This is an English language version of Ludwig Prinn's "De Vermiis Mysteriis". It is not an actual translation of the Latin, but appears to be a transcription and annotation of Charles Leggett's 1821 volume "The Mysteries of the Worm". The differences arise from the deletion of some material that the author felt were irrelevant or simply plain wrong, and the addition of a number of appendices apparently relating to the author's personal experiences. The book also covers some entirely unrelated material apparently relating to the author's travels through Valusia.

The book was written in 1929 and fifteen copies were privately published. The author kept one, two were sent to colleagues, one to the British Library and one resides in the Southampton University library. The location of the other ten copies is left at the discretion of the keeper - they were originally sent to assorted worldwide libraries.

Stats: Reading the book thoroughly takes 4 months, costs 1D6/2D6 sanity and grants +10% Cthulhu Mythos. If the reader is already familiar with "The Mysteries of the Worm" of "De Vermiis Mysteriis" then the book is worth 1D3/1D6 sanity and +2% Cthulhu Mythos. The spell list is described below.

The Main Text

The main body of the work discusses matters arising from the following spells:

Command ghost - the caster may try and force a departed spirit to return and answer questions. The chances of success vary with the length of time since the spirit died and whether the caster has any connection (such as a personal item) with the spirit.

Contact Yig

Enchant Crux Ansata - a spell that enchants an Ankh so that it may be used to ward off demons.

Voorish sign - a hand gesture that aids the efficacy of spells and "makes the invisible visible".

Create Scrying Window - a magic window that looks into the past. Its construction is complicated for the requirement for 98 separate pieces of specially prepared stained glass, and the window is also know to have dangers associated with the Hounds of Tindalos.

Create Laio Drug - a drug that sends the users spirit into the past.

Summon/Bind Star Vampire - requires an enchanted book and a "clear, cloudless night".

Summon/Bind Dark Young - requires a knife and a large mammal sacrifice. Must be cast outdoors in or near an old wood preferably at the dark of the moon.

Spirit transfer - allows the caster to temporarily swap his spirit into another body.

Most of the information is derived from the earlier works, but there are some annotations and explanations. It is not clear whether this information comes from experience or merely another book.

The Appendices

A discussion of an encounter with a Hound of Tindalos which describes the hound and its attempts to track its target (a young girl by the name of Joan Bayldon). The author describes a final encounter in a London police station where the hound was driven off by use of the Crux Ansata.

"The Curse of Eibon" describes a spell similar to the "Shrivelling" spell, though there is not sufficient information to determine its use.

"On the Laio Drug and the dangers of time travel" discusses the application of the Laio drug to a subject (Joan Bayldon) and her subsequent encounter with a Hound of Tindalos. A number of journal entries are reproduced (see "A Sign Writ in Scarlet" in the book of the same name.)

The following three chapters discuss the author's travels in a pre-historical world. It is not quite clear whether he was actually there, or is reliving some past life. Those knowledgeable in the mythos will realise that most of the references appear plausible. The continent is described variously as Valusia or Atlantis, and the time period appears to be approximately 20,000 BC.

• "A note on the serpent men" describes an unknown, pre-historical society of serpent men sorcerers who resided in semi secret, using their powers of illusion to infiltrate the human society.
• "A note on the deep ones" describes the deep ones in some detail. It seems that the serpent men discussed in the previous appendix employed a contingent of deep ones as foot soldiers.
• "On Handola" describes a previously unknown fanatic order of scholars and warriors dedicated to battling the "demons". They were founded by a scholar-lord named Handola and followed his belief that knowledge was the true weapon to defeat the enemy. The Handolans were said to be entirely uninterested in human power struggles, and only intervened when requested and when demons were thought to be at the root of the problem. The author describes how he became a "protector" of Handola (apparently a senior rank who was believed to be empowered by the spirit of Handola) and warded off a serious crisis brought about by the serpent people.

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(This write up is © Mike Lay, June 2000, based on an idea by Pedro "Mr Hudson" Wrobel. It can be printed for personal use only.)