The Shining Trapezohedron is a fictional artefact in the Cthulhu Mythos. It first appeared in H. P. Lovecraft's short story "The Haunter of the Dark", and Robert Bloch's sequel "The Shadow from the Steeple".
Overview[]
The Shining Trapezohedron serves as a window on all of space and time. By gazing into it, its wielder would summon the Haunter of the Dark, an avatar of Nyarlathotep, as well as (possibly) the other Outer Gods. In exchange for horrible sacrifices, the Haunter of the Dark would reveal other worlds and arcane knowledge.
The Shining Trapezohedron was a "crazy angled stone" created on the planet Yuggoth and brought to Earth by the Old Ones before the emergence of the human race. (HPL: "The Haunter of the Dark") It was formed by the Mi-Go. (EXP: Call of Cthulhu) It was held by the Elder Things, then the serpent-men of Valusia, and eventually the first humans on Lemuria. Later it came to Atlantis and the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, specifically Nephren-Ka. Occultist and archaeologist Enoch Bowen discovered it within a box of alien construction while exploring the ruins of the tomb of Nephren-Ka in 1843. Bowen returned to his home in Providence, Rhode Island, with the Trapezohedron and its box the following year, where he founded the Church of Starry Wisdom. (HPL: "The Haunter of the Dark")
The Shining Trapezohedron was researched by Robert Blake, who deciphered a number of ancient texts concerning the stone. He attempted to summon Yog-Sothoth with the stone, and saw him re-creating universes, but failed to do so. Following Blake's death, the stone was removed from the Starry Wisdom cult's sanctuary and thrown into Narragansett Bay by Dr. Ambrose Dexter. (HPL: "The Haunter of the Dark") Unknown to Dexter, however, the constant darkness at the bottom of the bay ensured the Haunter of the Dark's perpetual freedom. For his trouble, Dexter was possessed by the Haunter, and eventually became one of the foremost nuclear scientists in the world, in charge of investigation of atomic energy for wartime purposes. (CIRCLE: "The Shadow from the Steeple")
According to one account, the Shining Trapezohedron can be used as a focal point to open gates between worlds and dimensions. Its light can heal, destroy, and transform, allowing entities such as Nyarlathotep and Cthulhu to shift between human and non-human form. (CIRCLE: Strange Eons)
In Other Media[]
- NecronomiCon's Robert Bloch Award trophy is based on the Shining Trapezohedron.
- The Shining Trapezohedron appears in the video game Sundered, where it acts as a multipurpose weapon and a communication device with Nyarlathotep
- In the video game Darkest Dungeon, there is a Puzzling Trapezohedron, obtainable as a loot, described as "The colors shift and change with the light...". The gem is as valuable as it is hard to get.
- In the video game Conan Exiles, one of the items needed to beat the game and have the player character leave the Exiled Lands is the Shining Trapezohedron item, held by the leader of the Serpent Men.
- The rogue-like game Infra Arcana has the Shining Trapezohedron as its MacGuffin.
- In the Demonbane Mythos, the Shining Trapezohedron is a sacred relic made by the Elder Gods to seal the Court of Azathoth from reality. Its shape is akin to a box formed by otherworldly geometry with a black crystal contained within it. The trapezohedron can undergo complex transformation to become a double-edged divine sword. Due to its hallowed nature, only a hero of the utmost justice or a demon of absolute evil can summon, or even wield the blade, which is none other than Daijuuji Kurou and Master Therion.
- In the manga series Alicia Y, the main protagonist Alicia Y Armitage can use the Trapezohedron to destroy objects by warping the closed space-time, encircling the entire surrounding space with negative light.
- In the anime series Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, the Shining Trapezohedron appears as a "protective charm" that Nyaruko gave to Mahiro, in order to keep him safe while entering the enemy's stronghold.
- In the video game Honkai: Star Rail, the Shining Trapezohedron Die appears as a special object in the Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe. It is said to be the seal of a horrible and indescribable evil god, and contact with it in dark places should be avoided at all costs.
- The Shining Trapezohedron appears in the mobile game Card Monsters.
- The Shining Trapezohedron appears in the trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh!, under the name Forbidden Trapezohedron.
- In the video game series Disgaea, starting with the third entry, the Trapezohedron appears as the most powerful accessories of the emblem category. It is always hard to obtain and boasts the highest overall stats of all kinds of equipment.
Gallery[]
- Main article: Shining Trapezohedron/Gallery