Influence on Cthulhu Mythos
"The King in Yellow", illustration by Earl Geier in Richard Watts' scenario "Tatterdemalion" for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game published by Chaosium. The Yellow Sign adorning the back of the throne was designed by Kevin A. Ross for the scenario "Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?"H. P. Lovecraft read The King in Yellow in early 1927[13] and included passing references to various things and places from the book—such as the Lake of Hali and the Yellow Sign—in "The Whisperer in Darkness" (1931),[14] one of his main Cthulhu Mythos stories. Lovecraft borrowed Chambers' method of only vaguely referring to supernatural events, entities, and places, thereby allowing his readers to imagine the horror for themselves. The play The King in Yellow effectively became another piece of occult literature in the Cthulhu Mythos alongside the Necronomicon and others.
True Detective
The first season of the 2014 American anthology crime drama television series created by Nic Pizzolatto, True Detective, references a figure called "the Yellow King". Allusions to The King in Yellow can be observed in the show's dark philosophy,[15] its recurring use of "Carcosa" and "The Yellow King" as motifs throughout the series, and its symbolic use of yellow as a thematic signature that signifies insanity and decadence.[16]
Signalis
The 2022 survival horror game Signalis, developed by rose-engine, references the play in multiple occasions throughout the game.[17] The cover of the book is shown repeatedly in key moments of the story, and corrupted quotes from Cassilda's song can be found in an explorable reimagining of the Eugen Bracht painting The Shore of Oblivion.[18]
