Lovecraft Country
Encyclopedia
Lovecraft Country is a term coined by Keith Herber
for the New England
setting, combining real and fictitious locations, used by H. P. Lovecraft
in many of his weird fiction
stories, and later elaborated by other writers working in the Cthulhu Mythos
. The term was popularized by Chaosium
, the producers of the Lovecraftian role-playing game
Call of Cthulhu
. Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi
refers to the area as the "Miskatonic region", after its fictional river
and university
, while Lovecraft biographer Lin Carter calls it Miskatonic County, though Lovecraft indicates that at least some of his fictional towns were located in the real-life Essex County
of Massachusetts
.
In its 1998 supplement Dead Reckonings, Chaosium defined Lovecraft Country as "a land located in the northeast of Massachusetts
. The most important portion stretches along the Miskatonic River
valley, from Dunwich
in the far west to where it enters the Atlantic Ocean
between Arkham
, Kingsport
, and Martin's Beach." If one were to replace Martin's Beach with another seaside town, Innsmouth
, one would have a list of the most significant locations in Lovecraft Country.
Sometimes the phrase is used in a more inclusive sense, encompassing not only northeastern Massachusetts but also the southern hills of Vermont
(the setting of "The Whisperer in Darkness
") as well as Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island
, where he set such works as The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
.
short story "The Terrible Old Man
", set in Kingsport
. In the story that first mentions both Arkham and the Miskatonic Valley, "The Picture in the House
" (written later in 1920), Lovecraft wrote that "the true epicure of the terrible, to whom a new thrill of unutterable ghastliness is the chief end and justification of existence, esteem most of all the ancient, lonely farmhouses of backwoods New England; for there the dark elements of strength, solitude, grotesqueness, and ignorance combine to form the perfection of the hideous."
In a 1930 letter to Robert E. Howard
, Lovecraft attempted to explain his fascination with New England as a setting for weird fiction
: "It is the night-black Massachusetts
legendary which packs the really macabre 'kick'. Here is material for a really profound study in group neuroticism; for certainly, none can deny the existence of a profoundly morbid streak in the Puritan imagination."
Lovecraft first mentioned Arkham's Miskatonic University
in Herbert West–Reanimator, written in 1921-1922. He added Dunwich to his imaginary landscape in 1928's "The Dunwich Horror
", and expanded it to include Innsmouth in 1931's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth
".
Other Lovecraft stories that make use of Lovecraft Country settings include "The Festival
", "The Colour out of Space
", "The Strange High House in the Mist
", "The Dreams in the Witch House
", and "The Thing on the Doorstep
".
, Lovecraft's friend and literary executor, discouraged other Cthulhu Mythos writers from setting their stories in Lovecraft's New England. But he himself attempted to fill in the blanks of the setting, particularly in his posthumous "collaborations" with Lovecraft — Derleth's stories based on notes or ideas that Lovecraft left behind.
"The Lurker at the Threshold
" is set in Billington's Wood
, a fictional forest north of Arkham, while "Witch's Hollow" takes place in the titular valley in the hills to the west of the town. The title of "The Fisherman of Falcon Point" refers to a promontory on the Atlantic coast south of Innsmouth. "Wentworth's Day" and "The Horror from the Middle Span" take place in the area north of Dunwich, while "The Gable Window" concerns a house on the Aylesbury Pike.
roleplaying game, series created by author/editor Keith Herber
. Most were background supplements which codified descriptions of Lovecraft's named cities, but there were also a number of adventure books. These included:
Since 1998, the Lovecraft Country name seems to have fallen out of use at Chaosium, though some of the books have been rereleased in the 2000s (H.P. Lovecraft's Dunwich, H.P. Lovecraft's Arkham, and H.P. Lovecraft's Kingsport).
Skotos
, an online game company, has licensed Chaosium's Lovecraft Country material. They have produced two games, Lovecraft Country: The Tomb of the Desert God and Lovecraft Country: Arkham by Night, as well as a comic, Lovecraft Country: Return to Arkham, written by Shannon Appelcline.
In 2008, following Chaosium's expanded licensing program for Call of Cthulhu, Keith Herber
and Tom Lynch established Miskatonic River Press. The publisher's first release, New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley, which marked both Herber's return to Call of Cthulhu and Lovecraft Country was announced for release in the autumn of 2008.
The phrase occurs in popular discussions of Lovecraft's connection to the region. The Harvard Law Record
used the phrase in an October 20, 2005 article:
" - is famed for being one of the most active areas of reported paranormal sightings in the United States, including a diverse array of phenomena ranging from UFO sightings, to ghosts, and satanic rituals.
Keith Herber
Keith "Doc" Herber was an American author, editor, and musician.Herber was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He was known for his work on Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. He was employed by Chaosium from 1989 through 1994...
for the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
setting, combining real and fictitious locations, used by 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....
in many of his weird fiction
Weird fiction
Weird fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction written in the late 19th and early 20th century. It can be said to encompass the ghost story and other tales of the macabre. Weird fiction is distinguished from horror and fantasy in that it predates the niche marketing of genre fiction...
stories, and later elaborated by other writers working 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 term was popularized by Chaosium
Chaosium
Chaosium is one of the longer lived publishers of role-playing games still in existence. Founded by Greg Stafford, its first game was actually a wargame, White Bear and Red Moon, which later mutated into Dragon Pass and its sequel, Nomad Gods...
, the producers of the Lovecraftian role-playing game
Role-playing game
A 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...
Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)
Call of Cthulhu is a horror fiction role-playing game based on H. P. Lovecraft's story of the same name and the associated Cthulhu Mythos.The game, often abbreviated as CoC, is published by Chaosium.-Setting:...
. Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi
S. T. Joshi
Sunand Tryambak Joshi — known as S. T. Joshi — is an award-winning Indian American literary critic, novelist, and a leading figure in the study of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and other authors of weird and fantastic fiction...
refers to the area as the "Miskatonic region", after its fictional river
Miskatonic River
The Miskatonic River is a fictional New England river in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. It is also the name of a river system, the Miskatonic Valley. The equally fictitious Miskatonic University in Arkham is named after this river...
and university
Miskatonic University
Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham; a fictitious town which is said to exist in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River . After first appearing in the H. P...
, while Lovecraft biographer Lin Carter calls it Miskatonic County, though Lovecraft indicates that at least some of his fictional towns were located in the real-life Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
In its 1998 supplement Dead Reckonings, Chaosium defined Lovecraft Country as "a land located in the northeast of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The most important portion stretches along the Miskatonic River
Miskatonic River
The Miskatonic River is a fictional New England river in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. It is also the name of a river system, the Miskatonic Valley. The equally fictitious Miskatonic University in Arkham is named after this river...
valley, from Dunwich
Dunwich (Lovecraft)
Dunwich is a fictional town that appeared in the H. P. Lovecraft short story "The Dunwich Horror" . Dunwich is found in the fictional Miskatonic River Valley of Massachusetts, part of the imaginary region sometimes called Lovecraft Country...
in the far west to where it enters the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
between Arkham
Arkham
Arkham is a fictional city in Massachusetts, part of the Lovecraft Country setting created by H. P. Lovecraft and is featured in many of his stories, as well as those of other Cthulhu Mythos writers....
, Kingsport
Kingsport (Lovecraft)
Kingsport is a fictional town in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. The town first appeared in Lovecraft's short story "The Terrible Old Man"...
, and Martin's Beach." If one were to replace Martin's Beach with another seaside town, Innsmouth
Innsmouth
Innsmouth is a fictional town in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Lovecraft Country setting of the Cthulhu Mythos.Lovecraft first used the name "Innsmouth" in his 1920 short story "Celephaïs" , where it refers to a fictional town in New England...
, one would have a list of the most significant locations in Lovecraft Country.
Sometimes the phrase is used in a more inclusive sense, encompassing not only northeastern Massachusetts but also the southern hills of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
(the setting of "The Whisperer in Darkness
The Whisperer in Darkness
"The Whisperer in Darkness" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written February–September 1930, it was first published in Weird Tales, August 1931. Similar to "The Colour Out of Space" , it is a blend of horror and science fiction...
") as well as Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, where he set such works as The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is a short novel by H. P. Lovecraft, written in early 1927, but not published during the author's liftetime...
.
Lovecraft's fiction
Lovecraft first used a New England setting for the 19201920 in literature
The year 1920 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Agatha Christie publishes her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, introducing the long-running character detective, Hercule Poirot....
short story "The Terrible Old Man
The Terrible Old Man
"The Terrible Old Man" is a very short story by H. P. Lovecraft, written on January 28, 1920, and first published in the Tryout, an amateur press publication, in July 1921...
", set in Kingsport
Kingsport (Lovecraft)
Kingsport is a fictional town in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. The town first appeared in Lovecraft's short story "The Terrible Old Man"...
. In the story that first mentions both Arkham and the Miskatonic Valley, "The Picture in the House
The Picture in the House
"The Picture in the House" is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written on December 12, 1920, and first published in the July 1919 issue of The National Amateur-- which actually was published in the summer of 1921.-Lovecraft Country:...
" (written later in 1920), Lovecraft wrote that "the true epicure of the terrible, to whom a new thrill of unutterable ghastliness is the chief end and justification of existence, esteem most of all the ancient, lonely farmhouses of backwoods New England; for there the dark elements of strength, solitude, grotesqueness, and ignorance combine to form the perfection of the hideous."
In a 1930 letter to Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
, Lovecraft attempted to explain his fascination with New England as a setting for weird fiction
Weird fiction
Weird fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction written in the late 19th and early 20th century. It can be said to encompass the ghost story and other tales of the macabre. Weird fiction is distinguished from horror and fantasy in that it predates the niche marketing of genre fiction...
: "It is the night-black Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
legendary which packs the really macabre 'kick'. Here is material for a really profound study in group neuroticism; for certainly, none can deny the existence of a profoundly morbid streak in the Puritan imagination."
Lovecraft first mentioned Arkham's Miskatonic University
Miskatonic University
Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham; a fictitious town which is said to exist in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River . After first appearing in the H. P...
in Herbert West–Reanimator, written in 1921-1922. He added Dunwich to his imaginary landscape in 1928's "The Dunwich Horror
The Dunwich Horror
"The Dunwich Horror" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written in 1928, it was first published in the April 1929 issue of Weird Tales . It takes place in Dunwich, a fictional town in Massachusetts...
", and expanded it to include Innsmouth in 1931's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. Written in November-December 1931, the story was first published in April 1936; this was the only fiction of Lovecraft's published during his lifetime that did not appear in a periodical....
".
Other Lovecraft stories that make use of Lovecraft Country settings include "The Festival
The Festival (short story)
"The Festival" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft written in October 1923 and published in the January 1925 issue of Weird Tales. It is considered to be one of the first of his Cthulhu Mythos stories.-Inspiration:...
", "The Colour out of Space
The Colour Out of Space
"The Colour Out of Space" is a short story written by American fantasy author H. P. Lovecraft in March 1927. In the tale, an unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" in the wild hills west of Arkham, Massachusetts...
", "The Strange High House in the Mist
The Strange High House in the Mist
"The Strange High House in the Mist" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written on November 9, 1926, it was first published in the October 1931 issue of Weird Tales.-Inspiration:An H. P...
", "The Dreams in the Witch House
The Dreams in the Witch House
"The Dreams in the Witch House" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. Written in January/February 1932, it was first published in the July 1933 issue of Weird Tales.-Inspiration:...
", and "The Thing on the Doorstep
The Thing on the Doorstep
"The Thing on the Doorstep" is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the so-called Cthulhu Mythos universe of horror fiction. It was written in August 1933, and first published in the January 1937 issue of Weird Tales.-Inspiration:...
".
Derleth's additions
August DerlethAugust Derleth
August William Derleth was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first publisher of the writings of H. P...
, Lovecraft's friend and literary executor, discouraged other Cthulhu Mythos writers from setting their stories in Lovecraft's New England. But he himself attempted to fill in the blanks of the setting, particularly in his posthumous "collaborations" with Lovecraft — Derleth's stories based on notes or ideas that Lovecraft left behind.
"The Lurker at the Threshold
The Lurker at the Threshold
The Lurker at the Threshold is a short novel in the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror. It was written in 1945 by August Derleth, based on two short fragments written by H. P. Lovecraft, who died in 1937, and published as a collaboration between the two authors. According to S. T...
" is set in Billington's Wood
John Billington
John Billington was an Englishman who was convicted of murder in what would become the United States, and the first to be hanged for any crime in New England. Billington was also a signer of the Mayflower Compact....
, a fictional forest north of Arkham, while "Witch's Hollow" takes place in the titular valley in the hills to the west of the town. The title of "The Fisherman of Falcon Point" refers to a promontory on the Atlantic coast south of Innsmouth. "Wentworth's Day" and "The Horror from the Middle Span" take place in the area north of Dunwich, while "The Gable Window" concerns a house on the Aylesbury Pike.
Roleplaying games
Between 1990 and 1998, Chaosium released a number of Lovecraft Country gamebooks for the Call of CthulhuCall of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu may refer to:* "The Call of Cthulhu", the original short story by H. P. Lovecraft* Call of Cthulhu , published by Chaosium* Call of Cthulhu Collectible Card Game, published by Fantasy Flight Games...
roleplaying game, series created by author/editor Keith Herber
Keith Herber
Keith "Doc" Herber was an American author, editor, and musician.Herber was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He was known for his work on Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. He was employed by Chaosium from 1989 through 1994...
. Most were background supplements which codified descriptions of Lovecraft's named cities, but there were also a number of adventure books. These included:
- Arkham Unveiled (1990)
- Return to Dunwich (1991)
- Kingsport: The City in the Mist (1991)
- Escape from Innsmouth (1992)
- Adventures in Arkham Country (1993)
- Miskatonic University (1994)
- Tales of the Miskatonic Valley
- Dead Reckonings (1998)
- Before the Fall (1998)
- Children of the Deep (unreleased sequel that explored Innsmouth after its fall described in Escape from Innsmouth)
Since 1998, the Lovecraft Country name seems to have fallen out of use at Chaosium, though some of the books have been rereleased in the 2000s (H.P. Lovecraft's Dunwich, H.P. Lovecraft's Arkham, and H.P. Lovecraft's Kingsport).
Skotos
Skotos
Skotos, sometimes known as Skotos Tech, is an online game company that was founded in 1999 and released its first game, Castle Marrach, in September 2000. Its primary focus is prose online RPGs , though it currently offers a total of 15 different games...
, an online game company, has licensed Chaosium's Lovecraft Country material. They have produced two games, Lovecraft Country: The Tomb of the Desert God and Lovecraft Country: Arkham by Night, as well as a comic, Lovecraft Country: Return to Arkham, written by Shannon Appelcline.
In 2008, following Chaosium's expanded licensing program for Call of Cthulhu, Keith Herber
Keith Herber
Keith "Doc" Herber was an American author, editor, and musician.Herber was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He was known for his work on Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. He was employed by Chaosium from 1989 through 1994...
and Tom Lynch established Miskatonic River Press. The publisher's first release, New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley, which marked both Herber's return to Call of Cthulhu and Lovecraft Country was announced for release in the autumn of 2008.
- New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley (2009)
Other uses
The phrase Lovecraft Country is now used outside of the Cthulhu gaming community. Return to Lovecraft Country was a collection of short stories set in "the New England of H.P. Lovecraft", published by Triad Entertainments in 1996. The editor, Scott David Aniolowski, has also done editorial work for Chaosium. Eternal Lovecraft, a short-story collection published by Golden Gryphon Press in 1998, has a section called "Lovecraft Country".The phrase occurs in popular discussions of Lovecraft's connection to the region. The Harvard Law Record
Harvard Law Record
The Harvard Law Record is an independent, biweekly student-edited newspaper based at Harvard Law School. Founded in 1946, it is the oldest law school newspaper in the United States.-Characteristics:...
used the phrase in an October 20, 2005 article:
- Many Lovecraft stories take place in "Lovecraft Country"--the fictional North Shore towns of Arkham, Innsmouth, Kingsport, and Dunwich (perhaps fictional equivalents of Ipswich, Salem/Danvers, Marblehead, or Newburyport).
See also
Ironically, while many of Lovecraft's fictional stories were set in rural north-eastern Massachusetts, in real life a large region of rural south-eastern Massachusetts - dubbed the "Bridgewater TriangleBridgewater Triangle
The Bridgewater Triangle refers to an area of about within southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. claimed to be a site of alleged paranormal phenomena, ranging from UFO's to poltergeists and orbs, balls of fire and other spectral phenomena, various "bigfoot" sightings, giant snakes and...
" - is famed for being one of the most active areas of reported paranormal sightings in the United States, including a diverse array of phenomena ranging from UFO sightings, to ghosts, and satanic rituals.
External links
- "A Short Tour of Lovecraftian New England", from The Cthulhu Mythos: A Guide
- Chaosium's (empty) Lovecraft Country Page
- Skotos' Lovecraft Country Game Pages
- Return to Lovecraft Country Book (ISBN 1-57502-535-3)
- Eternal Lovecraft Book (ISBN 0-9655901-7-8)
- Lovecraftian Sites in New England