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Lovecraftian References in ASOIAF
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Platypus
Mar 13, 2021, 12:39:22 PM3/13/21
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A list of "Lovecraftian" references in GRRM's works. The list is not limited to elements originated solely by H.P. Lovecraft ("HPL") but does include elements HPL incorporated into his mythos by way of other authors.
(1) Leng (Island) from the World Book = possibly inspired by the Plateau of Leng (featured in HPL 's"The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", described in "The Hound", and mentioned in a handful of other HPL stories.
(2) Carcosa (in the Map Book) = probable reference to Carcosa from Robert W. Chambers ("The King in Yellow") by way of Ambrose Bierce ("An Inhabitant of Carcosa"). HPL references "The King in Yellow" in his own works, incorporating it into his mythos. In Chambers' work, Carcosa is associated with the "Lake of Hali". GRRM's Carcosa also borders a large lake (called "The Hidden Sea" on the World Map).
(3) Sarnath (city) from World Book = probably inspired by "Sarnath" (city) from HPL's "The Doom that Came to Sarnath". Both cities are destroyed and desolate. Both were once known for magnificent palaces.
(4) Ib (island / former land civilization) = possibly inspired by "Ib" from HPL's "The Doom that Came to Sarnath", where it is an alien city destroyed by Sarnath and the source of its curse.
(5) K'dath, in the Grey Waste (Map Book) = inspired by "Kadath in the Cold Waste", referenced in many of HPL's works, most notably "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath"
(6) The Church/Cult of Starry Wisdom (main volumes, World Book) is probably a reference to the Church/Cult of Starry Wisdom from HPL's "The Haunter of the Dark". In HPL's work, the cult worships Nyarlathotep.
(7) Deep Ones (referenced in the World Book) are probably inspired by the "Deep Ones" from HPL's "The Shadow over Innsmouth". Both are a species of aquatic creatures of high culture that interbreed with humans. In Lovecraft, they are associated with the worship of Cthulhu; while in ASOIAF they are associated with the worship of The Drowned God. The World Book contains many references to humans who may have tainted heritage (like the inhabitants of Innsmouth), such as the people of the Thousand Islands, who worship "squamous fish-headed gods".
(8) "What's dead may never die" (main volumes) is probably inspired by HPL's couplet "That is not dead which can eternal lie / And with strange eons even death may die." Both references are associated with Drowned Gods (Cthulhu, in Lovecraft's case).
(9) The Drowned God is possibly inspired by Cthulhu. See 7 + 8 above. Also, Cthulhu is believed to have been inspired by Tennyson's poem "The Kraken"; and the Drowned God is also associated with krakens, (or maybe is a Kraken?)
(10) Dagon, in ASOAIF, is a name associated with Ironborn culture. In HPL's work, it is a god or ancient being, vaguely associated with the Deep Ones and the worship of Cthulhu (as in HPL's short story "Dagon" and the Church of the Order of Dagon from HPL's "The Shadow over Innsmouth"). Originally, of course, Dagon was a Phonoecian god who may have been associated with fish.
(11) Old Ones who dwell beneath underground cities in GRRM's island of Leng, who reputedly drive mad those who encounter them are references to HPL's "Old Ones" (elder gods who include Cthulhu).
(12) A sorcerer who rules HPL's Carcosa claiming to be the 69th Yellow Emperor of Yi Ti is inspired by "The King in Yellow", a mysterious being, possibly masked, referred to in Chamber's "The King in Yellow", who also associated with Carcosa. HPL's works also contain vague references to this figure, i.e. in "The Fungi from Yuggoth" ("The Thing, they whisper, wears a silken mask of yellow, whose queer folds appear to hide a face not of this earth") and the similar figure who appears in HPL's "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath".
[13] The Black Goat of Qohor is possibly a reference to HPL's Shub-Niggurath, the "Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young" a/k/a "The Black Goat of the Woods" a/k/a "The Lord of the Wood". Referred to in Lovecraft's "The Whisperer in Darkness", "Dreams in the Witch-House", and "The Thing on the Doorstep"), and also identified (in "The Last Test") as the All Mother (possibly identifying it with Cybele, the Magna Mater from "The Rats in the Walls") and the wife of He Who Is Not to be Named. Note that GRRM's city of Qohor is located near a massive forest.
[14] The Isle of Toads has a 40' statue of a toad, made of oily black stone, which is worshipped by the island's odd fish-featured inhabitants (World Book). These inhabitants seem another reference to HPL's Deep Ones, which suggests the toad-god may be inspired by Tsathoggua, the Sleeper of N'Kai, referenced by HPL in "The Whisperer in Darkness" and "At the Mountains of Madness", but actually invented by his associate Clark Ashton Smith. It is also suggestive of the toad-demon from Robert E. Howard's Lovecraftian story "The Black Stone" (which some fans identify with Tsothoggua). The oily black stone sounds vaguely Lovecraftian (HPL was constantly writing about alien stones and substances with unfamiliar properties), but is not an exact match (idols of Cthulhu tended to be smaller and made from soapy greenish-black stone), but black alien stones are also mentioned in "The Black Stone" and "The Whisperer in Darkness". HPL also implicitly incorporated Howard's Black Stone into his mythos by referencing the fictional tome Nameless Cults or Unausprechlichen Kulten by Von Juntz, which (according to Howard at least, mentions the Black Stone),
[15] N'Ghai, a myserious land whose capital city Nefer is populated by dark sorcerors (World Book) is possibly inspired by N'Kai, the underground realm where Tsathoggua is said to sleep (mentioned in "The Whisperer in Darkness"). While GRRM's N'Ghai is a surface country at first glance, there are said to be vast underground regions beneath its capital city.
[16] The Shadowlands contain the corpse city of Stygai at their heart, and Asshai as their port. Asshai is said to be older than time (and older than man?) and is vaster than any other human city. It seems mostly deserted with lights burning in a small portion of its black edifices, made of a greasy light-drinking black masonry. There are no children; and inhabitants go masked (hinting some might not be human?), of whom only the Shadowbinders dare venture into the Shadowlands upriver past the walls of the city, a realm where demons dwell; and even they dare not approach to Stygai. The Shadowlands are the probable source of the twisted misshapen idols that made such a bad impression on Dany in Vaes Dothrak. It is not just one thing, but one recalls HPL's penchant for indescribable horrors; corpse cities such as the "corpse-like" Sarkomand from "Dream-Quest..."); R'lyeh ("...Cthulhu"); or the demonic corpse city from "He"; semi-human creatures who conceal their inhuman features and who serve and fear other creatures even less human than themselves recall the Deep Ones ("...Innsmouth"), the turbaned servants of the Moon Beasts and/or the silk-masked priest ("Dream Quest..."); cities of inhumanly vast extent ("At the Mountains of Madness"); alien cities made of black masonry like light-hating alien city of Yuggoth ("The Whisperer in Darkness"); cities that seem more deserted than they are because of what may lie hidden ("Innsmouth..."). It's not a single connection, but a mix of elements, creating an overall "Lovecraftian" feel.
Feel free to suggest any additions to the list, or to argue that particular items do not belong.
(1) Leng (Island) from the World Book = possibly inspired by the Plateau of Leng (featured in HPL 's"The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", described in "The Hound", and mentioned in a handful of other HPL stories.
(2) Carcosa (in the Map Book) = probable reference to Carcosa from Robert W. Chambers ("The King in Yellow") by way of Ambrose Bierce ("An Inhabitant of Carcosa"). HPL references "The King in Yellow" in his own works, incorporating it into his mythos. In Chambers' work, Carcosa is associated with the "Lake of Hali". GRRM's Carcosa also borders a large lake (called "The Hidden Sea" on the World Map).
(3) Sarnath (city) from World Book = probably inspired by "Sarnath" (city) from HPL's "The Doom that Came to Sarnath". Both cities are destroyed and desolate. Both were once known for magnificent palaces.
(4) Ib (island / former land civilization) = possibly inspired by "Ib" from HPL's "The Doom that Came to Sarnath", where it is an alien city destroyed by Sarnath and the source of its curse.
(5) K'dath, in the Grey Waste (Map Book) = inspired by "Kadath in the Cold Waste", referenced in many of HPL's works, most notably "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath"
(6) The Church/Cult of Starry Wisdom (main volumes, World Book) is probably a reference to the Church/Cult of Starry Wisdom from HPL's "The Haunter of the Dark". In HPL's work, the cult worships Nyarlathotep.
(7) Deep Ones (referenced in the World Book) are probably inspired by the "Deep Ones" from HPL's "The Shadow over Innsmouth". Both are a species of aquatic creatures of high culture that interbreed with humans. In Lovecraft, they are associated with the worship of Cthulhu; while in ASOIAF they are associated with the worship of The Drowned God. The World Book contains many references to humans who may have tainted heritage (like the inhabitants of Innsmouth), such as the people of the Thousand Islands, who worship "squamous fish-headed gods".
(8) "What's dead may never die" (main volumes) is probably inspired by HPL's couplet "That is not dead which can eternal lie / And with strange eons even death may die." Both references are associated with Drowned Gods (Cthulhu, in Lovecraft's case).
(9) The Drowned God is possibly inspired by Cthulhu. See 7 + 8 above. Also, Cthulhu is believed to have been inspired by Tennyson's poem "The Kraken"; and the Drowned God is also associated with krakens, (or maybe is a Kraken?)
(10) Dagon, in ASOAIF, is a name associated with Ironborn culture. In HPL's work, it is a god or ancient being, vaguely associated with the Deep Ones and the worship of Cthulhu (as in HPL's short story "Dagon" and the Church of the Order of Dagon from HPL's "The Shadow over Innsmouth"). Originally, of course, Dagon was a Phonoecian god who may have been associated with fish.
(11) Old Ones who dwell beneath underground cities in GRRM's island of Leng, who reputedly drive mad those who encounter them are references to HPL's "Old Ones" (elder gods who include Cthulhu).
(12) A sorcerer who rules HPL's Carcosa claiming to be the 69th Yellow Emperor of Yi Ti is inspired by "The King in Yellow", a mysterious being, possibly masked, referred to in Chamber's "The King in Yellow", who also associated with Carcosa. HPL's works also contain vague references to this figure, i.e. in "The Fungi from Yuggoth" ("The Thing, they whisper, wears a silken mask of yellow, whose queer folds appear to hide a face not of this earth") and the similar figure who appears in HPL's "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath".
[13] The Black Goat of Qohor is possibly a reference to HPL's Shub-Niggurath, the "Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young" a/k/a "The Black Goat of the Woods" a/k/a "The Lord of the Wood". Referred to in Lovecraft's "The Whisperer in Darkness", "Dreams in the Witch-House", and "The Thing on the Doorstep"), and also identified (in "The Last Test") as the All Mother (possibly identifying it with Cybele, the Magna Mater from "The Rats in the Walls") and the wife of He Who Is Not to be Named. Note that GRRM's city of Qohor is located near a massive forest.
[14] The Isle of Toads has a 40' statue of a toad, made of oily black stone, which is worshipped by the island's odd fish-featured inhabitants (World Book). These inhabitants seem another reference to HPL's Deep Ones, which suggests the toad-god may be inspired by Tsathoggua, the Sleeper of N'Kai, referenced by HPL in "The Whisperer in Darkness" and "At the Mountains of Madness", but actually invented by his associate Clark Ashton Smith. It is also suggestive of the toad-demon from Robert E. Howard's Lovecraftian story "The Black Stone" (which some fans identify with Tsothoggua). The oily black stone sounds vaguely Lovecraftian (HPL was constantly writing about alien stones and substances with unfamiliar properties), but is not an exact match (idols of Cthulhu tended to be smaller and made from soapy greenish-black stone), but black alien stones are also mentioned in "The Black Stone" and "The Whisperer in Darkness". HPL also implicitly incorporated Howard's Black Stone into his mythos by referencing the fictional tome Nameless Cults or Unausprechlichen Kulten by Von Juntz, which (according to Howard at least, mentions the Black Stone),
[15] N'Ghai, a myserious land whose capital city Nefer is populated by dark sorcerors (World Book) is possibly inspired by N'Kai, the underground realm where Tsathoggua is said to sleep (mentioned in "The Whisperer in Darkness"). While GRRM's N'Ghai is a surface country at first glance, there are said to be vast underground regions beneath its capital city.
[16] The Shadowlands contain the corpse city of Stygai at their heart, and Asshai as their port. Asshai is said to be older than time (and older than man?) and is vaster than any other human city. It seems mostly deserted with lights burning in a small portion of its black edifices, made of a greasy light-drinking black masonry. There are no children; and inhabitants go masked (hinting some might not be human?), of whom only the Shadowbinders dare venture into the Shadowlands upriver past the walls of the city, a realm where demons dwell; and even they dare not approach to Stygai. The Shadowlands are the probable source of the twisted misshapen idols that made such a bad impression on Dany in Vaes Dothrak. It is not just one thing, but one recalls HPL's penchant for indescribable horrors; corpse cities such as the "corpse-like" Sarkomand from "Dream-Quest..."); R'lyeh ("...Cthulhu"); or the demonic corpse city from "He"; semi-human creatures who conceal their inhuman features and who serve and fear other creatures even less human than themselves recall the Deep Ones ("...Innsmouth"), the turbaned servants of the Moon Beasts and/or the silk-masked priest ("Dream Quest..."); cities of inhumanly vast extent ("At the Mountains of Madness"); alien cities made of black masonry like light-hating alien city of Yuggoth ("The Whisperer in Darkness"); cities that seem more deserted than they are because of what may lie hidden ("Innsmouth..."). It's not a single connection, but a mix of elements, creating an overall "Lovecraftian" feel.
Feel free to suggest any additions to the list, or to argue that particular items do not belong.
Butterbumps@Home
Mar 13, 2021, 1:15:58 PM3/13/21
to
lauantai 13. maaliskuuta 2021 klo 19.39.22 UTC+2 Platypus kirjoitti:
> Feel free to suggest any additions to the list, or to argue that particular items do not belong.
This is very cool, I really only noticed Dagon before. And the similarity between R'hllor and R'lyeh, but that's a fairly weak one. You put an apostrophe in a wacky fantasy-exotic name, you're going to eventually end up with some similarities.
> Feel free to suggest any additions to the list, or to argue that particular items do not belong.
- B@h
--
https://hatboy.blog/
Platypus
Mar 13, 2021, 2:22:57 PM3/13/21
to
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 1:15:58 PM UTC-5, Butterbumps@Home wrote:
> This is very cool, I really only noticed Dagon before. And the
> similarity between R'hllor and R'lyeh, but that's a fairly weak one.
> You put an apostrophe in a wacky fantasy-exotic name, you're
> going to eventually end up with some similarities.
Thanks, Butterbumps. The R'hllor/R'lyeh similarity never occurred to me. Weak or not, I can't help suspecting that the similarity is more than pure coincidence.
> This is very cool, I really only noticed Dagon before. And the
> similarity between R'hllor and R'lyeh, but that's a fairly weak one.
> You put an apostrophe in a wacky fantasy-exotic name, you're
> going to eventually end up with some similarities.
Butterbumps@Home
Mar 13, 2021, 4:05:30 PM3/13/21
to
B@h
--
www.hatboy.blog
Platypus
Mar 13, 2021, 5:00:27 PM3/13/21
to
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 4:05:30 PM UTC-5, Butterbumps@Home wrote:
> There was also that element of the Drowned God's
> blessing, "that which is dead may never die." Solid
> Lovecraft homage in my opinion ("that is not dead
> which can eternal lie / and with strange aeons even
> death may die.").
Yes indeed. Already listed as #8.
> There was also that element of the Drowned God's
> blessing, "that which is dead may never die." Solid
> Lovecraft homage in my opinion ("that is not dead
> which can eternal lie / and with strange aeons even
> death may die.").
Butterbumps@Home
Mar 15, 2021, 3:15:39 AM3/15/21
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- B@w
--
Nice one, CTRL+F. Last time I trust you.
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