Lovecraft Series

Canon Setting
The story takes place in what is largely the canon/mythos established by the works
of H.P. Lovecraft, with subtle differences.

Temporal and Physical Setting

The series is set in the early-to-mid-1920s, around 1922 to 1925 or so. Physically
the story takes place on the east coast. A few parts take place in Lovecraft
Country, the fictional New England locations described in Lovecrafts works. For the
most part however, the series takes place in the tidewater region of Virginia, the
Mississippi delta bayous of Louisiana, and the Everglades and other swamps of
Florida; more broadly, the story is set in the strip of freshwater and marine wetlands
running along the southeast coast.

Influences
Beyond the works of H.P. Lovecraft and other cosmic/weird horror authors, this
series is influenced by various related forms of fiction, often pulp fiction.
Specifically, the series draws themes and elements from hardboiled detective
fiction, noir fiction, and crime fiction set around the 1920s.
The series takes place more in the southeast, compared to the northeast focus in
Lovecrafts own works. Therefore, Southern Gothic themes and imagery are
appropriate and encouraged.

Imagery
In accordance with the temporal setting, Art Deco imagery and Speakeasy Style
should be common.

Themes
Fear of the Strange and Unknown
One cannot have a Lovecraftian work of cosmic horror without giving a major
emphasis to the fear caused by encountering beings or forces of such bizarre and
alien nature. Such encounters cause characters and viewers to question the
importance of mankind in the grand scheme of things, to see the cosmos as a vast
and alien place in which we are irrelevant.
Unlike the works of Lovecraft however, this series sometimes takes a more positive
view of cosmic revelations. If mankind is truly alone in a vast and hostile cosmos,
then is it not all the more important that we embrace out fellow humans?
Characters who encounter mythos elements may recover and become more open
and social as a result.

Prejudice
Lovecrafts emphasis on fear of alien things was likely rooted in his own fears and
extreme prejudices. Accordingly, and since this is a pre-Civil Rights setting, racial
prejudice is a major factor in many stories. Classism might also come in to play, as
characters will likely come from many different social backgrounds.
Furthermore, if the fear of cosmic horror comes from having our most basic
assumptions about reality challenged, then perhaps those exposed to cosmic horror
will begin to question their own negative assumptions such as racism, sexism,
classism, or xenophobia. An encounter with hostile alien life forms may serve to
hammer in just how much the similarities between individual humans can be more
important than their differences.

Corruption and Secrets

The police turn out to be crooked, accepting bribes from the bootleggers; the
government is no better. The high-ranking members of society who pushed for
prohibition constantly violate it at private parties. The criminal mob is secretly run
by a cult of the old ones, comprised mainly of inhuman hybrids. This is a series is
which assumptions idealism and faith are repeatedly broken down, first by mundane
cirruption and deceit, then by the revelation of fantastic cosmic horrors.
Hypocrisy
The leaders of the KKK are more concerned with making money off of new recruits
than actually keeping down blacks. The politician who drove heavily to get
prohibition passed drinks regularly in secret, having pushed for the amendment only
as an excuse to deny and draw attention away from womens suffrage. The elites
who see themselves as the highest examples of proper society are least likely to
actually help society when it is threatened.

Greed
Greed proves to be a recurring theme as well in this story. Many of the humans who
ally themselves with cosmic forces do so at least initially out of greed.

Factions
The Badges
The enforcers of the law, including police, the FBI, and the military.
Purpose and Goals

The purpose of these groups is law enforcement, and in theory that should also be
their goal. However, corruption is relatively common, usually driven by the desire
for wealth and power.
Members
Anyone who can get into law enforcement. In this era the vast majority of members
are white, and pretty much all are men.

The Mob
Various criminal organizations, mostly profiting off of bootlegging and running
speakeasies.
Purpose and Goals
To obtain money, without regards for the legality of the methods by which it is
obtained.
Members
The mob draws mainly from the lower and middle classes, with a few individuals in
higher ranks whose families can claim upper-class status. Though the roots of many
mobs lay in immigrants, and thus members often come from old immigrant families,
the popularity of bootlegging can make just about anyone a potential participant.

Academics
The professors and researchers of Miskatonic University and other academic
institutions.
Purpose and Goals
The pursuit of knowledge.
Members
Techers, explorers, scientists, researchers, design engineers, and other men of
education. In this era the presence of women in higher education is almost unheard
of.
Resources and Abilities
The resources of academics depends on their personal wealth, the wealth of their
institution, and what resources the institution is willing to provide a particular
individual.
The vast majority of academics have no supernatural abilities whatsoever, and
would scoff at claims of such. However, a few who have experienced the mythos
might know a few tricks.

The Cult of Cthulhu

The most widespread cult of any great old one. The cult of Cthulhu includes the
Esoteric Order of Dagon, various savage cults, and the Hermetic Order of the
Silver Twilight (HOST).
Purpose and Goals
In theory the Cult of Cthulhu seeks to reawaken and free their deity. However, it is
possible that the deep ones are manipulating the cult for their own benefit (see
below), and/or that some cultists seek power with no actual interest in ending the
world.

Members
The bestial Cult of Cthulhu can be found anywhere, but is by far most common
among sailors, dockworkers, and fishermen. Most members are drawn from the
lower classes, especially from members of non-European ethnic groups searching
for escape from the oppression of Western civilization.
The Esoteric Order of Dagon draws more from the middle classes, mostly those who
already have deep one blood in their veins.
The Order of the Silver Twilight draws members primarily from the upper classes,
but occasionally from middle-class or even lower-class individuals who become
regularly involved with Order property.
Recruitment
The bestial cult mostly draws in the desperate and lonely, preferably those who are
already sensitive to the psychic influence of Cthulhu. New members are confronted
with rituals and artifacts that further increase the effects of Cthulhu on them,
accelerating their mental degradation.
The Esoteric Order of Dagon is mostly passed down through already established
Innsmouth families. On rare occasions however, new members are recruited by
being persuaded to make various sacrifices to the deep ones in exchange fro gold,
nautical success, or other benefits.
HOLD advertises as a standard fraternal/hermetic order, offering spiritual fulfillment
and worldly influence.
Leadership
The leaders of bestial cults tend to be individuals who have remained relatively
functional. Some have been exposed to the psychic call of Cthulhu for a long time,
keeping their minds intact but becoming obsessed with or even addicted to the

Great Old Ones influence. Others however are less interested in actually raising
Cthulhu, simply manipulating less aware cultists for their own worldly benefit.
The esoteric order of Dagon is ultimately led by the Deep Ones, via the church
elders. The deep ones in turn are led by the elder of their species, particularly father
Dagon and mother Hydra.
HOLD is led by its inner circle, with leadership distributed through a complex
hierarchy.

The Cult of Shub-Niggurath

The matriarchal cult of the Black Goat, the Magna Mater. They are actually relatively
harmless, when left alone. This is ultimately a fertility religion, but it can take on
very threatening aspects in some incarnations.
Purpose and Goals
Individual cultists may have all sorts of goals, but the cult of Shub-Niggurath as a
whole simply exist to continue revering its deity. They are most active (and
dangerous) when defending sacred sites threatened by the encroachment of
civilization, or (more rarely) taking back a site that has been lost.
Members
The cult is comprised largely of women, being matriarchal by nature. Indeed, the
cult of Shub-Niggurath often recruits its members from women who feel
downtrodden by society; mostly these are women who have given up on political
activism, but there are some ties between the cult and the womens suffrage
movement. These ties are rare though, mainly because the vast majority of the
cultists come from rural backgrounds.

The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign

This bizarre and enigmatic group is devoted to the King in Yellow, finding him in
decadence and macabre art. In the United States they are most active in French
Cajun areas of Louisiana, and to some extent in New York City.
The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign takes on a number of different forms. The two
most prevalent branches of the cult are often referred to as the Indulgents and
the Royalists. There are also many individual cells not affiliated with either of the
aforementioned branches.
The indulgents are most common incarnation of the Brotherhood, found especially
in New Orleans, financing art shows and wild parties for the elite of society. The
Royalists are most common around New York state, particularly New York city, but
may also be found in any regions of the south where white supremacist groups are
common.

Purpose and Goals

The actual long-term goals of the Brotherhood are unclear, perhaps unknown even
to its own members.
The Royalists seem to be working towards the restoration of The Imperial Dynasty
of America, but how they mean to accomplish this varies. Most hold some variety
of proto0Nazi beliefs about white superiority and the Aryan race; many, for
example, believe that whites are descended from settlers from Carcosa, and thus
superior and distinct from other races.
The indulgents are focused mainly on spreading the influence of Hastur by
encouraging decadence among the wealthy and madness among artists. They are
found in the classiest of speakeasies, and at the swankiest of parties; they thrive on
the upper class decadence of the era, as described in The Great Gatsby.
Artistically they are associated with particularly macabre artists of surrealism, are
noveau, and art deco.
Independent cells are often more religiously inclined, seeking new recruits or the
recovery of certain icons. Some simply wish to share the inspiration the King in
Yellow has provided them, giving it to the public through disturbing works of art.
One common goal among the Brotherhood is to oppose the Mi-Go, though the
reasons for this is unknown.
Members
Members of the Brotherhood, especially the indulgents, are drawn mainly from
artists from any social class, or upper-class dilettantes and dandies. The Royalists
accept members from a greater variety of social backgrounds, but the vast majority
of Royalist cells only accept white members.
Among independent cells, the only common requirement is to have read the play
The King in Yellow.

Recruitment
The Brotherhood recruits potential members by first seeking to gain some influence
over them, then persuading them to read The King in Yellow. If the potential
member shows a favorable reaction to the play then they are introduced to the cult;
otherwise they are abandoned, used as unknowing pawns, or simply killed.

Leaders
The indulgent portion of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign appears to lack an
organized leadership structure; some individuals simply come to wield more
influence. The Royalists have a more hierarchal structure, but it is unknown who or

what lies at the top. Independent cells tend to be led by a single charismatic
member.

Resources and Abilities

The main resources of the cult are the material goods offered by the high social
status of many members, and talent for manipulating the minds of others.
It is usually rare for members of the Brotherhood to display overt supernatural
powers, and those abilities that they do wield tend to be subtle and surreal. One
notable exception is the tendency of members to rise from the dead if killed
prematurely; individuals who return in this manner often develop more potent
abilities, mainly associated with decay and corrosion.