The reach of their sinister network is unknown, but is suspected to influence many powerful men and women. The Cult - This other common antagonistic force frequently seek to act as agents of Eldrich Abominations or other malevolent/alien forces.The various "gods" of the Mythos are counted in this category. At best their motives are inconceivable or in disregard of humanity, at worst they are a malevolent force actively seeking to subvert or corrupt human society. Always horrific in appearance, and occasionally beyond human description or comprehension, these monsters threaten the boundaries of reality. The Eldrich Abomination - This type of antagonist, is a common trope in the cosmic horror story.The themes of cosmic horror stories express themselves in many ways, but are frequently seen in a number of tropes: Sanity is displayed as a fragile and tenuous thing, with the experience of the horrors of the true nature of reality being enough to drive one to madness. The characters of cosmic horror stories often skirt the line of rationality and sanity. Furthermore, the characters are often loners, and isolated people without close personal ties. There is often an alien nature to a character's ancestry and personal relationships, with questions of alien or supernatural parentage and sinister personal acquaintances. This alienation further extends to the self. One might argue that the enduring nature of Lovecraft's work is not in spite of his racism, but precisely because his racism allowed him to tap into every reader's deepest irrational terror of the Other. The xenophobia and racist overtones in many of Lovecraft's stories are unarguable, but the underlying fear of what one does not understand remains the pervasive note.
The fear of the Other, the alien, and the unknown are central tenets that underscore the terror in the cosmic horror story. While the stories themselves seem essentially pessimistic, Lovecraft himself believed that the negative connotation of "pessimist" was improper, preferring "indifferentist". Humanity is at best a nominal footnote in the history of the universe, and at worst deserves no notice whatsoever. Thematically, the primary attribute of the cosmic horror story is the idea that human beings are insignificant and inconsequential in the scope of cosmic reality. The term "Cosmic Horror" can be applicably defined Lovecraftian Horror and Cosmicism, and cosmic horror is heavily influenced by the philosophical notion of existential nihilism and philosophical pessimism, as well as the desolate quality of the natural world, and cosmos in general. Lovecraft and his contemporaries might take great pride in having introduced to the horror genre. If you have any questions or comments regarding Chris’s material, contact me.Much has been written at length about the horror subgenre of "Cosmic Horror", and it remains an important and vital subgenre that H.P. Sorry that your special “archive” is across the pond, gathered up and presented by a Yank. On the contrary…I am in awe of your talents and your stunning bravery (or Arwr or Harwr).
Chris, or Di, if you ever happen to read this, I mean no disrespect. There is no Chris Thomas website, anymore (Wayback Machine archive) so, this pit stop will have to suffice and he no longer sees clients. If you are on a cell phone, the links are way down at the bottom of the page or, you can select Menu and choose Chris’s Material to read my specific posts on his writings and interviews. Check out my links to the right (on a PC, laptop or tablet). This will serve as an unofficial chronicle of his work. There may be more out there than what I have but, I at least have the bulk of his material. I own all of his books and, I’m pretty sure I have all of his essays and interviews. Interesting fellow, he is (or Cymrawd or Dyn). He is a Welsh scientist, was a healer and a psychic surgeon and, was an Akashic reader but, never a “channeler”.