AmericanpsychologistJohnHoldenarrivesinLondontoparticipateinasymposiumaimingtoexposewitchcraftanddevil-worshipasafraud,withattentioncenteredonacultrunbyaJulianKarswell.Debarkinghisplane,Holdenlearnsthatthesymposiumleader,HenryHarrington,hassuddenlydiedandheisnowincharge.WhatonlytheaudienceknowsisthatHarringtonwasclearlykilledbyademon,apparentlysummonedbyKarswelltoavengehispersecution.DespiteboththreateningandcajolingbehaviorbyKarswell,Holdendeterminestoproceed,thoughtheonlycultmemberwillingtotalkabouthisexperiencesisinaprisonpsychiatricward,catatonicafterallegedlykillingyetanothercultmember.However,Harrington'sniece,Joanna,believes,basedonheruncle'snotes,thatKarswellmayindeedhavesomesatanicpowersderivedfromanancienttomeinanobscurelanguagewhichhehasbeenabletotranslate,andattemptstowarntheskepticHolden.Karswell'smotheralsoattemptstowarnHoldenoff.However,thethingwhichbeginstomostgettoHoldenaretheoccasional,butmounting,sensoryandmentaldisturbanceshebeginsexperiencingafteranencounterwithKarswell,andthediscoverythat,duringthisencounter,KarswellsecretlyslippedaslipofparchmentwithacurseinrunicsymbolsonitintoHolden'sbelongings,aparchmentidenticaltooneHarringtonrecordedhavinghadpassedtohiminasimilarmannershortlybeforehisdeath...[N.B.HoldenatnopointstaysattheKarswellestate].
2024-06-24 10:44:19，最后更新于 9月前