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Sphere of Nath, reference needed

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:49 pm
by Nath
I know about the 'Sphere of Nath' from the mythos card game. However, I'm trying to find the original story where it comes from. Can anyone give me a reference for it?

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:58 pm
by JJ Burke
there is a vale of pnath in the dream-quest of unknown kadath. here it is in wikipedia

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:02 pm
by Rodr-Evil
Sounds interesting.

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:05 pm
by Jesus Prime
The vale is pretty evil, but I doubt they're connected.

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 3:12 am
by JJ Burke
in the fritz leiber story 'the terror from the depths,' the narrator composes a poem using the word nath, and receives a letter in which he is asked whether he had considered spelling it pnath. i took this cue in 'chaparral heights' and made up a couple of lines for the poem that weren't originally supplied:
And Vale Nath, vast ossuary bin
Below whose bones the Bholes defy decay;
so that's the connection i made.. if it's in error, then some rewriting is probably in order

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:01 am
by Jesus Prime
Oh. New to me, thanks for clearing it up.

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:48 am
by JJ Burke
the name pnath also appears in 'the doom that came to sarnath':
H.P. Lovecraft wrote:Within his banquet-hall reclined Nargis-Hei, the king, drunken with ancient wine from the vaults of conquered Pnath, and surrounded by feasting nobles and hurrying slaves.
i don't know if all these pnaths are connected, or maybe hpl just liked to reuse the name

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:24 pm
by Nath
incidently, 'Nath' is short for 'Nathan' which is originaly a hebrew name that translates either a 'gift of god' or 'gifted of god.' Not sure whether HPL would have known the reference.

Hence, I've always found the 'sphere of nath' card amusing, and was wondering where the mythos card game got it from.

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 5:19 pm
by JJ Burke
hmm.. nath could be short for nathaniel.. but i've only heard of 'nate' for nathan. same difference i suppose