Lecture Notes: Horror Babble - The Nameless City by H. P. Lovecraft

Introduction

• Announcement of revisions in Cthulhu Mythos recordings by Horror Babble.
• New recording: The Nameless City, regarded as the first mythos story by some views.
• First published in November 1921 in The Wolverine, an amateur press journal.
• Old recordings will remain available.

The Nameless City by H. P. Lovecraft

Setting and Atmosphere

• The protagonist encounters the "nameless city" in a desolate, mysterious desert setting.
• The city is ancient, older than Memphis and Babylon, with its history lost to legend.
• Linked to Abdul Alhazred, the mad poet, and his famous couplet about eternal life and death.

Exploration of the City

• The protagonist defies warnings and enters the city, feeling an eerie atmosphere.
• Observes unnatural ruins with no inscriptions or carvings.
• Encounters sandstorms, strange winds, and unearthly sounds.

Discoveries in the City

• Finds ancient ruins with no human traces, suggesting non-human creators.
• Uncovers a temple with primitive altars, pillars, and curious symbols.
• Low ceilings, indicating the inhabitants were different from humans.
• Experiences strange dreams and eerie phenomena.

Descent into the Abyss

• Enters a large temple with intricate frescoes and carvings.
• Finds a passage leading to deeper, mysterious depths.
• Describes a descent filled with unsettling imagery and echoes of past tales.

Hidden World and Mural History

• Encounters a corridor with glass cases resembling coffins, containing reptilian mummified forms.
• Observes frescoes depicting a reptilian race and a grand, unknown civilization.
• The murals suggest an allegorical history of the city and its creators.
• Scenes depict the city's rise, struggles, and eventual retreat to a hidden realm.

Exploration of the Ancient Civilization

• The protagonist ponders the customs and history of the reptilian race.
• Notices the civilization's advanced state with mysterious omissions.
• Observes an ideal of earthly immortality fostered among the ancient race.

Revelation and Final Encounter

• Finds a massive brass door leading to an abyss filled with radiant light.
• Experiences a rush of air and the sensation of past memories resurfacing.
• Encounters a spectral, menacing presence of the ancient race.
• The protagonist is swept up in a terrifying wind, witnessing visions of the ancient race.
• The experience concludes with the closing of the brass door, sealing away the terrors.

Conclusion

• Encouragement to subscribe and support Horror Babble through various platforms.
• Links to additional resources like Bandcamp, Patreon, and merch store.

Key Themes and Imagery

• Exploration of the unknown and forbidden.
• The fear of the ancient and the forgotten.
• The concept of eternal life and death beyond the human understanding.
• A tale illustrating Lovecraft's signature cosmic horror and the insignificance of humanity.

Reflection

• The protagonist's journey explores themes of forbidden knowledge and the terror of the unknown.
• Lovecraft's imagery evokes a sense of dread and wonder at ancient, forgotten worlds.