Ward Phillips

Ward Phillips is the name of several characters in the Cthulhu Mythos, all derived from the name of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. 
There is a Ward Phillips in "Through the Gates of the Silver Key" (1934), described as "an elderly eccentric of Providence, Rhode Island." This "Providence mystic," who "enjoyed a long and close correspondence" with Randolph Carter, is said to be "lean, grey, long-nosed, clean-shaven, and stoop-shouldered.
The Rev. Ward Phillips is "Pastor of the Second Church in Arkham in the Massachusetts-Bay" in August Derleth's The Lurker at the Threshold (1945). He is the author of Thaumaturgical Prodigies in the New-English Canaan, published in Boston in 1801, and he has a vitriolic debate over the book with Alijah Billington in 1808.
Joan Stanley, in Ex Libris Miskatonici, says the Miskatonic University library was created in 1693 when another Ward Phillips--great-grandfather of the reverend--donated his library of 127 mainly religious books to the fledgling college.
The Ward Philips of August Derleth's "The Lamp of Alhazred" is the closest of all to Howard Phillips Lovecraft: a pulp fiction writer who makes extra money revising other people's stories; who goes on imaginary journeys to Arkham, Innsmouth, R'lyeh, and the Plateau of Leng; who writes of Cthulhu, Hastur, Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath, Hypnos, and Nyarlathotep; who lives on Angell Street in Providence. Ward Phillips is 46 when he disappears, the same age Lovecraft was when he died.
==In Games==
The Lurker at the Threshold iteration of the Rev. Ward Phillips is mentioned in "The Asylum", a Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game module included in the 1983 supplement The Asylum & Other Tales. In the scenario, a copy of his pamphlet comes up for sale at an Austrian auction house during the 1920s The Asylum & Other Tales: "The Auction", pp.12, Chaosium (1983).
Another Chaosium version of the character for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, Ward Phillips is a pulp-horror author and a prominent dreamer. He is able to use a the Lamp of Alhazred, left to him by his grandfather, to travel between the Waking World and the Dreamlands. He now lives in Ennon where he aids fellow travellers like Nathaniel Elton (citation needed).
==Appearance==
"Phillips appears as a sickly youth of perhaps 17 years of age. He has brown hair and eyes, stands about 5'6", and speaks with a distinct Boston accent."
==Behind the Mythos==
The name Ward Phillips was used as a pseudonym by H. P. Lovecraft when writing "Ex Oblivione" and the character's description is clearly based on his own. Since Lovecraft has died in real life, and since this character is his alter ego, it is implied that, like Kuranes, H. P. Lovecraft himself is now a permanent resident of the Dreamlands.
In the 2019 movie adaptation of "The Colour Out of Space", the protagonist (unnamed in the original story) is named Ward Phillips.
Ward phillips from card game.jpg
WardPhillips-Dreamlands.jpg|Ward Phillips from H. P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands
WardPhillips2019.jpg|Ward Phillips from the 2019 film Color Out of Space
==References==
Category:Alter-Egos/Characters Incorporated From the Real World
Category:Dreamers
Category:Characters Originating From Lovecraft Circle Works
Category:Characters Originating From Expanded Mythos Works