Summary[]
Arthur, John, and Noel infiltrate the Order of the Fallen Star meeting to find Larson. They learn that Larson intends to use otherworldly power to merge John and Yellow and ultimately to become a god himself. Noel, Arthur, John, and Collins defend themselves against the forces of Larson and Yellow—all the while searching for the mysterious Gray Stone, the prized possession of the Order of the Fallen Star. Once John and Arthur reach the stone, Kayne appears and reveals the full details of his deal with John.
Synopsis[]
At the Order’s meeting place, Arthur and Noel knock out two members and don their robes, masks, and rings (the latter of which has a symbol similar to the medallion). Arthur’s mask depicts a bull with hands stretched over fire and Noel’s mask depicts a less menacing bull.
Inside the grain terminal, they look for a way down. They eventually find an elevator, which uses the rings to activate, and descend. In front of them is an ornate hallway. One of the paintings, as described by Noel, depicts a bright light and a group of men waiting to catch it. At the end of the hall, they see an Order member, who appears to write something before leaving through a door.
On the table next to the doors is a stack of parchment, a quill, and a large wooden box with a slit. Inscribed in it is a creature holding a plate filled with fruits, an hourglass, and a beating heart, which it appears to eat or about to eat. They cannot open the box, but Noel scribbles on the parchment to reveal what the Order member wrote: “the birth of my son”.
They realize this is an offering plate, potentially with the cost of ‘forgetting’ a memory. Noel writes down a memory he describes as “a good one”. Arthur writes “knowing Oscar”.
After submitting their memories, they enter into a lavishly decorated ballroom filled with Order members. John spots several cloaked figures in the balcony above. Two men enter through a set of doors on the balcony. A speaker begins to talk, as if this meeting is a regularly scheduled event on the night "the moon waxes crescent". He speaks briefly of the necessity of offering a sacrifice, for the gifts they’ve received.
One man has the mask of a mule’s head and a peacock’s tail. The other has a horrid, organic mask that clings to his face like a mollusk. The tendrils have gouged out his ears and eyes. One large green eye searches the crowd. Noel only sees a helmet with horns coming out.
The speaker continues, noting the illustrious political and industrial histories of its members and that the blessings from the fallen star have given them their greatest desires. He promises a historic meeting, stating that the Order has deviated from its original goal: searching for the Fallen Star. Ten years ago, they found a star, and afterwards became lazy.
When John comments about the mask, the speaker calls for silence. Introducing himself as the Order’s Grand Vizier, he confirms he can hear John. He also announces that he is stepping down from his position. His replacement is Wallace Larson – the man in the peacock mask.
Larson removes his mask and addresses a rowdy, displeased crowd. He wants to rekindle their old faith in their purpose. One cultist, Luther, mocks his archaic beliefs. Larson seeks to prove himself. To Noel and John’s stupefaction, the King in Yellow emerges, shadow-like, from Larson.
The King in Yellow speaks and looms over Luther, causing the man to crack his skull open on a pillar. He repeats Larson’s goal, and threatens that they will follow Larson or pay for their lives. Finished, he retreats into an exhausted Larson.
The Grand Vizier finishes his speech by stating that they’ve entered a new age for the Order. Larson apologizes for the murder, but insists that the Order no longer has a place for the faithless. He concludes his speech, remarking that they’ll soon enter the Canaanite room for a ritual. Larson and the Grand Vizier leave through opposite doors, the latter accompanied by the robed figures.
They briefly debate about who to follow and decide upon the Grand Vizier. On the way, John and Arthur briefly discuss Yellow and how he became bound to Larson. As Arthur comments how killing Larson and Yellow won't be easy, John suddenly shouts in a distorted and angry manner about "you're so sure you can kill the King in Yellow!" Additionally, as they walk, John becomes disoriented and cannot recognize Noel.
Eventually, he comes back around, and they continue. Noel shares his intense desire to kill Larson (and thus, the King), clearly shaken. John is uncertain about this, and Arthur cautions cool heads.
In the next room, they see many chairs facing a car-sized object. It is gray, black and covered in spindly, large tube-like spins that run its length and connect to cylinders of dark green liquid. It has a sealed basin at its center and six foot platform at its mouth. They find the blueprints. Before they can examine it further, the Vizier enters the room.
At gunpoint, they question the Vizier. He almost reveals that John is a fragment of the King in Yellow, but John shuts him down. They tell Noel to watch the door.
Arthur questions the Vizier about the mask. The mask is a Mask of Temperance, a gift from the Elders. The Elders, possessing superpowerful intellect, were a gift from the King. The Mask increases the Vizier’s own abilities, so that he might communicate with them. He confirms he no longer serves his own will, just the Elders and their Masters. The Vizier indicates he is speaking with a Master of the Elders – John.
Avoiding revealing John’s true identity to Noel, they ask about the machine. The machine can separate two bound entities. The trapped soul gets a new vessel while the host is kept intact. The Vizier confirms that Larson and Yellow are dying and mean to separate – and that John, like Yellow, is fading.
Noel wants to kill Larson before this ritual, but Arthur suggests killing him while Larson is exposed on the slab. Plan decided, Noel demands again to know who John is – and whether his true identity is Roland.
Abruptly, Larson and many robed figures enter the room. Larson expected to find Arthur at the grain terminal. Before Noel can react, a cultist – revealed to be the Butcher in disguise, having escaped from jail – puts a gun to his head.
Larson reveals he intends to use the machine on Arthur and John. Larson intends to keep John, until such time he gets released into the Dreamlands. John warns Arthur against this. The Vizier begins to speak John’s words aloud, so Larson can hear.
Arthur refuses to go willingly. Larson reveals he knows Arthur was presented with a similar choice in the Sleeping City beneath Leerie. When asked how he knows, he references their “mutual friend”, the King in Yellow.
Before Arthur can explain, Larson directs the Vizier to repeat John’s words and commands John (under threat of the Butcher shooting Arthur’s kneecap) to reveal himself. John reveals himself as The King in Yellow. Larson remarks on the heartbreak in Noel’s expression.
Noel attempts to attack Larson, to no avail. John apologizes to Noel. Larson mocks this, comparing John to housebroken dogs, like Mr. Collins and the Vizier. John threatens Larson with torture, to Larson’s delight.
Larson begins to talk about the Order. The Order was founded hundreds of years ago to seek the Fallen Stars, objects of immense power. Only the truly worthy could ever wild them, and these would be considered for Order membership. Over time, the Order began to lose faith in their existence… until they found the Gray Stone.
The Larson family was among the Order’s first followers, and the Lodge used to be in Addison. It was Larson, through experimentation and other magics, that found one of the Fallen Stars. The Gray Stone offers knowledge that you need to know. Most members choose to know the means to wealth and other worldly powers.
Larson considers the human world a pit stop on the way to real power. When John points out Larson is dying, Larson explains that the Elder Things built this machine for him. He reveals what they look like: entirely alien, hairless with gray, cobalt tinted flesh, slick with mucus, a bulbous head with a pronounced ridge, a third eye in its center, a vertical mouth, thin, translucent needle-like teeth, and a series of spindly, hair covered pedipalps. According to Larson, they’re also called the Great Servants of Dark Knowledge. Brilliant, but subservient to the will of the Great Old Ones. They have existed for billions of years, unnoticed.
Arthur realizes Larson wants to reunite John and Yellow inside himself to make him a god, though Larson claims he intends to return them to the Dreamlands. Larson claims that he and the King are not divided in this, but Arthur says he knows exactly what is happening inside of Larson's head.
Abruptly, Arthur asks if Yellow trusts Larson. He posits that Yellow has traded one prison for another – that Yellow is a pet for Larson.
Furious, Yellow emerges and demands for his power to be recognized. Arthur muses how often he thinks about Yellow.
Arthur tries to convince Yellow that Larson will never let him go, citing how he used his own family for gain. Yellow does not believe him. Ultimately, Arthur confesses that he failed Yellow and apologizes for it – when Yellow rebuffs him, Arthur states the apology wasn’t meant for Yellow.
When Larson tries to get the plan on track, Noel interrupts and asks for his chance at goodbyes. Larson politely agrees.
Noel tells Arthur that there are no feelings, and he gets why Arthur didn’t tell him about John. To John, he affirms that he’s nothing like the King. Finally, Noel addresses Yellow, introduces himself as Charlie Dowd, and reminds him of their history. Yellow does not recall him. Noel tells him, “Fuck you and the horse you rode in on".
Yellow requests that Larson kill Noel, and Larson agrees with a request to the Butcher.
The Butcher reveals that he is working alongside Arthur and Noel. He kills the Vizier. Chaos erupts as Larson orders the Elder Things to kill them (the Butcher is heard to be singing and laughing in the background). Everyone leaps into the fray, but in the confusion, Larson attempts to escape. Noel shoots and hits Larson in the stomach before he escapes.
Arthur hurries after him, with Noel and the Butcher behind. They agree to leave the Butcher behind to cover the exit. Noel accompanies him. Just as they leave, they briefly deliberate what killing Larson – and therefore Yellow – will do to John.
The Butcher returns to attacking the Elder Things. Noel and Arthur follow Larson’s blood trail onto the balcony. Larson appears and knocks Noel out with a pipe. Arthur attacks Larson, but before he can fully kill him, Yellow manifests.
John grows extremely disoriented, unable to even recognize his own name. Yellow taunts Arthur that John is not his friend. Arthur disagrees and begs for John to remember. After a moment, John collects himself.
In the meanwhile, Noel has gotten up, but his head is surrounded by amber light. Yellow mind controls Noel to throw himself over the balcony railing. Arthur barely manages to catch him, but Noel still dangles over the edge of the balcony. He pleads with Noel to shirk off Yellow’s influence.
As John shouts for him, he projects himself and Yellow’s control is broken. Arthur begins to weaken as Noel gets a grip on the railing.
Yellow is shocked, believing himself to be the true King in Yellow, and John only a fracture. John disagrees with Yellow on the definition of power. As Yellow begins to recede into Larson’s mind, Noel shouts that Arthur is fading.
Yellow asks John why Arthur cares about him. John answers that it is because John cares about Arthur.
John recedes. Arthur and Noel climb up onto the balcony. As they begin to celebrate their victory, Larson shoots Noel in the neck with his own gun. The gun jams, and Larson flees. Arthur blindly shoots in Larson’s direction, hitting him twice in the back before he exits.
Arthur tries to staunch the bleeding. Noel requests that Arthur finishes the job, and Arthur leaves to find Larson. He finds a crawling Larson and picks him up, informing him that he failed.
John suddenly spots the Fallen Star. He wants to collect it now, to Arthur’s frustration.
Meanwhile, they’re interrupted by the Butcher, who carries Noel.
At John’s insistence, Arthur relents and approaches the stone. He seems to stop just shy of touching it.
Kayne suddenly announces his presence and admits he froze everyone in the room, so that they can talk. John insists that he’s upheld the deal, that Arthur is about to touch the Stone. Kayne recounts the details: that John went back to the King in Part 20, but John couldn’t fit with the King anymore. He was thus thrown into the Dark World, and there, John fell on his old behavioral habits. He eventually called upon Kayne to make a deal.
Kayne teases John that he can finally be honest with Arthur. John hesitantly agrees and plans to admit to Arthur everything that happened… eventually.
Kayne informs John that Arthur can hear everything. He unfreezes everyone, and Arthur immediately accuses John of lying to him.
Kayne addresses Arthur, remarking that the Dreamlands has become a lawless wasteland in the King in Yellow’s absence. Collins aims a gun at Kayne. Kayne is unimpressed. After Kayne declares the song is over, Collins says he cannot hear any music, and then his head explodes. Noel falls to the ground.
Larson recognizes Kayne as Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, the spawn of Azathoth, and the creature of a thousand forms. Kayne is also unimpressed and calls Larson unremarkable, unlike Arthur and John. He tears Larson’s eyes from his head and shatters them on the ground, before sending both Yellow and Larson to the Dreamlands.
Lastly, Kayne vanishes Noel into a portal. When asked where, Kayne says he doesn’t know, perhaps Spain.
To Arthur, Kayne admits that reaching the Gray Stone was a test. Kayne offers Arthur his hand to take, stating that he has many things to show him. Arthur agrees to come along, to Kayne’s surprise and delight.
Trivia[]
Votes[]
- Chapter 196: The Duck Pond with Faroe [38] / Knowing Oscar [107] / Meeting John [36]
- Chapter 197: Follow the Grand Vizier [151] / Follow Larson [38]
- Chapter 198: Go Willingly [77] / Don't Go Willingly [144]
- Chapter 199: Detective Noel Stays Behind [24] / The Butcher Stays Behind [196]
- Chapter 200: No vote.
