Thursday, December 22, 2016

Lovecraftian Thing a Day No.357: The Akeley/Wilmarth Artefacts

Some time back Jason McKittrick of Cryptocurium sent me this package, which he uncovered in the Albert N. Wilmarth archive at the Miskatonic University library:


The package contains two curious artefacts, with accompanying documentation...


...amongst which is a letter from Henry Akeley to Wilmarth regarding the existence of monstrous alien powers supposedly lurking amongst the desolate hills and forests of Vermont. Wilmarth's Miskatonic University ID card is included alongside:


More images of the items found in Vermont pertaining to the Akeley case: a crude representation of the so-called 'Mi-Go' which Akeley claims to have encountered, and a curiously-shaped object made of black stone item (and referred to in one of the documents as the 'Stargazer Stone'):






Also included is this torn page of manuscript - possibly taken from the Miskatonic University's copy of the dreaded Necronomicon. Those familiar with the events surrounding the disappearance of Henry Akeley may recall this ritual liturgy, which Akeley claimed to have heard recited by both human and less-discernable buzzing voices deep in the Vermont woods:
 

Also included in the package is this rather disturbing photograph, taken by Akeley (showing what appears to be some sort of clawed footprint in the vicinty of his property), as well as a drawing by Akeley supposedly depicting one of the Mi-Go or 'Fungi from Yuggoth':


Finally, two telegrams sent to Wilmarth by Akeley - along with a map of the Vermont region - were also found in the package. It was the reception of these telegrams which ultimately led Wilmarth to visit Akeley's property, thus precipitating the purportedly horrifying denounment of the Akeley case:



Needless to say, all of the above should be regarded with a significant degree of suspicion. Akely's claim that monstrous alien beings lurk in and around the dark corners of the earth can be readily dismissed as the ravings of a lunatic - as can his other urgent injunction that humanity needs to closely watch Pluto for signs of anomalous activity. Wilmarth himself later became entangled in a number of other disreputable incidences which call into question the veracity of his claims regarding the Akely affair; again, those familiar with the case may recall Wilmarth's admission of the fact that, during his overnight stay at the Akely homestead, he did not actually view anything resembling concrete, material evidence in support of his outlandish claims regarding what caused him to flee that place. Whilst we may never find out the truth of the matter, I am also convinced that it most certainly is not 'out there'.
 







No comments:

Post a Comment