"The Soul of the Devil-Bought" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by American author Robert M. Price. It continues the Anton Zarnak series of occult detective stories begun by Lin Carter, for whom Price acted as literary executor.
Synopsis[]
Anton Zarnak, with the aid of his manservant Singh and Jacob Maitland of the Sanbourne Institute of Pacific Antiquities, investigate a pair of men who have recently inherited their rich uncle's estate - along with his extensive library of occult writings. What they find is that Hiram Stokely, the uncle, has in fact used been using black magic fuelled by the blood of humans to extend his life and control a population of Yuggs which live in the catacombs beneath his mansion.
After a fierce fight with a Yugg and Stokely himself - who has possessed the body of one of his nephews- the three emerge victorious, and burn Stokely's mansion to the ground.
Characters[]
- Anton Zarnak, a highly-intelligent occultist.
- Akbar Singh, Zarnak's friend and servant.
- Jacob Maitland, a student working towards his doctorate at the Sanbourne Institute of Pacific Antiquities.
- Hiram Stokely, an occultist in league with dark powers.
- Winfield Phillips, one of the heirs to Stokely's estate; by the time of the story has been possessed by his uncle.
- Brian Winfield, the other heir to Stokely's estate, who is being used as a source of living fuel by his uncle.
Publication History[]
- Cthulhu Cultus #5 (May 1996)
- The Xothic Legend Cycle: The Complete Mythos Fiction of Lin Carter (1997)
- Lin Carter's Anton Zarnak: Supernatural Sleuth (June 2002)
- Blasphemies & Revelations (November 2008)