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Bel-Shamharoth

2022-02-12T13:45:21Z

LukasSprehn:

[[Bel-Shamharoth]] (also known as the "'''Soul-Eater'''," the "'''Soul-Render'''," or the "'''Sender of Eight'''") is an ancient, dark [[the gods|god]] for whom the description "evil" is inappropriate; "negative" and "void" might be better terms. Bel-Shamharoth is all suckers, tentacles, mandibles, and one giant eye. His dilapidated temple is built of two-to-the-power-three-sided stones, with [[7a]] sided tiles, lit in an eerie dark violet and possibly [[octarine]] light by twice-four-sided crystals, and a number of main corridors one more than seven and one less than nine leads to the center of the temple, where there is a slab with the same number of sides as a spider has legs. [[Rincewind]], unwillingly visiting the temple, has likened it to a spider's web. In addition to leading the visitors to the center, whichever way they may turn, the temple also is bigger on the inside than the outside, a quality often found in buildings that do not occupy real space-time. The temple and Bel-Shamharoth himself appear in ''[[Book:The Colour of Magic|The Colour of Magic]]''. The temple is long since abandoned, worship of the Sender of Eight being a decidedly short term
prospect. These days he is mostly remembered in the name of the [[YMPA|Young Men's Reformed Cultists of the Ichor God Bel-Shamharoth Association]] (which is also known as the Young Men's Pagan Association or YMPA). His likeness is etched on the cover of the [[Octavo]].

It has been speculated that Bel-Shamharoth is a Creature from the [[Dungeon Dimensions]] who has managed to cling onto the [[Discworld (world)|Discworld]] and gathered worshippers (see ''[[Book:The Discworld Companion|The Discworld Companion]]''). This might mean he is in fact less cruel than creatures from the Dungeon Dimensions (whose want for physical existence is what causes them to be cruel), just more capable of hurting non-wizards and therefore quicker to gain a reputation.

Bel-Shamharoth could definitely be seen as a version of {{wp|H._P._Lovecraft| H P Lovecraft's}}
{{wp|Cthulhu|Cthulhu}}.

In {{P}} it seems he is still remembered and referred to by the people of the [[Djel]] as the Eater of Souls.

See also: [[Numerology]], [[Wizard's magic]]

[[Category:Discworld characters]]
[[Category:Supernatural entities]]
[[de:Bel-Shamharoth]]

Dungeon Dimensions

2022-02-12T13:41:14Z

LukasSprehn:

[[image:dungeonmine.jpg|240px|thumb|right|a creature of the Dungeon Dimensions by Kit Cox]]
The '''Dungeon Dimensions''' are the great dark dimensions less than a shadow's width away. There is endless, dry, silver sand, and it is said to be as cold as the space between the stars, and it's populated by Things that exist just enough to hate everything that has actual substance.

They are born of nightmares, and make nightmares, and are just generally nightmarish in general. They are not large ugly furry things; those are just [[bogeymen]], and are generally much prettier. They are not demons either, as they do not rely on belief to exist. And the pretty ones look like a cross between an ugly octopus and an angry bicycle.

They crave life in a stable reality, so they try to break through into more ordinary dimensions such as the [[Discworld (world)|Discworld]] (it says something when the Discworld has a much more stable reality than the Dungeon Dimensions have). Magic weakens the boundaries between worlds, so the Creatures of the Dungeon Dimensions gather where there is a large amount of magic, waiting to break through. They also sometimes manage to come into the mind of a [[wizard's magic|wizard]], and these Creatures have an affinity to the number that is four-plus-four, so wizards try not to say that number (see ''[[Book:The Discworld Companion|The Discworld Companion]]'').

They apparently cuddle around our world for light and shape, craving only the ability to exist. They could no more survive in our world than wet paper in a shredding machine, but that doesn't stop them wishing they could. If they ever did break through, the effect would be not unlike the ocean attempting to warm itself on a candle, but they haven't stopped trying yet, and they never will. They are very good at waiting.

Magic doesn't work in fighting the Things, as they feed on magic, but two other methods have been known to work; ''not'' using magic, and good old non-magical fire. When in our world, they must obey our rules, which is why they generally don't last very long, what with having far too many legs and all those organs in the wrong place. If they take on other forms, they seem to have trouble adjusting to having less legs (or eyes or arms or just having legs at all). Those few who have managed to break through home in on sources of Magic. The [[Library|UU Library]] is a favorite.

Generally, entering the Dungeon Dimensions results in insanity, and if you do get something back, it isn't what went in. But some people come out mentally intact. Some of these people are:

*[[Esk]], later the first female student in [[Unseen University]].
*[[Simon]], an [[Unseen University|Unseen]] student so smart that he started giving lectures to the faculty soon after he entered as a student.
*[[Coin]], the [[Sourcerer]].
*[[Rincewind]] the ''Wizzard'' [sic].
:These incidents are detailed in: ''[[Book:Equal Rites|Equal Rites]]'', ''[[Book:Sourcery|Sourcery]]'', and ''[[Book:Eric|Eric]]''.

Other breakthrough attempts described in ''[[Book:The Light Fantastic|The Light Fantastic]] and [[Book:Moving Pictures|Moving Pictures]]''. The mall organism from [[Book:Reaper Man|Reaper Man]] may or may not be related to the Dungeon Things. [[Mustrum Ridcully]] predicted another incursion in ''Soul Music'', but was mistaken. Referred to by Lord [[Havelock Vetinari]], the current [[Patrician]] of [[Ankh-Morpork]], in ''[[Book:The Truth|The Truth]]''.

<BR>The Dungeon Dimensions are heavily inspired by H. P. Lovecraft.

== Dark Gods of the Dungeon Dimensions ==

It has been suggested that some of the very terrible gods on the Disc are not ordinary demons from Hell who have managed to convince believers, but Creatures of the Dungeon Dimensions who have managed to attach themselves to the Discworld enough to have believers.

Some of these Dark Gods are:

The Laddering Horror, [[Nylonathatep]]

The Drunken Cthubopalulu

The Sender of Eight, [[Bel-Shamharoth]]

[[C'hulagan]]

[[The Insider]]

[[Tshup Aklathep]]

[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Discworld concepts]]
[[Category:Supernatural entities]]
[[de:Kerkerdimensionen]]

Magic

2022-02-12T13:40:31Z

LukasSprehn:

The [[Discworld (world)|Discworld]] runs on '''magic'''; without magic, it would fall apart. In some places, magic is leaking or has built up during the [[Mage Wars]]. Specially gifted people can see the colour of magic, [[Octarine]].

Although all magic is technically the same, there are different ways to use it – and more importantly, ''not'' use it. [[Witches magic]], particularly, avoids it in favour of of [[headology]]. On the other hand, [[Wizard's magic]] is more showy and has more special effects (one could consider this headology of the "I'm so powerful I can waste it on making it look impressive" type).

The final category of magic is "old magic". Some magic is so old, it's hardly magic anymore. Controlling people through teeth (or nails, or hair), as shown in [[Book:Hogfather|Hogfather]] is an example of old magic.

=Witches Magic=
{{:Witches magic}}

=Wizard's Magic=
{{:Wizard's magic}}

=Holy Wood Magic=
{{:Holy Wood Magic}}

Wyrmberg

2022-02-12T13:37:39Z

LukasSprehn:

{{Nation Data
|title= The Wyrmberg
|picture=Blank.jpg|
|established=
|motto=
|neighbours=[[Hergen]]
|features= Vast upside down mountain.
|population= A few hundred warriors and dragons
|size= Territory covers the mountain and the zone of high magic surrounding it.
|capital=
|government= Feudal, current ruler: Dragonlady [[Liessa Wyrmbidder]]
|notablecitizens= [[Greicha|Wizard & Dragon Lord Greicha the First]]
|imports= Sheep, lost travellers
|exports= Dragon raids (but only within the magical region)
|anthem=
|books= {{COM}}
}}
The '''Wyrmberg''' is the "Dragon Home" featured in {{COM}}, a magic-infested area where dragons can be created from pure thought. Parodies {{wp|Anne_Mccaffrey|Anne McCaffrey's}} {{wp|Dragonriders_of_Pern|Dragonriders of Pern}} series. The Wyrmberg is located, according to information in {{CDA}}, in the country of [[Hergen]]. Aparently dracophiles - dragon-spotters - are drawn to this ara and unpleasant situations have resulted. Some Extreme Sports enthusiasts have even tried to climb the Wyrmberg, drawn magnetically to an upside-down mountain held in place by residual magic. This has led to more unpleasantness and frequent splatting noises.

Wyrmberg has the appearance of an upside down mountain. On the inside it is hollow, with dwellings for the dragon riders and forgotten tunnels from a time when there was more [[Magic|magic]]. On top is a small wood, a lake with waterfalls running down the sides of the mountain and the Killing Ground, where for some bizarre reason fighting is prohibited.

Wyrmberg is now ruled by [[Liessa Wyrmbidder]] (aka Lianna, perhaps a typo), after [[Hrun]] defeated and she banished her brothers [[Lio!rt_Dragonlord|Lio!rt]] and [[Liartes_Dragonlord|Liartes]], allowing her father, [[Greicha]] to finally rest in peace.

[[Category:Discworld geography]][[de:Wyrmberg]]