In the Vaults Beneath

"In the Vaults Beneath" is a Cthulhu Mythos story written by Brian Lumley that first appeared in his collection The Caller of The Black (Arkham House, 1971). Largely a sequel to H. P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness, it features the archaeologist Gordon Walmsley, who is mentioned repeatedly in Lumley's Mythos tales.
==Synopsis==
Archaeologist Gordon Walmsley and two amateur colleagues decipher the G'harne Fragments and uncover an undercover complex, known only as The Outpost, built by the Elder Things somewhere in Britain. After nearly unleashing a shoggoth, the explorers withdraw from the site, taking with them a few artefacts, including samples of a mysterious metallic fabric that has the ability to stop clockwork in its vicinity. Before they have a chance to return to the complex, it suddenly disappears along with all the items taken from it--which spells a grisly end for Walmsley, as at the time he was wearing a suit of clothing made from the fabric.
== Characters==
* Gordon Walmsley: An archaeologist, professor curator of the Wharby Museum, formerly at the Radcar Museum. He is described as a "stout, balding, bespectacled little professor."
* Simon Guest: The story's narrator, an amateur archaeologist enlisted in Walmsley's project to identify locations mentioned in the G'harne Fragments.
* Arthur Jeffries: Another amateur archaeologist who teams up with Guest on Walmsley's project. He is described as "tall and angular" and "ever the more intrepid member of our group."
==Publication History==
After its initial appearance in The Caller of The Black, "In the Vaults Beneath" has not been released in another English-language collection, although The Caller of The Black was re-released by Crossroads Press in 2019. A French translation (as "L'avant-poste des Grands Anciens") was released in 1986 as the title story of a Lumley collection published by Néo.
Category:Brian Lumley works
Category:Expanded Mythos Works