SOURCE: "Count Magnus" by M. R. James  (1904)

DESCRIPTION: "The portrait of this Magnus de la Gardie was one of the best in the house, and Mr Wraxall studied it with no little interest after his day's work. He gives no detailed description of it, but I gather that the face impressed him rather by its power than by its beauty or goodness; in fact, he writes that Count Magnus was an almost phenomenally ugly man. " ("Count Magnus" by M. R. James)

NOTES: Count Magnus is buried in the De la Gardie mausoleum where Mr. Wraxall foolishly summons him three times, freeing him from the three locks on his coffin. The Count is a sorcerer (now turned vampire) who made "The Black Pilgramage" and read all the forbidden books. He possessed a familiar as part of his deal with the devil.

HISTORY: Probably James' most famous story. See my article on how it influenced Cthulhu Mythos fiction here.

INTERESTING LINK