Chapter: 103
The Lovecraft universe—the one commonly known as the “Cthulhu Mythos”—is a type of cult culture.
It’s not popular or conventional, but it has a unique charm that lures in a small group of enthusiastic fans. On Earth, it has inspired and influenced countless young pulp fiction writers, and the Conan Saga, which I’ve already borrowed from once, is one of those influenced by Lovecraft.
The Conan Saga became the root of the Western fantasy genre represented by DnD, and the Cthulhu Mythos itself, through things like CoC (Call of Cthulhu), has greatly impacted Western RPGs, allowing us to say that the Cthulhu Mythos is the ancestor of subculture.
And.
One of the reasons why the Cthulhu Mythos can exert such tremendous influence across the subculture is this:
“I won’t be claiming exclusive rights to this ‘Cthulhu Mythos’ universe from now on.”
“Huh?”
“Anyone can create stories or add new settings within this universe, whether for commercial use or fanfic. Feel free!”
This is Lovecraft’s somewhat poor understanding of copyright.
Lovecraft didn’t really think much of the settings or elements of his own “Lovecraftian series.” His literature leaned towards ghost stories, valuing the dramatic nuances of characters’ psychological changes, madness, fear, and overwhelm over the setting itself.
That’s why he didn’t seem to mind other writers borrowing from his universe.
He was super chill about secondary creations and was open to sharing worlds, sometimes incorporating characters from other authors into his work. In a way, you could say he was a pioneer of the shared universe trend.
Anyway, the Cthulhu Mythos universe has been expanding endlessly through various authors collaborating and sharing their world.
Something similar could totally happen in this world.
“Doesn’t it sound like a fun attempt? Alternate history and alternate mythology. We’re making our story together. What do you think?”
“If that’s what you want to do, I’m not against it… but are you sure it’s all right? I mean, creating mythology might seem, well, kinda creepy.”
“It’s just a novel, so it should be fine… There have already been trends of ghost stories serialized in newspapers and stuff… And, while depicting God as an ‘incomprehensible alien’ might be a bit dicey, it could actually come off as appealing in an alternate reality sense.”
“Is that so…?”
Anyway, for the Cthulhu Mythos to come together, a world-builder is needed.
We need a scribe who can dig into the setting, organize it, and tie together those jumbled descriptions into a narrative. In a past life, August Derleth fulfilled that role perfectly.
Who the August Derleth of this world will be is still unclear… but one thing’s for sure.
The Cthulhu Mythos has enough potential to draw people in.
.
.
.
At the same time,
Ed Frieden’s cousin, Isolette Reinhardt, was frowning at a collection of novels.
It was a paperback collection of the “Cthulhu Mythos” series that had been serialized in the newspaper.
“What a headache of a gift… Well, he’s a remarkable cousin in many ways…”
In Isolette’s eyes, this “Cthulhu Mythos” series was a complete mess.
The sentence construction was a disaster, the characters’ dialogue was all rigid and cliché, the plotting was monotonous, and the story’s themes were as clear as mud. Honestly, it fell way short of being a good novel. It was barely distinguishable in quality from the cheap horror stories that cluttered the newspapers.
Although the artistic approach to horror left a mark, and there was an impressive effort to depict characters’ inner degradation…
That was about it.
If she could rate it, Isolette would’ve given it a solid 1-star.
The real kicker? This novel was developing a cult following among certain groups of readers. It wasn’t just coasting on Homer’s name; it was garnering a loud and passionate fanbase for this “Cthulhu Mythos” series.
And.
“Cult-like popularity… It certainly is a fascinating novel since it breaks taboos and its distinctive style brings nightmarish visions… A primitive desire for the macabre… And the adolescent impulse to be drawn to the unsettling… So, is this novel even appealing when assessed as an aesthetic sublimation of an anti-ethical vibe?”
Isolette’s critical flair allowed her to explore the nature of its popularity beyond the “typical and stale” evaluative standards.
Pens scribbling, paper getting ripped and tossed into the trash—all sounds were coming from Isolette’s bookcase. Ordinary critiques couldn’t sum up the essence of the “Cthulhu Mythos.” To discuss its cult popularity and the allure people felt, you needed more diverse perspectives.
A 21st-century critic might have used Jungian or Freudian psychoanalysis to dissect it.
But Isolette wasn’t armed with that knowledge, nor did she need it, as she had the knack to draw clearer logic without it.
“What we pursue for pleasure….”
Yeah.
That’s a talent.
A talent that transcends just creating something from nothing; it’s the ability to mold rational thought from emotion. The skill of criticism that clarifies the very fabric of the soul beneath the weight of reason and language.
That talent was blooming while she faced the controversial novel “The Cthulhu Mythos.”
She had already made a dazzling debut in literary criticism with pieces on fairy tales, “The Wizard of Oz,” and “The People Beyond the Yellow Wall.” That critique was a masterpiece, weaving social and literary discourse like a snake in love with its tail.
What she was writing now took a step further from those earlier works.
“……..”
Art doesn’t have to be beautiful, and ethics don’t need to be “formally ethical.”
Sometimes, terrible jokes that poke fun at one’s own race are employed to raise awareness about racism. Prejudices against socially marginalized minorities often lead to compassion and structured welfare for those groups.
The Cthulhu Mythos is a novel that tackles taboos head-on.
Madness, atheism, gnosticism, disgust, social mingling—
All of these things are excessively disturbing, and it’s that very disturbing atmosphere that defines the Cthulhu Mythos.
Many individuals found themselves drawn to it.
Among them were intellectuals worshipping free will and reason, and religious folks who cherished peace and love from Heaven. Numerous cool-headed and wise people who didn’t let impulses steer their actions were ensnared within the unsettling texts of the Cthulhu Mythos.
It’s not that they rage against taboos for fun.
They know the importance of taboos, and thus, they experience catharsis at the “end of all things” when these taboos get shattered.
Just as the “tragedies” of yore.
“…Is this the answer you wanted from me?”
And so.
Isolette stepped right into the critique war surrounding the Cthulhu Mythos.
.
.
.
“So what’s this?”
“It’s a potion that transforms you into a creepy-looking cephalopod! Doesn’t that sound hilarious?”
“Nope. Don’t whip up anything weird.”
“Ha-ha!”
The alchemist casually shoved the potion aside.
The plan to release the copyright of the Cthulhu Mythos to complete Lovecraft’s universe was firing on all cylinders. Sure, there were minor hiccups with Cthulhu-obsessed wizards or alchemists pulling odd stunts, but thankfully, nothing too crushing came from it.
The alchemist glanced at the potion like it had just insulted his mother while cheerfully changing the topic.
“Not interested in my potion, huh? In that case, I’ll spill a story that might pique your interest!”
“A story that could grab my attention?”
Is there a super interesting new novel or what?
“It’s about the Gates of Angels!”
“Gates of Angels? What does that even mean?”
“It’s a door to God’s library, where you can ask the ultimate questions about life, the universe, and everything!”
“Is the answer 42?”
“What?”
“Oh, never mind.”
God’s library, huh…
Definitely an intriguing tale.
“The Angel’s Gate can only be visited once by each Transcendent! I’ve already been there myself! That Dragon Slayer dude… he probably won’t get to go.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because there are no dragons left in this world, ha-ha!”
“Huh?”
“To pass through the Angelic Gate, one must meet certain conditions; those don’t fit our dragon slayer buddy!”
“And what are those conditions?”
The alchemist answered with the delighted expression of a child with a shiny new toy in hand.
“Two transcendences.”
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