Showing results by publisher "Lamp of Trismegistus" in Horror

Dion Fortune was a British occultist and co-founder of the Fraternity of Inner Light. She was also a prolific author of occult fiction. These paranormal adventures of Dr. Taverner and Dr. Rhodes take on everything from death hounds and curses to vampires, using the esoteric sciences to tackle the case. Although published as fiction, Fortune maintained that all her stories were based on true events.

When Sir Peter Pendragon, a retired pilot of the Great War, meets the free-spirited Louise, a devotee of the mysterious occultist Basil King Lamus, the two immediately get married and set off across Europe, on a drug-fueled honeymoon of heroin and cocaine. Eventually, in an attempt to break free of their recently acquired habit, the newlyweds find their way to the Abbey of Thelema in Italy, where the adults perform invocations to the sun and the children freely recite passages from the Book of the Law.

Machen's novella The Great God Pan is often cited as one of Lovecraft's most notable influences. In it, Dr. Raymond's ultimate goal is to devise a way to open the mind of man so that he may experience all the world has to offer. He calls this "seeing the great god Pan". After much study of the human mind, he devises an experiment that involves minor brain surgery. He performs this experiment on a young woman named Mary, but when she awakens she is terrified and mentally crippled.

An influential writer of supernatural fiction, Arthur Machen was born in Wales, in 1863. Many modern writers, such as Stephen King, have cited him as an inspiration. Perhaps most notably, though, was H.P. Lovecraft, who cites Machen as what led him down the road to eventually creating the Cthulhu Mythos. Presented here are two short stories and two novellas: "The Inmost Light", "A Fragment of Life", "The Shining Pyramid", and "The Terror."

Don Alvaro, a young but wise man, invokes Satan in a goetic-style magical ritual. Upon seeing the young Alvaro, Beelzebub falls in love with him and assumes the appearance of a beautiful young woman. In the journey that unfolds, Satan, disguised as a woman, tries to seduce Alvaro who rejects his advances lest he lose his precious virginity.

The unifying factor of this collection is that, without exception, every author included here was in some way or another involved with or interested in the occult. In some cases, they were members of an occult organization, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Theosophical Society, or similar such groups. Others simply had a strong personal interest in the subject matter or practiced some form of the esoteric sciences in private.

In addition to the children's tales that he is usually known for, Frank R. Stockton also wrote some ghost stories. This particular piece is from 1900. After a gentleman purchases an abandoned mansion, he begins to fall in love with the ghost of a young woman who returns to her old home once a year, on Christmas Eve, for a single hour. But what happens when he soon meets her, not as a specter but in real life?

In addition to being a prolific writer of Theosophical and occult teachings, Madame Blavatsky also penned a few tales of short fiction; although, she often claimed the events of her tales to be true, for added effect. This one recounts the tale of a traveler abroad, while searching for her lost dog and with aid of the whirling dervishes, encounters a strange humanoid creature known as the Oracle of Damascus, which they attempt to subdue.

William Hope Hodgson was an early British writer of supernatural and fantasy fiction, becoming an inspiration for later writers such as Clark Ashton Smith and others. Dating to 1904, this was his first published story, and it tells the tale of a mysterious marble statue coming to life and murdering the townspeople.

William Hope Hodgson was an early British writer of supernatural and fantasy fiction, becoming an inspiration for later writers such as Clark Ashton Smith and others. This story, from 1907, tells the tale of a series of mysterious deaths and a strange creature at a local water tower.

Algernon Blackwood was a writer of weird, occult, and ghost tales. He was also a contemporary of Arthur Machen, both of whom were members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It was his interest in esoteric studies that likely served as the inspiration for strange stories such as this one. In this tale a young man who works in an office is diagnosed with a heart condition. He is warned by his doctor to avoid strenuous activity, including dancing. The young man ignores his advice and proceeds to attend a dance, where he spies an entrancing young woman.

This is an early piece by Lovecraft, and likely inspired by Arthur Machen. It is a tale of two sculptors, named Kalos and Musides, in a garden of Pan, in ancient Greece. After Kalos dies, an olive tree begins to overtake his tomb, and Musides finds his own thoughts to be increasingly haunted.

Algernon Blackwood was a contemporary of Arthur Machen, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and writer of the weird and supernatural. Originally published in 1906, The Empty House tells the tale of Jim Shorthouse when his aunt shows up in town with keys to the local haunted house and expects him to help her investigate.

In addition to being a prolific writer of Theosophical and occult teachings, Madame Blavatsky also penned a few tales of short fiction, although she often claimed the events of her tales to be true, for added effect. This, one of her more famous short stories, is a tale of an inheritance, a mysterious cave, and supernatural events.

Cummins was an American short story writer. This piece of his from 1902 tells the tale of four old college friends getting together on a cold winter's evening, when a friendly wager determines if any of them are brave enough to enter a nearby crypt at midnight.

Originally published in 1906, this is the tale of a man who, while out on a leisurely drive, crashes his car. After he awakens he finds he is being watched by an unsettling young boy, whom he is forced to lodge with for the night.

Originally published in 1896, this is the story of a debaucherous older man who roams the streets of London at night, under the influence. He encounters a mysterious woman who slowly reminds him of a lover from his past. As more wine is consumed, he seems to descend into madness, until...

Originally published in 1911, this account perhaps more accurately belongs in our series of occult fiction, but it is one of many stories Leadbeater published as being true. This particular tale is the retelling of a story relayed to him by Helena Blavatsky, about two travelers who discover a remote, old house that is haunted by the spirit of a baron who committed suicide. Enjoy this "true story".

Arthur Machen has been cited as an influence to many writers of supernatural horror. He was also a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. This story, originally from 1888, is about a monk, in charge of the wine cellar at his abbey, who finds a strange jar and decides to take a drink.

Published in 1905, A Tropical Horror takes place on the high seas, where a creature takes over a ship, preying on the frightened sailors and ravaging the vessel.