"The Tale of Satampra Zeiros" by Clark Ashton Smith

This story was the first of the Hyperborean cycle to be written, and as such, some of the details don't line up quite right with details from other stories. We can explain this by noting that after several centuries, things tend to get fuzzy and details are often lost and fantastical tales made up to replace the lost details. It's a normal and common thing to happen.

The few examples I can find of "Zeiros" being pronounced are not how I would think to pronounce it. I prefer the German manner of pronouncing the "ei", where everybody else seems to go with what in German would be an "ie". I've said it a lot on other stories, but if you are author wanting to use names where the pronunciation is not completely and blindingly obvious (like Bob or Jane), put something in the book to indicate what pronunciation you have in mind. A footnote, and appendix, anything at all. Ugh. And the name Tirouv? I can't even... C'mon, authors! Do better with pronunciation guides for your names!!

Anyways, given that English is extremely inconsistent about the pronunciation of ei (and ie), unlike German which is very consistent with these, and that no hint is given by the author as to what it should be, you are going to get the German style ei pronunciation from me :-P

It's not just ESL students who pull their hair out over English spelling, even us native speakers struggle with it!

mordant: as an adjective to describe an acid, it must mean burning or pungent. Rather curiously, there is a Warhammer 40K unit called the Mordant Acid-Dogs, who are tunnel fighters.

chary: cautious or suspicious

bole: the trunk of a tree

purpureal : of a purple color

quinquangular: having five angles or corners; pentagonal

ebullition: the action of bubbling or boiling

hassock: a firm clump of grass or matted vegetation in marshy or boggy ground

To follow along: http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/208/the-tale-of-satampra-zeiros

Well that was a very dark and horrifying ending D: