History Literature / TheInnsmouthLegacy

* BroadStrokes: To H.P. Lovecraft's writing. In addition to the obvious change that the Deep Ones weren't AlwaysChaoticEvil, the Elder Things and Yithians seem to have been combined into one species.

* InsistentTerminology: Aphra never stops correcting people that Deep Ones are ''also'' human, just a branch of it, unlike Yithians or other species.

* GenuineHumanHide: The Outer Ones can pose as human using LatexPerfection, except theirs works a lot better because it's made of human skin grown in their laboratories.

* TransformationHorror: When Aphra is forced to operate a control panel not designed for human hands.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: {{Deconstructed}} as Aphra treats the Mi-Go as having this when they actually have a morality very similar to the Federation from ''Star Trek.''

* AlienNonInterferenceClause: The Mi-Go split into two factions over whether to intervene in human affairs, with the interventionists seeking to manipulate human events [[spoiler in order to avert World War III.]] Putting a thumb in the Yithian's eye wouldn't hurt either. Unfortunately, the methods of manipulation [[BenevolentAlienInvastion are extremely]] [[TheInfiltration questionable.]]

* AlienNonInterferenceClause: The Mi-Go split into two factions over whether to intervene in human affairs, with the interventionists seeking to manipulate human events through TheInfiltration.

** The Yith do this as a GodTest, momentarily swopping with the person they're speaking to.

* InTheBlood: A distant ancestor of Audrey may have been a human experiment by the Mad Ones Under The Earth, and it's speculated that her fearless nature might have something to do with this. [[spoiler:Unfortunately SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan also applies, as whatever is in her blood activates to resist her being possessed by an EldritchAbomination, with the risk of taking her over instead.]]

** Trumball tries to hypnotise her way past the FBI men at the university gate. This only gets them arrested and arouses the suspicions of Barlow's team.

** Barlow's team attempt a non-generalised summoning ritual which is a ''very'' bad idea as you don't know who is going to show up.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Aphra's gods are depicted as having a cold but beautiful view of the world. The Yithians zig-zag over this trope. Aphra's culture considers this to be in play, but on further consideration and lengthy conversation Aphra finds herself challenged on this. She is at least willing to consider that they may simply be evil. They are going to commit genocide against future inhabitants of Earth to survive their own apocalypse, not to mention that they achieve immortality in a particular timeframe [[Literature/TheCaseOfCharlesDexterWard by body swapping with their descendants.]]

* LighterAndSofter: The Cthulhu Mythos is portrayed this way with the majority of monsters just being reasonable and sympathetic aliens. They may have BlueAndOrangeMorality but doesn't make them malevolent. Human evils, by contrast, are treated exactly the way they would be normally with no attempt at sympathy.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Aphra's gods are depicted as having a cold but beautiful view of the world. The Yithians zig-zag over this trope with Aphra considering them to have this but sometimes challenged that they may simply be evil (since they are going to commit genocide against future inhabitants of Earth to survive their own apocalypse).

* InsistentTerminology: Aphra never stops correcting people that Deep Ones are ''also'' human, just a branch of it, unlike Yithians or other race.

* IncestSubtext: Caleb and Aphra do a lot of AffectionateGestureToTheHead and call each other "sister-dear" and "brother-dear", a habit they picked up in the camp to troll the guards who assumed the people of Innsmouth [[KissingCousins married their own sisters]].

* SpotTheImposter: Audrey realises that Agent Spector has been replaced by an imposter, a human collaborator working for the Mi-Go, because this closet homosexual is DistractedByTheSexy. Unfortunately the imposter knows everything the real Spector does, because the Mi-Go read his mind so they're unable to convince Barlow of this. Worse, they can't real how they knew in the first place because [[ForcedOutOfTheCloset it would mean the end of Spector's career]].

* SpotTheImposter: Audrey realises that Agent Spector has been replaced by an imposter, a human collaborator working for the Mi-Go, because this closet homosexual is DistractedByTheSexy. Unfortunately the imposter knows everything the real Spector does, because the Mi-Go read his mind so they're unable to convince Barlow of this.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Professor Trumball [[spoiler: had a relationship with a (probable) woman in a Yith's body while they were both in the future. She also had a very close relationship with her maid that she was upset had been severed by the Yith. There are other hints too. {{Justified}} by the time period.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: The Mi-Go are willing to use their mind-control powers to try to take over the world--to prevent humans from destroying themselves.

* ''Deep Roots' (2018)

* GrandTheftMe:
** Spector first comes to Aphra because the FBI is worried that the Soviets might have gotten hold of the ability to do so, and use it to take over government officials for sabotage or subversion. [[spoiler:Aphra finds evidence that [[Literature/TheThingOnTheDoorstep Ephraim Waite]] might have passed on his knowledge to a Russian student, but decides to keep this to herself for fear it will spark a WitchHunt that will be worse than any actual sabotage.]]
** The Yith do this as a GodTest, momentarily swopping with the person they're speaking to.
* InfractionDistraction: Some students break into the Miskatonic library and set off the alarm. Barlow's team use this as an excuse to lock down the library to gather evidence, so they can gain access to the restricted books themselves.

** Several of Audrey's friends stumble into the Irregulars' meeting with the Elders. One gets injured and the others are coerced into silence, but this only drives them into seeking the help of Barlow's team.

* {{Blackmail}}: The FBI get admittance to Miskatonic University by blackmailing one of the professors who enjoys forcing his attentions on his maids. So the FBI make sure to provide him with a maid who happens to be working for them.