i Yog-Sothoth “Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate. Past, present, future, all are one in Yog-Sothoth. He knows where the Old Ones broke through of old, and where They shall break through again. He knows where They have trod earth’s fields, and where They still tread them, and why no one can behold Them as They tread.” -- H. P. Lovecraft, “The Dunwich Horror”

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This card shows the titular Key and Gate of Yog- The connection between Yog-Sothoth and the Magician Sothoth, with a portion of the “congeries of spheres” (the traditional Arcanum 1) is likewise somewhat by which that entity manifests itself in our mere three- obscure to me at twenty-odd years’ remove, save that dimensional geometry. I dug out the original notebook the Magician usually unites the four minor arcana in paper onto which I copied a whole raft of variegated his symbolism, and serves as a first obstacle and/or first symbols for use in my Call of Cthulhu games, which doorway to the questing initiate. means that I know the design on the gate means “unity” (Yog-Sothoth being the “All in One”) but not where it originally came from.

 ii Abhoth “I, who am Abhoth, the coeval of the oldest gods, consider that the Archetypes have shown a questionable taste in recommending you to me.” -- Clark Ashton Smith, “The Seven Geases”

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Why the alchemical symbol for Fire, in a ring yet, is Arcanum 2 is usually the High Priestess, and associated incised on the rim of Abhoth’s crater, I couldn’t tell you, with spiritual birth and fertility, a role borne out by unless I equated Fire with Abhoth’s domain of creation Abhoth’s mindless and endless fecundity in Smith’s and birth. (Lava and volcanism? The big bang?) The story. Another name for Arcanum 2 is the Female Pope symbol also indicates the Trinity, which seems even (from the legend of Pope Joan, who died in childbirth less likely. The symbol for Fire in a circle sometimes on the Vatican steps) implying both blasphemous means iosis, the “violet stage” of rubedo, the alchemical religion and illegitimate creation, both appropriate to reddening. I’m not sure this makes things much clearer, Abhoth. but it’s certainly evocative.

 iii Shub-Niggurath “… Shub-Niggurath, the All-Mother and wife of the Not-to-Be-Named-One. This deity was a kind of sophisticated Astarte, and her worship struck the pious Catholic as supremely obnoxious.” -- H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, “The Mound”

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Shub-Niggurath, the Black Goat of the Woods With The more physical, earthy fertility of Shub-Niggurath is A Thousand Young, is depicted here as a kind of a good match for the traditional meaning of Arcanum blasphemous Diana, with a moon reflected in the lake 3, the Empress. (a reference to the Dianic cult center at Lake Nemi discussed in Frazer’s Golden Bough). Also, like seeing Diana naked, seeing Shub-Niggurath clearly results in madness and death.

 iv Cthulhu “There lay great Cthulhu and his hordes, hidden in green slimy vaults and sending out at last, after cycles incalculable, the thoughts that spread fear to the dreams of the sensitive and called imperiously to the faithful to come on a pilgrimage of liberation and restoration.” -- H.P. Lovecraft, “The Call of Cthulhu”

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This is Cthulhu, emerging from his Cyclopean tomb-palace. swamp cultists describe Cthulhu rather as “the great The elemental symbol for Water is just above his head, priest.” And given that old Castro mentions Cthulhu’s followed by χ-θ, the first two Greek letters of his name. “spells” as the agency preserving the Great Old Ones, one could argue that Cthulhu is Magician as well. Arcanum 4 is usually the Emperor, representing power (This triple crown -- priest, king, magus -- echoes the and lordship. There would be some justification for alchemists’ Hermes Trismegistus.) However, then switching this card and the next (Arcanum 5, the one would lose the wonderful Arthurian parallel to Hierophant), given that the King in Yellow is an Cthulhu as the hidden king, sleeping under the hill accepted avatar of Hastur, and that the Louisiana until the time is right.

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