The tale is set in Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, and revolves around the diaries of its protagonist, Robert Blake. Blake has a keen interest in the occult and is intrigued by a vacant cathedral on Federal Hill in the western part of the city, which he can see from his Upper East Side home. Upon exploring the structure, he uncovers an unsettling history involving a cult called the Church of Starry Wisdom, and nearby residents caution him about the malevolent forces lingering within its ancient walls.
