The Tomb-Spawn

Tales of Zothique #7

by Clark Ashton Smith

Completed July 1933. First published in Weird Tales, May 1934.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Short Stories, Fiction

Unknown Binding

About the author

Clark Ashton Smith was a poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. It is for these stories, and his literary friendship with H. P. Lovecraft from 1922 until Lovecraft's death in 1937, that he is mainly remembered today. With Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, also a friend and correspondent, Smith remains one of the most famous contributors to the pulp magazine Weird Tales.

His writings are posted at his official website.

Reviews

[Filipe Passos-Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quintessential lost temple tale imbued with cosmic horror perfumes. Atmosphere of dread, mysticism, and the fatal influence of destiny perfected, like dominos pushing the next one towards the characters' inexorable doom. Alas, said doom fell flat.
7.5/10

[Per · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://archive.org/details/Weird_Tal...
http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/...

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

great weird, fantasy,short story with a taste of horror to bring out the creepyness.

[William Cherico · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure what Clark Ashton Smith's fascination with people stumbling upon and dying in ancient tombs is, but I feel like I've read this same story from him a couple of times now, both in his Zothique cycle and in his Cthulhu mythos stories. Despite this, he demonstrates that he still has a mastery of the language, at the very least when describing tombs and deserts, and I didn't find myself bored at all throughout the familiar story.

[kina ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favorite from this author. a bit repetitive in terms of plot, but still enjoyable.

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooooo! So Cthulhuy! 🦑

[Andrew Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many Zothique tales, the landscape is brutal and the menace is haunting. Brothers will face horrors aplenty in their efforts at merchantry and travel.

As caravans enter the Faraad desert town, a story -teller recites the legend of Ossaru and Nioth Korghai. Great King Ossaru, ruler of half of Zothique, astrologer, and wizard, prospered by the black god of evil, Thasaidon, foresaw the arriving of alien monster Nioth Korghai, and prepared for the monster to live in a vault, advising Ossaru on the other worlds, until the monsters mysterious death. Ossaru enchants the vault to preserve Nioth and is himself lowered into the tomb upon his own death, cursing/killing any that would enter the zone of death. Where this city and tomb were, no one knows, but in the past wizard Namirrha prophesies desert dwellers finding it. Ustaim merchant brothers Milabb and Marabac ponder this story as they continue with the caravan through a wasteland where the Ghorii cannibal beasts dwell for travelers, eventually slaughtering the merchant caravan and chasing the brothers off into the desert where they find ancient ruins of a city. Needing water, the brothers search through the ruins and follow the sound of water to ... well, they will go everywhere together.

The Abominations of Yondo
The Charnel God
The Dark Eidolon
The Death of Malygris
The Double Shadow
The Empire of the Necromancers
The Isle of Torturers
Necromancy in Naat
The Tale of Satampra Zeiros
The Tomb-Spawn
The Voyage of King Eurovan
The Weaver in the Vault