Things that Go Bump
2026 / 02 / 06
When investigators brave the mysteries that lurk behind the façade of the world they know, they must do so with caution. Danger really does lurk in the shadows, and sometimes the villain isn’t a man in a mask, but a monster wearing the illusion of a person.
Icons of the Mythos
Lovecraft’s Mythos is rich with strange creatures and dangerous monsters, oddities found nowhere else. Kingsport Mysteries gives some fan-favorite creatures their time in the…well, not sun, because of all the mists.
Given the association those mists, and Kingsport, have with the Dreamlands, it seems only natural (or supernatural) that mischievous zoogs may be lurking about. First appearing in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (written 1927, published 1943), the zoogs are intelligent, secretive, and occasionally dangerous creatures that resemble a sort of cross between a large rodent and a star-nosed mole. Famously predatory towards kittens, zoogs are preyed upon in turn by the adult cats of Ulthar. Zoogs are sometimes allies, sometimes foes of those who stray into the Dreamlands. One zoog alone may not pose much of a threat to an adult human, but zoogs are seldom found alone…
While zoogs may scurry and climb about in forests or caves, the skies of the Dreamlands are ruled by larger creatures. Night-gaunts were also first described in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and have become a mainstay of the Mythos. Their rubbery, featureless skin and curving horns gives them an unsettling appearance, but like many Dreamlands creatures, the night-gaunts are not necessarily aggressive. They are even known to serve Nodens, one of the more benevolent of the god-like entities that humans can barely struggle to understand. But night-gaunts may also serve more sinister masters, from sorcerers to Ancient Ones, and their speed, strength, and ability to fly make them very dangerous to anyone who attracts their ire.
Uncertainty as to what is friend and what is foe is a common theme in the Dreamlands, and in Kingsport Mysteries. Very little is as it first appears, and while danger may lurk behind the friendliest smiles, sometimes the reverse is true! Or perhaps it’s better said that one shouldn’t look too closely into one’s allies, for fear of what might be discovered. Fans of Dreams of Kingsport may have already found an unexpected ally, in the form of a nightmarish shoggoth who chooses to use their shapeshifting talents for good. Lady reprises her role here, as a potential ally for investigators who might see beyond the monstrous surface of those they encounter.
Arkham Horror Files
Of course the Mythos of Arkham Horror isn’t quite the same thing as the Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. In the tradition of science-fiction and horror authors past, the creative minds behind Arkham Horror have brought their own additions to the lore, creatures and Ancient Ones which have been revisited across various games in the Arkham Horror universe.
The Hune-mists are nebulous creatures—literally, animalistic clouds with wings and teeth. Devoted to Silenus, they are born from the smoke, mist, and shadow of its first emergence, and share the Ancient One’s hatred of all living things. While they normally haunt the night sky and far reaches of space, where they’re little threat to human beings, they can be called and controlled by servants of Silenus like loyal hunting hounds. If such a servant were to take up residence in the Dreamlands, the mists of Kingsport might have teeth!
From Magical to Mundane
Arkham Horror draws deeply from the well of both history and folklore. While there’s plenty of room for eldritch abominations, there are also a fair helping of struggling magicians, precocious children, or fashion designers with big dreams that make Kingsport feel alive and real. And of course there are plenty of gribbly monsters from classic folklore and beyond!
Whether it’s the ghosts of witches from old Salem, werewolves cursed with a bestial rage, or dockworkers with a mean streak, investigators will find plenty to challenge them in Kingsport Mysteries. The question is, are any of them what they appear to be?
Kingsport Mysteries is set to launch on February 13th, 2026.
