This thread details all of the Mythos tomes encountered or mentioned during the campaign, as well as their current or last known location.
Here's a Hyperlinked index:
Mythos Tomes
Moderators: Laraqua, Raiko, Masks (Players)
Re: Mythos Tomes
Selections de Livre d’Ivon: A French commentary written in 1240 by Gaspard du Nord of Averiogne, France. Gaspard claims to be a sorcerer of great power, and that this work is based on his interpretations of a Greek book called The Book of Eibon - itself supposedly translated from earlier Atlantian and Hyperborean works. The original tome was reputedly penned by the Hyperborean wizard Eibon, and was found amid the ruins of his blasted tower.
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Elizabeth
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Elizabeth
Re: Mythos Tomes
The Pnakotic Manuscripts: An Old English translation by an anonymous translator. The first portions of these manuscripts are written in a curious sort of cuneiform and dot-group glyphs, which is possibly a cipher. Later portions are mostly commentaries and efforts at translation by a succession of translators, each of which have been translated in turn into Old English. Again claims are made by the author that the manuscripts have been handed down since hyperborean times, and indeed that the original ‘fragments’ predate human civilisation. The translated portions of the manuscripts carry the warning that ‘A Guardian’ will be extract a price from all who read from them.
Professor Cowles mentioned the Pnakotic Manuscripts, but said that the University of Sydney's copy went missing several years ago, when it was lent out and never returned.
Andrei has a partial photo-static copy of the manuscripts, obtained from the British Museum Library (see below)
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Andrei
Professor Cowles mentioned the Pnakotic Manuscripts, but said that the University of Sydney's copy went missing several years ago, when it was lent out and never returned.
Andrei has a partial photo-static copy of the manuscripts, obtained from the British Museum Library (see below)
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Andrei
Re: Mythos Tomes
The People of the Monolith: Volume of poetry by Justin Geoffrey. A rare prepublication draft from 1919. Includes such poems as “People of the Monolith”, “Dark Desires”, “Mirror of Nitocris”, “Out of the Old Land”, “Star Beast” and “Summer in Darkness.”
Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Thomas
Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Thomas
Re: Mythos Tomes
Life as a God: A handwritten diary by Montgomery Crompton. Wasn't actually examined by anyone. Although Thomas was going to study Erica's Tomes further after the others left New York.
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: n/a
Original Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Current Location: Inside Erica Carlyle's safe.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: n/a
Re: Mythos Tomes
The Pnakotic Manuscripts (Partial Photostatic Copy):
See above for more details of the Pnakotic Manuscripts themselves.
This was originally a complete copy of University of Sydney’s copy of the Pnakotic Manuscripts, possessed by the British Museum however a large number of pages were removed by the Cambridge professor William Fiennes shortly before he threw himself from Tower Bridge in an apparent suicide.
These missing pages, together with Professor Fiennes' own notes may be lost forever.
While investigating the partial document Andrei located a pencilled-in cipher, possibly left by Fiennes; some characters were too smudged or faded to decrypt, but Andrei managed to decode the following message (asterisks denote illegible characters):
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Andrei.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Andrei
See above for more details of the Pnakotic Manuscripts themselves.
This was originally a complete copy of University of Sydney’s copy of the Pnakotic Manuscripts, possessed by the British Museum however a large number of pages were removed by the Cambridge professor William Fiennes shortly before he threw himself from Tower Bridge in an apparent suicide.
These missing pages, together with Professor Fiennes' own notes may be lost forever.
While investigating the partial document Andrei located a pencilled-in cipher, possibly left by Fiennes; some characters were too smudged or faded to decrypt, but Andrei managed to decode the following message (asterisks denote illegible characters):
Professor Wilson of the British Museum agreed to allow Andrei to take the partial copy with him.The Bro*herh*od are com*ing **r me ***. Is this t*** tru** cu*s**? Damn my ***pid*ty**I should not *av* **usted *a*****. *hey **ll n** get my not*s, I*have *osted the**to P.R.
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Andrei.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Andrei
Re: Mythos Tomes
Praesidia Finium (Frontier Garrison): Roman Codex, written by Lollius Urbicus. A Roman Governor at that time shared the same name, but this appears to have been written by someone else – probably either a high ranking soldier or a scholar. In either case they lived in the city of Eburacum (York) eastern Britannia (England) during the mid-second century AD.
The codex details many mysterious happenings during this period, particularly with regard to the Legio VI Victrix (the 6th ‘Victorious’ Legion). The section that Nethaniel finds most interesting dates from the winter of a year that he and Gwen estimate to be around 154AD – exact translation of Roman dates to the modern calendar varies from difficult to impossible.
At that time most of the Legion were garrisoned in York, but they also spent much of their time north of Vallum Hadriani (the Wall of Hadrian) working on the new defensive wall Vallum Antonini (the Wall of Antonius).
The York garrison have been suffering “mysterious” nocturnal attacks, resulting in the deaths of several sentries, and the stealing / sabotage of weapons and supplies. The attacks seem ghostly in nature and mutiny is in the air amongst some of the superstitious Legionaries.
Urbicus suspects that the attacks have been perpetrated by survivors of the Druid cult, infiltrating from Caledonia (Scotland) north of the wall. He also blames the Druids and their “dark arts” for the mysterious disappearance of the Legio IX Hispania two decades earlier – the 6th were moved into Britannia to replace this lost legion.
Urbicus’ suspicions are borne out when one of the mysterious druids is captured outside the garrison after a fresh attack. The prisoner is interrogated and, before his death, he reveals that the “fog spawn” are hatched from eggs collected near an isolated hamlet in the highlands. The hamlet located “North of Derventio” (a Roman Camp, in the location of modern day Derby) and “West of Lindum” (Lincoln) “and the Rykneild Way” (a Roman Road). This location would seem to tie in with the site of modern day Lesser-Edale, the location of attacks by the so called “Derwent Monster.”
Urbicus reports that a full Cohort of Infantry (approx 500 men, roughly a tenth of a Legion) have been dispatched to the hamlet to suppress the Druids. Later he reports that the operation appears to have been initially successful – with all of cultists being either killed in battle or captured and subsequently crucified.
Several nights later however, while the moon was at its fullest, all contact with the Cohort was lost. The rest of the Legion was dispatched to investigate, and they found that the missing detachment had been slaughtered to a man, and the hamlet itself abandoned. Urbicus reports that the cursed hamlet has been burned to the ground, lime strewn on all lands within a mile, and all historical record of the settlement destroyed.
Nethaniel possesses a translated version of the Codex - "Frontier Garrison" (see below).
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Read by: Nethaniel
Skimmed by: Gwen
The codex details many mysterious happenings during this period, particularly with regard to the Legio VI Victrix (the 6th ‘Victorious’ Legion). The section that Nethaniel finds most interesting dates from the winter of a year that he and Gwen estimate to be around 154AD – exact translation of Roman dates to the modern calendar varies from difficult to impossible.
At that time most of the Legion were garrisoned in York, but they also spent much of their time north of Vallum Hadriani (the Wall of Hadrian) working on the new defensive wall Vallum Antonini (the Wall of Antonius).
The York garrison have been suffering “mysterious” nocturnal attacks, resulting in the deaths of several sentries, and the stealing / sabotage of weapons and supplies. The attacks seem ghostly in nature and mutiny is in the air amongst some of the superstitious Legionaries.
Urbicus suspects that the attacks have been perpetrated by survivors of the Druid cult, infiltrating from Caledonia (Scotland) north of the wall. He also blames the Druids and their “dark arts” for the mysterious disappearance of the Legio IX Hispania two decades earlier – the 6th were moved into Britannia to replace this lost legion.
Urbicus’ suspicions are borne out when one of the mysterious druids is captured outside the garrison after a fresh attack. The prisoner is interrogated and, before his death, he reveals that the “fog spawn” are hatched from eggs collected near an isolated hamlet in the highlands. The hamlet located “North of Derventio” (a Roman Camp, in the location of modern day Derby) and “West of Lindum” (Lincoln) “and the Rykneild Way” (a Roman Road). This location would seem to tie in with the site of modern day Lesser-Edale, the location of attacks by the so called “Derwent Monster.”
Urbicus reports that a full Cohort of Infantry (approx 500 men, roughly a tenth of a Legion) have been dispatched to the hamlet to suppress the Druids. Later he reports that the operation appears to have been initially successful – with all of cultists being either killed in battle or captured and subsequently crucified.
Several nights later however, while the moon was at its fullest, all contact with the Cohort was lost. The rest of the Legion was dispatched to investigate, and they found that the missing detachment had been slaughtered to a man, and the hamlet itself abandoned. Urbicus reports that the cursed hamlet has been burned to the ground, lime strewn on all lands within a mile, and all historical record of the settlement destroyed.
Nethaniel possesses a translated version of the Codex - "Frontier Garrison" (see below).
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Read by: Nethaniel
Skimmed by: Gwen
Re: Mythos Tomes
Frontier Garrison: English translation of Praesidia Finium(See above).
Professor Wilson of the British Museum agreed to allow Nethaniel to take the translated book with him (saying that the original Roman Codex was possibly the most valuable book in the whole museum).
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Nethaniel.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Nethaniel & Gwen
Professor Wilson of the British Museum agreed to allow Nethaniel to take the translated book with him (saying that the original Roman Codex was possibly the most valuable book in the whole museum).
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Nethaniel.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Nethaniel & Gwen
Re: Mythos Tomes
Africa's Dark Sects: Written in 1916 & 17 by the English author Nigel Blackwell, Africa’s Dark Sects was eventually published in January 1924. It details Blackwell’s investigations into several alleged African Death Cults. The one of the largest chapters of the book details what he learned of the Cult of the Bloody Tongue during his 1915/16 visit to British East Africa (renamed Kenya in 1920).
Blackwell’s investigation uncovered dark allegation and suspicions among many outlaying villages in the Nairobi region: tales of abductions during the night, and of the beheadings or ritual mutilations of any who dared cross the feared cult’s path. In all cases the skin of the victim’s forehead would be inscribed with the Cult’s rune. An illustration of the Cult’s rune is almost identical to the one carved into Jackson’s forehead by his murderers. Although he doesn’t witness any violence, or victims firsthand, Blackwell writes that he was taken to the scene of a recent murder – that of a local religious leader who dared stand up to the Bloody Tongue Cult. The body of the victim had already been cremated, but Blackwell wrote that the scene of the attack itself still bear the stains of the poor priest’s murder. The murder took place right in the centre of the village – a sign of the Cult’s power, and of the villagers’ fear.
There is a large amount of information about the Kenyan cult in the chapter, although a great deal of it is conjecture, born out of the superstitious fears of the tribal villagers. The chapter also often tries to draw parallels with topics already discussed in other chapters, but Maksim does not have time to cross-reference things or to read the entire book. While discussing the dark rumours about the Cult, Blackwell makes no mention of the “great winged” creatures quoted in Jackson’s Nairobi notes, but he does often refer to the Bloody Tongue Cult’s god as the God of the Black Winds. He also states that the British Authorities, preoccupied with their own conflicts against the German forces of Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck from neighbouring German East Africa have no interest in dealing with what they call “tribal infighting.”
The final section of the chapter refers to a trip made by Blackwell in February of 1916. Blackwell, accompanied by several native guides from the Kikuyu tribe, journeyed deep into the Rift valley, north of Nairobi. And into the foothills of the mountains that overlooked the valley. His tribal guides bravely promised to take him to a ritual site of the Cult of the Bloody Tongue.
Fortune was with the author, for a rite took place on the very night that he visited the site:
Before his death, Jackson Elias attempted to obtain a copy of this book from the Wildener Library of Harvard University, but his friend the librarian Miriam Atwright reported that the book had been stolen.
Professor Wilson of the British Museum agreed to allow the investigators to take the book with them, providing that it remains in Gwen's care.
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Gwen.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Maksim
Blackwell’s investigation uncovered dark allegation and suspicions among many outlaying villages in the Nairobi region: tales of abductions during the night, and of the beheadings or ritual mutilations of any who dared cross the feared cult’s path. In all cases the skin of the victim’s forehead would be inscribed with the Cult’s rune. An illustration of the Cult’s rune is almost identical to the one carved into Jackson’s forehead by his murderers. Although he doesn’t witness any violence, or victims firsthand, Blackwell writes that he was taken to the scene of a recent murder – that of a local religious leader who dared stand up to the Bloody Tongue Cult. The body of the victim had already been cremated, but Blackwell wrote that the scene of the attack itself still bear the stains of the poor priest’s murder. The murder took place right in the centre of the village – a sign of the Cult’s power, and of the villagers’ fear.
There is a large amount of information about the Kenyan cult in the chapter, although a great deal of it is conjecture, born out of the superstitious fears of the tribal villagers. The chapter also often tries to draw parallels with topics already discussed in other chapters, but Maksim does not have time to cross-reference things or to read the entire book. While discussing the dark rumours about the Cult, Blackwell makes no mention of the “great winged” creatures quoted in Jackson’s Nairobi notes, but he does often refer to the Bloody Tongue Cult’s god as the God of the Black Winds. He also states that the British Authorities, preoccupied with their own conflicts against the German forces of Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck from neighbouring German East Africa have no interest in dealing with what they call “tribal infighting.”
The final section of the chapter refers to a trip made by Blackwell in February of 1916. Blackwell, accompanied by several native guides from the Kikuyu tribe, journeyed deep into the Rift valley, north of Nairobi. And into the foothills of the mountains that overlooked the valley. His tribal guides bravely promised to take him to a ritual site of the Cult of the Bloody Tongue.
Fortune was with the author, for a rite took place on the very night that he visited the site:
These are the last words of the Bloody Tongue chapter. Notably the Cult of the Bloody Tongue appears to be the last such cult investigated by Nigel Blackwell.Africa’s Dark Sects wrote: “As the priestess whirled around the fire-lit circle, chanting dim words from an ancient spell, the cult executioners busied themselves with their screaming sacrifices. As the blood flowed, a chill wind sprang up, and I felt a flash of fear: the wind had become visible, a black vapour against the gibbous, leering Moon, and slowly my terror grew as I comprehended the monstrous thing taking form. The corrosive stench of it hinted at vileness beyond evil. When I saw the great red appendage which alone constituted the face of the thing, my courage died, and I fled unseeing into the night.”
Before his death, Jackson Elias attempted to obtain a copy of this book from the Wildener Library of Harvard University, but his friend the librarian Miriam Atwright reported that the book had been stolen.
Professor Wilson of the British Museum agreed to allow the investigators to take the book with them, providing that it remains in Gwen's care.
Original Location: The Black Library - beneath the British Museum.
Current Location: Carried by Gwen.
Read by: n/a
Skimmed by: Maksim
Re: Mythos Tomes
I'm just moving this entire tread over to the new clues subforum, as I think that Mythos Tomes still need their own separate thread.
Unfortunately since Andrei and Nethaniel have definitely kept the Tomes that they possess with them at all times, I'm going to have to assume that Gwen did the same and that Africa's Dark Sects is lost to you for the time being. And that may be the second copy that the bad guys have stolen, as Harvard University's copy had already gone missing. At least Maksim had a quick look though it at the museum.
Unfortunately since Andrei and Nethaniel have definitely kept the Tomes that they possess with them at all times, I'm going to have to assume that Gwen did the same and that Africa's Dark Sects is lost to you for the time being. And that may be the second copy that the bad guys have stolen, as Harvard University's copy had already gone missing. At least Maksim had a quick look though it at the museum.
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