Changes: Something in the Moonlight

Revision as of 14:40, 19 November 2019

Something in the Moonlight is a short story authored by noted Mythos contributor Lin Carter.

Synopsis

The story follows the statement of newly-qualified psychiatric councillor Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D. interspersed with notes from the journal of one of his patients, one Uriah Horby. Whilst Curtis does not believe Horby's paranoid tale of an ancient creature of immense power which wishes to take his soul, he sees no harm in acceding to the man's requests for access to portions of ancients texts which he thinks might protect him. Curtis later becomes something of a believer when Horby is found dead of terror on the night he had predicted, his window shattered, a foul slime spattering his room, and a visiting orderly driven half-mad.

Characters

Dr. Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D., a young doctor who obtained his qualifications at Arkham's Miskatonic University before landing a job at the Dunhill Sanatorium of Santiago, California.
Uriah Horby, an occultist who has been committed to the Dunhill Sanatorium due to his belief that a reptilian moon-creature is seeking to consume his soul. He is described as "a small man in his mid-fifties, lean of build and going bald, clean-shaven and seemingly in good health," and "an exceptionally intelligent man of obvious breeding ... [who] had enjoyed an excellent education."
Dr. Harrington J. Colby, a senior practitioner at the Dunhill Sanatorium, he is stated to be extremely well-regarded in his field.

Behind the Mythos

First published in the paperback anthology Weird Tales #2 in December of 1980 - which was also edited by Lin Carter - Something in the Moonlight was included in the Wildside Press eBook collection The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack in 2012.

Mythos References

Something in the Moonlight is littered with references to the greater Cthulhu Mythos. Below are listed some examples.

The occult tome the Necronomicon makes an appearance in the story, as does the Cultes des Goules, the Book of Eibon and the Unaussprechlichen Kulten.
Several locations relevant to the Mythos are discussed, including Sarnath, Mnar, Ib, Carcosa, Aldebaran, Fomalhaut and Mars.
Although only one entity actually makes an appearance (this being presumably either a Thuum'ha or, more likely, Mnomquah) many others are made reference to in the text, including Bokrug, Cthugha, the Fire Vampires, Yhtill, Gla'aki, Azathoth, Aphoom-Zhah, Vulthoom and Tsathoggua.
A handful of human characters are alluded to, such as Abdul Alhazred, Ludwig Prinn and Friedrich von Junzt.
The Silver Key is also mentioned, as part of a ritual with which to communicate with otherworldly entities.
The Zoan Chant is mentioned by Horby as a means to protect himself from the Great Old Ones.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox_story
-{{Realworld}}
+|title = ''Something in the Moonlight''
+|image = WeirdTales-2.jpeg
+|author = [[Lin Carter]]
+|country = United States
+|language = English
+|series = ''Weird Tales''
+|genre = * Short Fiction
+* Horror
+|pub_date = December 1980}}{{Realworld}}
 {{Expandedmythos}}
-UNDER CONSTRUCTION - PLEASE DO NOT EDIT
 '''''Something in the Moonlight''''' is a short story authored by noted [[Cthulhu Mythos|Mythos]] contributor [[Lin Carter]].
 == Synopsis ==
-The story follows the statement of newly-qualified psychiatric councillor Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D. interspersed with notes from the journal of one of his patients, one Uriah Horby. Whilst Curtis does not believe Horby's paranoid tale of a ancient creature of immense power which wishes to take his soul, he sees no harm in acceding to the man's requests for access to portions of ancients texts which he thinks might protect him. Curtis later becomes something of a believer when Horby is found dead of terror on the night he had predicted, his window shattered, a foul slime spattering his room, and a visiting orderly driven half-mad.
+The story follows the statement of newly-qualified psychiatric councillor Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D. interspersed with notes from the journal of one of his patients, one Uriah Horby. Whilst Curtis does not believe Horby's paranoid tale of an ancient creature of immense power which wishes to take his soul, he sees no harm in acceding to the man's requests for access to portions of ancients texts which he thinks might protect him. Curtis later becomes something of a believer when Horby is found dead of terror on the night he had predicted, his window shattered, a foul slime spattering his room, and a visiting orderly driven half-mad.
 == Characters ==
-* Dr. Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D., a young doctor who obtained his qualifications at [[Arkham]]'s [[Miskatonic University]] before landing a job at the Dunhill Sanatorium of Santiago, California.
+* Dr. Charles Winslow Curtis, M.D., a young doctor who obtained his qualifications at [[Arkham]]'s [[Miskatonic University]] before landing a job at the [[Dunhill Institute|Dunhill Sanatorium]] of Santiago, California.
-* Uriah Horby, an occultist who has been committed to the Dunhill Sanatorium due to his belief that a reptilian moon-creature is seeking to consume his soul.
+* Uriah Horby, an occultist who has been committed to the Dunhill Sanatorium due to his belief that a reptilian moon-creature is seeking to consume his soul. He is described as "a small man in his mid-fifties, lean of build and going bald, clean-shaven and seemingly in good health," and "an exceptionally intelligent man of obvious breeding ... [who] had enjoyed an excellent education."
 * Dr. Harrington J. Colby, a senior practitioner at the Dunhill Sanatorium, he is stated to be extremely well-regarded in his field.
 == Behind the Mythos ==
-First published in the paperback anthology ''[[Weird Tales #2]]'' in 1975 - which was also edited by Lin Carter - ''Something in the Moonlight'' was included in the [[Wildside Press]] eBook collection ''[[The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack]]'' in 2012.
+First published in the paperback anthology ''[[Weird Tales #2]]'' in December of 1980 - which was also edited by Lin Carter - ''Something in the Moonlight'' was included in the [[Wildside Press]] eBook collection ''[[The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack]]'' in 2012.
 == Mythos References ==
-Something in the Moonlight is littered with references to the greater Cthulhu Mythos, below are listed some examples.
+''Something in the Moonlight'' is littered with references to the greater Cthulhu Mythos. Below are listed some examples.
+* The occult tome the ''[[Necronomicon]]'' makes an appearance in the story, as does the ''[[Cultes des Goules]], ''the'' [[Book of Eibon]] ''and the ''[[Unaussprechlichen Kulten]]''.
+* Several locations relevant to the Mythos are discussed, including [[Sarnath]], [[Mnar]], [[Ib]], [[Carcosa]], [[Aldebaran]], [[Fomalhaut]] and [[Solar System#Mars|Mars]].
+* Although only one entity actually makes an appearance (this being presumably either a [[Thuum'ha]] or, more likely, [[Mnomquah]]) many others are made reference to in the text, including [[Bokrug]], [[Cthugha]], the [[Fthaggua#Fire Vampire|Fire Vampires]], [[Yhtill]], [[Gla'aki]], [[Azathoth]], [[Aphoom-Zhah]], [[Vulthoom]] and [[Tsathoggua]].
+* A handful of human characters are alluded to, such as [[Abdul Alhazred]], [[Ludwig Prinn]] and [[Friedrich von Junzt]].
+* The [[Silver Key]] is also mentioned, as part of a ritual with which to communicate with otherworldly entities.
+* The [[Zoan Chant]] is mentioned by Horby as a means to protect himself from the [[Great Old One]]s.
 [[Category:Short stories]]
 [[Category:Cthulhu Mythos short stories]]