Insect from Shaggai
Encyclopedia
An Insect from Shaggai is a member of a fictional
alien
race (also known as the Shan) in the Cthulhu Mythos
. The being was created by British author Ramsey Campbell
, who was inspired by a similar creature in H. P. Lovecraft
's commonplace book
. The Shan first appeared in Campbell's short story
"The Insects From Shaggai" (1964
).
The Insects from Shaggai, or Shan, are a race of pigeon-sized, interstellar refugees who arrived on Earth centuries ago. The Shan hail from the planet Shaggai, a world that orbits twin emerald suns. In its heyday, the technologically advanced Shan lived in globular dwellings in huge cities. As devout worshippers of the Outer God Azathoth
, they erected pyramidal temples containing "multidimensional gates" whereby "that from Outside" (an aspect of Azathoth called Xada-Hgla) could enter.
One day, a mysterious object appeared in the sky. Day by day, this object drew closer to Shaggai, until the third day when the strange celestial visitor emitted a red glow that destroyed the planet. Only those Shan in their teleporting
temples of Azathoth survived the catastrophe. The survivors teleported to their colony on the planet Xiclotl, where their brethren had enslaved the native inhabitants.
The Shan remained on Xiclotl for some time, but upon discovering the frightening nature of their slaves' singular religious practice, they teleported to the planet Thuggon. A horrific find on this world prompted the Shan to flee once more, this time to the planet L'gy'hx, aka Uranus
. When this world proved unsuitable, a small band of the Shan teleported to Earth—in a curious cone-shaped temple—arriving in the Severn Valley
region of England
sometime in the Middle Ages
.
of sunlight because the electromagnetic frequency
of the Sun's rays poisons their metabolism
.
As a result of contact with Azathoth—the head of the mythos pantheon—the Shan developed the ability of Kirlian Phasing, allowing them to pass into the skulls and brains of organic life. On Earth, they usually meld with their new favorite hosts, humanity. Once ensconced within the cranium of a human victim, they use cruel alien telepathy
to gradually dominate and control their puppet.
The psychology of the Insects from Shaggai is completely alien, lacking any recognizable human ethics. Other than a few heretics, the Shan are divided into two factions: Fanatical worshippers of Azathoth's avatar Xada Hgla that wish to eliminate all other sects and consider other deities to be inferior or false, and a faction of amoral hedonists whose main purpose is to discover new experiences, most of which involve cruelty or depravity. Their sadistic fancy is often implemented through a host, preferably a sentient one, from which they feed off the electromagnetic impulses in the brain. The relationship is completely parasitic. As long as it inhabits a human host, the Shan has some control over the host's actions, and the longer it is there, the more control it gains. It can, however, be driven out by trepanation
.
about the Shan's trek, the frightful but brilliant Massa di Requiem per Shuggay ("Requiem for Shaggai"). The final act of the opera chronicles the arrival of the Shan on Earth in the 17th century and the plight of the monstrous and godlike insect-beast Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg, another former inhabitant of the dead world Shaggai. In 1769, Pope Clement XIII
banned the piece, and one year later his successor imprisoned Bordighera, branding him a heretic. A year later, Bordighera was put to death. All copies of the morose libretto
were ordered destroyed, although one or two survived.
, with their untoward influence over the planet-shattering path of Ghroth, may have instigated the obliteration of Shaggai for some inscrutable purpose. One theory even purports that Ghroth awakened the local Great Old One, The Worm that Gnaws in the Night, destroying the planet.
s, although it has no known human worshippers.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
race (also known as the Shan) in the Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
. The being was created by British author Ramsey Campbell
Ramsey Campbell
John Ramsey Campbell is an English horror fiction author.Since he first came to prominence in the mid-1960s, critics have cited Campbell as one of the leading writers in his field: T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today", while S. T...
, who was inspired by a similar creature in H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
's commonplace book
Commonplace
Commonplace books were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. They became significant in Early Modern Europe....
. The Shan first appeared in Campbell's short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"The Insects From Shaggai" (1964
1964 in literature
The year 1964 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Jean-Paul Sartre becomes head of the Organization to Defend Iranian Political Prisoners....
).
Summary
At last a shape appeared, flapping above the ground on leathery wings. The thing which flew whirring toward me was followed by a train of others, wings slapping the air at incredible speed... I could ... make out many more details... Those huge lidless eyes which stared in hate at me, the jointed tendrils which seemed to twist from the head in cosmic rhythms, the ten legs, covered with black shining tentacles and folded into the pallid underbody, and the semi-circular ridged wings covered with triangular scales... I saw the three mouths of the thing move moistly, and then it was upon me.
—Ramsey Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai"
The Insects from Shaggai, or Shan, are a race of pigeon-sized, interstellar refugees who arrived on Earth centuries ago. The Shan hail from the planet Shaggai, a world that orbits twin emerald suns. In its heyday, the technologically advanced Shan lived in globular dwellings in huge cities. As devout worshippers of the Outer God Azathoth
Azathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
, they erected pyramidal temples containing "multidimensional gates" whereby "that from Outside" (an aspect of Azathoth called Xada-Hgla) could enter.
One day, a mysterious object appeared in the sky. Day by day, this object drew closer to Shaggai, until the third day when the strange celestial visitor emitted a red glow that destroyed the planet. Only those Shan in their teleporting
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
temples of Azathoth survived the catastrophe. The survivors teleported to their colony on the planet Xiclotl, where their brethren had enslaved the native inhabitants.
The Shan remained on Xiclotl for some time, but upon discovering the frightening nature of their slaves' singular religious practice, they teleported to the planet Thuggon. A horrific find on this world prompted the Shan to flee once more, this time to the planet L'gy'hx, aka Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
. When this world proved unsuitable, a small band of the Shan teleported to Earth—in a curious cone-shaped temple—arriving in the Severn Valley
Severn Valley (Cthulhu Mythos)
The Severn Valley is the setting of several fictional towns and other locations created by horror writer Ramsey Campbell. Part of the Cthulhu Mythos started by H. P. Lovecraft, the fictional milieu is arguably the most detailed mythos setting outside of Lovecraft Country itself.-Real-world...
region of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sometime in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
Other aspects
The brains of the Shan have six lobes, giving them the ability to follow three trains of thought simultaneously. Most Shan have a phobiaPhobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...
of sunlight because the electromagnetic frequency
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
of the Sun's rays poisons their metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
.
As a result of contact with Azathoth—the head of the mythos pantheon—the Shan developed the ability of Kirlian Phasing, allowing them to pass into the skulls and brains of organic life. On Earth, they usually meld with their new favorite hosts, humanity. Once ensconced within the cranium of a human victim, they use cruel alien telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
to gradually dominate and control their puppet.
The psychology of the Insects from Shaggai is completely alien, lacking any recognizable human ethics. Other than a few heretics, the Shan are divided into two factions: Fanatical worshippers of Azathoth's avatar Xada Hgla that wish to eliminate all other sects and consider other deities to be inferior or false, and a faction of amoral hedonists whose main purpose is to discover new experiences, most of which involve cruelty or depravity. Their sadistic fancy is often implemented through a host, preferably a sentient one, from which they feed off the electromagnetic impulses in the brain. The relationship is completely parasitic. As long as it inhabits a human host, the Shan has some control over the host's actions, and the longer it is there, the more control it gains. It can, however, be driven out by trepanation
Trepanation
Trepanning, also known as trephination, trephining or making a burr hole, is a surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human skull, exposing the dura mater in order to treat health problems related to intracranial diseases. It may also refer to any "burr" hole created...
.
Massa di Requiem per Shuggay
In 1768, the enigmatic composer Benevento Chieti Bordighera wrote an operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
about the Shan's trek, the frightful but brilliant Massa di Requiem per Shuggay ("Requiem for Shaggai"). The final act of the opera chronicles the arrival of the Shan on Earth in the 17th century and the plight of the monstrous and godlike insect-beast Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg, another former inhabitant of the dead world Shaggai. In 1769, Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII , born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was Pope from 16 July 1758 to 2 February 1769....
banned the piece, and one year later his successor imprisoned Bordighera, branding him a heretic. A year later, Bordighera was put to death. All copies of the morose libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
were ordered destroyed, although one or two survived.
Shaggai's destruction
The disaster that destroyed Shaggai was likely caused by the passing of the Outer God Ghroth the Harbinger. The Mi-goMi-go
The Mi-go are a race of extraterrestrials in the Cthulhu Mythos created by H. P. Lovecraft and others. The name was first applied to the creatures in Lovecraft's short story "The Whisperer in Darkness" , taking up a reference to 'What fungi sprout in Yuggoth' in his sonnet cycle Fungi from Yuggoth...
, with their untoward influence over the planet-shattering path of Ghroth, may have instigated the obliteration of Shaggai for some inscrutable purpose. One theory even purports that Ghroth awakened the local Great Old One, The Worm that Gnaws in the Night, destroying the planet.
Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg
One of the more terrible inhabitants of Shaggai was the titanic insect-demon Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg, Bringer of Pestilence. This Great Old One appears similar to a colossal scorpion, but far more unpleasant. It has huge compound eyes interspersed with antennae, an ant-like, venom-dripping maw, and gigantic wings. It is often accompanied by a swarm of stinging insects. This being is worshipped by small conclaves of ghoulGhoul
A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights...
s, although it has no known human worshippers.
Books
- Aniolowski, Scott D., et al. "Mysterious Manuscripts" in The Unspeakable Oath #3, John Tynes (ed.), Seattle, WA: Pagan Publishing, August 1991. Periodical (role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
material). Online.
- Campbell, Ramsey. Cold Print (1st ed.), New York, NY: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1987. ISBN 0-8125-1660-5.
- Carter, Lin. "Shaggai" (1971) in The Book of Eibon (1st ed.), Robert M. Price (ed.), Chaosium, Inc., 2002. ISBN 1-56882-129-8.
- Harms, Daniel. The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (2nd ed.), Chaosium, Inc., 1998. ISBN 1-56882-119-0.