Cold Logic

Miskatonic University professor of Higher-Dimensional Mathematics, Dr Simeon Rasen, disappears in mysterious circumstances just after submitting for review the research paper that he proclaimed would take his career, and the entire science of mathematics, to a whole new level.

Image credit (licence)

Then, the people reviewing the paper begin to disappear as well...

Possibilities

1 The paper proposes the existence of “angular space” alongside the curved space that we inhabit, and describes how it might be proven. Angular space is indeed real and is home to the nightmarish Hounds of Tindalos. Rasen’s exploration of angular space lured the Hounds to him, and they killed him effortlessly. The same fate awaits anyone who tries to continue his work or attempts to verify the ideas in his research paper.

2 Rasen’s work caused him to suffer from insane episodes, during which he was able to construct part of the mathematical formula that would allow him to summon the Elder God Daoloth, the render of the veils. Once recovered, he was unable to remember the periods of insanity, but he discovered the formula scrawled across the walls of his home. He based his research paper on this, but after submitting it for review he declined into insanity again, and realised he needed the formula in the paper to continue his search for Daoloth. He has since been trying to track down the original version of his paper so that he might complete the unfinished formula and summon the Elder God. All who stand in his way must die.

3 Years ago, Rasen was possessed by a Yithian. Eventually, the creature learned all that it could from Rasen and departed peacefully, and Rasen’s spirit was brought back to his normal body with all memories erased. However, with his formidable strength of mind he overcame the influence of the Tabula Rasa device and recalled many aspects of the science of the Yithians. He incorporated their brilliant mathematical concepts into his new paper before submitting it for review. Only later did he recall the final details that allowed him to create a gate to the Yithian city. From there he has uncovered more of the work of the Yithians and is a master of travelling across limitless space and even time. He has begun to contact his former associates and offered them the opportunity to accompany him to distant worlds. Those who refuse he is forced to kill rather than risk them revealing his secrets to the world.

© Thomas Parfrey