Untitled story (“I started up . . .”)

Introduction

UNTITLED STORY (“I started up . . .”). Published later as “The Jade God“. First published in Unaussprechlichen Kulten #2 (Editions Samarcande, July 1992). 1400 words, unfinished. The title was likely by Glenn Lord.

“The Jade God” is an unfinished, originally untitled story by Robert E. Howard, set against a backdrop typical of his dark and mysterious narratives. Written in the 1930s, the story remains a fascinating example of Howard’s ability to blend elements of horror and suspense with vividly rendered settings. The narrative plunges the reader into an eerie night of murder and mystery involving a small group of characters and a peculiar artifact—the titular jade god.

The Jade God is a green jade statue of a winged ape. The ape is reclining, and grinning in a hideous and evil way. The statue was between two and three feet tall. It was also extremely heavy for its size.

When first encountered the statue came to life and attacked, only finally being subdued by being trapped in a pool of tar and set on fire. This burned the creature to death. Kirowan theorised that it was originally a living monkey changed through surgery by Fu Manchu, or even a Tcho-Tcho.

Summary

The story begins abruptly with the narrator being startled awake by a horrifying scream in the middle of the night. The scream appears to originate from the house of William Dormouth, his eccentric and reclusive neighbor. Seized by a sense of urgency, the narrator, armed only with a heavy blackthorn, dashes toward Dormouth’s house.

Upon arriving, he encounters another neighbor, John Conrad, who is similarly alarmed and equipped with a revolver. They find the front door locked but are soon driven to force entry by continued horrific sounds from within. They break into the house and rush upstairs to Dormouth’s bedroom, hearing unsettling noises suggestive of a violent struggle.

Forcing their way into the locked bedroom, they find Dormouth in a ghastly state, bloodied and dying on the floor. Before he succumbs to his injuries, Dormouth utters “The jade god” as a possible clue to his assailant or the motive behind his brutal murder.

Conrad and the narrator begin to investigate the scene, hypothesizing about the nature of the weapon used due to the unusual wounds on Dormouth’s body. They are interrupted by a young man named Joe, who has heard the commotion and comes to check on them. Conrad sends Joe to fetch the sheriff from the village, navigating the challenge of downed telephone lines due to a recent flood.

As they wait, Conrad speculates that the murderer escaped through a window using a nearby tree, despite the seemingly impossible distance. This theory is supported by traces of blood found on the window sill and torn away screen, suggesting a desperate escape.

While Conrad retrieves the jade idol for examination, the narrator searches the grounds for any tracks or signs of the assailant, finding none. The setting around them—barns, fields, and a foreboding forest—enhances the chilling atmosphere of the night’s events.

The story cuts off here, leaving unresolved mysteries about the murderer’s identity, the significance of the jade god, and the exact circumstances of the murder.

Characters

  • William Dormouth: The victim of the mysterious and violent attack that sets off the events of the story. He is an eccentric and somewhat reclusive neighbor whose last words implicate the jade god.
  • John Conrad: Another neighbor, who assists the narrator in breaking into Dormouth’s house and later investigating the scene of the crime. Conrad is more heavily armed and appears to be quick to action.
  • Professor John Kirowan (The Narrator): The first-person narrator of the story. Though his full name isn’t specified in the excerpt, Kirowan is a recurring character in Robert E. Howard’s works, often appearing as a knowledgeable figure in supernatural investigations. He is the primary character through whose perspective the story is told.
  • Joe: A young man from the neighborhood, presumably African American based on the dialect and context. He is tasked with fetching the sheriff from the village after the murder is discovered.

Alternate title:

THE JADE GOD.

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