I love that quote about masks “They’re terribly comfortable! I imagine everyone in the future will be wearing them!” That quote it’s far deeper than first glance!
Nyarlathotep has always been the most fascinating of Lovecraft's characters for me, but it feels like he's also the most misunderstood. In the modern interpretations he's nearly always a cosmic troll who screws around with humanity for his own amusement. But in Lovecraft's own stories he's not like that, at all. On the contrary, he's a guardian that people come across when they try to cross the boundaries between the mundane and the supernatural, and are forced to appease him with brutal sacrifices to be allowed to pass into the other spheres unmolested. If you try to slip by without paying the price or otherwise break the rules that govern the world beyond the veil, you'll receive the full force of Nyarly's undivided displeasure. True, in the original short story/prose poem he appears as a figure of science that leads humanity to madness and destruction, but even there it is humanity's own discoveries that seem to summon him up in the first place.
I had a dream back in 1997 where Enoch had returned. And his characteristics were very much like a phantasmagoria of Nyarlathotep. It was one of the most lucid illuminations of Biblical Prophecy ever, so horrible was the dream.
When he started talking about re-imaginings I was kind of just waiting for some side mention of Nyarko. Thinking back I only liked that show because of the mythos references.
+nyarlathotep, the crawling chaos Look up Nyarko-san: Another Crawling Chaos. Prepare to be amazed. Because you are amazing - always and everywhere - Nyarlathotep, Sir.
Beautiful, I'd say "almost" poetic but I feel that would be doing this a disservice. Truly, we all have some masks we put on, but it's how we respond to those masks that shows us our true nature, I think. The ending of your speech reminded me of a bit near the end of Undertale, where examining a mirror gives the phrase, "Despite everything, it's still you." We go through so many trials, tribulations, and celebrations, and in it all we slightly change who we are to fit the situation, whether it be as a friend, a rival, or an enemy, but despite it all, at the end of the day you're going to be left with yourself. Who are you without a mask?
Wait a second... H.P. Lovecraft was Leeman Kessler all along? So that explains why they've never been seen together in the same room. And I have to say, that was quite a feat when H.P. transitioned to P.H. You'd almost think they're the same person from how fluidly the video was cut and pasted.
This one is deep on several levels. Maybe part of the true horror of Nyarlathotep is that he isn't the same... being, after he has worn one of his masks. I was having a rather bad evening, until I came across this video. Thank you Mr Kessler :)
My first introduction to Nyarlathotep was in "Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute," second book in the Johannes Cabal The Necromancer series. I can't see him right now as anything other than in a human like disguise. Also, did anyone besides me expect HP to turn into The Lone Ranger when he put on that mask? Ah, I can see him now, ridding the wild west of crime riding his trusty steed, calling out "Hi-ho, Shantak, AWAY!" Yeah, I know, a Shantak is a species of beast, not the name of one, but it was the closest I could find that seemed rideable.
I truly love how he pronounces Nyarlathotep! After hearing many different pronunciations, I've come to agree with the sentiment that people should say it however is most horrifying to them. That said, my version was pretty close to this one... except I can't fathom how to sound like it's being played backwards like this XD It's like the name is so distasteful he has to struggle to swallow each syllable, which is perfect! I would feel so uncomfortable hearing that from my GM 0_0
a) Amazing acting job. b) why do you pronounce Nyarlathotep so weirdly? Is there a Lovecraft pronunciation guide for that as well (I'm aware of the Cthulhu original pronunciation, but not any other names).
I can't believe you know his anime counterpart. I actually like that show but maybe you were better off not knowing, just saying. Also props performance.
I’ve recently watched Haiyore Nyaruko San. I’m trying to read the manga. I got a feeling it deviates from the manga just like the Rosario Vampire anime did. That said it’s not too bad for Nyarlathotep to take the form a Japanese school girl. Nyarlathotep is actually genderless and we refer to it as he because it usually presents itself in a male form. Plus both manga and anime said there’s a race of Nyarlathotep, so it may not be the same from the books. But I can’t say for sure since only the first chapter has been translated to English...despite the manga ending in 2014.
+Bobby90 I've often wondered myself about Howard's consumption of various "pharmaceuticals" that were actually still legal in his time, and how they might have affected his writing. I've also wondered about how the lack of those pharmaceuticals might have affected his adjustment to life in the present, where you need a fairly heavy-duty prescription to get your hands on anything fun...
+neuralmute Lovecraft was a teetotaller and did not approve the use of narcotics in the slightest. You might notice that in the few of his stories where drugs play a central role, like, say, Hypnos, they always end up ruining the users' lives.
+neuralmute To borrow a word form the late Terry Pratchett, I rather suspect that HPL was Knurd for most of his life. That is to say, that he exited from the state of sobriety in the opposite direction to most of us, and would have had to imbibe freely to become sober. When you're knurd, you find that the truth really IS out there - which is not a comfortable experience.
lomax343 By quoting the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett, you have won my lifelong respect, sir. I know the state of being knurd far too well, personally, which is likely why I'm such a Lovecraft fan.
Tell me about the Dreamlands cat I need talking out of hunting them upon the sea of dreams for I am sure should I ever find them, they would not allow me to leave
So usually Egyptians attach the "hotep" onto the end of a name, usually a god of some kind like amenhotep or rahotep. So is Nylarat a separate god entity or what?
It’s from the anime/manga (Though the anime deviates from the manga) Haiyore Nyaruko San. Nyarlathotep takes the form of a silver haired school girl because It was assigned to protect a boy named Mahiro. Whom it fell fell in love with at first sight.
I love that quote about masks “They’re terribly comfortable! I imagine everyone in the future will be wearing them!” That quote it’s far deeper than first glance!
True
Funny how he predicted the future four years in advance
Princess Bride, the Dread Pirate Roberts
And this shows that Leeman is an accomplished actor.
Well Done!
+Chrisfs Well thank you!
After Howie took his jacket off, I thought he was going to remove his shirt to reveal a Superman costume.
+lomax343 That would be a different show.
+Leeman Kessler (Ask Lovecraft) One I'd love to see, nevertheless.
+lomax343 I was expecting some tentacle action.
Nyarlathotep has always been the most fascinating of Lovecraft's characters for me, but it feels like he's also the most misunderstood. In the modern interpretations he's nearly always a cosmic troll who screws around with humanity for his own amusement. But in Lovecraft's own stories he's not like that, at all. On the contrary, he's a guardian that people come across when they try to cross the boundaries between the mundane and the supernatural, and are forced to appease him with brutal sacrifices to be allowed to pass into the other spheres unmolested. If you try to slip by without paying the price or otherwise break the rules that govern the world beyond the veil, you'll receive the full force of Nyarly's undivided displeasure.
True, in the original short story/prose poem he appears as a figure of science that leads humanity to madness and destruction, but even there it is humanity's own discoveries that seem to summon him up in the first place.
Interpretation matters
He's kinda both in Lovecraft's works.
I had a dream back in 1997 where Enoch had returned. And his characteristics were very much like a phantasmagoria of Nyarlathotep. It was one of the most lucid illuminations of Biblical Prophecy ever, so horrible was the dream.
Small Japanese Schoolgirl = easily the most fearsome form that Nyarlathotep has ever assumed.
th-cam.com/video/kgDbF0tkjqg/w-d-xo.html
Sanchi pinchi!
When he started talking about re-imaginings I was kind of just waiting for some side mention of Nyarko.
Thinking back I only liked that show because of the mythos references.
...What in the name of me is nyarko? I kept asking others talking of it too, but they gave me no answer.
+nyarlathotep, the crawling chaos
Look up Nyarko-san: Another Crawling Chaos. Prepare to be amazed.
Because you are amazing - always and everywhere - Nyarlathotep, Sir.
+zFlyingAvocet ... my gods... I don't know what it is but that infernal creature is not me... in fact, it's even SCARIER than even me!
+zFlyingAvocet I need to show cthulhu this for him to even believe this...
0:4o-Nyaruko reference. Nice. 👍🏻
The voice change was seamless, as well.
As Neil Gaiman reflected on the safety ramblings of airline staff in his Into to Trigger Warning: Make sure your mask is secure before helping others.
+Matthew Gauvain wink!
I'd love to see HP take a look at Bloodborne. The gameplay is phenomenal and the story is right up his alley
+Daniel Gilmore We await our review copy!
loved the princess bride reference at the end. lol. everytime you say nyarlathotep it sounds like you have the hiccups
+Michelle Sloney or that he's playing something else backwards.
Beautiful, I'd say "almost" poetic but I feel that would be doing this a disservice. Truly, we all have some masks we put on, but it's how we respond to those masks that shows us our true nature, I think.
The ending of your speech reminded me of a bit near the end of Undertale, where examining a mirror gives the phrase, "Despite everything, it's still you." We go through so many trials, tribulations, and celebrations, and in it all we slightly change who we are to fit the situation, whether it be as a friend, a rival, or an enemy, but despite it all, at the end of the day you're going to be left with yourself.
Who are you without a mask?
+Sigh We aaaall wear masks, Mr. Ipkiss.
+Sigh This gets really complex when I realize I can't take off Lovecraft's flesh mask.
I'm impressed with the smooth transition between impressions. How many takes?
+Nieroshai only one!
You, sir, are a master!
Let Leeman play H.P. Lovecraft in a Lovecraft movie or let him be the narrator!
Wait a second... H.P. Lovecraft was Leeman Kessler all along? So that explains why they've never been seen together in the same room. And I have to say, that was quite a feat when H.P. transitioned to P.H. You'd almost think they're the same person from how fluidly the video was cut and pasted.
Don't be silly. HP Lovecraft was just impersonating Leeman Kessler in that video.
He did a really good job, too. Maybe he could make a new web series about impersonating a regular guy from this century?
A virtuoso performance from H.P. Lovecraft! Who would have known that he could impersonate P.H. and Leeman so perfectly?
+neuralmute I think he's doing that Kevin Spacey acting course.
Ahhh... That would explain everything.
one of the best video you've done
Interesting answer Howard. . .Interesting indeed
This one is deep on several levels. Maybe part of the true horror of Nyarlathotep is that he isn't the same... being, after he has worn one of his masks.
I was having a rather bad evening, until I came across this video.
Thank you Mr Kessler :)
+Tore Bolhoej I'm glad I helped!
I just noticed the little cthulhu bck there going nom nom on the bell super cute
don't know whether to consider this episode canon or not due to how broken the 4th wall is....
+crazygermn That wall had it coming!
+Leeman Kessler (Ask Lovecraft) It was coming right for us!
+Bobby90 That's the 4th wall broken, let's aim for 5.
+freddo rictus
And the ceiling!
Build the effin wall!!
My first introduction to Nyarlathotep was in "Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute," second book in the Johannes Cabal The Necromancer series. I can't see him right now as anything other than in a human like disguise.
Also, did anyone besides me expect HP to turn into The Lone Ranger when he put on that mask? Ah, I can see him now, ridding the wild west of crime riding his trusty steed, calling out "Hi-ho, Shantak, AWAY!"
Yeah, I know, a Shantak is a species of beast, not the name of one, but it was the closest I could find that seemed rideable.
+Jami JoAnne Russell Fear Institute is the third book. The second one is "Johannes Cabal: the Detective."
Oops. You're right! Sorry about that.
No biggie. And personally, I think Detective has some of the best jokes (though I haven't read Fear Institute yet).
They're all great. I wish the short stories weren't so hard to get a hold of.
There are five available on Kindle for pretty cheap ($0.99 each). And there's an audio collection of seven of them for $12 total.
I truly love how he pronounces Nyarlathotep! After hearing many different pronunciations, I've come to agree with the sentiment that people should say it however is most horrifying to them. That said, my version was pretty close to this one... except I can't fathom how to sound like it's being played backwards like this XD It's like the name is so distasteful he has to struggle to swallow each syllable, which is perfect! I would feel so uncomfortable hearing that from my GM 0_0
I keep coming back to this video because you are one of the few people who pronounce "Nyarlathotep" correctly.
a) Amazing acting job.
b) why do you pronounce Nyarlathotep so weirdly? Is there a Lovecraft pronunciation guide for that as well (I'm aware of the Cthulhu original pronunciation, but not any other names).
+ZeSheshamHahu I assume purposeful distortion in the audio editing
+ZeSheshamHahu Lovecraft was pretty fluid with his pronunciation of Cthulhu, probably why it isn't pronounced on this show.
+ZeSheshamHahu I'm just saying his name. If it comes out sounding weird, that's on you.
Is it just me, or does Mr. Lovecraft sound like he's back-masking when he says "Nyarlathotep"?
dat princess bride reference tho
Love these videos.
Tell your friends!
I can't believe you know his anime counterpart. I actually like that show but maybe you were better off not knowing, just saying.
Also props performance.
+Gat the Man We get a lot of questions about that. Answered one of them!
Leeman Kessler Really?
+Gat the Man Really: th-cam.com/video/Uf-V4lSi0Gs/w-d-xo.html
Nicely illustrated well done
I’ve recently watched Haiyore Nyaruko San. I’m trying to read the manga. I got a feeling it deviates from the manga just like the Rosario Vampire anime did. That said it’s not too bad for Nyarlathotep to take the form a Japanese school girl. Nyarlathotep is actually genderless and we refer to it as he because it usually presents itself in a male form. Plus both manga and anime said there’s a race of Nyarlathotep, so it may not be the same from the books. But I can’t say for sure since only the first chapter has been translated to English...despite the manga ending in 2014.
HP is an amazing actor! Who'd have guessed a sickly Rhode Islander who spent more time writing than talking would be so good at impressions?!
Love the accents!
Brilliant
Damn you are poetic and clever!
At 1:42 he knocks over the little Cthulhu in the background. lol
Wait, when was Nyarthatotep a small Japanese schoolgirl?
Google "nyarlathotep anime", there's literally an anime where Nyarlathotep is a japanese school girl
Have to ask: has anyone asked: Just how much cocaine or opiates did it take to come up with your mythos?
+Bobby90
I've often wondered myself about Howard's consumption of various "pharmaceuticals" that were actually still legal in his time, and how they might have affected his writing. I've also wondered about how the lack of those pharmaceuticals might have affected his adjustment to life in the present, where you need a fairly heavy-duty prescription to get your hands on anything fun...
+neuralmute Lovecraft was a teetotaller and did not approve the use of narcotics in the slightest. You might notice that in the few of his stories where drugs play a central role, like, say, Hypnos, they always end up ruining the users' lives.
Lightice1
Very true. Somehow the thought of his sobreity makes the content of his work all that much more frightening.
+neuralmute To borrow a word form the late Terry Pratchett, I rather suspect that HPL was Knurd for most of his life. That is to say, that he exited from the state of sobriety in the opposite direction to most of us, and would have had to imbibe freely to become sober. When you're knurd, you find that the truth really IS out there - which is not a comfortable experience.
lomax343
By quoting the late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett, you have won my lifelong respect, sir. I know the state of being knurd far too well, personally, which is likely why I'm such a Lovecraft fan.
Tell me about the Dreamlands cat
I need talking out of hunting them upon the sea of dreams for I am sure should I ever find them, they would not allow me to leave
All I can think is please put the black coat back on.
Hello! Ask Lovecraft what he thinks about cartomancy! Cheers!
asked and answered!
th-cam.com/video/JOuU5hOq9do/w-d-xo.html
So usually Egyptians attach the "hotep" onto the end of a name, usually a god of some kind like amenhotep or rahotep. So is Nylarat a separate god entity or what?
How many takes to get the perfect Nyarlathotep pronunciation?
+Scott Moore only one!
Nyarlathotep as a Japanese schoolgirl? I want details.
It’s from the anime/manga (Though the anime deviates from the manga) Haiyore Nyaruko San. Nyarlathotep takes the form of a silver haired school girl because It was assigned to protect a boy named Mahiro. Whom it fell fell in love with at first sight.
"Take off your mask."
Did Lovecraft actually speak with a transatlantic accent?
He did according to all the secret recordings that only I possess.
ok
Are you really H. P. lovecraft?
Close enough!
Wait... Mr.Lovecraft has multiple personality disorder?
+ranwolf76 Not to our knowledge.