Esoteric Order of Dagon

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The Esoteric Order of Dagon is a fictional cult in the Cthulhu mythos of H. P. Lovecraft.

Esoteric Order of Dagon in the mythos

Esoteric Order of Dagon was the primary religion in Innsmouth after Captain Obed Marsh returned from the South Seas with the dark religion circa 1838. It quickly took root due to its promises of expensive gold artifacts and fish, which were desired by the primarily-fishing town.

The central beings worshipped by the Order were the Deep Ones, Father Dagon, Mother Hydra, and, to a lesser extent, Cthulhu. The Deep Ones were seen largely as intermediaries between the various gods, rather than as gods themselves. Even so, the cultists sacrificed various locals to the Deep Ones at specific times in exchange for a limitless supply of gold and fish.

The Esoteric Order of Dagon (which masqueraded as the local Masonic movement) had three oaths which members had to take. The first was an oath of secrecy, the second, an oath of loyalty, and the third, an oath to marry a Deep One and bear or sire its child.

The Esoteric Order of Dagon was seemingly destroyed when one of Obed Marsh's lost descendants sent the U.S. Treasury Department to seize the town. As a result, the town was more or less destroyed, and the Order was thought disbanded.

Source: H. P. Lovecraft "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and August Derleth "The Trail of Cthulhu"

Esoteric Order of Dagon in Media

• In the movie Dagon, the Esoteric Order of Dagon appears as the primary antagonist.
• The Esoteric Order is also featured in many Call of Cthulhu role-playing game supplements.
• The Esoteric Order of Dagon briefly appears in the Anno Dracula series story "The Other Side of Midnight".
• The Esoteric Order of Dagon is a primary antagonist in the video game Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.
• The Esoteric Order of Dagon is a primary protagonist, of sorts, in the novel "Other Nations" by T&P Marsh
• The Esoteric Order of Dagon is one of the main enemies of the New Earth Government in the CthulhuTech RPG, where it employs giant aquatic mecha to fight the forces of humanity.

E.O.D. Amateur Press Association

The Esoteric Order of Dagon amateur press association was founded in 1973 and is devoted to scholarship related to H.P. Lovecraft and the works of the Weird Tales school of writers. Its current Official Editor is critic and scholar S.T. Joshi.

As early as 1971 an APA dedicated to the study of the life and works of Lovecraft had been proposed by Texan writer Joseph F. Pumilia (a member of the famous Turkey City Writer's Workshop) and Bill Wallace. In 1973 Roger Bryant, an Ohio devotee, began the EOD under its current name.

Early charter members included Claire Beck (who printed and published the only Lovecraft book to appear during the author's lifetime, The Shadow Over Innsmouth; Harry Morris Jr; Meade Frierson; Stuart David Schiff, publisher of Whispers (Magazine/Anthologies); R. Alain Everts; Ben Indick; Ken Faig Jr; Dirk W. Mosig; David Drake; Robert Weinberg; J. Vernon Shea; Chet Williamson; Tom Collins; Crispin Burnham; Glenn Lord. Further members came and went as time went on, including Scott Connors, David C. Smith (author); David E. Schultz; George Wetzel; Bernadette Bosky; Donald R. Burleson; Larry Baker; Leigh Blackmore; Robert M. Price; and S.T. Joshi.

With the 14th mailing, Roger Bryant stepped down as official Editor and Joe Moudry was elected in his place as EOD's second Official Editor. Moudry relinquished his place as Official editor to Bernadette Bosky with the 26th mailing, whose term was shortlived. In Oct 1980 Mollie Werba became the EOD's fourth Official Editor. Werba continued until 1987, when S.T. Joshi became the fifth official Editor of the EOD, a position he has continued to occupy for over twenty years.

Joshi brought in new members including Marc Michaud of Necronomicon Press, A. Langley Searles and others. Further members included Steve Mariconda, Ken Neily and other important scholars in the field of Lovecraft studies.

By the beginning of 1992, EOD was well past its 70th mailing and in Sept 1997 celebrated its 100th mailing. More recent members include Douglas A. Anderson, John Haefele, Steve Walker, Benjamin Szumskyj, John Goodrich, Alan Gullette, and Todd Fischer.

As at Spring 2009, the EOD APA has published its 146th mailing and has a strong membership which will likely see it continue for many years to come. Other current members include Scott Briggs, Fred Phillips, Danny Lovecraft (Australia), Martin Andersson (Sweden), Jim Dapkus, T.R. Livesey, Graeme Phillips (UK), Henrik Harksen (Denmark), Michael Ashley (UK), Derrick Hussey (publisher of Hippocampus Press), Sean McLachlan (Spain), John and Linda Navroth, W.H. Pugmire, Gavin Smith and Juha-Matti Rajala (Finland). Longtime member and EOD historian Ben Indick died in September 2009.

See also

• "The Shadow over Innsmouth"

External links

• Amateur Press Association known as the Esoteric Order of Dagon