laxom of he Father” the ony one «cave seen the Father and made bin Known Jahn 1:18, s9 the “Beloved Disciple” who hes “in Jens’ bom” (15°25) atthe Last Supper che ri legs channel of acces he Rien Chris. Te ancients did aes in cha, 1 dine but ly on couche or on the Hr, propping themseles on one clbowe With thireen men reclining aroued ow tale hey woul al be prety mich “in each ote’ bosoms.” andthe Beloved Dicple relies ext to Jesus Jas ak one must come che Father hzough Jes (146), 50 Peet, Phe wants 0k fess something (13-24-25) or flow Jesu in it Pasion, must go through the Beloved Disciple (18: 15-16), Jost as Jeet ‘he Door to che Father (10°9; 16), one only acces oh, anda he ‘Bal (doo. che Hidden Imam fancied ag his ible spokesmen tthe Shiite comunity, so dats the Beloved Disciple fanction a che destined Praclee (167-15) forthe Johannine commie ence she cis ensuing upon his death the presuppoion ofthe Johannine Append chapter 21) Soin the present cane: wing hihapigraphy of the wiard For, {Cyn aught to posion his a the caliph of che group of Ebon di: les, playing Elsa co his mate's Ela. As the wie of such a document, Cyron (ike the Beloved Oiscile oe Athanasius exablished hime a the beer of ce ofc, caronzal picture of Elton thar would continue ©: ice the fash, “The Life of Eibon by Cyon of Varad” was fra aed a « Charl House chapboot in (988The Life of Eibon according to Cyron of Varaad by Lin Carver 1 he sr Eo, on ln, ns born in sy gs T: the ar othe Mel Worm. T a ume eat doom heel che Whe yi a pe ema Bie come den por the nus sy of Commerom andthe Kn ee, Torqumeshs and al hifi se up and Ne mo the oh ‘sbi sh yo dao as ej Zh nd li of Pash, sani lose sped Commas 0 she thom Ken Zh Th Mla al ben Keeper f th Arne 0 Kacy rine oF tga ong hal eben fh in che ave hat monarch Shur ohen he the chi Eton ha rained hs eond lsum, shah wa about the tine ofthe death of King Lvuaneras, che “cscs ofthe goles Yhouneh deve th the fly Bila nee ums the wider ef henge xh he pe {restn, serio theater af a dt we ogee ad the hom and oped chil ugh tee ith endl tse one Za eam he wes psc ne yer ing Pharaoh ce of Under Now ths 2 plac was» celebrated anagician who was then wel entered inco the second century of his ie, which by his er he had extended co a inordinate lngeh as i bo hanselin hi own ive The mage ws then in his one hundeed elevenh year, having, been born a year before the Sybil cme into these parts ot ofthe dear and frozen wastes of Polaron eo prophesy concerning tha which would in time befall great Consmoriom, which i 0 say the Doom thereof. La his owa youth che eminent Zylac had been the foremos of che disc ples of Hotmagor, the wizard of Abormis, whose curious history was ‘wee dosn by Eibon in his Chapeer che Seventh From his ench into is theee-and-twentiech year di Eibon dwell ‘es the blac house of Zac, which arose on che westeramost shores “rhe Ue of ikon According Cyn of Varad " ‘The ie of ton Acco Cyn fad of Miu ‘Tholan, the province being a6 that cime batten and unin habieed of men, There did he study che aes of necromancy and the thee kinds of magic under the tutelage of that savant who was eounted che foremost in all of Hyperborea during his age. And ire inthe house of Zylac cid Eibon bethink himself secure forever fram the vengeance ofthe inquisitors of Yhoundeh, for chat he elk vie from the customary habitations of men. ‘When dar ie came to pass, ia the fllass of ime, chat Zac per she fron his imprudent wes of ee Zoigmish seul, 38 Eibon hath Feloeed in his Chapter ce Fis, dhe youthfal sorcerer sos up an led therefrom, lewing behind him the house of blac gaeis on is slicary headland which overlooketh the cold waters of che boreal main, This T consider to ave eventustd in the thirteenth year that Pharnavootra rogned in Uzuldarouss, Thus did Eibon commence his wanderings ‘through eany land, a¢ che fst aloe, but Iter in the company of tain Zals whom he encountered ia Oggon-Zhai. Ths youth was a fellow seeker after dubious and occult knowledge, and cogether chs twain sought wisdom wherever ie might be found, whether in che ditch fanes of age forgotten Unestor or amongst the shadow- hawt combs of Ulphar, OF he many and uncanny perl encoun tered by the eaaio beneath che purple spites of Mars, and ofthat Curious afliction which befell the aged king of Zaroul, [shall say ‘uit for ofthese matcers ach Eibon hime aforesime wri. I. [ocaintserotesin de Emp amps as coe at che sorcerer Eibon returned from his ravelings co thac dear andl des late promontory of Mhu Thulan which fronted upon che sea, and abode once more in the black house of Zylac which time had cleansed ofits hore as all things are cleanse by ce passage of he years. ‘And therein di he abide chereafer fr all of che yeas of his ie «apon chis Earth a is well known amongst men. For by this time he waned exceeding grea in his fame, snd was accounted as eminent as ad been the chaumararge Zylac before him. Theoughouc the one sind-thicy year reign ofthat empees id Eibon seve mighaly to per fee himself in his scence and i was inthe Yea of che Green Spices, ‘when the old empeess succumbed and the prince consor scene co the throne as Emperor Charnametees, chat I, Cyron, i become2 The Bast of in spprenciced ro the celebrated Eibon, {m3 the the cerminus of my fourth usteum and from my natal city of Varaad in the land of Phenguor ad I come co study atthe fer ofthe master, for tha al of my lif had 1 heard sung che Famousnes of Eibon He was chen in his ive-and-sateth year and by chac time was he reckoned che most potent and sagacious of she sorcerces oF Hyperborea. For ewency years chereafcr did {serve as his lily apprentice, stodying the ares of necromancy and the tice kins of ‘agic, and ever cid | find him to be the kinliest of men, as he was the wises of teachers and she mast accomplished of magicians In his peson che Master Eibon ss slight of build and sallow of complexion, with a round face for ever beardless, his lips adorned with thin and silken and drooping mustichios. His eyes were ‘thoughtful and hooded and amused, and he held himself fstidiusly aloof from the ways of men; however, he posessed & whimsical est of mind and a mocking humor, and was much given to iron del levies | behink me that few things mattered aught ¢0 him, and fewer stil he cared for overmuch; ad litle of life or of che world did hh rake very seriously the least of al himself 4.can ste hie now oftentimes I sae him esting in his gue den of curious tees, his sight form arcged in thin robes of silk, bepaccerned rosecnd-golder afer the manner of weavers of Phar Wich his hands clasped behind his back he would saunter to and feo tbe length of his plessuunce, all che while dscoutsing with subtle ‘wisdom and wey wit upon some deep und arcane topic, his brows ‘wrap inthe immense and voluminous, bescafedtachoosh which he affected after che fshions ofthe days of his youth Fall many were the disciples of Eibon who came ca the house of| black gneiss co seudy shaumaturgy at the master’ fet, Buc of chem all believe chat it was 1, Cyron, was che dearest to his heat, and this belief cherish within mine owa, Thaoughout che empery of CCharnamettos, and the fise years of Saphirion whieh Axfowed, 1 abode in the call house of Ebon, Bur in the eighth year of Saphition’sempery, when that J eas atcined ro che age of forty, did 4 part in amicable fishion fom my master and eloigned mys hence eo the city of Naraad where 1 dwelt ever afer, devoting my years co the practice of wizardry, Many wete the merchants and at sans of chat city aye, and che lords and burghers, a8 well, sho vied “The Me of itn Acco o Cyn of Varad in <0 purchase sheir charms and spells, their petlapes and diviaasions from the wizard Cyron that had lear his crafe fom none other than the celebrated Eiboa, ‘But no ore shall area in his vein, lest that i be said of me thar E wave more ofthe pupil chan ofthe teacher tH srdana waste lst ofthe Dynasty of he Ulin o name Nim by che ume of emperor Whe be ded ine enh ee afer his coronation and his ster, Queen Canam, ised vo tie toe i tuld be een hougou the and that the us Yond wat prow ws aed prodigious power the hi pinned granu the ek goes, one Mochi by ane, Gk pol fa and ide othe fat my acer Eton ‘ara epoved nino bet; se which he wuld ee hve frkene co doin ar of Ebon, had hen fl mel secre ond confide nthe preminnce thi thoy The inguiiorMorghi farther aed io be ried abot chat ny maser me ent worn secret and by seth ways the ‘bominaton atau an obser and suppresed vy which bauer enjoyed the eleva ofthe bg Yorn pre tonne ope These grunting and fry «ogee, dvoding seg of rial ons, ye lingered svi oF frgen age the mounainwt or eemate or Bunge prs of Hiypetoes which wer the cite of men shunned fr ta sme reson, “Thus sak he ingustor Moh Bu it was whispered abroad cha the puscson of my maser ns du oor reasons than cert the tli ino rea rats whee he ond Sccused, Foch Morghi was msl become a houmaturge of oe renown: but a he scended inthe mastery ofthe peut a, tse he found co Ws dgencemene thatthe ret Ebon had ran ended his every achievement. Whether fom pou hoor ache sn damon 2 Be sy dame ote elu ofa ester mag fr one who hath excl ht in he ma tery ofthe utemos arena, snd ha the biroph 1 exaced fs quis in 3 mane ‘would never rest until Eibon sufficiently sanguinary and gruesome a¢ co prove exemplary £0 all oghers who wavered witha in eis recvcude“ Ta Bok ton In che fllness of time I came to far for my master, fr all 00 swell didst | know che somber trath of che imprecations spewed forch ‘upon his name by the fanatisl Morghi. In shove lusums which hac followed upon the demise of Zyac, during his wanderings through ‘pany ands, Eibon had in sooth become » devorce ofthe obsolete snd incerdited cultus of Tathoggua, a5 he himself hath writ in his CChoptes che Ficeenth. This demon dwells in the gloom of subtr- ancan Nk,» cavernous region situate beneath the roos of Mount Voormithadeeth in the high Eiglophians, And thither did Eibon descend inthe daring and valor of his youth, led by Pheaaponthus, ‘the shamtab-bird, the which beckoned hin on, leep and ever deepie, ino the Abys. ‘Thercins he descended in seurch of such tenebeous and demon: _puarded lore as might only be ha from the vile and unspeakable lps (of That hich abidesh from the eldeamost beginnings of the earth unto this very hour amidst che poeescence ofthe Pie. And what he sought, he gained: For the Abomination Suthoggua is equivocal and ambiguous of mind, and doth not invariably ew all moral men ‘with malign of aethropophagic intent, buerakech, betimes, an odd ‘auitksome liking for some of they who descend ehiher co che place ‘wherest He wallows, in quest of Elie Lore Thus had 1 cause enowgh and more co entertain feats for my ‘aster, knowing that like his faher afore him he had hearkened t0 the shsperings of che Black Thing thac squatceth inthe gloom of Nilai. Of, indeed, had he ueged upon me thar 1 should betake rayyself thither and do likewise, for only thas (he would solemnly rterate) ate the Ultimate Mysteries co be plumbed. Buc ever, and tha steadfastly, did I dectne to-do this for Iam of Varaad, and from that day, now ages gone, wea frst our ancestors came hither igo these parts from dreamy Kemula amidst the Hill: of Zalgats in rime-forgotten Thuria, fled bfore the coming-dowa of the warlike Atlanteans, have me Varaadishmen worshipped the tribal goddess of ‘our forefathers, From that far day to his have we staunchly adhered ro oue tutlary totem, which be, asall men kaoos leera the cat god- dss, Mayhap it be tue chat the goddess be naught more chan the primal Fetih of my rice, as mine own master hath ofzemmes admonished, but ever have I devoutly numbered myself aniong her Celebrant, Even now, [ale these words with reed-pen cut fom -e ue of ition Accom Caen of Vad bs the ronded calamus, die in the inky exudations of che squid, one ve qcer’s small and supple foliar rubs its round and sitken head vr yware my knce-with many affections slumbrous purrings. Noc sr such aL the worshipping of Tathogpua! IN luc tocetuen to my History in ordinary times ‘ewould have been | sant concetn 9 such as Eibon of Mhu Thulan, did the fren: sied zealos of Yhoundeh cave against him spitefully, for he dwelt far off at che utermost excremity of Mhu Thulan, and all chat fexion from Paar ro the polar sea hath never beer subject co the magistacy of lagu Bt inthe past hundked year or sch, the cult of Yhounde had risen to ascendancy; not aly in Iqqua, whese ic Fist displaced and then deave out che antiqee sosship of quaint, chehyoida litle {Quulk, che kindly god of Fishermen; but also in the great city of Ougon-Zhai, where of old the folle thereof made homage «0 Katheuole, whose fanes be aow neglected oveemuch; in Zuth and [Naroob, oo; wari a length ll of the land of Zabdamar which fones upon the sea groaned beneath the dominion ofthe eclesiarchs ofthe clk goddes. “And ever since Prince Tuluum followed his aged grandsic, Xacturd, co the throne of Eqgua, have the priests of Yhoundeh ‘wilde both the poser temporal and che power spintual over that Secaffrontng eal: and in che seign of Raanot, who succeeded ‘Tuluum, the princedom of che Iqquasians lid claim to Mhu Thulon, or to those parts thereof che which bordered upon their country co the north, which isto say the westernmost portion of the province, al established jurisdiction and authority over chat desolate region Fovmerly untenaated by men, notin sooth daainion thereover. The present prince, Parool, second of shat name, had ysl supinely co ‘he encroaching usurpations ofthe hierophant 35 meekly 2 ever did ‘he four sovereigns which preceded him. Thus had Morghi aoc only the sanctions of law but also che royal prerogative co indice che Master Eibon, the which authorities he was noe overlong co employ against hie Te was in the vernal month of the Yeas of che Black Tiger, in the ‘hind lstrum of Queen Cunambri’s eign, when my master camesukenly and in sectee daring the nocturnal hours unto any lapis minaret which overgazeth the glories of Varaad. Seven-und-forty years had eranspiced since las I clasped his hand, or looked iaco his smiling and hooded and cynical eyes, ve heard his wry, humoroxs, fonce-familiar mode of speech; but in all chat time, whist [had grown grey and infirm and was much stricken in years, he had nat altered by 2 whic Albee char he was then attained unto che prod ‘gious age of one hundred and ewo-and:-thirty, having thence eclipsed by no fener chan eighe years the span achieved by rhe venerable Zylac, he seemed nonetheless still nimble and slim, vnbent by old age, his sly and mocking visage smooth and unlined, and his deep sardonic eyes undimmed, With his» he bore a plenitude of books and scrolls, of graven tablets and flos, the which I recognized to be the choicest and mose valuable comes and teases fom his librarium: and these he beseched me fo preserve against thefe or husm and 10 keep sae gainer the occasion of his return, These were sangst this cre ‘many a tome or document of sorcerous lore most precious sad exceeding rare—aye, precious heyond the dreams of avarice and rare above the keenest aspirations ofthe bibliopile. And whea Finguired ‘oF Eibon wherefore I shoulde ward these books and crprazes, he but ‘ily smiled and answered, saying, So chat they fll not inca she hhands of Morghi! And, these admoniions having spake, he suid naught more, bur bade me a brief farewell, And sever aguia thenceater did I look wpon his face, or leastfse nor with the eyes of the flesh, Bor no lng afer this dd there come down upon hien the ireful Morghi, and che henchmen of Morghi, whereupon befell the scrange and fll marvelous evanishment of Ebon from the bourns of ‘nen, and with him Morghi, roo, wherea the wold still wondes v [ie 2 this allowed upon hes of ses ve ve roiled over the scrolls and volumes of Eibon, and perused the duck and terrible volumes af equivocal lore thus bequeathed ino my keep ing. No che lease amongst che which were the Voormish Tablets, swhercon of old the dreadtal arcana of the troglodytes wast engraven by uncouth and besial paws; and that which sill decipherable by men of the Pnakotie Manuscrips; and the Kadath Record, whose ile fon Acsoding to Cyan of nad 7 nightmare pages contain euch thats suggestive ofan authorship in tho wise co be considered remotely human nor even maenmalian; and those af ehe Rituals of Yhe which survive into ovr epoch to preserve ‘hose black rnychs which are the exible legacy of elder Mus and the Parchesents of Paom, containing both che Greater and che Lesser Tnoicims of that magus, cogether with his unwholesome speculs: ninco the tae agin of man, with disturbing hints ofa parent= Se costrica, awesome, blasphemous and, happily, wnProven “There were angst ches ull many of te profound and incom- mensurable writings of Ebon himeelf, and ceases upon the supet= mundane sciences, rogether with a scripture of iardinate length con- Corning the Descent of Teathoggua and His Brethren out of he ven- ‘ceible Prom; which i rosy aaughe of the veritable and unques- tioned Grimoire of Eibon, into whose more cenebrous pages Ihave leoked bur once, then nevermoe: For an old mar needeth his rest and there be that within the estamenes of Fibon which would render for ver uaendurable che dreams of a mere Gyron His folios contained redactions of chac which his abseruse and econdte studies into antiquarian matters had uncovered concerning the lives and times ofthe primal magi of former cycles, Well and fonaly do I remem these fables from che years knee atthe mas ef fee imbibing wisdom; fr ic had ever been his wont co lace these co his students in che acute of parbles or cautionary tals, in bvious hope that we might learn fios the several guaine and besimes, giucsome ends which had befallen these unforcunace savant, to exhibit in our own practice of sorcery a rescraine and prudence superior o cei Tr became in time apparent from «scrutiny ofthese parchments| ha he ad been inthe midst of aszembling them inco a sequential ratatve, which labors were ineorupted by che unvmmely persec: tions of Morghi. Ubetook upon mys the easks of completing chat which bad beea begun. “Time pused, az wat ever rime’ way, and my master ecurned noe +o resume his customary habitation in cha house of black gneiss upon ite drear and sliudinous promontory whose step and precipitous shores are washed-about by the cold waves ofthe ulate polar sea. [Nor would he return ever again feom whence he had led, for at lengsh slid J ascertain by esine are the curious and unlikely termination of hiscareer, ia penumbral spheres remote ftom our own, and that whit transpired in the far and fabulous bouens which le beyond the ill rumored tabler of wlera-ellri metal whereof the elder magi whisper ‘much, and lee that be wholesome, and the which wast known of old as the Door to Cykeranosh This uncanny Portal had been a gift made unto Eibon by the dark divinity whose votary he had long accounted himself even che dite and dubious Teathoggua; the daemon had made present of i, saying, in a manner sy and crypti,thac inthe utermose extremity ‘of his need my master should find i a « Door the which ladeth co a far haven of safe repose. But what the Black Abomination spake not of, was that oace a man puseth therethrough, he can never retaen thereby again, OF hese mysteries did I ingute of my master's coma spite, conjured by mine art into a wizaa’s speculum of black steel as he himself had raughe we aforetime, therefore | know ‘whereof L speak; but ofthese mater I chall speak 0 more in cis place, foe | have elsewhere writ an account of the later days of Eibon, snd of that Door ro Cykranosh, and the prodigies whereof, in a nae ‘ative 4e¢ down in mine own poor words, the which have { added hhesein as Chapter the Twencieth VL he old queen hath died, and sith her the dynasty of the UUnuldasnes is ended, as well, and ic be rumored amongst ren that her nephew, Zorquus, prince of Ceragoth, wil reign hencefor ‘ward in Uruldaroum, and his oo, Pharapha, ater him, But these are matters which concern me lee, fr I doubr me chit ever shal | lve to see them come to pass. “This very eve did I raise Chanadis from the shadows, even ‘Charade che Daemon of Time, 0 whom the ages past and ages yet ro come ure as on, for such is che fulles of che vision of Charnadis And from the diemen did | inguite afer the manaer of ray demise, and from the lps of Chareadis did I lear tha eelong and inthe frst yer of the empety of Zorquus stall journey hence into chat wast and mysterious Enigma the which lie beyond Deaths black and inelucable gates. Bu ere sine eyes grow dim and my hand lseth his cunning, have 1 se down, in words however curiory and unequal co _he tie of ikon Acorn eo Cyan of Varad 8 task, this poor account of che life and times of the Master Ebon, a his name shall noe be forgoeten on the lips of men, “aad into the hands of mine ot pupil, Alabbac, shal { deliver ince hour of my death this very Bas of Eibo hic Ihave at length in in the fllnes of time compiled from amongst his scrolls and ar ptares, 0 thatthe wisdom of Eibon may survive my cime to the nightenmeat of generations yet unbora. This is as my master would have witheds and so 1 discharge my crust co him, vn rend he Lil fiona ye of a HHS ant nto scorn she or hs tel te sch sped on oe, Hoo Ko ae eda of Kg Php nthe ead a tga ofthe trnaan of Tenn he ich ae eel woe wit omic own des shen at fry last hour death nigh, s0 that this lore and wisdom shall not be This true and veritable copy ofthe Beal of Eibw was set down in nine own hand in the sixteenth year of che reign of King Rhastazoul, the fourth monatch of the Ceragothie Dynasty to hold the cone of UUnuldagourn, the which was even che one hundsedth year since the sanishment from this Each of che grea sorcerer Eibon. In this same eat was the Coming of the Great Ice whereby was the province of ‘Mhu-Thulan whelmed under the eteraal sows und thereby rendered forever usinhabitable by men. #» The Book of ion About “Bibon Saich” Mie re ois atte cage he aig ems of thoughe spun out by che grt thinkers. Ancient pilomphers and sages were many of them noes systematic their shaking chan thei ‘modern heir, a witness Place and Anstole- But a numer of the ancients saw thac they could communicive bee by meas oF aphorams ined ike rows ingot Bad conciences and befuddled consciousness oftheir com remporaies, Like the Hatidie mises of East European Jewry, sages and sophats like Diogenes of Sinope and Socrates were best enghned in the [Eee of aupibpmate, andres, o¢ pronouncement sons (ls clled ‘dna) These were bce tore supplying just enough athe way of sein, and characcers coset the readesTbemer op forthe punch line: ari bewee-the-eyes saying Irom the Maser. Thimight bea proverb o joke, in any cas, woul Be memorable and bie could, = pronouncement story woul be ony a pronouncement, not ato but sometimes he rcke ee launch pad “There are many, may cetins of uch applesate she word ove. The gospels concin many Diogenes Laertis relied upon them for hi tock in eae in his Lis of Eminent Philp, There were many making the rounds, beau in the Hellenic age, stadens eet wee commonly ‘euigntd to show how well hey understood a gure ike Socrates by mak Ing up anecdotes 1 depict hin sang what one would expert Soca £0 say oa given question, in a partial hypotheil situation, Thus we can soe tellin. many coses which fany such anecdotes actualy go back 9 he sage whowe name hey bea, even when chey see 60 ing tue 1 have hee adopted the technique of Diogecs Laci who summa ised what be could of the life of each thinker he chronicle, an then sopeaded lst of apophehepme to bring the Figure to lie Fr the reader Lin Carter Cyon of Vara hs told us the if of is master Eibor have erly appended some ofthe great mages pearls of wisdom, Iwill not Fe he fact ha Eibon of Mh Thulin, athe spoke to me, parakes more than lle of Diogenes of Sinope the Gy, of Jess 8 we ent hin sn the Sf sayings tadton, and of Nitache'sZarchustes, He who hse, Jee him hee Eibon Saith; or, The Apophthegmata of Eibon by Robe M. Price When asked why he preferred the company af demons 0 that of men, Bibon relied, “Because demoas are noc hypocrites 2, Once when Morghi the Inquisitor accosted Fibon the mage in che marketplace, saying, “O Bion, how long. wile chow worship false ods” hei sad co have replied, “Until someone showeth me a true tne €0 worship.” 3. One of his disciples asked him why a wizard must never take @ ‘ve, Fibon said co him, "For a wizard mast needs silence the demons, anda wife can no man silence, 4. ceca ich span suid unto Eibon, “O mage, what profteth chee thy learning, when thou hase no possessions from ie” Eiboa nswered, saying, “He who knows che world owns the world 5. A devil mocked the sorcerer Eibon, saying, "O mowal, iif is chy loe or thy knowledge can never make che aughe but mortal!” But Eibon answered him, "Iam not the wapour the strains cil he sky is lose: rather, am che empey jar chat serketh but tobe filled 6. A youth came and sti to him, "Eibon of Mh Thalan, mea say ‘how at very evil" The magus smiled upon hie and answered, “I is ha they lack the word fra greater good. 7. One day Fibon sue ceaching his disciples of the ways of magic, say- ing, "Suppose I say unto you, the sum of wo and evo ischree, Would ‘ny of you believe ie? Rightly not.” He shen tk in his hand a ball of zn, "Now if ell you the sum of two and wo is three and L make the bal co vanish—" and here, before all thee eyes, ehe ball did van- Ish what have ‘And one ventured, "My lord, chou hase proven that che sum of us proven” ‘mo and oma is indeed three!”Nay" sal Eibort, "Ihave bue proven shat Lar able go mae che bull to vanish, and nothing more 8. bon of Mu ‘Thulan was sad 10 be expert in the arts of eceo rmancy They say how once he held converse with « mummy many centuries ded. The mummy ssid to him,“ sill knowest chy joys.” But Eibon answered, “And | eney the, for chee, for that eho that thy soreows ar all behind thee. 9. In elder times the land did suffer enuch on acount ofthe ill-will becween the wizards who little eusted one another, and each did begrudge his fellow his own secrets. When asked why he stood aloof From such fusing, Ebon answered, "My quarel is with ignorance, ot with ee Sgnorant 10, A fesfal man besoughe che age Eibon eo give him some eli: rman ro procect him against demon possession, But Eibon ssid, “O ian, ae devils geeatr fools than men, chat they sould see to pos. sess chat which bath no value? 11, One day asthe sorcerer Eibon made his way through the coun ceyside, sain did spcak co him with che voice of a man, saying, Have mercy, gentle Eibon! 1 am in eeuth Beli and. wech hath impesoned me in the body oa swine!” Whereupon lon did ansver, "Rather, O pig, | should say che cone did but reszoe thy tue four, Feecing thee from che fale seeming ofa man. oth the merchaar, 2, OFall che disciples of Fon, one Found it harder than the rest xo comprehend the magical precepts, sth himself. One day, in chae discipl’s absence, the others gathered round their master and asked him, “Lord Eibun, wherefore bearst ‘hou with such obeusenes?” And he dil ebuke them, saying, "For Jn another lie, | am he oft had the mage to repeat 13. A droughe wasted ee land, and many died, both men and beasts ‘And most of che villagers looked! unto Eibon's tower and sid ic wat ‘even his doing, Reporting these things to him, his servant asked why his master sought co vindicate himself He answered, "For it bette char men should blame than chat they should despa |. bon suit, “Ifthe Lord of the world oller thee the world wich the sight hand and knowledge wth the let, choose knowledge, foe the woed not known is wan, (rhe offer tice everlasting life with che right hand and know ccige with the let, choose knowledge; for better ist co know oneself Lying than ro ive forever heeds.” 15. A comely succubus appeared unto Eibon and soushe co cempc tim, wooing bien with honeyed tones: "Come and rake me, O Fibon, foram I not delightsome” Eibon looked up from his scrolls, saying, ‘Nay, bue | should say thow are dhe most exceedingly wretched among creatures, for that, being bur the semblance of flesh, thow hase nonetheless & carnal mind, fareking the blessings boch ck sh, hich chou ate not, and of spirit, whieh thow art.” 6, Some approached Eibon, having been warned by che Sybil cae all ‘of Hypetborea should one day fall prey o the eveping ice, “Whither Shall we ee, © Eibon?” He answered them, "What, chink ye theres tome sountry wherein che Grim Reaper shall et fia man a ast? 7. When asked whar advantage he found in serving Zhothaqquah the sleeping god Eiboa replied, “Rather would [believe in a god chat sleepeth than that éhe swale of che world should be the wll of @ svaking providence 18, Once Eibon se inthe drinking-house when one began co cau niace the Voormis and to urge war be made againse cher ‘Whereupon quoth Eibon, “Wherefore? Whar evil have they done thee, © man?” “The man smote the table and answered, "They ae lice more chan beasts, with thee shamllinggaie and shagey pels And Eibon laughed, saying, “Just yesterday I sat among the \oormis, and much sport did chey make of you men, pebald and lep 12 a you seem to therm” 19, bon saith, “Becter to die from ignorance than 10 Kil rom 20, When asked why he kepe no slaves, he replieg, “Por the spire Dithin man isa wild beast, and if one spend al his cime eaming a best, he hath no ine lef side che beast.”Book One Histories of the Elder MagiAbout “The Double Tower” WU ec so thoes heat ‘temporarily in two places a€ 006, and ths happens. becuse ‘logis i oo hard to ge i uniling gues co pil the ean “So fou won' elk, ch? We have ways af making yu tlk” He causes space Shp and, nly, a boy-swscheraa Berne inset andthe cighe ppd “lly a-lippe ldeweman. Lemay be poi jie For Zoigm robe rapped within the Fang form of hi torte itm, but how ae We Urdescand she los a singin this oucome? Tere sealy must be some Tope progression or we are going tobe force r conclde Linus aout of gas and fll back ng his hreadbre device of having she ify sorceee toca into the monster he invokes (The Seal oF Meroe” “The Uemost ‘Nasiavion"h essa clea se shal Be, bur it ser co meta Lin pops he sea or he ry the ed by asking sch 3 big deal ow Zoi rok 1 perverse delighe in causing len ineligences to cake up temporary Fi nce in nl deing corps co inerrogate th. Aad be isl was soon ‘capped ina Body of rod, period! And nue mak tha! So balances ou that he should windup ashe des, Bui there na: ‘ave mativaton foi? Has something happened that accones oe, 0 a ceo arbicrary authori fas? Zligm ma ying 0 Be Blood fom 2 song, filing to alae As poner coul' speak: He kee pouring on the jac, upping the wolage. AS if 9 Find tome way £0 get around the mpage and relive she pressure, Kata nature o- something CONN = way io give che mokhman a wie afer all he only seo vcal cords val able beng howe of Zlcigm himslé Andi stl been thre, Me col hve er the answers 0 his question (One qucition 1 lke answered is how the hel Zloiges Knew about sdiuctvity” in anciene Hyperbore? What word of Esbors did Caer ‘ean thus? But, what che hy anacronigme areal part of be fun when omnes spurious ache sriptures, a8 im Woody Allens “The Sal Wide Feat, 1976p. 29) "The authentic of he sal cree in ret doube, pariculny since the word Olstnbile’ appears several ines the exe. “The Double Tower” (nt tbe confused mind you, with Smith's "The Double Csmes® or "The Double Shadow) appeared fis 9 Waa Talo, Winter, 1973The Double Tower: ‘The History of Zloigm the Necromancer by Lin Carter Re ‘log, premier achinage ofthe race of seen philans hich medal peed mann th doinon Stes plane, fom he eng oc nae id tothe dese and unnhabiced poten the nro he fltcesing bid, by verginss cosy whose see ea thee whch he deed, Where Taming vlan ps oe teen he tenth on fintataee plan hich stud eve Incl owe fons y the iter Se of ck an and Sheath eller hauraarges, Foam the squson of his wim as bein foe caf hal Zing become pice fo# superane dee riven only by From the indstnc lip of che spesset of the most celebrated of pri mordial mages, conjured hence by his at from remote and fabulous hours, he wrung, dhe mose jelousy-guarded formulae and litunies, ane the secrets ofthe mast legendary of che penaces and sigs of lost antiquity which ha lapsed fom mundane knowledge aeons before, “Those phancoms which proved stubyorn or disobtien to his will he cowed withthe cheat of certsin spiriaal rigors and torments, of ese Pritoned within the surface ofa micro of Black stel whore they must dell forever trapped in a hell of two dimensions ony, until hey repented of ther obduracies and yielded upto Zlige the cantips oF invocations ours of which he required knowledge erimes, for greater convenience, he fleshed such phantasms within gaune and umber mummies tansporced to his lone and sl or lost and cary abode fom many a hidden expe, or buried val smamemorat necropolis, by powerful genit hound subservient co his viayd. And many the Fighefulsectee ofan age-Zorgorcendernonology we hoatsely whispered co him by the dy, worm-feeced lips of some itheze lich, weapped in dusty cerements redolent of ancient spices vr ee sharp mineral stench of rommb-natroa, which housed he cap te ghost of some prehistoric wizard of repure. On yee oer such rNeasions, a spire thus conjured up from che depths of time was foyced to viify a cunningly-contived automaton of sparkling bras, ox groesque idols of roughhewn and porous lava, magically een- ‘Jered capable of audible speech, ‘Over the lapse of interminable years, having by these means exhausted the arcana of the purely mundane sorcerers of extinct civ+ tlaations of the forgotten prime, Zligen eventually came to cast his questing spells yet Further afield. And inc his conjurational cele he Summoned the spictaalestences of weird and monstrous beings— titratlluie magi mich dwele on dstane planets emec in either tint of space, or made their abode in the husks of burnt-out stars, tr wishin the radioactive nuclei of certain fer-wandering comes. So dept bad the ophidian magus become by this time inthe cedious tnd exacting ar of the invocation of spirits, an oso adroit and sub: tle and profound a magisry bad he attained, that ie as noe only ‘vthin is power co summon up the apparitions ofthe dead, but of ‘he living as well, whose astral or spectral counterparts he could Force eo him even across che untold distances of igetstllar or etans- slate space. And anany and unthinkably alien were the bizarre boormaliies he called to hie cncle for due questioning. Some there ‘were who, in their normal sphere, were accustomed co go about on to legs, or four, or sin and some thac lacked the pedal extremities tentte, and slehered on their belies in che quaking slime lke unco [ituntie worms, oF swam in the perpetual aighe that reigns in che uceemose depths of nameless seas, or drifted alot forever on the «ermal winds of tora-lashed worlde upon uncving snd rigid pininns oF animate crystal With one external intelligence in pacicolae did che magus desire o hold converse. He had learned of is existence from {race ofsagacous arthropods who dele in caverns beneath she crus Fa Frozen satellite which evolved about che double star Poroux in the constellation ofthe Mantchora. The insectoid sages spoke of this© The Basi on being (whom they knew by the unpronounceable name, Cras) in the mose enthusiastic terms, for they held its atcainmencs in che arcane philosophies in the highest esteem, They described it £0 Zioigm as an iceligent crawling white mould, which was the lone and solitary denizen of an onherwise deserted word crcumambulane ‘oa dim and nigh-extingwished sun called Kl, which wa stated in the very remotes of the spital nla, in chose regions adjacent co omsinorly-rumored Shaggai which lies near the ulimace verge of angled space. “The seaience Crxyil, however, proved obdurate in the extreme and Zloigm was forced 0 employ the mose dire and stringent modes ‘of persuasion ac his command; but the philosophic mould succeeded in resisting every conjuation inthe grimoie of che necromancer. At Junge, grown frustrated by the obstinacy of the mould-encty, loigm cist side ll prudence and sonorouly intone ital of ch supernal and tnscendar authority a5 co command even the pes- ence of one of the Elder Gods. AS he enunciated che eonstrous cacophonies of this rightful incantation, ce heavens darkened omi ously he ivory moon veiled hee pallid visage in mis, a F reluctant roattend che ultimate blasphemy, and the wan and vii sears Ned, lone by ane, rom dhe nocturnal zenich, Beneath the audacious necro rmancee the earth shuddeved and the very foundations of his rower _grosned aloud as i peotst: but navghe deteccd the ophidian from ‘he consummation ofthe rcual. ‘There soon maceilied before Zloigm a dim luminance, a haze of ight, «blur of pivephoric ecoplasm which oated, insubstantial 35 2 vapor, within the eeiply-drann Citcle of Power. Buc albeit his endeavor a invoking che spi of the moukd-avant had at as even ‘ated in success, naught Zloig could do would force she apparition inco speech, T his several ateempts co extract fom the recaliraae CCexyall ee ultimate arcana of his magisty, the phosphorescent spec tre preserved a euculent and adamantne silence In vain did the iceful necromancer threaten the eatiy with the YYgact Incantation, the Nn'guo Eli, and wih nine pesias carven from che ivory ceeth of prerodctyl, Likewise did it remain obdu rately silent before the Scatee Sign, che Z Light, and the Chian Games, Esen the curse-ltany of Glorgne, which he recited in the Xe language, failed co excice i eo spexch, Wearying at last of his cles inquisition, Zloigm uttered the Geeacer Dismissal, and, Perera the nine penacles of Sgandrom and extinguishing the canpunary luninanes of the seven lamps of hollowed ruby, he broke sirife four caedinal points the tiy-drawn cece of phosphoric Sowder, and closed his book. Por rigued tothe extremities of his vigor by hs encemitingthau- natural labors, the ophidian necromancer glided from the conju eal chamber and sowght ro recreate himself by a sll chrough Ie mardens adjacent ro hs tower. This pleasaunce, however, © his trae and consternation, he discovered no longer to exist. Instead seeps topiary garden of bizare Mesozoic flora, he found himself rnidst 9 foetid grove of loathiome and cumescent fungi, whose Sellen and phallic and hooded crests soared swaying to every sie, tauding a singularly vile and aoxious purescenc, even as ther glis- ‘ening and spongy boles were stained sod blotched withthe rancid tankers oF oozing and Liquescen decay Unable co easily acount for this ceyPtic phenomenon, Zloigm ceaversed the fungus-grove with the boneless and undulant grace oF his kind, fastdiousy avoiding che slightest contact with the pus lune and sickening growths. He sought instead the peaceful shores of the bitter and lonely carn, where it 28 ofthis wont co stroll che eys- tale stand in melancholy ceverie, But the tar, as well, had inex- plicably vanished, and in its place he found himself gliding the giddy teege ofa precipicous chasm. And within che depehs ofthis abyss he limpsed scaler horors of indefinite shape that writhed and slic ‘ed in che most noxously suggestive manner aenidst miasmic and babbling slime, fe became indobitable thar some malign teansformation hat teen worked upon Zloigm’sslicary demesne, doubtless through the ‘nchantments of an insidious aed vindictive eval. Turing from the lip ofthe shadowy gulf whersin whose deeps the hall-glimpsed hor 'e4 hid not ceased fom ther eepugnane and profoundly disquieting ‘wiggling, the necromancer sought again che sanctuary of his one and solitary citadel—only to find a furcher encroachment of che "metarnorphosis, which he now 58% tobe progressive, For inthe place 10 the hap- sua principals of some weird und prodigiously alien geometry The DoF his somber and mgjestic cower there now zse an ‘ue of viulene and nauseous hoes, constructed accor2 The Bok of ion eye wrenching colors and dzaying, impossible curves and angles of ‘he architectural abomination were wtterly repugnant t0 one of bis ‘ace and temperament As he contemplated. the loathsome spire sith comasingled hese slowly rose into view behind ie an imenense and dimly lursinous orb of ghastly and leprous hue. Zloigan sc once recognized the mottled and ebbing luminary for that wan, demising star about which the insect-sages had informed him che lke-deserted world of che philosophic mould revolved. And chete came to im there, a5 he stood amidst the festering grove of stalked sand nodding fungi, some intimation of th extent of his predicament, le was not, a he had ist conjectured, the malison of some iniquitous rival sorcerer which had worked this malevolene metamnorphosia—dat io sonwrty tring the forben ud Blips rit Indeed, so tianic had been hi flores co force the obduate Cony hither, chat he had bent awzy che very Fabric of space itself, and his own somber spire and che garish and atrocious abode af the bewilderment and ire alien entity now simulrancously occupied the sime point in space snd time. The Filles implications of ehis uncanny simuleanety did not at fonce dasin upon the cold ineligence ofthe ophidian: nether did he suller undue dismay or perurbation 2 the ominons eden of tis sequence of teansmuratons, For he knew char the texcue of space is pliable and esiliene only to a degree, and chat chs unnacural condi- tion could noc long endure and would soon cereinate, che superim posed towers returning each fits costomary eoign a opposie poles of the universe. As well, his memory retained spells and cancips of prodigious and transcendent magnitude, the very utcetance of which would summon to his ad, acess the breadth ofthe cosmos itself reed be, daemons and genit and elemental of awful and tesfic rmightiness, bound eo his servitude by unsunderable vows. ‘Therefore it was wih a certain chill amosement rather chan wih any crepidacion that he traversed che lotinome gorden romards the alien spice of revolting configuration and nauseating hues, but, of» sudden, found rhe undulant, gliding perambulacion of his serpen- tind now altered toa mode of peculiar and unseemly locomotion. In aword, he now moved forward by «cingular erepitaion of fumes ‘us segmentations, and, taming his astounding vision upon bis own person, e sam; by a sense of perception in no mike identical with we und that he had himself become ineerchanged with the being of “ean ees pncrama eae ushnge. He ene y sea pence fp ae nated, eee cos ar salons of he double one ad sh are remained apd neh bs eves 0 ply he mind ad pf he lps duet nso prox ad cet Boy dob carey see sung the bor peru of sos se planes the se cmos of hs oN 1S sete te sling alas, og Si a gn 0 veld coop ree metamorphosed opin knew hat ge vere enone onthe pcg who ered in Ss etl and ghia onemecion Hino threo open pes moth of eee stp Kn, opn Mabaso sea ep o Bins, Boe w cues sia nonatin arvana command Tie, ane oa i he cee sevomaneree al ene of depitand hoe soar anar gle kolo per doom FERRE Canton whe moni, whe Boy he inlaid fer ue rely al al of 9 exie ind oe sessed no lightest vestige ofthe organs of audible speech.About “The Devouring of S'lithik Hbai” Mipsis ts crtie magia Cais sy ts aeard the falling te, hithero unknown chapter of she Bao of Eon ‘nich be has eaken sine ou From hi earl tie translate pana Ingly fom ehe orignal eables which he sumbled! upon (iezll) whe oe 4 sking expedition to Greeland. His dowahl slalom was radly iver rupted and his taecory of smoot denen alered ro ope of sit ascent there ast late, the stony tex protrding From the slope in font of fhm. Whie we ration, be pore over the ancien reat, fe thang i to be an eatly dae ofthe Biot of Mormon, fut at length recognizing cht ‘more money might be made shoul turnout wo be om ee Bak of Eon imtead Anda momentous find i ae lanes fr thet ie the ae leahng she deacene of arog ‘0 this pine Bur serouy Folks, you'll ote that, though Fulex a gone with Losec’ toad version of the god instead of Smith’ diminutive le le he has nonetheless raed his ale directly onc Sith’ orginal concep of “Bathoggua's advent on ancient Hypearen right from Cykranosh, die _neding Smith's ltr corerime (ane might evens Detlecianharmo- rzucion with Lovecaf’s “The Mound.” And why should’ he? Ae ll wwe dealing with a set of mychs, arent we? And as Lover poined ou Tong ago, you come 10 expect reconcile contradictions berween chs, as they represen the varied specelaions of dite rests and story elles, swell local varias spun ut independ of one anoches, Toke a ook 2 Rober Grover Tr Gr Myth omer) The ame phenomenon pe sed im the generation of the tive Cihulhu Mythos and Commoriom rmyth-ycle, since Lovecraf, Smit, Sesght and orhes le ret develop tach ocer's concept at eae srk them, not waiting to check them out vith enh other Before ashing othe eypewite. The Devouring of S'lithik Hhai: ‘The Hiscory of X’hyl the Apothecary by John R. Fultz and cleansed fair Hyperbores of theie venom. These are aged schol fs, t00, who claim che breed of walking serpents did bring about thie doom, by the heedless practice of uncouth socceries and Ichemies, unleashing dread powers thar even their craft could not roaste And sil thers maintain cha it was che sifting of the great sun hat robbed the serpents of ehe baking heat need woo kind, as continental jangle dried and became erie plains oF cool ing cundeas. Bur ofthese none knoweth the ceuth ofthe afait, and for that i is known unto me, Eibva of Mhu Thulan, i behooves me Like unto the Oroboros, the mouth of which size upon the ‘sil of which, did their dominion encompass che whole sk of Eacth slithering out across the young word from is black hearin ee bubs bling fens ofthe new-mnade Hyperbotean coatinent. Te sear of thet ‘area, swampy kingdom was named Slichik ih, a fres of serpen ine towers whose pinnacles wore to heights beyond the cloying clouds, into the uppermost air ofthe world, where unknown beasts ouc of the starry void sometimes alighted on Muced spices, B82ing down upon the massive works of those who duels below.% ‘The oak Eon Now thete abode among the highest ranks ofthe serpent ol, those called che Hith, an apothecary of suspassing renown, even X’hyl the Wise, X'yl as master ofa skystabbing tower is the tide of che capital city, and his breweries and disilling vats pro duced many of the poisonous draughts beloved by the Hih during thie Feasting revelry, And so his equent entrances upon the courts of che anciene serpent king were causes fr glad rejoicing, and joy- Fully was he ever hailed bythe royal retinue, who seldom roused thet torpi fooms from chee Finey-inlaid sunning stones arayed semicir- culaly about the igh theone. All would rise with one accord ro geet X'hyl che Wise and hi cade of apprentices as often as these should appear, bearing mith them casks of delicious, venomous vintages fresh concocted, Ofcimes che reptile king's celebrations began with a sporting round of philosophic discussion as co the nature and purpose of Hikhian existence, moving on at length to scientific or sorcerous pin- ciples. When the euby-cronned monarch grew tired or bored with such discus, various coloeal demons might be summoned forth xo rant ard caper before his gleaming couch-theone, roche high amuse- ment of te languid nobles of Shik Ha. And when even these ‘ae delights td smoldered down to ashes, she royal chamber would -winess great feast the lke of which the mammalian mind can scarce [Nor was the feasting af the Hith an altogether wholesome ching for che warm-blooded to contemplate, for the custom of the erpene folk was to devous ther sustenatce while i yt lived. To enjoy the steugaling of one's chosen meal a ic 918 swallowed and drawn slowly into the expanding stomach was exsenti forthe eat epicure, Once engulfed in the gullee of « High, the prey would expire slowly and horribly as che digestive process began, the corosie juices insrbing 2 iligree of slenecorment on the wasting flesh of the still conscious ‘moricl. And though che bouts of feusting were long, che aftermath 995 longer stil as bloated nobles lay about the pillared hal quiver ing with unholy ecstasy at each fading death-spasm of their dis ing provendet. And then all drowsed wil, cheir prey assimilate, "hie elastic frames cecurned once more to singul slimmnes ‘The jaded eepiles prined most highly that prey which seamed the most heartily a it was devoused, And jst sacha viand dehy su Devin of Sti 5 jscovered far of inthe mountains ofthe East a seal race of thin sind fartyape-men, and possessed of rudimentary ineligence It was jeatter of great amusement char che simple cave-dwellers should ‘uke to reset the raiding sorties ofthe Hith, their stone-fashioned Jes and flint axes proving useless againse che hunting demons cl served the sespentsmen, No retreat, however deep, iro thei Tost catacombs preserved chem fram capeure by their eepiisn iuelords. And ever the Hith retucned, having discovered a marvelous “alcacy, which they eransported in ever gveacer numbers back to chet ize city to swat hideous doom inthe king's banqueting chamber, ‘On a certain night of feasting in she royal court, Xhyl the Wise took avrce of an odd sound among. the Suieming ipeds, as they were being ily devoured. It had eccursed ene screams of the to 90 one chat the sofrfurred mammals might possess any sort of Linguage, but che heen ear of X'Byl used as he was co all manner of ‘obscure voables, rok gore. At length, he ele sure he was right, 36 incredible as it seemed, A word ow became clear ro him amide che eening ails ofthe ape-things, repeated again and again by vasious Df che tasty smorels, He Was catefalco mark the discovery, chen in ‘shed the sumptuous rast ina contested torpor. "Even so, che old apothecary had forgoiten his searcing discovery unc he chanced ¢o heat i¢ again as he made his way through che irous shadows of the factening pens in ehe dungeon beneath his palace. Ther remined no doubs in che cold, keen mind of Xhyl that ‘hese little beats posessed some sore of primitive tongee, a crude language which had scemingly evolved in the space of less chan a sin tle generation, For many long years now had che High been dining upon the mammalians, and this evidence of language was a new hing. Always these days, i seemed, while being consumed, the cre tures seamed the single word which had fst caughe X’by'atten- tion, some chanting it repeatedly like an infantile pratele “Zaboggua” spoke the dying bipeds, alsos pleading, asi in sup Dliation, “Zothoqguat AS to che posible meaning of the caveeles’ chant, X'hyl ‘ould assign none, chough neither could he ignore the importance of the myscey ic implied. Before long he sought audience with che ser Peat king. lnforming the yellow-eyed monarch of his discovery, che Sloguene X°hyl Finished by begging a cate of guards to accompanyhimself and a dozen of his fllow srceres for an expedition into the ‘mountainous eastern jungles. “We must document this sie develope rent of thought and language processes inthe lover species," sud the apothecary. "For how may we hope to hale whae we de noe ally under sand? And hal we mast, lst che natural order of things one day be upended and che sublime status of the Hith be undermined In euth, {reo lord, an uncouth word From furry is oF fithy maromais may com as insignificant 8 i is unineligible, but it may be a sed x0 sprout ino an unsospecting doom, We cannot be to careful Because of his high standing with the king and his wide esteem arsong the savant ofthe Hith, X°hy’s ques was granted, on she condition thatthe expedition teeuen with an hundeed fresh speci mens for the king's lardes "Go forth, wise X"by,” hissed the regal lord of serpenes, “and take with you ful legion of our Fines soldi ‘Too, shall they accompany you who ace the grcutest in the art of wit sardry and twenty demon thrall shall guide chy pach. So do Finest in thee all needful authority to sid my Kingdom of any threae show ayes discern. Go forth with the grace of Holy Yig upon chee and thy company So ie was that with the rising of che nexe sus, X'hyl and bis parry set oe, serpent banners yng atop sis Hithian laces, and 2 mas oi crimson-hued demons rearing apart che jungle geowrth €9 make way for che expeditions passing. Leaving behind the lofty black towers of Sighik hai, the Hith croop moved slowly ast svatd, crossing vast leagues of primeval swamplands chick with pi- ‘mordial ooze. Among the cowering vegetation of prehistoric wilder- nest they srwveled, and over steaming ranges of woleanic reside ‘which would one day pla host ro undeeamt-of nations and empires In sim they areived a the tall, ugh mountains wherein lay the wat= fens of che litle mammalian sace. Among the soldiers were many experienced huncers of such game, and son they discovered & net~ work of cavern entrances on a thickly forested mountainside over looking # great heated waterfall which filled the deep eavine below with mise and thunder. X'hyl himself, Manked by ewo demon Buatds, led the way inco the lower burrows, eaveling ever-deepee ineo the uncomfortable coolnes ofthe sunless eegion. The greater majority of the soldiers had remained on guard at the eneeanes the underground realm, sith orders for che capture of any cave {lwellers who happened upon chem By the blue light of sorcerous lames the Hithians explored che mossrgrown labysinhs, searching always for sign or spoor of the ivedwellers Yr i seemed chaeconstanc raiding ofthe furred race’ some had driven them everaleepe into che bowels of che earth and ve di che gladsome heat preferced by seepentfolk retwen, arising fom the molen depvhs ofthe planer isl At Tat, evidence of hai tutu sas found: guano, bones, rade stone implements and tools though still 90 sound or sight of bving creatures. Thus things con tinued ill, at lenge, Featd their prey. A sass of aynchronous voices grew in volume as {ny led the sealy questers onward, now sith renewed vigor, 38 the xe choes ofa dep chanting drew che Hihians prospec of prey and che molten breath of inner earth combined to new le to thei cen, ibs. Emerging at st ona nasow shel of basalt above a deep-floored ‘avera, Xhyl a the head ofthe Hithian party observed in che iret epths the objects of theie long search, Thousands of che cave- dwellers wrshed! and ebanced in unison before a great stone ido, whose massive bulk rose alaost tothe heighe of the vaulted dome Like unto the shape of a great, bloated toad ws che vast eidolon before which they prostrated thettslves in feverish adoration. Its seat, heasylidded eyes were bouldersized lumps of gleaming bony and its ears were long and pointed. A great fnged maw steeched neatly from shoulder to shoulder below its cavernous 908 nls, Fascinated by the monolithic creation, X'hyt could only watch in bewilderment as the lowly ace worshipped its sbomvinable god. Who would have thought them capable of even so rudimentary & fash? For che savages co utters ceuc word was toubling erough co hy; cis was distressing in che exeme. The contagion of incipient inclligence had proceeded archer and faster than ever he had feared All che greater che urgency he felt to Stamp ic ou at once, even if ic meant the supply of he cour’ favorite creat be cut of (One thete wos who stood closest tothe grea ido, his apsh face behind fanged skull mask bearded by a mass of gaudy Feach- 4A riny inane of his own kind he held aloe above bis head its tiny, Scrogaling form mewing and wailing agdinst the reverberating Chane whose powerful timbee caused che stony ground 10 tremble hid‘And X'by recognized the manaes of ceir chant, and knew now the fame of their dark 02. Zotbogqua! Zaboqque! Zosbogqua!™ cried che dancing %orship~ pers. Without warning, che masked one dashed che tend infang against she monoliths toad-ike Foor, where the stains of previous saciices spoke of long history of dire ceremonies. The little corpse wat then thrown int she midse of the siting mob, who tore ie spare with thee pe flesh of theis own mmusdered oping Sacred scales of Yi!” declared he amaved apothecary. "Not even among beasts can such loatntome depravity be eolerated!™ He: bare fing devouring madly the ‘waved a tloned hand, and a score of terible demons descended upon the senseless sotshippers, cutting through theie midst as a erce ‘vind through gentle palms, ermplig,¢o get beneath their clawed Fees the Frenzied maromalian chong As te litle eace met -with bor rible slaughter beneath che dripping talons of che demons thie ecg ince ‘crevices and cunnels co small forthe great demons to fallow: Yer the dancing shaman near the idol remained los in his alien incanation trance was rudely broken, and they began to sat until the Hiian sorcerers ase bots of bale lame agains che mas sive roadlike iol, and its great pieces smashed down upon is last worshippe in « smoking heap of blasted stone ‘When the slaughter had ended, and the demons were lapping up) eh blond, X'hyl commanded them ro abeyance once more, and sc hastily for the open ai of che surface world, Many ofthe hit- sue ile worshippers ha escape ur ehat was nor co be regretted, He would send hunters back in eo gather their quota of capnives For the king’ pleasure, Bur for che whole duration of the long march homme, the dangling tveads of mystery ieiated the apothecary. How had the smal ace fashioned so massive and lifelike an image ofthe totem? From whence came such a stange and dist the ig supers tion, with is attendanc horors? Who of what was the entigy they twisted their barking voices to invoke? And more he feared that his questions would now never be answered. For surely most of the cavedwellers mst be dead, the _reater pare of he rest S000 go be devoured by repeilan decadent lest ‘ienically curious than he. X'hyl el great weariness grow within im, and desied only ro eases ea the comfort and eeecive peace of song Sei Hh 4 ih wen Sth hai Tne eogh ponder he ange tech ha fin venom oul ad heat el witha Hota wll hav kimi answered roe re wus on che third day of their return journey that the sky se a ting seks ay Ughnng owe i he a pad thes os scr opel sw hil so in feed heavy ands ten thing ge comet aa ample nd ping bye the wen Ron shoo nah ape andthe speek Moments later the twee flung fom their mounts ro the aime of the june floor, many Trashed in 8 moment by toppling confers. For a shore while che revetheraions ofthe great shaking cang chrowgh the ground, filly foing way fo an exhausted, all pervading silence chy acose fram where the earth's convulsions had deposited him, his Bold and scarlet cobes splatered wich clinging muck." ke ror the import ofthese dive omens,” said the apothecaty «0 his col fezues. "Ibid you, sherefore, brethren, make haste co summon the reat Might demon to catty me this ght ro fr Sichik Hhai, that I ‘nay give tothe king word of ll ehac we have seen an heard” As they weee bid, the sorcerers did weave a great conjuring, offering up the souls of several wounded cave-dwellers as enticement {o the requisite demon, Their incantations brought forth at length a formless monstosty whose Hesh grew a their command into sky blotting wings. X’hy climbed aboard its listening back and rook o he dar skies, Those milling Forms below hizn became ciner and tier ashe raced on pas the iooming moon faster chan the great of soem season, Soon the flying deamon broughe him near the land of Sichik Hui, yet he saw on the horizon none of che ewisting spires of his home ciey. Drawing nearer atop the Mapping monstrosity, the Hithian witnessed now a sight which his rein brain, usually so ‘ally analysc, could not exe "Ts some foul sorcery an impos "ble iasion of the unthinkable!” And again, "Such a thing cannot have come co pass” he head his vacantly mutcering. His mount began ta citcle, chen co descend2 The Books Bog Tis no vision, [ fear, hissed X'hyl the Wise, 3 if silencing hime self in debate, "but cursed reality called out ofthe seary void ‘low the windborne savant lay a shattzed panoram of ubig- tous destruction, forthe infallible towers of vase Sighs Hh lay in black, tumbled mound of eyclopeaneubble. From horizor 2 hot 2on the great city wus naughe bet crumbled ruin, a if tampled beneath the Fee of angry gods. Already the grea, cracked blacks of ragieweoughe masonry Sank slowly inca che mite whic had but recently supported their perifc bulk, The gceas palace ofthe serpent king was nowhere «0 be distinguished ac debi, apothecary’s horcfed eyes Slithik Hai 6 90 more,” muttered the Hith, and the queer hising sigh which took the place of weeping among che Hich escaped the ils muzzle of the hovering wizard ‘A great rumbling came fiom below, and che wart sea of rubble ag the leagues of piled for did any Sign of che Tower of X°hyl present isl 0 she shifted, A massive, black furted toud-thing emsergd,liting its great sawed head high inco the ais, and a long, slime-coated congue snaked ou like the sie East wind to wrap itself around che Aying mote which had intruded wpon ics attention, And in chat beef ‘iomene X'hy the Wise fully understood the meuning and abject oF the cave-duellers’ strange chant, as great Zothogaua drew a casty morse inca che black canyon which was its mouth {A brief swallow, and che fateaveled god setsled back into its plaseartong the mountains of rubble, drifting eventually ito a deep and sured seep, oblivious ofthe feeble struggles of thac which ic had lecady forgocten it ad devoured, Thus ended the dominion of the loncesmighty serpentfolk For so have I heutd the tale from the one surviving witnes of the events. # of Moro 4 About “The Scroll of Morloc” lebih cgi apne in Feit 1976, fe Trcic ofthe ek werent oF, fe Ji Kone: oe Tho sane aw ters “Ose fee aon, pos wten fr Mas! Hea wot oe in Carters sc cuneate ese oof Nore ye srt feereage whi olds Tog le sing i own eee og ana "The Thing in she a Hare antber esn.Pe eran toner made he we T yop sence raph of pe of Pie tan jes Unsptic i,s aes a Eesmcepos tom the Ba Esso Cates dsoed Shimen Yinsog a esgoled Tyog. Where Tyo8 was a rebel crying co Grinate Ghatanoshoa for she greater glory of his own deicy Shab iswurach, Yhemog he sbandsned fic in Teehoggua a pros chrough thet of an aes cul st co get his goat. Buc bok "ops" invade the “anvtum oF one god inthe ane of another, however much che mocives for doing ay ile. Tied, bach employ a sol co wre heir reigous ‘aoeage, ft ot acktiet on cher, Ty i peti bythe gaze of ing Oi! Onc, whe Vhemog faces 2 oe image of another, bu i mse turned sto a monster Carer alo plays on che vague sia, ever quie harmonized by Lovecraft ce Sith,berweenSmich' hse Voormisand Lovecraft’ Sagey [Unoohkchs, oth groupe of degeneraepregeerat humanoids nd ot rovacient sha he semvivine Gnopieh Moric ekes his name fom H. Wells race of fetutureerogladytes a Te Toe Main, ce Morlocks Finally, me should note tha the Bac of Edo has once again managed se sponcancosl ecapiculate anther carrer feature of ancient stp tore legend. Sectrian polemic has gain and again employed the weapon of {haructerasnsnaion a a cheap subaitte fr subscanive rfration, One Of the stanced favorites is che “sou grape” sumor, Again and again we hear how Soand-io heretic renounced the Tue feh because of some ‘heared ambition or spurned lve The Ebantes alleged thr Pal was 2 zen wo conversed so Jdairn eel 45a ploy eo beable co macy the igh Press dougie. His Holes sa through the ruse and ent Pal Dcking, whereupon he chocked the Toh and weat on the warpath bun Jadanm, storing Chravnsty just 1 make crouble! Marcon of Pons, supose, is stave i his bid co Become bishop of Rome, Picked up hs males, and wene Rome 19 sar his owe chutch a 2 esl Simi strer were tld aout che Popec Mohammad. And of couse ‘ery Carle “knoms" how che Prtetan elornation was ust a gmk for geceng Henry Vil s dione. "The Seal of Moric” ext Fam hesame cloth, ateibucng she bh of Feechoug snong the sina Voorn to the passing ver of Vhemog. for the pon Wel show them! fate seven times ning The Scroll of Morloc: ‘The History of the Shaman Yhemog by Lin Carter re shaman Yhemog, dejected by the obdurace efusal of his I Fellow Vootsns ro elect him their highprist, contemplated his imminent withdrawal from the eebal burows of his faery, pimicive kind co sul in proud and lonely solitude among che icy rage of ehe north, whose bouras were unvsited by his timorous, crth-dveling brethren Seven times had he offered himself in candidacy forthe coveted boule of black ogga-wood, owned with Fabulous buasn-plumes, and now loe the severth sime had the elders wnaccountably denied him what fe considered his use gueidon, earned thriceover by his vous and reverent austernics, Seething with dsappoinement, the rected shaman swore chey should have no eighth occasion wheteon to bypass she name of Yhetnog in bestowing the uncouth hierarchial ‘mire upon another, and vowed they should eelong have reason £0 regret the inepcitude of eeie selection ofan inferior devote of the \oormish god over one of his unique and excessive devoutness During this period many of the clans of the subhurnan Voormis had fled into warrens cunneled beneath the sutface ofa jungle-gire nd mountainous peninsula of early Hypertorea which had yet to be ame Mh Thulan. Their shagey and semi-bestialforheats had Drigially been aised in chralldom to Pl whose primowial continent had ben ref asunder by volcanic con- ce of sein sexpent-peo- \ulkions and which had suborerged beneath the oceans an eon oF 0 Carlier. Flesing frat the slave pens of tie erstwhile masters, now ppiydeieved almost extinct, the ancestors ofthe present Voormis ad wesed all of hi terior from cestain degenerate, cannibalistic ‘ulbhumans of sepellene appearance and Joathsome habis, whose few Suavivors had een driven nocthwards dwell in furtive exile amid ‘he wastes of blak and glscier-encumbersd Polaron, OF late, cher numbers inexplicably in decline, their warlike Prowess undecounradly dwindling into cen, and the surly and« he ok of -vengefal descendants of rit ancient foes growing ever more omi- nowsly populous and reve in the north, many of the Voorash tribes had sought refuge in these underground dwelings for sfeey and protection, By now the fury creacures were accustomed co the ‘comforting gloominess and the familia, pervasive stench of their warrens, and seldom if ever did they venture into the upper world, which bad grown strange and frightening co chem in ks giddy and) lequeting spaciousness of sky, lit by che intolerable brilliance of zeithal and hostile sons In contemplating sel-imposed exile from his kind, the disgrun- ted shaman was noc unaware of the dangers he must surmount. This parcicular egion of the peninsula would someday be known at Phenquo, the norheramost province of Mi Thulan. During cis period ofthe easly Cenozoic the fist crue humans were only jst beginning ro seep into Hyperborea from southerly regions of opal jungles whose climace had grown too fervent for them 10 comfortably endure, ad all of Phenquor was a savage and primal wilderness, “uninhabited save for che eavern-dvelling Voormis. Noc without perl therfore, would the shaman Vhemog traverse the prehistoric jungles and redking fens of the young, coninent, for such were che haunts of the ravesing catoblepas and the agate-breased wyvern,c0 cite omy the least formidable of che denizens ofthe prime But Vhemog had mastered che eudiments of che ansehuman thaumacurgies and had gained some proficiency in che arts of shamanty and conjuraton, By chese means he chouehe himself quite likely co elude the more Ferocious che carnivora, chs achiving the relative sfey ofthe Phenuorian mountains hopefully unscathed, By dwelling subteaneously ic should perhaps be noted here, the Woormis were but imitating the grotesque diviniy chey soe shipped with sees we might deem excessively sanguinany and revolt- ing, As ic was ae article ofthe Voormish faith thae this deity, whom they kee 25 Bathoggus, made his abode in lightless caverns stu- ated far beneath the eset, their adopsion ofa rogladyeic mode of ‘exstence wat 10 some extent primarily symbolic, The eponymous ancestor of thei rae, Vborm the archeancient, had quite easy in their history promulgated a doctrine which asserted that sheie assumption of wholly subeerrancan habitat would pce them in a special relationship of mystical propinguty with their god, who rhe Sto Moe a sunself prefered co wallow inthe gulf of Nai beneath a mountain (ripe south considered sacred by he Voormis. This dogma the ven- Sle Voorm had pronounced shorely before himself retiring inco sms adjcent to che aforesaid Nai inorder co spend his decln i acon in proximity co che objec of his worship The rial elders unanimously zeveted che opinions of eis putris sac a8 inal, especially in che matters of a pueely cheologica erat, fart was commonly believed thatthe supreme pontiff and mon ancestor had been fathered by aone other rhan ‘Tathogewa humself ing aeransiene liaison wich a minor feminine divinity who Teoicnd in che name of Shathak. With ehis uleimace patriarchal Tuching the tribal elders now, somewhat belatedly, concureed; co bey the lse precept of thie spiritual leader was, afer all, «reson ble precaution when you considered the profound and disheartening esuetude inco which the fortunes of ce race had so recently, nd loupe, declined In reaching his eventual decision co henceforward shun the dank and fotidbusrows of bie erbe in favor of a radical change of es: dence to the giddy and vercginous peaks which arose along the octhely borders of Phenquor, overlooking the frigid wastes of deear Plain, the shaman hemog discovered himself inelucrably siding into dangerous heresy. Unable co reconcile his private inclinations with che several pontifical revelations handed dowa by che epony: mous patriagch of his race, he was soon implicitly questioning che actual validity of the teachings, a ceadency which resulted in his ‘ventual denial of heir infallibiliy, Now ejeeing as essentially worchles the very patriarchal dogmas he had earlier ceverenced as saerosance, he lapsed from the most odious condition of heresy into ‘he lamentable and blasphemous nad of atheism, ‘Thus disappointment soured inco btcer resentment and resene mene festered into vicious envy and envy itself, like » venomous ‘Canker gnawed ar the ro0t8 of his faith, wail che las ptf shreds of is former beliefs had utely been eaten avay. And naught now was Sec in se heat ot Yhemog save for allow emprines, which became filled aly withthe bile of selEdevouring rancor and 2 fece, derisive ‘Soremps For everything he had once held precious and holy. This con- ‘emp tied our for expression, fora savage gesture of ulimate ffont ‘acute co plunge his eer brethren ineo horsfied consts Bok of Eig and dismay. Yhemog hungered «0 brandish bis new-found athese ike a stinking rag beneath the pio snouts of che eb fathers, At length he determined upon a course of action nicely sued 9 his ends. He schemed co steal into the deepese and holes shrine of Tsathogaua and to purloin therefrom an antsue scell which cons tained certain ritvale and liturgies held in he utmost degree of eli lous abhorrence by ehe members of his faith, The documene was among the spoils of war carried of by hs victorious forefathers fom the abominable race which had formerly damiaated these regions at the time ofthe adveat of che Voormish savages into Mu Thulan ‘The papyrus reputedly preserved the darkest sectes of che occult wisdom of she devsted Gnophkehs, which name denoted the eepule sively hirsute cannibals whom Yhemoq’s ancestors had driven ineo cele in the artic bases. This scroll contained, in face, che most arcane and potent ceremonial: whereby the Gnophkehs had wor shipped their arocius divine, who-was 0 les than an avatar ofthe cosmic obscenity Rhan-Tegoth, and was aesibuted co Morloc himself the Grand Shaman, [Now the Voorins had, from cheit remotes origin, considered themselves the chosen minions of Tathoraua, the sole deity whose ‘worship they celebrated. And Trachoggua was an earth element ranged in perpetual and wncelenang enmity against Rhan-Tegoth snd all hikind, who were commonly accounted elementals ofthe aie and were objects of concempe «© those of the Old Ones, ike ‘Tathoggua, who abominated the airy emptinestes above the world and by prelerence wallowed in darksome and subterranean bits. A similae degree of mutual and ierecocilable animosity existed berncen chose races which were the servants of Tathoggus, among whom the Yoormis were prominent, and those who served che avatars of comical and uncleanly Rhan-Tegoch, such as thse noxious procounthropophagi, she Gnophkehs. The los of he Serllof More ‘would, cherefore, hur! eae Yoormis inca the very nadie of confusion, and caaremplacion of the hoeror wherewith they would view the lst ‘caused Yhemog to tremble wich vile an8 delicious anticipation “The Scroll had for millenia reposed in tabernacle of mant- noch-vory situated beneath the very fet of the idol of Tathogg ula {nthe holy-oF holes, ts lowly position symbolic of che Voormis risen ‘siumphant over thle subjugated and thoroughly inferior enemies. amet, fist enter the mos sacred and solema precincts of the0 he Bok of iba contained naught but the idol itself, throned ac he farther end which presented the repellent likeness of an obscenely corpulene, toad-ike ensiy, Familie as he wae with che cde images roughly hacked fom porous lava by che clumsy pass of his people, che shaman es ueprepard forthe asconshing ski whereby che name- less sculptor had weougtt the eidolon fom obduate and frangible “obsidian, He marveled a the consummate cafe whereby the chisel of the forgorcen artisan had clthed the bloated, squatting form of the od witha suggestion of sec fursness and had ble eogeber i ies Fearuces the saliene characteristics of toad, ba, and sloth, ina dubie cus amalgam subtly disturbing and distinctly unpleasing. The por erous divinity sas depiceed with halfclosed, sleepy eyes which seemed to almost litter with cold, tiny malice, and it had a grinning and liplss gash of # mouth which Yhemog fancied was distended im 1 smile redolent of cruel and glocing mockery His new consermpe for all such supernatural eniies dimmed, fading, somewhat, in its originally febrile intensity before a rising trepidation, For a moment he hesitaced, hal-escing the hideous and yet exquisitely lifelike eidolon might str suddenly to deead sukeful es upon the nex¢ insane, and reveal itself o be a living thing. But the momene passed without any such an untoward vivitcaion, and his dfision st denial ofthe eransmondane sose within him, eebled in its blind conviction. Now svas che momeat of ulimase peofanation upon him; now he would metaphorically renouace his mer devo: sions by sbsteaccing from beneath the very fee of che supertally sacred image its chieest treasure, the papyros wherein were pre- served the Blackest of the arcane secrets of the elder Gnophkehs Semnoning the inner foriudle his acheistcal doctrines sstded. ‘hrasting aide the lst lingering remnants ofthe superstitious ave he had once entertained cowards the divinity the idol represented hemo knele and hastily pried open che ivory casket and drew therefrom the primordia sl ‘Whereulter there occurred absoluely nothing in she way of preternatural phenomens or eansmundine atts of vengeance. The black and glistening satue cemained immobile it nether blinked ‘not steed not smove him with che levin-bolt or che precipitous sack of leprosy he hal alas expec, The relief which purged ‘within his furey brease was intoxicating; almost he smonaed in a i es he ow tr nS sets pron ah hale a de snc one Yori a etn on monn oo ch caer tin a Ho eh mit and Boy ome sok ew Si he eoning uses eat > dt al see to comet neo 0 ot yee igi Ae i 9 Se eee rae teers dooney te tne aan cre ere hs mtn on, aoe ce fnd bens, sh sel nt hed en oh mn ee Ne ee duran iy Monee the meso hoi 8 ceo i lhe ante sa, esi eee re Cs he wsigs comand Te hicrogipphies were inne according co an antiquated system, but at length his scrutiny enabled him to deduce thet nearing, The dark lore of the Grophkehs was generally centered upon the placation and appeasement oF their grisly and repugnane divinity, but erelong the ‘hus founda ritual of invocational worship which he judged would be excepeinall insulting 0 the fle Tathoggua and his lla ing sermants. Le commenced withthe uncouth and discordant phrase Yio! Wea! Yaa haa Bot, and cerminated eventually in & Serer of mindless ululations forthe enecation of which che vocal sparta of the Vbormis was inadequately designed. AS he com enced reading the liturgical formula aoe, however, he discovered ‘hat che farther he progested therein the more easily hit pronuncia ‘om came. He also was surprised 10 find, ashe grew nea the crm ‘sof che ccual, that che vocables he had earlier conssered jarringand awkward became curiously, even disquietingly, musical and pleasant 10 his ears, “Those ears, he suddenly aocized, had unaccountably grown ler and now were not unlike the huge, lapping organs ofthe ill-formed and sdcalouly-misshapen Gnophkes. His eyes as well had undete {gone a singular eransfonation, and now bulged procuberunly ia 8 manner which resembled that of the revoking inbabitunes of the pola regions. Having completed the foal ineeminae wllation he lee fll che Scroll of Morloc and examined himself in growing cone stermation, Gone was his slek and comely pelt, and in is place he vas now covered with repulsive grow ofcourse and mated huis His snout, moreover, had in che most unseemly and impertinent manner undertaken an exceasion of ielf beyond che limits conde cred handsome by Voormish standaeds, and was now a aaked, pr boscdian growth of distinctly and unmistakably Gaophehian pro= portions. He cred out, then, in an excemity of unbelieving horror, for he realized with a cold and awe) panic that t worship as a Guaphtob oust, under cetain cecomstances, be defines io cerms absolutely literal. And when his hideous lumen ions succeeded in rousing from cheie charmed drowsiness the gross and elephantine ‘enuchs beyond the sequined vil, and they came lumbering in haste to discover a detested and burglarious Gaophkeh squirming on is obeene and hsity bell, gobbling guecural and incomprehensible ayers before the sling, the enigmacic, aod the lady malicious eyes of Tarhoggua, they disparched che malodorous inceuder with ‘rest thoroughness and righteous indignation, and i 8 certain mane nee most acceptable to che god, bue one so fingering and anaromi- cally ingenious chat the more squeamish of my readers should be Bratful that {testeain my pen fom ies descipsion. ese ins he Abs ss About “The Descent into the Abyss” see vend ates Te Carer Sh ilabrons "in myo Acie 11 toro 1 All Enna oom the Crt of Ct, 1 tea it he Abyss ewtlly in Carers ewe of Cl sen oe Theseven Guess What has ne ete Myton Ai ni ongial The proces pea these haa work 2 ng nt ine wit he reactor eg! or ena SSE Guede compare che tendenal history apd 2 Conic pict ofthe Decoromi Hatry on eh i sed and 2 SREP and 2 King in oder tose ha atime mires homie se cng and Tings (ppc yeraclarversas) of bi ‘A good ein pois would be Gens 6-6, an ethnic eyeh sckngo att forthe owerng hag eo waste Glich SSCUR Nino and Gigs by rong chr the bed ing of SES Yo anol momen, He he denigo Hele, Fann ete The sot plea he ae paved be fo mach or nr fe hang eis fle reba, ch ae wei Site Bot of bees The Testament othe Tee aac and nut Teh sr has een en mecord ithntr Jw hogy meting in the Son Ged becoming, mee ange, andor Thur ht orwell ite oo eh wor and asp ell mane of ar ln just the same way, Lin Carter sewed Smiths "The Seven Geass so canonical afr che hah Mythos ha itintoduces lath Nich, brings Ublo-Satha ack for a9 encore performance, and pts Tathogg she onstage for the fs and oly time in a Sth story! Buc theale was no satasacory sit ed a Fas noe in the ees of Carer the Systemic teslogian For one ching, Ubbo Sachs depicion as Abhoch fhe Uncean id now ite march that i che orginal “Ubbo-Sichl” 50 ie lags neato” Uo Satla ine hi new version of "The Sever Gene” Silly, to provide a vehod for sown eaborcemssignment of Servo gave @ various Old One, Ne decided ro rewrite Smith's ‘chgtypes ash own "Procrypes” apd to make them sero a presen ‘ve soo a his Lesser Old One, and all on Smith's ab Ie ee scr’ nial appearance (Wind Tals #2, Zebra Books, 1980, The Descent nc he Abyss” billed smply a5 "by Clark Asheen Sich ‘ith 2 sal pn footnote "Completed hy Lia Carer” The Seth content ispetey minal "tn thie sty mas working from a crap ofan ide found ong Sms paper, whith went, as U rec 'A sorcerer dcovers thex“ The tok of Eh Conse of he Pros teeth shud moana in Hypo hc ree te angio re Heda ue Sb hugh ate ie py a ely led of a tualy became "The Seen Coun, the soiae fhe Poe inrgoed me ant 1 wrote th sory anyway” Ch Ragone” St Behrens, "the CresSnth “Calortann” Capt Clon #36 Stee 198.39) She Sih byline» Gk or Cot hl ive wrib Cate seman fo Smith, Ee same sl furl the anon srr precrseof pwtgraghy wey» et Srvinngied wer, weld hide behind the name grees the pacman enn ashy or his onn nova Many Cl etage np anonyme Be bil uh ct probably sno Se when We Sind oss ike Wir Whatley in she Miki sean fhe se nal ea, mee the oon of i and “mutch whore ued eg up dub Sines Inco th psa ch nen vies Sh a Siva edd owen repens and conde The Descent into the Abyss: ‘The Hiscory of the Sorcerer Haon-Dor by Lin Carer |. THe Quest oF HaoN-Dor Je inexorable pasage of the ages has lfe but litle secord of I the strange quest of the ancehuman sorcerer, Haon-Dor However fragmentary and doubtful eemaia the sradiions share which survive, I deem it my dary to sec chem down i chese uses for ee edifation of future generations. "This sonceree resided in certain boreal kingdorns which Hourished in the world’s extremes yout, before the frst nen arose fom the [bata work, Some conser hien contemporacy to the repellenc anc hippy, ow eacince serpentmen sho euled from their primordial continent belore the descent hither of Aphoom-Zhah from remote “ol lcial Yaksh; ochers place bir in that din epoch shen che frty Vhormis contended with she cannibal Gnophiees for dominion. ‘Whichever his era, i was the asiraion of Hion-Dor to tran scend the magisterium ofall oeher wizard by acquisition ofthe ul mate secrets rumored tole hidden in che dept of Y'qaa, that sub ‘erraneun gulf of fabulous antiquity concerning which neither the sexpeneinen nor che pechuman Voormis eecorded aught that was wholesome Ancient compendia of myth celace of gay-icen Y'qaa chat it is ‘nuleisimensional,corerminoas wich many worlds and planes of ‘xiscence: an abyss whose fsures ape eo stan realms, nor only of fis planet bur many more. One such has its eerminus on cpl "ooned Yarnak, where for cons dwelt the blasphemy Moomaush, he Base of Soul, ere he was driven from his oiows throne by the Plamiag One. And Yaroak i know Co be circumambient about « Stor which ceigns beyond Betelgeuse and the giant suns: yer even ‘ht fr and fabulous bourn s weily congruent wich ambiguously- Situsced Yq, OF the bys itself and che way’ hither lice was known coche ret bur suc vague ramos as Were adumbraced in the grimoites6 he ook i oF his race were long since in his possession There was, sms, a certain crevice which yawned in the black, basaltic Manks of Voormithadtech, lease rpitable and most shunged of he Eiglophian Mountains of central Hyperbotea, and thereusto di Hoon-Da lect his pach For an ingerminable time, the sorerer dex cided chiough the purely mundane levels of chose catacombs which vleant forces had hollowed within che moungain, ser was he nary and vigilant against the expected assaults ofthe formidable catobleps whch Irs within those cavers, in the anticipation of whose attack he went armed ‘vith » wand of lethal Upas-wood whore ip bore the eye of Gorgon, before which withering and intolerable glare no mortal entcy wat believed immune ‘Whatever creatures did in sooth inhabie the uppee levels, none and he passed unscaced Soon his vigilance fpsed, and he commenced musing upon rhe objece of his quest: Now, che Abyss into which he descended wis seputedly the abode of Ubbo-Sathla, the primordial divinity which was she source ofall etree ife, And ches in the pt of Uo Sachla repoied che guetdon of his search; cserain inconcevably previous tablets of starquarced stone, thieved from the Elder Gods before time begaa and englyphed by Them withthe profoundest of cosmic Thac thf, incidentally, They had punished most horsibly, foe ‘pow Ulbe-Sachla was berefe a al incelligence and was reduced '0 4 mindless iiocy and wallowed in che primal aime, cursed and con red assaule so porenly-armed a sorcerer, ddemned to endless and squalid fecundity HL, THe Dank Sitent One AT two ot efit Han Dead the ae savant had cause 1 presurne thatthe Elder Records (at hey were calle) ye seposed undisturbed in che slimy bed where Ubbo-Sathla forever spanned the squirming rocorypes of earthly life Now, by reason of this divine proiicacy, the pat Fllowed by the sorcerer could seacey be termed untenanced, Indeed, uf the myriad spawn begotcen by Ubbo-Sathla through she uncountable alps of lee imprisonment below, more thin a few of Ie dread of spring yet lingered in Familial proximity co che Site rene eee As a ‘ows segions which border upon multidimensional Y'qaa. Yer he wd not lp bu gard he inerview wi ‘orMicounnble ems tan even te OL) Ones hess ws atk eqn, the Beater of Dates, an his say was sated tahini afimputpalegloms impenetrable alike co ight and ‘Sion snd ny as shape of blackness there exe a breath of Summoning his courage, Haon-Dor approached che motionless stop dk and reset chy Tow of Darkness! Pei vce pam ne the presence of your mighty Sie, she Unbegoten Ons ech “These nods hoving been ucred, he Weseapon displayed sii or nanny pene Known to he aeehman mas the dee Key ‘Where oF ot the nea of om ensouding 2akeheqwon fined tore te iting radian hed bythe si or wisi Zhen hms chose to dtr a vor fh Se the psu of “Shounsth h intser cana it cede be kan, Sai ‘eorlte char Zlceon wih arts diel ithe his set esc om the pa ioe and him en cumbeedco he enormous elif of the ocr IIL Tae CaveRN OF THE ProToTyPrs fcr eraversing the labysintine, descending ways of the cavern fora indeterminate period, Haon-Dor at length found himself {entering upon a vase hollow space of domed rock whose flinty walls were maculae with nishes marked in such a manner 8 £0 Suswest "hey hal been guanidino the stone by indescribable teeth8 The kf a Each space so hollowed our was occupied, and che marae of the occupant af che nearer of these the sorcerer was able r ascerein by reason ofthe peculiar stench which beeathed therefrom, Buc «single lance at its apterous and semi-avian form confirmed isn 6 big assumption chat i¢ was even @shaneal-bid, one of those malformed monstrosities which che Vooemish Tables call che "Fishers from Ourside Erelong, howevee there was discovered to his scrutiny that the loathsome abnormality ¥as nt just any shantak bed, bus cha hich ‘he Voocmis name Quamyagga. For by thi appli che fry pres humans ate wone co denoce the elderbora ad foremost of the shane ‘aks which serve Golgoroch, and shich reputedly lien the more inaccessible ofthe peaks which guaed shunned and frightful Leng ‘The swollen bale of the beleathered and bescaled monsteosiey squatted motionlessly ines niche, cowering in ehe uncetin.and wan luminoscy which pervaded che cavern like a singulaly eepusive cidolon of black obsidin, Yee chough the one-legged and hooks baked creature remained immobile, is single horrible eye burned _reenly through the diemness like a sickly moon ehrough pestle vapors. Allie though ie tegatded him wich its malign and menacing ye, shore was naught else for Huon-Dor co da bur co repeat unto. Quurmyaggs the idenccal requese wherewith he had curiously gained an unmolested passage by the luc of Zulchequon, And he displayed before chat ore erile eye the sig which he bore Here, again, naughe decerred his way, fr the loathsome avian shape scuttled deeper ieto its niche, and clsed sleply upon him that gluing and eyclopean gaze, which se mercitully lidded. Breathing easier, the sorcerer stra Further into the cavern, In the second niche there crouched a gsune-ribbed,canine-muze aled ching of sealy and leprous gray, from whose mould-encrasced form the sedoubtable Haon-Dor guessed the occupant to belong €0 the race of che ghouls. And when it cunned wpon him gelid eyes of sullen eubesceace and accosted him, inguiting the motive of his ‘nceuson ito its burrow (and speaking all che while in tured and _shucinous syllables), che accuracy’ of is supposition sas proved Indeed, the lean grocesgye was no other than Nug the grand ther ofall ghoul onthe eueth-plane, ancestor and leader of char pack ‘Woch neither of chese did he sorcerer care co converse, for in OF eh lore available ro his perusal had he ever Found aughe concern ing ehese ewo that would permit the reader co sleep soundly of| Digs,~ “he Bok f By now: it had occured to Haon-Dor that he had incautiosh penetrated into regions of grim and dreadful perl. For such aboa ‘ations as Quumyagga and Nug and Yegg-ha and the others oft beecheen are amoog the Lesser Old Ones, and were to be consider ‘oalyslighly less powerfl than their Masters, and no es eo be ea by such 35 Haon-Dor. For even the dark gods ofthe Abyss cojoy the privacy, which morale may intrude upon only ae dirful and portene ‘ious risk, Indeed, should chey cura to rend hie asunder, che angen shaman savane deemed i questionable tha ic remained with his bik ‘ay to fend them ol, even with the Upas wand fixed with ts gorgonie eye, nor even by the brandshent of the Elder Key These was no other recourse for hin bu 40 sepeat agsin the request whereby he had thus far won clear passage through the cave cerns. And, having loudly urered forth che formula ic greatly ceived Haon-Dor cha the entities temained motioaless within cheir niches and did nothing co thwart his huried passage cheough che remaine er ofthe cavern, IV. THe GUARDIAN oF THE PoRTAL rom thence he emerged at length wpon the brink of an enormous gulf of seething vapors, arched by an iron bridge. Traversing the ‘arrow way and safely gaining the further side of chis bottomless chasm, the sorcerer approached che dimly luminous portal of «some chamber sherefrom breathed a shocking putescence, and stationed ahware this entrance as if on senty-go he beheld an abnormality ‘anscending in its horifc lineaments all that he hid already seen, I was a vast and ghastly mass of lucent, quaking jelly which crawled with naked, ghstening eyeballs, several score of which even at chat very moment regarded him fixedly, their coldly male-plex ‘gaze redolene wich avful menace. Wich an uncontrollable shudder of Jnathing, he ar once recognized the gelainous horror as ashoggoth, tnt of those things of elder myth whic cen Ubbo-Sutha in Its lat For although che Unbegotten One was not die progenitor of their vey kind, the shoggoths regard the diviniey ae cher mentor and serve the minions of their chosen go Ani, mindful of having but recently encountered the prot: types of the shantaks, the mighe-gaunts, she Mini Nii and many other races, Haon-Dor guessed this particular shoggoth to be none fra formerly dvele near the southern pole sere known, and who ee decined the frst inhabitants of this planet. Ie had been the ‘olecable, che virtually indestructible shoggoths whereby the Polar ‘nes had net chit fabulous door, whereof the eater fragments of ws Prakotic Manuscripts are so fearflly explicit. He had good {ause, then, had Haon-Dor,t0 Far for his if fom chiseled mon oo which was, i eventusted, the guardian ofthe enance to the pit wherein Ubbo-Sathla wallowed. However, and unaccounrably, K’thugguol, c00, withdrew from his wa, before even he had completed ee recitation of his request or ‘ime eo show forth the Elder Key, Homever, che vast and quak ssf puttescent jelly at slithered aside, eurned upon the sor ing cere the cold and inscrutable goze of several stalked visual organs Deraded for that purpose upon che moment from its iquesenr amoeboid bulk, These sas ia tha gaze a glint of icy and sardonic mockery or did Haon-Dor but fancy i? Ad thus did the antehuman savane approach che ultimate go of his ques, for he hac penetrated ito che uttermost and secret ady: ‘um of pray-iten Y'qaa, and beyond chat luminous poral lay che Pir ofthe Shoggorhe ite, the veritable lr of Ubbo-Suela Bur ie must be noced that, with the sole exception of Zalchequon, « detnon of prodigious mighe and of the spawn of Shub-Niggurach herself, Haon-Dor had encountered in his descene feo the abyss naught bur the Lesser Old Ones, who are bur the Slaves an servitors of Those icalculably more dangerous than the. And this choughe occurred to Haon-Dor, a he paused and lingered ‘pen the pore ‘inte the thought to himself, witha certain vanity) hath a thaw nine own ¢o fear even from such 3s surge of power such a8 ‘Qunyaggs or Nug or Yeb!@ The ook of ‘Thus-and+so his ruminations ra, but se shall aoe reconst them het, for vanity i in all mea shase, acither isthe pres author immune to it. Buc had, perchance, our erepidaious wiza ‘met with the OY Ones themselves, che tale mighe well have fou another, and switer, and less leasane ending, For chere be Those ofthe lineage of Ubbo-Sathla, and of Azathoch a¢ well, which Few sentient beings of any world cas face without madness... and) even Abhoth or Shub-Niggurath are not che most tobe dreaded ‘Theie kind, V. Tae Urrimare Reveavion rd thus came the sorcerer Haon-Dor co the abode of Ubbo= Sathl, and he entered therein "Now this Ubbo-Sathla i accounced the eldest ofl ving things ‘upon this planet, ond hei destined, say the Parchments of Pros, £9 be he lst living inhabitane of che each, as well for Ubbo-Sathla is the source and the end. Before che coming of TKachoggua or Yoge Sothoth or Cehulh from the stas, Ubbo-Sachla dwele inthe steam= ing fens of che new-made Earth: a mass wiehout head or membérm spawning the geay, formless efts ofthe Prime, and ehe grisly prota= types of terzne ie; and although there be many of [es spawn shat joined with the Begocten of Azachoth in thac war the soe Chios ‘ised agains the Elder Gods, Ubbo-Sachla knowesk naughe of wage nor of change, nor even of time itsel, being changcess and exer He abideth in the ceeming slime-pits of lower Y'qa, and al earchly Iie, tod, shall go back clase ehrough the great ctcle of rime € Ubbo-Sathla And, 3s Haoo-Dor stepped forth into the nethermost adi of ‘Vigna and gazed down upon the headless, limbless,slihering and ceaselessly Fisioning Mas that was Ubbo-Sathla, he glimpsed as svell those massive and glyphic tablets of immemorial and adaman ‘ine stone which were the guerdon of his labors. They lay tumbled catelesly about in the wriggling and nauseous slime, just as the Gods had lee them for ome unknowable and unguessable eason of Their owa, Haon-Dor had dreaded in the secret places of his hear. that ‘shen the Elder Gods had come dovin from Theie domain of Glyas ho to punih Ubbo Satha's crime, the Elder Records had been sen i he Abs e ene back with Them «0 che stars Bur no, For here they lay éy ts and even in vie about Hke che Coys a growing child discards cist of his eriumphane moment, t occurred co the sorcerer Co wonder At chat precise moment, the squtming mass that was Ubbo: sucha heaved and shuddered i the convulsions of Tes unending S| euotinuous proliferacion, and in so-doing one ited slab ous ‘uase momentarily above the stinking ooze, s thatthe uppermost er ehe complex glyphs ie bore deeply-graven was, however briefly (OM ai in chat flashing and transienc glimpse, Haon-Dor saw and ouprhende the meaning ofthe glyph andthe inoleablyblasphe snows, the ultimately shocking revelation, as bue oe ofthe rian secrets of the cosmos expladed upon his frail, mundane conscious muss.and sas seared decp nto his, albeit prehuran, yet till mortal, bro Back from the brink of that ghastly pic oF everspavvning and rindlssfecundicy he rele, shrieking in che extremity of horror at the unthinkable and loathsome cosmic implication implice in thut single bit of arcana be had absorbed in one fleeting glimpse. ‘Back op che winding star he saggered, lurching, falling, eram= pling heedlessy undertone the squeaking small wriggling lives char had crepe mewting From the sime-pits below . om he flung him sel, pase che enigmatic gaze of che several godings he had earl, and and up, ap chrough the with much trepidation, accosted mulicuinous levels of the cavern-world of Y'qus he lurched, dazed, wid-eyed, shrieking with incredible oreo ac what he now kre he ood within his eling braiaviewlly congealing with the impact of ‘hue erible and unbelievable cosmic insight... and out at ls, out of shat abyss of deead, gray-lixen Y'qao, whereof neither the ser enumen of old nor the fury and prehuman Voormis recorded aughc thar was wholesome, 1 is suid hac che aneehuman sorcerer took refuge in those cone Srouscavern-gulfs immediately beneath Voormithadeeth and reared his secange House therein, forever afterward shunning with unspo ken faethe light of day, and the clese and laughing blue skies, the“ “Te Book Jnnocent glitter of the sears, and ehe immemorial surging of areen salt sea. For Haon-Dor knew, at no other thaumacuege before or him hath ever or will ever know, de nature ofthat immense and| ible and ulkimacely absurd est of the mocking Gods we mortals co ceal behind the meninges cern “Reality ‘There, in his curiously-environed and thovsand-pillared man ‘eputedly coterminous with certain far-scattered regions of his wad and of others, because of the contamination of that awful ‘which he cannot ever for one instant forget, the sorcerer aon hath duel from before the coming of men, and, it well may p