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The story follows unconventional researcher Halpin Chalmers who believes that he can view the entirety of time and space through the use of a mysterious Eastern narcotic called ''Liao''. Conducting an experiment with the drug under the supervision of his friend, a man named Frank, Chalmers sends his consciousness out into the depths of time. Unfortunately for him, he travels too far back in time and attracts the attentions of the [[Hound of Tindalos|Hounds of Tindalos]], predatory creatures which inhabit the angles of time and space, rather than the curves, as most creatures do. |
The story follows unconventional researcher Halpin Chalmers who believes that he can view the entirety of time and space through the use of a mysterious Eastern narcotic called ''Liao''. Conducting an experiment with the drug under the supervision of his friend, a man named Frank, Chalmers sends his consciousness out into the depths of time. Unfortunately for him, he travels too far back in time and attracts the attentions of the [[Hound of Tindalos|Hounds of Tindalos]], predatory creatures which inhabit the angles of time and space, rather than the curves, as most creatures do. |
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| − | Despite Chalmers' efforts to stave off the Hounds, they come for him (perhaps with the aid of their allies, the [[Satyr|Satyrs]] and the [[ |
+ | Despite Chalmers' efforts to stave off the Hounds, they come for him (perhaps with the aid of their allies, the [[Satyr|Satyrs]] and the [[Dhole|Doels]] and his body is found in his home a few days after a localised earthquake, decapitated and bloodless, and covered in a mysterious blue ichor. When taken for analysis, the substance is found to represent a form of life previously thought impossible. |
== Characters == |
== Characters == |
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Revision as of 21:06, 19 November 2019
| “ | What if, parallel to the world we know, there is another life that does not die, which lacks the elements which destroy our life? Perhaps in another dimension there is a different force from that which generates our life. Perhaps this force emits energy, or something similar to energy, which passes from the unknown dimension where it is and creates a new form of cell life in our dimension. No one knows that such new cell life does exist in our dimension. Ah, but I have seen its manifestations. I have talked with them. In my room at night I have talked with the Doels. Ad in dreams I have seen their maker. I have stood on the dim shore beyond time and matter and seen it. It moves through strange curves and outrageous angles. Someday I shall travel in time and meet it face to face. | „ | |
| ~ Frank Belknap Long , CIRCLE: The Hounds of Tindalos |
The Hounds of Tindalos is a short story by early Mythos contributor Frank Belknap Long.
Synopsis
The story follows unconventional researcher Halpin Chalmers who believes that he can view the entirety of time and space through the use of a mysterious Eastern narcotic called Liao. Conducting an experiment with the drug under the supervision of his friend, a man named Frank, Chalmers sends his consciousness out into the depths of time. Unfortunately for him, he travels too far back in time and attracts the attentions of the Hounds of Tindalos, predatory creatures which inhabit the angles of time and space, rather than the curves, as most creatures do.
Despite Chalmers' efforts to stave off the Hounds, they come for him (perhaps with the aid of their allies, the Satyrs and the Doels and his body is found in his home a few days after a localised earthquake, decapitated and bloodless, and covered in a mysterious blue ichor. When taken for analysis, the substance is found to represent a form of life previously thought impossible.
Characters
- Frank, the narrator, and presumably a friend of Chalmers. He does not believe that Chalmers has experienced anything other than a bad trip caused by the untested drug.
- Halpin Chalmers, a traditional-minded researcher who is nevertheless willing to try folkloric solutions to modern problems, disagreeing with the dogma of modern scientific theory.
- Detective Sergeant Douglas, the police officer in charge of the investigation into Chalmers' death.
- James Morton, the chemist and bacteriologist who analysed the substance found coating Chalmers' body.
Behind the Mythos
The Hounds of Tindalos was first published in the March 1929 edition of pulp magazine Weird Tales. Since then, it has appeared in numerous collections of horror and Mythos work, including the Wildside Press eBook issue The Cthulhu Mythos Megapack in 2012.