Arkham

Arkham is a fictional New England town created by H. P. Lovecraft that appears in many works of the Cthulhu Mythos. In Lovecraft's fiction, Arkham sits in southwestern Massachusetts along the coast and is the home of Miskatonic University, a university frequently referenced in occult and scientific lore. The town is depicted as old, isolated, and a hub for strange knowledge and supernatural phenomena.

In Lovecraft's canon, Miskatonic University houses rare texts such as the fictional Necronomicon and serves as a setting where researchers confront cosmic horrors. Arkham's history and institutions are often used to evoke a sense of antiquated academia and buried secrets.

In DC Comics, Arkham refers to Arkham Asylum, a fictional prison for the criminally insane in Gotham City. It is a recurring setting in Batman stories and is portrayed as overcrowded, dangerous, and tied to the rogues gallery of the Batman mythos.

The name has extended into popular culture beyond comics, appearing in video games such as the Batman: Arkham series and in Lovecraftian-inspired board games, novels, and film adaptations. Arkham has become a cultural shorthand for occult mystery, gothic horror, and the intersection of knowledge and madness.