HYPERBOREA / The Cruel Empire of Tsan-Chan

**Posted by billion6** 11/07/2023 5:05 pm

In a couple of Lovecraft's stories, he references The Cruel Empire of Tsan-Chan which is to come on Earth in the year 5,000. Specifically, the Empire is mentioned in The Shadow Out of Time, and Beyond the Wall of Sleep.
In 2010, Chaosium published a short book detailing what they think it might be like.(It's hard to find now.)

I just think it would be a cool place for a race of humans on Hyperborea to hail from.

Brian

**Posted by rhialto** 11/08/2023 5:22 am

Interesting idea. I'm not familiar with the stories (I'm sure I read them long ago...), so what is Tsan-Chan like?

**Posted by billion6** 11/08/2023 12:33 pm

Honestly, in the original stories, they are only mentioned in passing. In the Chaosium book, it's portrayed as possibly the last place where humanity has survived. Everyone is insane, but follows a code of behavior enforced by societal norms. It's been a long time since I read it, so I might not be remembering it correctly.

**Posted by Blackadder23** 11/08/2023 1:58 pm

rhialto wrote:
Interesting idea. I'm not familiar with the stories (I'm sure I read them long ago...), so what is Tsan-Chan like?

Literally all "The Shadow Out of Time" has to say is "I talked with the mind of Yiang-Li, a philosopher from the cruel empire of Tsan-Chan, which is to come in A.D. 5000". I assume from the names it was supposed to be in Asia.