# The Old Ones — At the Mountains of Madness character guide

> The Old Ones in At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the marine Old Ones, armed Old Ones

**First appearance:** 0003-iv

## Who they are

The aeons-dead architects of a cyclopean Antarctic city, whose geometrically impossible ruins rewrite the entire history of life on Earth.

## In the story

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/vi)

The star-born beings revealed as the city's builders, depicted in the mural carvings.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/vii)

Central subjects of the chapter; their origins, civilization, wars, and decline are detailed.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/viii)

Depicted in the carvings as migrating to a cavern sea-city, breeding Shoggoths, and eventually abandoning the land city due to encroaching cold.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/ix)

Their sculptures and tunnels are the focus of the exploration; the odor from the dissected specimen is linked to them.

### [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/x)

Their sculptures and tunnels are explored; their civilization's decadence is evident in the degraded carvings.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/xi)

Their headless, slime-coated bodies are discovered, revealing Shoggoth attacks.

### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/chapters/xii)

Their sculptured farewells and ancient fears are referenced as the explorers depart.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/characters/old_ones
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_mountains_of_madness_se/characters