T h eT h eT h eT h eT h e

D w a l eD w a l eD w a l eD w a l eO fO fO fO f

A v a g d d uA v a g d d uA v a g d d uA v a g d d uD w a l e

O f

A v a g d d uBeing A Treatise On

The Practice Of Certain SorceriesAmong The British Folk

AndThe Tale Of Avagddu

Copyright Jeffrey Wyndham � 2002Copyright Jeffrey Wyndham � 2002Copyright Jeffrey Wyndham � 2002Copyright Jeffrey Wyndham � 2002Copyright Jeffrey Wyndham � 2002

Dedicated to the Genius ofDedicated to the Genius ofDedicated to the Genius ofDedicated to the Genius ofHoward Phillips Lovecraft.Howard Phillips Lovecraft.Howard Phillips Lovecraft.Howard Phillips Lovecraft.Incense gratefully offeredIncense gratefully offeredIncense gratefully offeredIncense gratefully offered

at his dreaming tombat his dreaming tombat his dreaming tombat his dreaming tomb

This book is a fiction, an exercise in horror, and asmall occult game. None of its claims or ideas shouldbe considered serious, or used as a basis for real oc-cult practice. Any efforts to actually work the ritesherein are done entirely at the risk of the reader,and against this advice.

Dedicated to the Genius ofHoward Phillips Lovecraft.Incense gratefully offered

at his dreaming tomb

IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionThis manuscript came to me strangely.

In the course of my work in Paganism andthe Occult Revival, I have reason to spenda good deal of time on the internet. While agreat deal of that may be called productivetime, another portion is spent in pointlessamusement, including so-called chat rooms.It was in one of these that I met the per-sona called �Mog Cruach�. Of course, thepseudonyms used in these live exchangesare little indicator of the kind of person atthe other end of the net, so I smiled at hisCeltoid nickname, and we chatted.

At first I treated �Mog Cruach� as ajoke played by a knowledgeable wag.When he (I think of him as male, from hisstyle, though without real reason) talkedabout the manuscript in an unknown handthat he was slowly deciphering, about the

strange tale of ancient Wales that it con-tained, I smiled to myself. He was plainlya well-read person, capable of concoct-ing the whole business. When he beganto talk about the latter sections of themanuscript, and their correlation with theoften-pastiched works of early 20th cen-tury horror writer Howard PhillipsLovecraft, I laughed. None of the would-be revelators of the True version ofLovecraft�s famous Cthulhu Mythoshave ever seemed more authentic to methan, say �Bob� Dobbs and his cuddlySubgeniuses. Mog claimed that he hadfound a branch of the Mythos that wasCeltic in nature, and that he could proveit to me. I�m afraid that, several times, Iengaged him in pointless yet erudite de-bate, and even mocked his assertionsopenly, if good-naturedly.

So I was, at first, rather annoyedwhen files began appearing in my mail-

box. The first were scanned images of thepages of a small book, some covered inglyphs in an unknown language, others withpictographic scenes of alien, and plainly sor-cerous, import. I must admit that I foundsome of these signs and images compelling.They seem to have insinuated themselvesinto my memory, so that I find myselfsketching them at odd moments.

Of the nature and origin of the littlebook, I could never induce him to speakdirectly, though he hinted about transcrip-tions from an even more hidden source. Butmy interest was aroused, and I began a cor-respondence with Mog Cruach (he namedhimself for a figure in his manuscript), re-ceiving the �translations� he was �making�from the small, glyphic book. It was rea-sonably impressive, and I tweaked him againand again, attempting to make him admitauthorship. He held steadfastly to his status

as a mere translator. In fact, he expressedexcitement about the potential of the ma-terial for real occult work, though Istrongly cautioned him against such ex-perimentation. My opinion has alwaysbeen that, even if the �gods� of the Cthulhumythos might be �real� in some way, itmakes no sense to invoke powers whoseprimary goal is to eat your head beforedestroying the human world.

Nevertheless, I found the materialinteresting, and proposed to Mog that Iarrange publication. He insisted on re-maining anonymous, and we set up a se-ries of internet accounts to manage thepartnership we formed. After a lengthydebate over whether to publish in occultmagazines or in Lovecraft literary ve-hicles, we chose to issue a chapbook, andlet the reader decide where to place it ontheir shelves.

However, I feel I must now add thisintroduction. Mog had always expressedhis intent to work with the material asactual magical technique, something Ihave - to this day - refused to under-take. I knew that he had several timesworked the Calling to Cthulhu, and en-hanced his efforts with obscure dietarysupplements. He had recently workedthe Darkness of Nyarlathotep, and hisaccount of that event (too personal toinclude here) has kept me awake on oc-casional nights, with its images of theDark Shambler that answered his con-juring - at least in his inflamed psyche.

Most recently he had claimed tohave completed the skull pendulum. Hewas taking his camping gear into theback country of western New York toseek one of the Bound Ones, and speakwith it. That was some six weeks ago,

and the last I have heard from �MogCruach�.

However, as I write this, the checkshave cleared and the printers are poised.The internet accounts through which I havedealt with the mysterious author/re-searcher are active. Thus, I have chosento proceed with our agreed publicationschedule. After all, it might be merely afailed computer that has kept my unseenfriend from communicating.

Yet I remain troubled by the imag-ined figure of �Mog Cruach�, turning hisback on some noxious ritual fire to followthe lead of a possum skull on a chain intothe nighted woodland. His own bodywould have cast his shadow before him,so that he would have walked into his owndarkness. Perhaps he heard the whisperof dreaming Cthulhu as he walked, per-haps felt the closeness of the Shambler in

the dark of his shadow before him, as heeclipsed the smoky flame. Perhaps, even,he found one of the Bound Ones, deep inthe forests of Chattaqua County.

Perhaps, instead, he stumbled aboutthe woods for hours, tore his pants andsmacked his head, and returned too em-barrassed to continue his experiments.

I hope, dear reader, that you will takehis sketchy case as a warning of sorts, in-distinct though it may be. I hope you willfile this little book next to your copies ofCrypt of Cthulhu, and not next to yourLevi and Crowley.

If and when �Mog Cruach� renewscommunication, his work, and its results,will be waiting for him.

The Tale of Avagddu The Tale of Avagddu The Tale of Avagddu The Tale of Avagddu The Tale of AvagdduHere is the tale of the mightyAvagddu, the Sorcerer of the ancientCymry, who won both fame and fearfrom the folk of the villages and theirhalf-wit overlords. While the com-mon fools whisper this name in thenight, making it a bogey to frighteneach other from the Groves, those ofus who still remember the Tribe Be-neath The Mound hold his name inhonor. Hail to the Black Face,Avagddu the Wise. Here is his tale.

In the time after the Romansleft our isle, but before the Saxonkings, there lived a wise woman ofgreat renown, who was named LadyCeridwen. She was lady of a wide

estate, in which sat the village ofCeldwyn. The Lady was young,beautiful and a widow, and the feastsand tournaments held in her honorwere the talk of nine counties.

On the Eve of the Feast of LoafMass there came to her hall a bard ofgreat reputation, who was calledGwairon. He was a man of greatcraft and clever art, cloaked in scar-let andmounted well. He was wel-comed with great honor, and housedin the Lady�s own hall.

In those days, the cross had notgained its bloody rule over every glenand vale, and the folk ofCeldwyn were wont to makethe old sacrifices to Llew ofthe Long Arm.

Therefor they took sheaves of grainand loaves of bread out to the Grovemade sacred by tradition. The bardsof the house of Ceridwen declaredthe peace law, which in thosedayskept all pious folk from wagingwar during the Lammas feast.Likewise, consulting among them-selves, the bards gave the pre-emi-nence to Gwairon, to recite the songsand charms of the feast.

So marvelously did Gwaironperform these duties that none failedto be moved by those ancient rites.Even those who called themselvesChristians were moved to worshipthe Shining Ones, the Children of theMother. When the blood of the sac-rifice was spilled, every eye wept and

every foot danced. When the fireblazed and the folked whirled, it wasthe harp of Gwairon that led themon.

It is said that it was the harp, orsome say his pipe, that called the DarkOnes from the wood and stone.Amidst the dancers the slender formsappeared, whirling and keening andlaughing. First they kissed and thenthey struck, women and men thrownto the ground before the fire. Of thiswe have little knowledge, for thosewho escaped never spoke of it, if theyspoke at all.

Many never escaped from thoseDark Ones on that night, and forthree days the Tribe of the Moundstill snatched and pillaged and slew.

But among those who survived wereLady Ceridwen of Celdwyn, and thebaby she bore in her womb. And thisis how that came to be.

Lady Ceridwen of Celdwyn was,herself, a Wise Woman, knowledgablein the ways of the Old Ones. Whenthe Dark Ones appeared in the Groveshe spoke certain words, and madecertain signs, and thus becameunseeable by the Folk of the Mound.Thus she slipped away into the wood.

Gwairon has laid many spells andcharms in that ill fated wood, andCeridwen was soon lost in a clinging,stinking mist.. Though she knew ev-ery tree and herb in her forest, herhearing was deafened and her eyesconfused, and she could not win free

of the wood. She wandereddirectionless for an unknown time. Inthe depths of the greenwood she metGwairon at last, in the place of themound, surrounded by crowds of theDark Folk in their wild delight.

Perhaps it was the overween-ing power of the enchantments ofGwairon that drew the Lady intothe Mound. Or perhaps it was herown Sight, seeing the future and herfate, that led her to go willingly withthe sorcerer into that ancient dark.Of this we know not, for she neveronce spoke of it in all the later years.

In the morning the Lady did notreturn to her bower in the house ofthe clan. Her servants knew that shemight pursue her own secret works

of an evening, and so they merelyposted a watch for her return. Shedid not return on the second morningand, when the third day dawned, thehew and cry was raised. The war-riors led the household folk to combthe wood for sign of Lady Ceridwenand, in time, they found her.

Deep in a thicket of hawthornand willow, by a bubbling springof clear water, where the lightwas green through the leaves,Ceridwen of Celdwyn had madeher shrine. Most industrious hadshe been. Nine stakes of black-thorn were driven into the earth,in a circle drawn with dried,blackened blood. The source ofthat blood was easy to tell, for upon

each of those stakes was driven theskull of a beast. The head of a boar andof a serpent, the head of a hoodie crow,and of a fox, the head of a wolf and thehead of a horned cow. the heads of amouse and of a wren and, on the high-est stake at the northern point, thehead of Gwairon the Druid, his eyesstaring downward to the figure belowhim.

That figure was, itself, terribleto behold. Seated on the skins of herkills, her hair was stiffened with mudand blood, and in it were leaves andfeathers. She was naked, save for thespiraling patterns smeared on her faceand arms, her breasts and belly andlegs. In her lap lay a long knife of per-fect flint, and a small sickly of sharp-

est iron. Before her burned a small,smoky fire, and into it she cast ahandful of bone splinters. In the greasysmoke of the fire she looked upon herrescuers and smiled, her eyes red ascoals, and streaming.

Lady Ceridwen recovered, be-coming again the good chatelaine, andher belly swelled with a babe. Shemade offerings to the Dark Mother,and waited with her attendants. Shebore the babe in great travail, overnine days and nights, and the babewas called a wonder, for upon it wasfur, and also scales, and feathers of allkinds. But when the babe was bathedin the waters of that woodland springthose wonders all fell away, and thebabe was in the main normal, save

for his dark and coarse features. TheLady named him Avagddu, the DarkFace.

Avagddu grew as most children,though he was foul tempered andproud even as an infant. By the timehe was ten he was renowned for hisugliness. His eyes were wide andstaring, his skull long and thin, witha great pug nose above a broad, wetmouth and snaggled teeth. His hairwas lank and dark and his beard,which came early, was patchy andsparse. With a puny stature andslumped shoulders, he came to becalled Morvran, the big crow.

Morvran was not cherished by hisnoble mother.. Though she did nothave him slain as her counselors ad-

vised, she gave him neither affectionnor status. He was raised in seclu-sion, and sent to sleep with the pagesin training as soon as he could followdirection. There he proved clever andable, though sullen and sneering to-ward the other pages. Yet, in one way,Morvran was greatly gifted. LikeGwairon, whom all assumed to be thefather of the lad, Morvran had a voiceof great beauty. So, when he reacheda the age of a squire, he was sent tothe hills to learn the way of a bard.

Most in the hall of Ceridwen wererelieved to have the hunched skulkergone. When word came that Avagdduhad run away with a mysterioussinger no one mourned, not even hismother. THus did he pass from theken of his folk, never to be known of

again, save by one.For it was years later, in the

Samhain season, that blight fell onthe village of Celdwyn and its Lady.

It struck the herds first. Everymorning many head of cattle werefound, blinded, with ears and lips andgenitals torn away. Some weredrained of blood, and all were full ofmaggots and corruption. Those cattlethat lived fell ill, becoming lean andweak, without milk.

Then terror fell upon the folk ofCeldwyn. Dreadful dreams kept sleepat a distance as night shadows tookon life, writhing like swarms of ver-min. In one night a plague of rotstruck, leaving cloth and wood andeven the walls of the huts of farmers

a stinking pulp Some of the peasantsfled, but some began to blame LadyCeridwen herself, and talk amongthemselves of her sorceries.

When, at last, on Harvest Home,the bounty placed on the altar of thesmall village chapel fell into slime, thelast of the honest folk of the villagefled.

That very night Ceridwen wentdeep within her manor house, to thechamber where she made her magic.When she had lit but a single lamp, theshadows thrown by that flickering lightseemed to twist and thicken. A silvervoice sang wordlessly, wierdly, and theform of Avagddu was there in the roomof the witch.

Years had not sat well on theGreat Crow. Though he was garbed

as a bard, his colorswere all blacks andpurples. His shaven

head, tattooed, hungbelow his narrow shoul-

ders. His limbs were crookedand wrong, and he leaned heavily upona staff of blackened wood. His right eyewas squinted shut, and his left staredbrightly.

Greeting his mother, he made clearhis demand. After many years among acertain sect of bards, her son had as-sayed a great initiation and failed. Hisbody was broken and his magic madebitter. he railed against the Gods, andcursed the Sword of Light, speakingnames of the Imprisoned Ones, so thatCeridwen was deeply frighted. He de-manded that his mother brew for him

the draft of wisdom, as the Goddesshad taught her, or he would poisonher lovely vale forever, and rot thebones of her folk.

So the witch assented, and socame to pass the famous tale ofCeridwen, Avagddu, and the ChiefBard Taliesin. How she brewed herdraught for nine months; how shebrought the boy Gwion to tend thefire along with Morvran. All willknow how the boy got the good of thatmighty spell, and how Ceridwen tookhim into her womb to be reborn, andhow Ceridwen struck Morvran amighty blow, breaking his squint eye,and how the Cauldron spilled its poi-son, driving away the Dark Face. Allthis is commonly told.

Yet it is not commonly told thatthe stream of poison from the Caul-dron drove Avagddu beneath theearth. It is not remembered that hisruined flesh held to life, that his spiritspoke with the wizards of his sect.Sacrifices were made, and a river ofblood flowed over his mound. Avagddudwelt between the worlds, and theDark Ones, the Tribe Beneath, be-came his special ones.

So it is still, now in the time ofthe Christ, when the Old Powers areknown only to a very few. The DarkFace wakes when the twilights meet.The Song of the Crow calles whenthe Bonefire blazes. The People of theMound gather, ansd together they crythe praises of the Black Face.

Ia, IaIa, IaIa, IaIa, IaIa, IaTuath na Sidhe Dhu.Tuath na Sidhe Dhu.Tuath na Sidhe Dhu.Tuath na Sidhe Dhu.

Ia Dhuachta.Ia Dhuachta.Ia Dhuachta.Ia Dhuachta.Ia Crom Mor.Ia Crom Mor.Ia Crom Mor.Ia Crom Mor.Ia Avagddu.Ia Avagddu.Ia Avagddu.Ia Avagddu.

Tuath na Sidhe Dhu.Ia Dhuachta.Ia Crom Mor.Ia Avagddu.

The Words of AvagdduThe Words of AvagdduThe Words of AvagdduThe Words of AvagdduThe Words of AvagdduWhere lieth the Crom Gate? Who

knoweth the number of the sacrifice,when the Saplings are put into the fire?How shall ye know the Time of theCursing? By the howling of stones likebabies, by the shadow of the dire corby,by the numbers of rotten acorns on theOak of Elathan shall you be made wise.For it is the Cromlech that opens, fromair to empty air, from substance untoemptyness, and from the deepest voidinto the heartmeat of the world. Fearnot the lion so greatly as the worm, thatlieth and feedeth and goeth from pain togreater pain, forever.

I am Avagddu, the servant of CromCruach, and this is my testament, my

gift and my curse upon the stinkingworld. You have driven my twistedbody from among your squatting huts,but I have lived in cities of black stone.You have broken the neck ring of myfathers, but by this writ I place myfoot upon your necks. You have beenproud in your beaty, cold in your wis-dom, but I will shred your minds likedry leaves, andI will have you in theCauldron of Flesh, to be remade as Ihave been remade.

So this is my dwale, my nightapples, harvested from the bitter plantof truth revealed, boiled in the Caul-dron of the Black Face, and served outin a cup of bone, for the seeker aftersorcery. This is the hellebore of myspirit, that gives vision, and is poison.

May it seep into the world of the Godsof Earth, may it make the whisper-ing of the Imprisoned Ones growlouder in the dreams of mortals, mayit be the Brew of Death to foolish-ness. So be it.

The DwaleThe DwaleThe DwaleThe DwaleThe DwaleThe Old Ones were, the Old Onesare, the Old Ones will be. Dream-ing in their timeless halls, they waitfor the stars to align, for the offer-ings to be made, for the Ways Be-tween to be open. They ruled oncein these lands, and here they shallrule again, to the glory of their ser-vants and the pain and death of theirenemies.

They are the firstborn of thewomb of Time, the Powers thatlurked before land was sunderedfrom the sky. Giants of unlovely as-pect, some bearing not one traceof human shape, some lovely butrotten within. From within them

they bore awful tribes of children.The Pool-Lurkers and the Eatersof Limbs spilled from them. TheCloud of Terror and the Wakersof Corpses and the Flesh Wastersall preyed upon one another in theWild Realms. In a chaos of mistand land, wind and waters, thesorcery of the Old Ones held all inthrall, pitting devourer against de-vourer for sport, in all the worlds.

Then came in upstart Powers,pretty new Gods of destroyingFire and Water. In many terriblewars, with mighty spells and work-ings, the Gods of Earth imposedtheir puny order on space andtime. Land was firmed and skyplaced over it, and the salt sea was

sealed in its basin. The Great OldOnes were driven from the faceof the world, closed up beneaththe sea or in the earth, or driveninto the spaces between the stars.When He Who Is Not To BeNamed - him called Aster, the Star- struck the head from the One-Eyed, then the ancient power wasbroken and the tombs and prisonsof the Elder Gods were sealed.

So they have languished theselong ages, as the tribes of menflourished beneath their newGods. The Elder Ones cast theirminds outward to those whowould hear them. Whispering theirtruth, every country of mortalscame to know their dreams. The

visions of mystics and sorcerers,the ravings of madmen havetaught that the Old Ones are thetrue rulers of the world. Theywhispered their promises -power, visions of the WildRealm, and the rulership thattheir servants would win. Clevermortals heard them and reviledthe simple Gods of Earth, takingup secretly the rites of the OldOnes.

They come to us in Dreams,in the darkness of mist and confu-sion. We hear their whisper in ourflesh, for all corruption and mor-tality speak of them. We heartheir secret names and words, thecharms and sorceries that grant us

power over the bleating herds ofmortals, over those earthly spir-its who remember the WildRealm, where tree preyed uponstone, and stone upon flesh. In thewhispering in our hearts we hearthe words, in the dark behind oureyes we see the signs, in the dreadhalls of the night-world weglimpse their shapes.Ia Siub Dhu. Ia Cthulhu! A chghyntraa Amhug gcraanakh duirachtaimkrrrkh Amhaaagddu. Ia CromDhu!

This is the testament of MogCruach, the Servant of theBowed One, he who is Lord ofthe Mound. I have gone Betweenand danced with the Tribe Be-

neath. Though I have been reviledby the Oak Men, the Slaves ofLight, and driven from their num-ber, still I will triumph. All you whoseek power. who seek knowledgeof true mysteries, I tell you that intime every source of light must fail.Make your peace with the dark be-fore it falls, for man is not the firstruler of the earth, nor its last. Turnyour minds, make the offerings,chant the chants and await the mo-ment when the prisoners will beloosed, while you have your waywith the little world of men.

PreparationPreparationPreparationPreparationPreparationandandandand

Calling to CtCalling to CtCalling to CtCalling to Cthu lhuhu lhuhu lhuhu lhuand

Calling to Cthu lhu

First it is needful to awakenthe Voice, to plunge into thedream of the Before Time. TheOld Ones can often be reached bythe proper attunement of themind to Their symbols, their soniccalls (one can hardly call themwords) and to the types of thoughtmost pleasing to them. I will re-veal what I know of these things,the sorceries of the Old Ones.Think not that I bless you thereby.

It is needful to make contact,

first, with great Cthulhu, who liesdreaming in his palace in the sunkencity of Rlyeh. In the elder days thisisland city was the home of themightiest worshippers of the FirstGods. Mighty Cthulhu was theirpriest, himself of theirextradimensional flesh, yet still ofour cosmos. Among the blackcyclopean towers of his palacetemple he made Gates to unspeak-able locales, whence he calledthose races of things who still serveand wait. With angles and planesunknown to our geometries, Rlyehwas a comfort and a haven to ThoseFrom Outside.

From the Gates of Rlyeh cameTsathogua the Toad God and Shub

Niggurath the Black Goat of theWood. Into the gates went un-counted offerings, living beingswhose flesh and soul were fodderfor the Dwellers. When the Swordof Light was drawn, and Aster slewthe mightiest of the War Kings,Rlyeh was sunk deep beneath thesea. The Gods of Earth fashionedmighty spells, sealing the gates withtheir star-stones. Cthulhu theycould not slay in truth, but theybound him with all the laws of theirnew order. Now the Elder Priestlies dreaming beneath the weightof the sea. Of him it is said:

That is not dead,That is not dead,That is not dead,That is not dead,That is not dead,which can eternal lie,which can eternal lie,which can eternal lie,which can eternal lie,

And with strange aeonsAnd with strange aeonsAnd with strange aeonsAnd with strange aeonseven death may die.even death may die.even death may die.even death may die.

which can eternal lie,And with strange aeons

even death may die.

So it is that, even in his frigidprison, under the locks and guards ofthe Unnamed, the mind of greatCthulhu reaches out to those whowould serve the Outer Ones. It is tohim that the first offerings are made.

First, go to a secret place wherethe Elder Ones have broken throughin the past, or to a battlefield, orscene of slaughter, or an ancient bury-ing ground, and there remove a mo-dicum of soil, needing no more thantwo hands full. Then, in a secret place, draw inwhite flour the sigil of Azathoth,The Blind, Hungry God. Upon thatsigil lay a fire of blackthorn, willowand driftwood, and on it place boneand meat, wormwood, asafoetidaand coral. This should be lit at sunset

on the night ofthe darkmoon, andtended care-fully so that all iswell burnt. As the fire burns, thesorcerer must hold this image inmind:

In a primal jungle, nine figurestower over a small fire. They arerobed in black, their cloaks fallingaround vaguely alien forms. Theycircle the fire, its light does not pen-etrate the shadow of their hoods.As each one in turn adds some mat-ter, some fuel to the flame, theNine chant rhythmically. Listen tothe chant as you watch the flame

eat, transform and reduce all thatit is given. The flame seems towrithe and congeal, as stinkingsmoke rolls away.The sorcerer chants thus:

Ia Azathoth,Ia Azathoth,Ia Azathoth,Ia Azathoth,Ia Azathoth,Ia PanphageIa PanphageIa PanphageIa PanphageIa Panphage

or repeats what chants may beheard in the vision, as he carefullyburns all the materials, perhaps us-ing oil to insure that all is burnt toash. These ashes are pounded well,and to them are added nine dropsof blood, semen or menstruum.These ashes are thoroughly mixedwith the graveyard earth. This isthe Summoning Earth, such as sus-tained the Gates in elder times.

Take you some of this earth and

spread it in a round tray, perhapsan inch deep, or upon the livingearth in some secret place. Herethe offering to Cthulhu is made.The next part of the SummoningEarth is mixed with clay, and fromthat clay the image of Cthulhu ismade.

The image is a plaque aboutthe size of a human hand, perhapsan inch thick. On it is shaped thisfull shape of the Great One, alongwith the signs. This is shaped anddried without the touch of sunor moonlight. On its back is writ-ten or carvedPhnglui mglwnafh CthulhuPhnglui mglwnafh CthulhuPhnglui mglwnafh CthulhuPhnglui mglwnafh CthulhuPhnglui mglwnafh Cthulhu

Rlyeh wgah nagl fhtagnRlyeh wgah nagl fhtagnRlyeh wgah nagl fhtagnRlyeh wgah nagl fhtagnRlyeh wgah nagl fhtagnwhich means �In his house in

Rlyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dream-ing.�

The shaping of this eidolonshould be in proportion to the sizeof the tray or area of the Summon-ing Earth, for the idol is set up orlaid in the center of that area. It isbest if the compounded earth bespread on common soil, allowingthe image to be larger. If the sor-cerer must work indoors, the trayis better, and the image madesmall. In either case, the idol is thensurrounded by fire, using candles ofblack wax in a ring. The arrange-ment of these is not important, solong as the image is exalted and allsurrounded by fire.

Before this eidolon there are two

types of proper devotion. Mostcommon is meditative invocation,the mind turned inward to seek theDreams of the Old Ones. Beyondthis is the Black Revel, where theOuter is called into the flesh. Therethe celebrants writhe and howl incelebration of the Outsiders. Tothis Revel are summoned the OuterKindreds, the Monstrous Selfwithin every human form, and theirpower is released over the puny cit-ies of men. Ia, The Tribe Within.The joy of the bursting, of thetwisting of flesh, the cracking ofbone when the Elder Body emergesfrom feeble mortal flesh. But of thismystery little will be said in thisplace. When the dark, winged ones

make their presence known, whenthe willow devils come shamblingfrom the wood, when the shapelessones rise from shadowed pools, allwords will be unneeded.

So then, the wouldbe sorcererstrips his body naked to come be-fore the shrine. She might bepainted as she wishes, to blur thelines of her humanity, and she mustbring a drum or, if possible, an as-sistant with a drum. The candlesor fire is lit, and incense is burnedin profusion.

The witch begins to beat thedrum quickly and monotonously.She rocks back and forth, seatednaked before the shrine, and fixesher eyes on the image. She chants

Cthulhu fhtagnCthulhu fhtagnCthulhu fhtagnCthulhu fhtagnCthulhu fhtagnover and over in a voice like thehuffing and grunting of a beast, orlike the breaking of waves on rock.As she chats, she follows this vision:walking... walking a long time,through streets of black basalt...gigantic towers, buildings lost in thesea-mist above... the angles of thebuildings and streets seem to con-flict, making it difficult to knowwhether you walk uphill or down...every face of the buildings is cov-ered with arcane yet suggestiveglyphs and pictograms... walkingon toward a great glowing ahead...hearing noiw the rhythmic chant-ing, the sound of a great multi-tude... emerge from the path into

an open court, to vast to seeacross... ringed in cyclopean pil-lars... the great roaring of thechanting and the beat of house-sized drums... in the center,within a ring of fire, stands the tow-ering figure of Cthulhu... manytens of cubits tall... standing on aplinth, upright on two legs, greatwings reaching into the air, fourarms making the sorcerous signs ofhis working... the billowing dark-ness from the flames caresses his na-ked form... the head of Cthulhu isa writhing mass of tentacles, mov-ing independently, the great one�svoice roaring from it in counter-point to the chanting... through-out the great square, tall figures

robed in black and deeplyhooded... Whips cracking... linesof figures driven toward the fire,chanting dully... moving throughthe crowd, to the edge of thepit... as you watch, beings aredriven forward, over the edgeand into the smoking mass be-low... you can now see that it isno common fire that hungrily con-sumes the flesh of the victims...it writhes and flows like some kindof Other flesh, nearly energy, asthe forms of the offerings dissolveand are absorbed... the victimsscream and the oily smoke streamsup to wreathe the chanting headof the Elder Priest, as the eldritchflame emits a mad, thin piping...

as you fall to your knees and jointhe chanting to great Cthulhu...

Letting all of your emotionsrespond to the vision, chant thename over and over until exhaus-tion takes you. Then lie down andsleep before the shrine.

This is the Call to Cthulhu. Youwill know that it has succeededwhen the minions of the Old Onescome to you in dreams. Thesedreams are the key to their prison,their clearest voice to all but themost daring and mighty sorcerers.When a dream of greeting has beengiven, the seeker of Those WhoWait may proceed to other spells.

Of CthulhuOf CthulhuOf CthulhuOf CthulhuOf CthulhuIt is said by some that Great

Cthulhu lies dead, prisoned in thedeep, in his holy city of Rlyeh. Itis said that he was placed there bythe Gods of Earth, driven thereby the sword of hAster, chainedand sleeping until the stars areright for his rising. Many have saidthis, yet of its truth we cannotbe certain.

For many sorcerers have madethe greater Calling to the GreatOne, sending his eidolon into thesea, making the sacrifices as is pre-scribed, in ways we cannot tellhere. They have reported thatthe very form of Himself has arisenfrom the deep in answer to thecall.

Yet it is very possible thatthese wizards are deceived. The

minions of the Old Ones are many,and some have no fixed form at all,rather shaping themthemselves asthey will. It may be that it is onlythese demons that have answeredthe calling, whether by the will ofCthulhu, or by their own, takingthe gifts meant for the priest of theOld Ones.

In the work of opening the waysto the Old Ones, there is a secondPower who may aid the witch. Heis the Messenger of the Elder Gods,called the Crawling Chaos.

ConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningNyarlathotepNyarlathotepNyarlathotepNyarlathotepNyarlathotep

In ancient Khemi, the pharaohNefren Ka wakened the mind ofNyarlathotep in its prison on thehidden planet Shaggai, which rollsaimlessly at the undiscovered edgeof our universe. It was from nightedYuggoth that his races came andwent from the earth. The crinoidbeings of the first evolutions of earthare said to have been seeded fromthe black planet, bringing the talis-mans of the Messenger. In themonolith strewn desert of Khemithe Chaos is said to have taken theform of a man, his flesh black as coaland dull as shadow. He walked in

from the desert, accompanied bytwo black leopards who fawnedon him and licked his hands. Whenthe pharaoh built a lightless templefor the God, noone knows theform taken by the Crawling Chaosas it received its awful sacrifices.

The seeker must understandthat to call out to the FacelessGod is a greater danger than toopen to Cthulhu alone. The ElderPriest is only cousin to the OuterGods, and now sleeps in death.Nyarlathotep is itself one of theGreat Old Ones, whom some saywas never truly sealed away. Yethere is a means for calling to thefaceless one.

First find, ormake, an image,colored black, ofan Egyptian maledeity or pharaoh.Make it without aface, or carefully chipaway the face of an otherwise plainimage. Upon its base is drawn thesigil of Nyarlathotep. The seekerthen obtains a black stone, prefer-ably trapezohedral in shape, but atrapezoid will do, or a pyramid.This stone is buried in SummoningEarth for nine sunsets, and neveragain exposed to the light of morethan a single candle. It is keptstored in a thick bag or a tight box.The sorcerer must prepare a room

that can be rendered utterly dark.Ideally this should be in a hightower, the next best being be-neath the earth. There he makeshis seat, with a simple chair or cush-ion. Before him he sets the imageon a black cloth, and a single lowblack candle behind it. All otherlights are extinguished, and theblack stone is taken from its con-tainer.

Seated in near darkness, theworshipper fixes his gaze upon thestone in such a way as to allow theidol and the flame also to be vis-ible. He gazes deep into the black-ness of the Stone, imagining thatthe stone were a tear even in thedarkness of the room. As that dark-

ness grows to encompass all aware-ness, these images are visual-ized:

The void of space...whatever sun there may beis distant, tiny and cold...before you rolls a small, darkglobe; covered, it seems, ingrey ice... the BlackPlanet... rolling silently throughthe lightless, heatless void...Yuggoth teams with alien life...towering stone cities on its eter-nally shadowed face... beings hur-tling through the air between thetowers, lit by the glow of theirown flesh, or not at all... the Hall,filled with great vats of viscousfluid... atmosphere pulsing with

fields of unknown energies... thebeings of alien shape... like fivesided barrels with crinoid tentaclesgrowing from each end... floatingamid oppressive waves of energyon winglike membranes on everyside... in the depths of space a hun-dred of this elder race hurtlethrough the cosmic emptiness to-ward the Earth... Around themthe darkness itself seems to writheand flow... Niarladh Hodhtepmoves in the substance of night andspace... the Faceless, the CrawlingChaos, the messenger of the OuterGods, who led whole races to gloryand extinction in their service...Ea,Nhgaiyggath hggoaNearlogh,Ea!

When the vision is established,the seeker leans forward and pinchesout the candle, crying Ia! NiarladhHodhtep!, then settles back intoher seat. She sits waiting in the dark-ness, then begins to imagine thatthe darkness itself is accumulatingaround her form. She feels thefeathery touch of the dark as it be-gins to slide over her skin. Theblackness surrounds her totally.

In this dark, visions may be seenfrom the Messenger, yet theseways are much more perilous thanthe praising of Cthulhu. When all isdone, the single candle is lit, driv-ing back the shadows, and the stoneis replaced in its enclosure. It iswhen the Black Stone is first ex-

posed to light, and then left indarkness that the Dweller In TheDark is summoned. Light will, inturn, almost always drive it backinto the shadows.

Think not that the Great OldOnes are all of Darkness. The Fireof Azathoth is all of brightness andheat as it devours. The globes ofYog Sothoth shimmer with a stel-lar blaze. Yet those who remainnear to mortal ken, the NightFolk, the ghugs and doels, the flesheaters and stealers of seed have allbeen placed beneath the power ofthe Sword and Spear of Light.

Ia, The Tribe Beneath TheMound. Though the sword of As-ter be over us, no vigilance can be

unwinking. Though we are drivenbeneath the earth to dwell in sod,no sun can be bright forever, andevery source of light must fail intime. Fear the night if you have notthe words and signs. Fear themoonlight, but fear more the darkof the moon, and pray to thefeeble Gods of Light as we devour.

That is the singing that I heardin the place of the tomb. Whenthe sky was moonless, when cloudsrolled black over the stars, I heardthe inhuman pulse, the chanting ofthose Elder Things that rememberthe ages when the Outer Godsruled. They are the trees who stilllong to walk and slay; they are thestill pools that remember the taste

of dissolving flesh, the stones thatlong to crush away life and shape.For it was the Law of Earth thatstilled the Eternal Preying. Manybeings rejoiced at the stilling, andall were placed under mightygeasai, yet the witch can speakwith these Rememberersto gaintheir aid. This is the work underSiub Dhu, the Black Goat Of TheWoods, With A Thousand Young.

ConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningShub NiggurathShub NiggurathShub NiggurathShub NiggurathShub Niggurath

The Black Goat was driven un-der the earth in central Europe, andher voice was still strong for manyages. Ancient man was drawn deepinto the caverns by her call, thereto see visions of her ThousandYoung. Her satyrs drove the fright-ened folk of Hellas from the wildinto safe towns. In feudal times thecall drew the folk out again to theelder forest, to make alliance withthe Rememberers, and revel in theSabath of the Goat.

In order to find again the Revelof Shub Niggurat, the Seeker mustmeet and know one of the Bound,the sleeping devourers. In order to

find these spirits we use the pendu-lum of the Siub, the dowsing bySkull.

The seeker must find the skullof a wild thing, not slain by his ownhand, but killed by nature. It mustbe cleansed completely, then thesigil of Shub Niggurath drawn on the

skull. A chain or cord is then at-tached to the skull, and all isplaced on Summoning Earth fora turning of the moon from fullto full, so that the light of themoon can fall upon it.

At the end of the month, takethe pendulum deep into a wildpart of the wood, or perhapsinto a vile and disreputable partof the city. While the Bound

may be in anyplace, even themost tame and calm ofhuman habitations, it isbest to search first in awilder place, where youmay learn skills before you risk dis-covery near human places.

Choose a clearing in a deep for-est, and there begin to build amound, a small rise of earth, pen-tagonal in shape. There, for threenights before the dark of the moon,you must build the Fire ofAzathoth as for the SummoningEarth. Each night keep the vigil,sleeping not, but chanting thenames of the Old Ones, thus:

Ia Azathoth, Ia PanphageIa Azathoth, Ia PanphageIa Azathoth, Ia PanphageIa Azathoth, Ia PanphageIa Azathoth, Ia PanphageCthulhu ftagn, nafl fhtagnCthulhu ftagn, nafl fhtagnCthulhu ftagn, nafl fhtagnCthulhu ftagn, nafl fhtagn

Ia NyarlathotepIa NyarlathotepIa NyarlathotepIa NyarlathotepSiub Dhu grnarach Iog SathachSiub Dhu grnarach Iog SathachSiub Dhu grnarach Iog SathachSiub Dhu grnarach Iog Sathach

Cthulhu ftagn, nafl fhtagnIa Nyarlathotep

Siub Dhu grnarach Iog Sathachand holding in your mind the propervisions.

First, while the fire kindles andconsumes its first food, hold the Vi-sion of the Nine Outer Priests, asgiven above. When the fire is well-lit, put on it a fresh piece of meat,and build this vision:the soil smells of blood and rottenflesh... you are small, your percep-tion close to the ground... you runon two legs, surrounded by otherslike you... the sky is dark, the moona sliver in black skies, seen throughleaves... you run through foest,

trees tall as giants... you feed, youmate, you sing... You know thatat any moment a branch maysnatch, and stone crush... a vinemay bind and rend... You and yourkind swarm and devour... you andyour kind are the food of the de-vourers... in the soil itself runs anetwork, a plasm, an awarenessthat hungers and blooms and eatsand spawns... Your folk call it theDark Enemy - Siub Dhu... it isallformed, appearing at will as anyshape that it has ever eaten... youand your kind speak and treat withit, giving sacrifice... you gatherwhen the moon is bright, in thegrove where the Siub is strong...you bring many sheep and goats to

placate the Goat... fire lit in thecenter protects a small area as thedrums begin, with flutes andvoices... the rhythm of giant drumsand the stamp of feet call theDark... the forms arise in the shad-ows at the edge of the firelight...sensual, animal, vegetable, familiaryet alien... we drive the goats outand the Siub feed... then we offerourselves in pleasure to ThoseOnes... sweet joinings... that some-times bring the Black Goat... tow-ering and goat-headed, with breastsand phalli... it speaks and acts, andwith it we do great sorceries...Ia Shub Niguradh... Black Goat OfThe Woods With A ThousandYoung...

On the third night, on the darkof the moon, do all this again as youhave been instructed. Continuingto chant the names after you havebuilt the vision, take up your skullpendulum and hold it before you.Allow it to begin to swing, makingno effort to control the directionof its motion. After a time the pen-dulum will point in one directionor another. You must then standand walk in the direction of the pen-dulums swing. By emptying themind and focusing on the sound ofthe names, you will be led towardone of the Bound Ones. This is amost perilous time. When the wiz-ard is entranced, following theSkull, and attuned to the Devour-

ers, he is almost equally likely tobe made prey as to find the goal.

In this day, when the power ofAster is strong in the land, the de-vourers are few, and hidden deep.They are always hungry, alwaysready to take control of an unwarysorcerer. So you must be constantlyVigilant, firm as stone in will, coldand clear in mind. When contactwith an Old One is made, it willsurely seek to turn the sorcerersmind. Thus is a human made into adevourer, a toy of the haters andslayers. When this happens the sor-cerers power and magic are ended,along with every mortal dream andhope.

Yet from the Devourers the sor-

cerer can learn many secrets of thebefore time. The ways of the OldOnes are remembered by them, andcan be shared if the Old One can bemade to serve. In oder to do that,the sorcerer must prepare a Tine ofBinding.

The sorcerer must find a black-thorn tree and take from it astraight branch, as long as her fore-arm. This she must strip, shave andsharpen, making a stake of thegreen wood. Upon this stake hemust place the sigil of the Siub, aswell as these signs:

The Tine must then be takento one of the places where the Ser-

vants of the Gods of Earth gatherto light their sacred fires. It mustbe concealed in the Grove orTemple, so that it will not be dis-covered. There it will rest in theshadows when the Seer Priests lighttheir fires. By this it will gain both ahint of the power of Him Who IsNot To Be Named, and the powerof the Shadow, which the Light ofthe Sky must always produce.

For Fire is both theeverdevouring, allchaos that de-stroys form at the center of all, andthe sign of the Power of the NewGods. In the flesh of mortals thepower of fire is the Power of Death,that eats and consumes life slowly,over the course of a lifetime, or

quickly, when it blooms intoplague. Yet the Spirit of the Firebecomes the Sword of Light, thatpins the Old Ones in the Dark. Soby the Wizard Fire the Tine ofBinding gains its power over theDevourers.

On the night of the FullMoon, take the tine to the placeof the Devourer and there light theFire of Azathoth. If you cannotlight the Fire, take summoningearth and at least a lamp or candlefor flame. Spread the summoningearth before the Devourer, withthe fire between your seat and theOld One.

The Tine of binding must nowbe driven into the area where you

spread the summoning earth. In thismoment the sorcerer must only beglad of the bindings of the Aster.For in these days there are very fewof the Raveners that can actually riseand rend you, yet, while their bod-ies are penned, their minds and an-cient souls may be very muchawake.

So, when the fire is lit well, letthe sorcerer gather his nerve, andopen his mind to the Devourer. Lethim gaze at the physical form of theOld One, andseek to see into its mon-strous soul. Let him envision the formof its spirit, of its will and intention.When he has this form clearly in mindhe must speak to the Old One, stat-ing his will, and intention to bind it

away from him, to command itneverto attack him, never to harmhim or his in any way, and whateverelse he demands. Such a Chargemight be said:

Hear me, Oh Ancient En-Hear me, Oh Ancient En-Hear me, Oh Ancient En-Hear me, Oh Ancient En-Hear me, Oh Ancient En-emy, Oh Devourer, Oh spawnemy, Oh Devourer, Oh spawnemy, Oh Devourer, Oh spawnemy, Oh Devourer, Oh spawnof the First Days. I am a Childof the First Days. I am a Childof the First Days. I am a Childof the First Days. I am a Childof the Earth, and the Gods ofof the Earth, and the Gods ofof the Earth, and the Gods ofof the Earth, and the Gods ofEarth command you. I am aEarth command you. I am aEarth command you. I am aEarth command you. I am aChild of the Elder Gods, and theChild of the Elder Gods, and theChild of the Elder Gods, and theChild of the Elder Gods, and theElder Gods command you. ByElder Gods command you. ByElder Gods command you. ByElder Gods command you. Bythis tine I bind you, by this tinethis tine I bind you, by this tinethis tine I bind you, by this tinethis tine I bind you, by this tineI bind you, by this tine I bindI bind you, by this tine I bindI bind you, by this tine I bindI bind you, by this tine I bindyou. By this binding, may I beyou. By this binding, may I beyou. By this binding, may I beyou. By this binding, may I beforever safe from harm done byforever safe from harm done byforever safe from harm done byforever safe from harm done byyou, safe from your ill will, safeyou, safe from your ill will, safeyou, safe from your ill will, safeyou, safe from your ill will, safefrom every attack, from everyfrom every attack, from everyfrom every attack, from everyfrom every attack, from everyhunger, of your ancient soul.hunger, of your ancient soul.hunger, of your ancient soul.hunger, of your ancient soul.

emy, Oh Devourer, Oh spawnof the First Days. I am a Childof the Earth, and the Gods ofEarth command you. I am aChild of the Elder Gods, and theElder Gods command you. Bythis tine I bind you, by this tineI bind you, by this tine I bindyou. By this binding, may I beforever safe from harm done byyou, safe from your ill will, safefrom every attack, from everyhunger, of your ancient soul.

You may not harm me by earth,You may not harm me by earth,You may not harm me by earth,You may not harm me by earth,You may not harm me by earth,or by sea, or by the or by sea, or by the or by sea, or by the or by sea, or by the wind, by thewind, by thewind, by thewind, by thefire or the air or the storm, nor byfire or the air or the storm, nor byfire or the air or the storm, nor byfire or the air or the storm, nor bythe hand of a mortal, or the will ofthe hand of a mortal, or the will ofthe hand of a mortal, or the will ofthe hand of a mortal, or the will ofa spirit. By this tine, I make myselfa spirit. By this tine, I make myselfa spirit. By this tine, I make myselfa spirit. By this tine, I make myselfsafe from you. So, Oh Ravenor, Isafe from you. So, Oh Ravenor, Isafe from you. So, Oh Ravenor, Isafe from you. So, Oh Ravenor, Ibid you speak to me in my head,bid you speak to me in my head,bid you speak to me in my head,bid you speak to me in my head,and in my spirit,, that you may noand in my spirit,, that you may noand in my spirit,, that you may noand in my spirit,, that you may nolonger be alone, that you may havelonger be alone, that you may havelonger be alone, that you may havelonger be alone, that you may haveconverse again.converse again.converse again.converse again.

So be bound, be bound beSo be bound, be bound beSo be bound, be bound beSo be bound, be bound bebound. Obey me, obey the As-bound. Obey me, obey the As-bound. Obey me, obey the As-bound. Obey me, obey the As-ter, obey the law of the world,ter, obey the law of the world,ter, obey the law of the world,ter, obey the law of the world,and harm me not.and harm me not.and harm me not.and harm me not.

or by sea, or by the wind, by thefire or the air or the storm, nor bythe hand of a mortal, or the will ofa spirit. By this tine, I make myselfsafe from you. So, Oh Ravenor, Ibid you speak to me in my head,and in my spirit,, that you may nolonger be alone, that you may haveconverse again.Drive the tine into the soil betweenthe fire and the form of the Old OneSo be bound, be bound bebound. Obey me, obey the As-ter, obey the law of the world,and harm me not.

Be strong, and know that theDevourer will try to fill your soulwith its hunger, its spite and

vileness. You must be strong, andhold fast to your own name andknowings. Some have found thatholding the image of the Fire ofthe Earth Gods in the mind cankeep the ill at bay, but for somethat power is too painful. Forsome, the warding of the tine willcome too late, or be too little,and the Old One may grasp theirspirit by its stem. For them, thereis no further hope.

But for those who succeed in thisspell, the Devourer can be bound,and made into a source of knowl-edge. In time, it may even be thatthe sorcerer can command the OldOne to act for him, but that is an artthat cannot be told here.

Of DiverseOf DiverseOf DiverseOf DiverseOf DiverseMonstersMonstersMonstersMonstersMonsters

The Old Ones were, the Old Onesare, the Old Ones will be. In thefirst days of the world they cameto our planet from alien worlds be-yond mortal comprehension. Ifthey came from other globes in therealms of matter, no human sageknows the name. Even nightedYuggoth, rolling on theedges of our sun�s king-dom, has birthed onlythe least of them. If theycome from otherplanes, spaces so unlikeours as to kindle mad-ness in the minds of

mortals who so muchas glimpse them,

then we can onlyquiver in terror whenthey manifest in our

puny, three-walled di-mension, for their shape and natureis beyond our simplest comprehen-sion.

We have spoken of GreatCthulhu, and of the Dweller inDarkness. We will speak of theBlack Goat, and of the Gate andits Guardian. These are theGreat Old Ones indeed,and mortals must onlysubmit our spirits tothem, and pray thatour flesh remains

our own. Yet the WildRealms are filled withmany another being,lesser by far than the OldOnes, yet with power to

aid the sorcerer in manyways. Be not deceived,these demons are dangerous- some clever and deceitful,some brutish and strong

enough to crush without notice.Some even partake of the OldOnes� nature, and can wring thejuice of the mind from a mortalby their very as-pect, if notconstrained.These beingswe may fitlycall demons -

the messengers ofthe Old Ones, thecrowd of beingsthat dwell in the

lower airs, unseenbut present. They

swim and crawl and mucktheir way among us, making ourcarefully cleaned lives into cess-pools of decay and vileness, eat-ing into our hearts, turning ourthoughts to ash and our flesh topuss, if they can.

Some that men call demonsare the races of other worlds thatcame to earth long before ourrace, and lurk still in deep and highplaces. The crinoid beings of fro-zen Yuggoth serve Nyarlathotep,

yet they have their own agendas.Humans have, on occasion, madepacts with those beings, and foundthem to their advantage. yet fewof those who assay such things liveto old age in the shape of theirbirth. For the Yuggoth race aregreat scientists, and have learnedthe shaping of matter, and evenof spirit.

In the first days, the Yuggothbeings shaped mortal flesh likeclay. They played with the formsof life, shapingthings whichcould not livein the unfa-miliar at-mosphere

of Earth.they devisedthe forms oflife, shaping proto-plasmic matter into many beings.Some of these thay gave intelli-gence, others only cunning, andsome of these may linger still in darkand uncertain places in the world.More of them perished swiftly, un-able to maintain physical life. Yetby their wizardry the Yuggoth folkkept the spirits of those beings alive,allowing them to retain their mon-strous forms in etheric flesh, wherethe mud of matter would not main-tain them. Even some of theYuggoth race themselves havepassed into unflesh, haunting the

spaces between likeshaodowy larvae.

Deep at the base ofthe Stairs of Deeper Slum-ber, in the dark placesof the earth, nearwhere mortals dwell,there are those placesthat link our realm of mud withthe strange, lovely and terriblerealms of dream. From thosemisted gates come the ghouls, thatrace of grey and slobbering, dog-headed, horned and fanged folk,who feed on the corpses of thedead. Crypts know their clawedfingers, graves know their under-burrowing, and many who aredeemed to rest in piece would not

be found, were they to be soughtout. The ghouls lurk and snatch,carrying mortals into their realm,some to fill their larder, but oth-ers to be changed, to be made oneof the ghoul�s moldy number.Ghouls are clever of mind, andhave many skills of magic. The hu-man witch cannot rule them as hewould a demon, but there may bemuch to be gained - or lost - bytreating with the Dogs ofDreamland.

In the spaces between, theHounds of Tindalos lurk. They arecalled Hounds by the ancient loreof sorcerers, yet do not think themmuch like a mortal animal. Theycourse and bay like hounds, ever

hunting, ever seeking. They movethrough angled space, for the curveof common light is barred to them,and they may answer the witch�ssummons, though binding them isanother matter.

These are a few of the kinds ofsmall horrors than lurk beneath thepretty light of mortal life. Let thesorcere use every skill, every care,lest he end his mortal life. And it iswell, if he only lose his life, forthese baings have many worse fatesfor the soul and brain of mortalfools.

ConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningYog SothothYog SothothYog SothothYog SothothYog Sothoth

Iaigh Sachach, or Iag Sathath, isthe Sated Gate, the Way Betweenmade shut, the Ancient Hungermade satisfied. Yog Sothoth is theGate, and the Guardian of the Gate.By its power are the Imprisoned Onesheld fast, and by its power will theybe let through, when the stars areright. Cthulhu is a potent demon, andNiarla Thotep is one of the Great OldOnes, and the Siub Dhu is potent inthe deep earth. But Iaigh is the WayItself, the place and being of Be-tweenness, without which none ofthe Greater Sorceries could be ef-fected.

These Greater Works are thewild, old powers of the witches andwizards. To call out to Those WhoDwell Outside, to make in the HighPlaces Their altars and temples, andto command them and to be obeyed.To loosen the bonds of form, so thatthe Monstrous Self is made free, toloosen the bonds of mind, so that thesouls of the weak may be driven fromthem, and the strong soul of the sor-cerer gain the use of their flesh. Tocommand the Hounds of the Be-tween, called the Hounds of Tindalos,after that ancient ruined place of theTribe Under the Mound. To call theToad Pipers and their potent witchmusic, that makes body and soul towrithe in the Wild Dance. To bring

through the very flesh of the OuterOnes in the womb of a mortalwoman. All of these are the GreaterSorceries worked by those who havegained the power of the Iaigh.

Yet even the lesser sorcerer cangain some power from the BarredGate. A primary work of the Gateis to provide protection for the sor-cerer. Just as the Iaigh is the ClosedDoor that holds or admits theOuter Ones, so its strength can barthose beings from the person of thewizard.

Here is the form of the magi-cal circle called the Window ofLeng. It is said that in some fewplaces this sign has been made as anactual window of glass, and there it

has become, itself, a potent Gateto the Outside. In more commonmagics, it can be used as a circle ofprotection.

Take you the ashes of the Fireof Azathoth, those that have beenwell and completely burned, andsift them fine. Mix them withwhitewash, and with that draw thiscircle and its glyphs. It is best if thisis done on a smooth, finished sur-face of stone, for that strong sur-face presents the least opportunityfor the tricks of the Outer Ones. Itcan, however, be drawn anywhere,yet be certain that the glyphs areclearly and precisely drawn, for anyblurring of their forms may reducethe potency of the circle.

In order to beprotected fromthe Outsiders,the sorcerer mustremain standing onthe lines of the fig-ure. She must enter by walking oncearound the outside of the circle, go-ing with her left shoulder to thecenter. Then she must choose oneof the angles on which to enter,and walk to the center of the fig-ure of angles. There she will havethe full protection of the circle, aslong as she does not set foot in oneof the spaces that the angles divide.

There she may stay for as long asshe need stay, but know that many asorcerer has been driven from this

circle by hunger and thirst, or by theterrors that the Outdwellers maybring, in their effort to snare theirprey. It is best if the sorcerer knowscharms and spells by which the De-vourers can be driven away. Thus theCircle of Iaigh becomes a temporaryrespite, and not a trap.Here, then is the form of one such:

Away, thou, awayAway, thou, awayAway, thou, awayAway, thou, awayAway, thou, awayA ho a hauA ho a hauA ho a hauA ho a hau

Away, thou, awayAway, thou, awayAway, thou, awayAway, thou, awaya ho a hia ho a hia ho a hia ho a hi

Make for your placeMake for your placeMake for your placeMake for your placeA ho a hauA ho a hauA ho a hauA ho a hau

swift as the lighteningswift as the lighteningswift as the lighteningswift as the lighteninga ho a hia ho a hia ho a hia ho a hi

Iaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SaccachIaigh SaccachIaigh SaccachIaigh Saccach

Iaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach Iag

Yuggothe Gata DunnrrkYuggothe Gata DunnrrkYuggothe Gata DunnrrkYuggothe Gata DunnrrkIaigh Iaigh IaighIaigh Iaigh IaighIaigh Iaigh IaighIaigh Iaigh Iaigh

Chlure BhedurachtaChlure BhedurachtaChlure BhedurachtaChlure BhedurachtaIagata Gata DunnrrkIagata Gata DunnrrkIagata Gata DunnrrkIagata Gata Dunnrrk

Iaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SachIaigh SachachIaigh SachachIaigh SachachIaigh Sachach

Iaigh Sachach Mor !Iaigh Sachach Mor !Iaigh Sachach Mor !Iaigh Sachach Mor !

A ho a hauAway, thou, away

a ho a hiMake for your place

A ho a hauswift as the lightening

a ho a hiIaigh Sach

Iaigh SaccachIaigh Sachach MorKrr Graanach Iag

Yuggothe Gata DunnrrkIaigh Iaigh Iaigh

Chlure BhedurachtaIagata Gata Dunnrrk

Iaigh SachIaigh Sachach

Iaigh Sachach Mor !

ConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningConcerningThe Gate PostThe Gate PostThe Gate PostThe Gate PostThe Gate Post

Iag Sathath is the Gate, and theGuardian of the Gate. It is by thepower of the Iaigh that the Waybetween is rended, to allow the El-der Ones to move again in the mor-tal world. The Great Sorcerers cantruly split the night with their call-ing, and release the nightgaunts, anddholes, and every ill thing into theworld. Such secrets cannot be re-vealed to students, nor to thosewho have not been broken in theCauldron, and remade.

Yet it is needful that the waysbetween be made thin, that the Im-prisoned Ones might the sooner re-

turn to the Middle World. So theVoice Beneath the Mound has taughtus a spell to make a thin place, a bea-con, an altar of sorcery, that mightserve as the seed of greater gates intimes to come. These altars may beput up by anyone who seeks the fa-vor of Those To Come.

First let the wizard find a blackstone, at least two feet high, andnarrow is best, like a plinth or col-umn. It should be naturally dark,or black, and have, if possible, a flattop. If the top is not flat, the wiz-ard must knock away some of thestone, to make a flat top. Let thestone be taken to a high place, ofthe sort which commands a view ofall the surrounding country. There

let a deep ring be dug, leavingenough height in the center for thestone, and let the stone be set inthat place, on a bed of summon-ing earth. And the ditch, or moat,should be only wide enough to al-low the sorcerer to reach the topof the stone while standing out-side the ditch.

Then take red pigment, and mixit with a bit of summon-ing earth, dragons blood,and a few drops of thefresh blood of the sor-cerer herself, and withthat paint the sigil of YogSothoth on three faces ofthe stone, so that it canbe seen from all directions.

The sorcerer must then await the com-ing of a thunder storm with lightningin plenty. He must have with him abundle of wood, made of blackthorn,and rowan, and willow wood, and allhe needs to kindle fire. This he mustbe prepared to keep dry in the storm.There, on the High Place, naked be-fore the stone, the sorcerer must re-cite the Conjuration of the Iaigh, say-ing:

Ngai, nghaghaa,Ngai, nghaghaa,Ngai, nghaghaa,Ngai, nghaghaa,Ngai, nghaghaa,bugg-shoggog, yhah;bugg-shoggog, yhah;bugg-shoggog, yhah;bugg-shoggog, yhah;

Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog SothothYog SothothYog SothothYog Sothoth yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,

Iog SothothIog SothothIog SothothIog Sothothhee - lgebhee - lgebhee - lgebhee - lgeb

Fhai throdog uaaahFhai throdog uaaahFhai throdog uaaahFhai throdog uaaah

bugg-shoggog, yhah;Yog Sothoth,

Yog Sothoth yhai ng ngah,Iog Sothothhee - lgeb

Fhai throdog uaaah

Iag Sachach MorIag Sachach MorIag Sachach MorIag Sachach MorIag Sachach MorKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach IagKrr Graanach Iag

Iaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorIaigh Sachach MorDubhachta realla shinnDubhachta realla shinnDubhachta realla shinnDubhachta realla shinn

Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog Sothoth,Yog SothothYog SothothYog SothothYog Sothoth yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,yhai ng ngah,

Iog Sothoth hee - lgebIog Sothoth hee - lgebIog Sothoth hee - lgebIog Sothoth hee - lgeb

Krr Graanach IagIaigh Sachach Mor

Dubhachta realla shinnYog Sothoth,

Yog Sothoth yhai ng ngah,Iog Sothoth hee - lgeb

This charm must be saidtwenty and seven times, as thelightning flashes overhead. As thestorm rages, the sorcerer holds thisvision:above the altar, the storm rages...clouds roil and lightning flashes...your vision seems to see deep intothe fabric of the sky... and thereyou see the boundaries and meet-ing places... where the clouds meet

the air... where the lightning boilsup in the watery clouds..., wherethe air touches the land... your vi-sion passes deeper into them...down and up, in and out of therealms of common vision... into thefabric Between all things... past thespheres we know, into deeperspheres and rings... spheres withinspheres... and in each of thesespheres, each of these rings, is aneye of Iog Sothoth... See theseglobes, these spheres, these eyesemerge from the Between placesin the roiling sky... they roll outinto your vision... floating in thestorm... shining and circling one an-other madly, like the unfathom-

able orbits of unknown galaxies...leading your eye, you mind, be-yond the visible sky... through thatcongeries of iridescent globes... theeyes of the Iaigh...

The water from the storm must fillthe moat around the stone, and therain must not wash away the sigils.The sorcerer waits out the storm,naked before the Gate Post, and,when it is finished, she must kindlethe fire on the flat top of the pil-lar. With the fire blazing on thestone, she must again recite theConjuration of the Iaigh twentyand seven times. The fire must thenbe tended until it burns out en-tirely, or for as long as the fuel to

hand should last.Thus is the Gate Post conse-

crated to Those Outside, forwherever Fire and Water meet,there is the Way between theWorlds. This simple altar is but aseed, but from it may grow thedarkest and most potent of fruit.It cannot be said in this placewhatterrible wonders may pro-ceed from such a place, yet if thesorcerer come frequently to theGate Post, and lights the Fire, withwater at the base, then those won-ders may be revealed to his de-light, or to his cost.

TTTTTHESEHESEHESEHESE AREAREAREARE THETHETHETHE MYSTERIESMYSTERIESMYSTERIESMYSTERIES OFOFOFOF

AAAAVAGDDUVAGDDUVAGDDUVAGDDU

HESE ARE THE MYSTERIES OF

AVAGDDU, the sorceries and idola-tries of the Folk Beneath theMound. These simple acts ofmagic, given here, are only thebriefest glimpse of the great won-ders of the Dark Powers. There areso many things that cannot be re-vealed to the student. The free-ing of the monster self, the entryinto the Mound itself, the Voiceof Avagddu, the Charm of Rot-ting, the Charm of the Shadows,all these and more await those whoseek the mysteries of the BardaiCorca. In those mysteries may liemadness, corruption and slaveryyet, for those with courage and aheart free of weakness and softness,

there may be power, andrulerhsip, and the delights of theTime of wildness. For the powerof the Bardai Corca will never dieuntil the stars come right again,and the secret priests bring greatCthulhu from hsi tomb, to revivehis subjects and open the Gates,and resume his rule of the worldof mortals. In that time mankindwill be as the Great Old Ones, freeand wild and beyond all reckoningof good and ill. Law andthe mo-rality of the Gods of Light will bethrown aside, and all will delightin the joy of the prey, shouting andkilling and revelling in joy. Thenwill the liberated Devourers rise,and all will be as it was in the First

days. The earth will flame, and thewaters will fill the sky. But in thistime, while we wait, we keep alivethe memory of those ancient ways,and shadow forth the pophecy ofTheir return.

Ia Cthulhu FthagnIa Cthulhu FthagnIa Cthulhu FthagnIa Cthulhu FthagnIa Cthulhu FthagnIa Niarladh ThotepIa Niarladh ThotepIa Niarladh ThotepIa Niarladh Thotep

Ia Siub DhuIa Siub DhuIa Siub DhuIa Siub DhuIa Iag SachachIa Iag SachachIa Iag SachachIa Iag Sachach

Ia AvagdduIa AvagdduIa AvagdduIa Avagddu

Ia Niarladh ThotepIa Siub Dhu

Ia Iag SachachIa Avagddu