“Magic is any sufficiently advanced technology.” – Arthur C. Clarke

Yog-Sothoth by Chivohit (www.deviantart.com)

As one examines HPL’s stories in chronological fashion, there is a distinct pattern moving from themes and concepts associated with the occult and the supernatural to those of science. This transition was gradual and a sub-set of these stories are transitional in themselves, where supernatural occurrences are rooted in scientific concepts that are either unknown to humanity or cannot be fully understood. “The Call of Cthulhu” is one such story and so is “The Dunwich Horror.”

In “the Dunwich Horror” Wizard Whateley made some type of deal or arrangement to allow his daughter Livina to be impregnated by an extra-dimensional entity. Apparently this entity is Yog-Sothoth. In previous articles I identified the “Genealogy of the Elder Races,” which was originally drawn by Lovecraft and included in a letter to James F. Morton, dated 1933. A copy of this genealogy can be found in Leslie S. Klinger’s The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft (2014), Appendix 4. In this genealogy it shows what entity gave rise to another entity, largely in an asexual nature. However, two instances of sexual union are shown in the genealogy, one of which is between Shub-Niggurath and Yog-Sothoth. The union between these two entities gave rise to Nug and Yeb, who in turn gave rise asexually to Cthulhu and Tsathoggua, respectively.

From an evolutionary standpoint sex is basically referring to the production of new genomes by the recombination of preexisting genomes (Evolution: The First Four Billion Years, edited by Michael Ruse and Joseph Travis, 2009). This increase in genetic variety is one of the driving resources for natural selection. Additionally, as I have cited in previous articles on Shub-Niggurath, this unique sexual union may have been needed to generate manifestations of life that are more conducive to living in our space-time. Thus, while Yog-Sothoth cannot be found residing in our reality, his “grand-spawn” of Cthulhu and Tsathoggua are present; Cthulhu deep in the Pacific Ocean in the sunken City of R’lyeh and Tsathoggua somewhere in the Saturnian system. Additionally, the somewhat amorphous nature of both Yog-Sothoth (e.g. an iridescent collection of spheres or bubbles) and Shub-Niggurath (e.g. a cloud-like entity) indicates that it may be difficult for them to fully manifest in our space-time.

As alluded to in a previous article this “sexual” union between Shub-Niggurath and Yog-Sothoth may not necessarily be purely biological in nature. This union may have given rise to the matter we are familiar with in our universe. We already discussed that Shub-Niggurath may be the “mother” of matter in our reality and may continue in efforts to generate more life or matter in the form of the “thousand young.” However, let’s now focus on Yog-Sothoth’s role in this union.

Yog-Sothoth by Der Freischutz (www.deviantart.com)

Yog-Sothoth is frequently described, as with many of the other Old Ones, as not existing in the spaces we know but in between them, walking undimensioned and unseen by us. Thus, Yog-Sothoth may exist in one of the higher dimensions. It has been recognized that the laws of nature become simpler and more elegant when expressed in higher dimensions (Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension by Michio Kaku, 1994). For example, gravity and light obey different physical assumptions and mathematics. However, if we include another dimension beyond the three spatial and one temporal, the equations that dictate and predict gravity and light merge together. Light can be described as vibrations in the fifth dimension and the laws of gravity and light become simpler (Kaku, 1994). The only reason why we always talk about three spatial dimensions and a temporal one is that they are the ones we move through and can perceive. However, reality itself may be built on the foundation of additional dimensions, a hyperspace, which we cannot observe. The mathematics used to describe our reality favor the existence of these higher but unseen dimensions and Yog-Sothoth may actually exist in these higher dimensions.

Yog-Sothoth by Mysterious Karl (www.deviantart.com)

The higher dimensions of hyperspace may be beyond the edge of the known universe or a few millimeters away from us, folded, tucked away in our existing space-time. Such a concept would explain how Yog-Sothoth exists in spaces we do not know, spaces that are in between those we know. Additionally, manifestations of Yog-Sothoth are frequently described as being an iridescent collection of spheres or bubbles. This may be an attempted manifestation of Yog-Sothoth, making an effort to squeeze into our space-time. A similar scenario has been described as a higher dimensional creature attempts to pass through our three dimensional world. A series of strange colors, images, shapes and textures would appear in front of us as then disappear. As three dimensional creatures it is easier for us to image a two dimensional creature (like a square) encountering a three dimensional creature (like a sphere). As a sphere passes through the square’s two dimensional reality, from the square’s perspective a point would appear out of thin air, turn into a line increasing in length to a maximum size and then decrease in length into another point and then disappear. Thus, the shimmering globes and spheres of Yog-Sothoth may be this hyperspace entity passing through our three dimensional reality.

A sphere passing through flatland (www.geom.uiuc.edu)

If Yog-Sothoth is a hyperspace entity, it may be a sentient form of vibrating wavelengths, like a living form of light or gravity that ripples through our space-time and hyperspace as well. This would allow it to easily pass through our reality and possibly allow other forms of energy to travel back and forth through the various dimensions. This unique ability for Yog-Sothoth to flow through and between dimensions (both ours and those in the higher, hyperspace) maybe what Lovecraft was trying to describe when citing the phrase from the Necronomicon, “Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate.” Another passage from the Necronomicon that may describe the concept that Yog-Sothoth does not typically reside in a dimension(s) where time exists is, “Past, present and future all are one in Yog-Sothoth.”

So what does this all have to do with the Whateley family in Dunwich? Well it provides some information that the “magic” of old Wizard Whateley may actually be a means of making contact with an inter-dimensional entity that exists in hyperspace. Next time we will discuss both “The Dunwich Horror” and “The Call of Cthulhu” to assess what these entities want with our space-time. Thank you – Fred.

Yog-Sothoth by Xiegendariumx (www.deviantart.com)