Dr. Anton Zarnak, whose surname is derived from Zhar-Nak, meaning the Mouthpiece of Zhar, is a character created by Mythos author Lin Carter. He is a supernatural detective in the style of others such as William Hope Hodgson's Thomas Carnacki.
Description[]
Zarnak appears to be Eurasian of descent, with a high forehead and jet black hair shot through with a central zigzag of grey. He may be independently wealthy, and lives in a fair degree of luxury with his faithful manservant Ram Singh.
He appears to possess a degree of magical power, which includes the ability to mesmerise others and to detect whether certain objects have been tampered with.
According to "Dope War of the Black Tong", Zarnak was once the high priest of Zhar and Lloigor amongst the Tcho-Tcho people on the remote Plateau of Sung, although the temptations offered by the Black Lotus drug resulted in him being ousted from his position.
He has multiple doctorates, at least one of which (in metaphysics) was obtained from Miskatonic University, and his expertise has earned him a consultancy position with the Sanbourne Institute of Pacific Antiquities.
Library[]
Anton Zarnak possesses an extensive collections of occult writings, including:
- The Black Rituals of Koth-Serapis
- The Dhôl Chants
- The Ponape Scripture
Appearances[]
Lin Carter's Works[]
- "Dead of Night" (1988)
- "Perchance to Dream" (1988)
Other Works[]
- "Dope War of the Black Tong" (1996, Robert M. Price)
- "The Soul of the Devil-Bought" (1996, Robert M. Price)
Gallery[]
