Cthulhu Mythos deities
Encyclopedia
Writer H.P. Lovecraft created a number of fictional deities throughout the course of his literary career, including the "Great Old Ones" and the "Outer Gods", with sporadic references to other miscellaneous deities (e.g. Nodens
). The Elder Gods are a later creation of writers such as August Derleth
, who is credited with forming the Cthulhu Mythos.
from space who once ruled the Earth and who have since fallen into a death-like sleep.
Lovecraft named several of these deities, being Azathoth
, Cthulhu
, Ghatanothoa
,
Shub-Niggurath
, Yog-Sothoth
, Nyarlathotep
and Yig
respectively. With the exception of Cthulhu, the remainder of this loose pantheon apparently dwelled in deep space. Worshipped by deranged human cults, these beings are currently imprisoned (beneath the sea, inside the Earth, and in distant planetary systems) and apparently eagerly await the time of their release. Although Lovecraft did establish this premise in his 1928 novella The Call of Cthulhu
with reference to the eponymous creature, it was Derleth who applied the notion to all of the Great Old Ones.
In Joseph Pulver's novel Nightmare's Disciple several new Great Old Ones and Elder Gods are named. The novel mentions Ob'mbu the Shatterer; T'ith and Xu'bea, The Teeth of the Dark Plains of Mwaalba. Miivls and Vn'Vulot, are said to have fought each other in southern Gondwanaland during the Cretaceous
period.
, the "Blind Idiot God", who holds court at the center of the universe. A group of Outer Gods dance rhythmically around Azathoth, in cadence to the piping of a demon
ic flute. Among the Outer Gods present at Azathoth's court are Lesser Outer Gods, the entities called "Ultimate Gods" in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, and possibly Shub-Niggurath
, the "Black Goat of the Woods". Yog-Sothoth
, the "All-in-One", co-rules with Azathoth and exists at all places and in all times in the cosmos, yet is somehow locked outside the mundane universe. Nyarlathotep
, the "Crawling Chaos", is the avatar and soul of the Outer Gods, and serves as an intermediary between the deities of the pantheon and their cults. The only Outer God to have a true personality, Nyarlathotep possesses a malign intellect and reveals a mocking contempt for his masters.
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, grown to adulthood and monstrous proportions and power. In appearance, Cxaxukluth resembles something of a cross between Azathoth and Ubbo-Sathla: an amorphous, writhing mass of bubbling, nuclear protoplasmic gel. It normally dwells alone in some unnamed place beyond time and space, unless disturbed or summoned away.
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and the most powerful. Although not an actual Outer God as such, its form and awesome powers defy standard classification. Mh'ithra's eternal battle with Yog-Sothoth
is said to be legendary..
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. When summoned to Earth, the Mother of Pus seeks refuge in pools of stagnant, foul water.
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Other Gods and has no cult, although served by zombie
slaves.
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roleplay game guide to the entity described in Howard Philips Lovecraft's novel "The Music of Eric Zahn". It has no shape, but manifests as a haunting music.
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. Called to our world, it assumes a gaseous form, penetrates the planet to the core, then erupts from below as a pillar of flame. It cannot move from where it emerges.
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Yidhra has been on Earth since the first microorganisms appeared and is immortal. To survive in a changing environment, she gained the ability to take on the characteristics of any creature that she devoured. Over time, Yidhra split herself into different aspects, though each part shares her consciousness.
Yidhra is served by devoted cults found in such widely separated places as Burma, Chad
, Laos
, Sumer
, New Mexico
, and Texas
. Members of Yidhra's cult can gain immortality by merging with her, though they become somewhat like Yidhra as a consequence. Those who serve her are also promised plentiful harvests and healthy livestock. She usually conceals her true form behind a powerful illusion, appearing as a comely young woman; only favored members of her cult can see her as she actually is.
One of her avatar is Madam Yi, appearing as a human female dressed in beautiful white and black robes which constantly billow on some unseen wind, on which she may hover or fly. Her beautiful face is like the painted face of a porcelain doll and her bloodred lips and closed almond-shaped black eyes are forever frozen on a smooth and bone-white face. Long black hair is braided into a single ponytail. The avatar’s hands both end in very long, razor-like black fingernails
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which is contrary to the cosmic indifference of Lovecraft's fiction. Derleth attempted to retroactively group the deity Nodens in this category (who acts as deus ex machina
for the protagonists in both The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and "The Strange High House in the Mist
").
.
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.
Nodens
Nodents is a Celtic deity associated with healing, the sea, hunting and dogs. He was worshipped in ancient Britain, most notably in a temple complex at Lydney Park in Gloucestershire, and possibly also in Gaul...
). The Elder Gods are a later creation of writers such as August Derleth
August Derleth
August William Derleth was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first publisher of the writings of H. P...
, who is credited with forming the Cthulhu Mythos.
Great Old Ones
An ongoing theme in Lovecraft's work is the complete irrelevance of mankind in the face of the cosmic horrors that apparently exist in the universe, with Lovecraft constantly referring to the "Great Old Ones": a loose pantheon of ancient, powerful deitiesDeity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
from space who once ruled the Earth and who have since fallen into a death-like sleep.
Lovecraft named several of these deities, being Azathoth
Azathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
, Cthulhu
Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
, Ghatanothoa
Ghatanothoa
Ghatanothoa is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos. The being first appeared in the short story "Out Of The Aeons" by H. P. Lovecraft and Hazel Heald. It is a large, amorphous, exceptionally hideous being comparable to Medusa.-Summary:...
,
Shub-Niggurath
Shub-Niggurath
Shub-Niggurath, often associated with the phrase “The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young”, is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft...
, Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth is a cosmic entity of the fictional Cthulhu Mythos and the Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft. Yog-Sothoth's name was first mentioned in his novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward...
, Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep, also known as the Crawling Chaos, is a malign deity in the Cthulhu Mythos fictional universe created by H. P. Lovecraft. First appearing in Lovecraft's 1920 prose poem of the same name, he was later mentioned in other works by Lovecraft and by other writers and in the tabletop...
and Yig
Yig
Yig is a deity in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. He appears as a serpent man, serpent with bat-like wings, or as a giant snake....
respectively. With the exception of Cthulhu, the remainder of this loose pantheon apparently dwelled in deep space. Worshipped by deranged human cults, these beings are currently imprisoned (beneath the sea, inside the Earth, and in distant planetary systems) and apparently eagerly await the time of their release. Although Lovecraft did establish this premise in his 1928 novella The Call of Cthulhu
The Call of Cthulhu
The Call of Cthulhu is a short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales, in February 1928.-Inspiration:...
with reference to the eponymous creature, it was Derleth who applied the notion to all of the Great Old Ones.
Table of Great Old Ones
This table is organized as follows:- Name. This is the commonly accepted name of the Great Old One.
- Epithet(s), other name(s). This field lists any epithets or alternate names for the Great Old One. These are names that often appear in books of arcane literatureGrimoireA grimoire is a textbook of magic. Such books typically include instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination and also how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, and demons...
, but may also be the names preferred by cults.
- Description. This entry gives a brief description of the Great Old One.
- References. This field lists the stories in which the Great Old One makes a significant appearance or otherwise receives important mention. Sources are denoted by a simple two-letter code from the Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliographyCthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliographyThe following Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliography is for use with the tables included in the articles Cthulhu Mythos deities, Elements of the Cthulhu Mythos, Cthulhu Mythos arcane literature, Cthulhu Mythos biographies, Cthulhu Mythos celestial bodies.-Index table 1:-Index table...
. A code appearing in bold means that the story introduces the Great Old One. If the code is given as comics or rpg it means that the Great Old One first appeared in the Call of CthulhuCall of CthulhuCall of Cthulhu may refer to:* "The Call of Cthulhu", the original short story by H. P. Lovecraft* Call of Cthulhu , published by Chaosium* Call of Cthulhu Collectible Card Game, published by Fantasy Flight Games...
Role playing Game or are mentioned/depicted in comics rather than novels. The code CtC instead means the Great Old One has been introduced in Cthulhu CultusCthulhu CultusCthulhu Cultus is a Small Press Horror Magazine, that was published from 1995 to 2001.Its total run included 18 issues.Cthulhu Cultus published the works of established Horror fiction/Noir writers like Joseph S. Pulver and D.F. Lewis.- Cthulhu Cultus No...
fanzineFanzineA fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
.Great Old Ones Name Epithet(s),
other name(s)Description References Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliographyThe following Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliography is for use with the tables included in the articles Cthulhu Mythos deities, Elements of the Cthulhu Mythos, Cthulhu Mythos arcane literature, Cthulhu Mythos biographies, Cthulhu Mythos celestial bodies.-Index table 1:-Index table...Ammutseba Devourer of Stars A dark, cloudy mass with tentacles which absorbs falling stars. LO, rpg Aphoom-Zhah The Cold Flame,
Lord of the PoleAppears much like Cthugha CthughaCthugha is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction, the creation of August Derleth. He first appeared in Derleth's short story "The House on Curwen Street" .-Description:...
but grey, and cold.AF, HG, LP Arwassa The Silent Shouter on the Hill A humanoid torso with tentacles instead of limbs, and a short neck ending in a toothless, featureless mouth. rpg Atlach-Nacha The Spider God,
Spinner in DarknessA giant spider with a human-like face. PS, AT,SG Baoht Z'uqqa-Mogg The Bringer of Pestilence A huge, flying, scorpion with an ant-like head. rpg Basatan Master of the Crabs MC B’gnu-Thun The Soul-Chilling Ice-God Appears as a cyanotic humanoid followed by an eerie blizzard. CC2, SS2 Bokrug The Great Water Lizard,
The Doom of SarnathAppears as a gigantic water lizard. DC, SC Bugg-Shash The Black One,
The Filler of Space,
He Who Comes in the DarkAppears as a black, slimy mass covered in eyes and mouths, much like a Shoggoth. DI, EL, KB, RS Byatis ByatisByatis is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos. The Great Old One was first mentioned in Robert Bloch's short story "The Shambler From the Stars", originally published in the September 1935 issue of Weird Tales...The Berkeley Toad,
Serpent-Bearded ByatisAppears as a gigantic, multicoloured toad with one eye, a proboscis, crab-like claws, and tentacles below the mouth. BY, RC, SF Chaugnar Faugn Horror from the Hills,
The Feeder,
Caug-NarfagnA bipedal elephant with a mouth on the end of its trunk. HF, HM, FO, RH Cthugha CthughaCthugha is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction, the creation of August Derleth. He first appeared in Derleth's short story "The House on Curwen Street" .-Description:...The Living Flame,
The Burning OneAppears as a living conflagration ConflagrationA conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused , or intentionally created . Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of...
.DD, EL, HC, LM Cthylla CthyllaCthylla is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. Cthylla was created by Brian Lumley, who mentioned her in his Titus Crow novel The Transition Of Titus Crow , though he never actually described her. Tina L...Secret Daughter of Cthulhu Appears as a huge, winged, octopus-like creature with six eyes. ID, TC Cyäegha CyäeghaCyäegha is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and first appeared in Eddy C. Bertin's short story "Darkness, My name Is" .-Summary:...The Destroying Eye,
The Waiting DarkAppears as a gigantic black mass of tentacles with a single green eye at the centre. DM Cynothoglys The Mortician God, She Whose Hand Embalms Appears as a formless mound with one arm-like appendage. PR The Dweller in the Gulf Eidolon of the Blind Appears as a huge, eyeless, black, soft-shelled tortoise with a triangular head and two whip-like tails, and suckers on the end of each tail. WL Dygra The Stone-Thing A jewel-facetted, semi-crystalline entity, with geodic tentacles. CC2, SS2 Dythalla Lord of Lizards SS2 Eihort The Pale Beast,
God of the LabyrinthAppears as a huge, pallid, gelatinous oval with a myriad legs and multiple eyes. BS, FP E'ilor The Star-Seed A plant-like, parasitic horror dwelling on a jungle planet revolving around the green star Yifne and the dead star known as Baalblo (perhaps a white dwarf White dwarfA white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...
, a neutron starNeutron starA neutron star is a type of stellar remnant that can result from the gravitational collapse of a massive star during a Type II, Type Ib or Type Ic supernova event. Such stars are composed almost entirely of neutrons, which are subatomic particles without electrical charge and with a slightly larger...
or another kind of stellar remnant).AE, CC2 Etepsed Egnis — A formless monstrosity with a huge, arm-like appendage. CtC Ghadamon A Seed of Azathoth A bluish-brown, slimy monstrosity riddled with holes, and an occasional malformed head. rpg Ghisguth The Sound of the Deep Waters FT Glaaki GlaakiGlaaki is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos. Glaaki first appeared in "The Inhabitant of the Lake" , an early story by Ramsey Campbell.-Glaaki in the mythos:...The Inhabitant of the Lake,
Lord of Dead DreamsAppears as a giant three-eyed slug SlugSlug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
with metallic spines, and tiny, pyramid-like feet underneath.GL, IB, IL Gi-Hoveg The Aether-Anemone A spiky, globular mass with myriads of eyes. CC2, SS2 Gloon The Corrupter of Flesh,
Master of the Temple, GlhuunUsually manifests through a Dionysian DionysusDionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
sculpture, but its true form is that of a gigantic wattled slug-thing.rpg, TE God of the Red Flux — Vaporous red entity. MW Gog-Hoor Eater on the Insane A giant entity dwelling in some reverse dimension, resembling a huge bullet with a long proboscis AO Gol-goroth Golgoroth,
Gol-Goroth,
The Forgotten Old One,
God of the Black StoneAppears as a gigantic, black, toad-like creature with an impossibly malevolent glare, or a tentacled, scaled, bat-winged entity. FO, FR, GB The Green God — A sentient plant-entity dwells in subterranean caverns where it is always served by mutant rabbit-like worshipers. HW2 Groth-Golka The Demon Bird-God A monstrous bird-like fiend with sharp teeth, dwelling beneath Antarctica, vaguely resembling an extinct Pterosaur PterosaurPterosaurs were flying reptiles of the clade or order Pterosauria. They existed from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous Period . Pterosaurs are the earliest vertebrates known to have evolved powered flight...FO Gzxtyos — The consort of Othuyeg, very similar to his bridegroom. CtC Haiogh-Yai The Outsider A monstrous, amorphous, whirling thing living on a wandering black hole Black holeA black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
named Vix’ni-Aldru, which also hosts a monstrous city made of titanic blocks at its center.CC2, SS2 Han The Dark One A being made of cold, howling mist, bound to Yig YigYig is a deity in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. He appears as a serpent man, serpent with bat-like wings, or as a giant snake....
's worshipSF Hastalÿk The Contagion A microbial entity, responsible of plagues rpg Hastur HasturHastur is a fictional entity of the Cthulhu Mythos. Hastur first appeared in Ambrose Bierce's short story "Haïta the Shepherd" as a benign god of shepherds. Robert W...The Unspeakable,
He Who is Not to be Named,
Lord of Interstellar Spaces,
The King in YellowThe King in YellowThe King in Yellow is a collection of short stories written by Robert W. Chambers and published in 1895. The stories could be categorized as early horror fiction or Victorian Gothic fiction, but the work also touches on mythology, fantasy, mystery, science fiction and romance...FA, HS, LT, RH, SS, WD, YS Hydra The Thousand-Faced Moon A vampiric entity living by absorbing the heads and brains of intelligent species. It dwells within an alien dimension outside conventional time and space. This entity is not to be confused with Mother Hydra, which is a Great Deep One Deep OneThe Deep Ones are creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The beings first appeared in Lovecraft's novella "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"...
servitor.HY Hziulquoigmnzhah Ziulquag-Manzah Has spheroid body, elongated arms, short legs, and a pendulum-like head dangling underneath. DS, FT, TA Ialdagorth The Dark Devourer Cousin and servant of Azathoth AzathothAzathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
, appears as black, shapeless, malevolent cloudy thing. It could be treated as an Outer God, since Azathoth's cousin.CtC Idh-yaa Cthulhu's Mate, Xothic Matriarch OA Iod The Shining Hunter A levitating, sinuous, glowing creature. HU, IN, SZ Istasha Mistress of Darkness A feline deity similar to Bastet. Her sister is the sylvan Lythalia. SS2, SS4 Ithaqua IthaquaIthaqua is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The titular creature debuted in August Derleth's short story "Ithaqua", which was based on Algernon Blackwood's tale "The Wendigo"....The Wind Walker,
The WendigoWendigoThe Wendigo is a mythical creature appearing in the mythology of the Algonquian people. It is a malevolent cannibalistic spirit into which humans could transform, or which could possess humans...
,
God of the Cold White SilenceA gigantic, corpse-like human with webbed feet and glowing red eyes. BW, CD, IM, IQ, SW, TW, WE Juk-Shabb God of Yekub Appears as a great shining ball of energy. CF Kag'Naru of the Air — Mentioned in American comics "Challengers of the Unknown Challengers of the UnknownThe Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
" (1977).Comics Kassogtha Bride of Cthulhu, The Leviathan of Diseased A huge mass of coiled, writhing tentacles. She is Cthulhu's sister and mate, who bore him two twin daughters (Nctosa and Nctolhu) NH Kurpannga The Devil-dingo A giant hairless dingo DingoThe Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
-like fiend living in DreamlandDreamland-Amusement parks:* Dreamland at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York* Dreamland * Dreamland Margate, in Kent, UK* Nara Dreamland, near Nara, Japan* Yokohama Dreamland, in Yokohama, Japan...
(or the DreamtimeDreamtimeIn the animist framework of Australian Aboriginal mythology, The Dreaming is a sacred era in which ancestral Totemic Spirit Beings formed The Creation.-The Dreaming of the Aboriginal times:...
of Aboriginal myths)DL Lu-Kthu Lu-KthuLu-Kthu is a Cthulhu Mythos deity created by H.P Lovecraft. It is said to be the Birth-womb of the Great Old Ones,described as a "A titanic, planet-sized mass of entrails and internal organs. On closer examination it appears a wet, warty globe, covered with countless ovoid pustules and...Birth-womb of the Great Old Ones A titanic, planet-sized mass of entrails and internal organs. On closer examination it appears a wet, warty globe, covered with countless ovoid pustules and spider-webbed with a network of long, narrow tunnels. Each pustule bears the larva of a Great Old One. CC2 Lythalia The Forest-Goddess SS2 M'Nagalah The Devourer A mass of entrails and eyes, or a massive blob-thing. TU Mnomquah Lord of the Black Lake, The Monster in the Moon A very large and eyeless lizard-creature with a "crown" of feelers. MD, MQ, SB Mordiggian MordiggianMordiggian is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos. "He" is the creation of Clark Ashton Smith and appears in his short story "The Charnel God" .-Mordiggian in the mythos:...The Charnel God,
The Great Ghoul,
Lord of Zul-Bha-SairA shapeshifting cloud of shadow. CG, IC, RE Narrathoth The Forgotten DC2, NF2 Nctosa & Nctolhu The Twin Spawn of Cthulhu Twin daughters of Cthulhu, imprisoned on Jupiter. They appear as huge shell-endowed beings, with eight segmented limbs and six long arms ending with claws, vaguely resembling their "step-sister" Cthylla CthyllaCthylla is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. Cthylla was created by Brian Lumley, who mentioned her in his Titus Crow novel The Transition Of Titus Crow , though he never actually described her. Tina L...
.NH Ngirrth’lu The Wolf-Thing, The Stalker in the Snows, He Who Hunts, Na-girt-a-lu A ferocious and towering wolf-like humanoid with bat wings. He is served by werewolf servants known as the Lupine Ones. SS2 Nug and Yeb The Twin Blasphemies Somewhat like Shub-Niggurath Shub-NiggurathShub-Niggurath, often associated with the phrase “The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young”, is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft...
.BF, EH, LA, OA, TO Nyaghogghua — A blurry, dark, kraken KrakenKraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...
-like entity mentioned in the Song of Yste.AB Nyogtha The Thing which Should Not Be,
Haunter of the Red AbyssAppears as an inky shadow. AF, HG, SH, SR Oorn Mnomquah's Mate Appears as a huge, tentacled mollusc. MD Othuum The Oceanic Horror A twisting, ropy-tentacled mass with a single alien face somewhere in the center of the slimy squirming mass. RS, OT Othuyeg The Doom-Walker Appears as a great, tentacled eye (similar to Cyäegha). DF, VC, SP Pharol Pharol the Black A black, fanged, cycloptic demon with arms like swaying serpents. The entity normally dwells in another dimension DimensionIn physics and mathematics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
—a "seething and sub-dimensional chaos" beyond the mundane universe. The wizard Eibon of HyperboreaHyperborean cycleThe Hyperborean cycle is a series of short stories by Clark Ashton Smith that take place in the fictional prehistoric setting of Hyperborea . Various elements in Smith's cycle have been borrowed by H. P. Lovecraft, most notably the "toad-god" Tsathoggua...
sometimes summoned Pharol to query him for arcane information.AF Quachil Uttaus Treader of the Dust Appears as a miniature, wrinkled mummy MummyA mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
with stiff, outstretched claws.KU, RU Quyagen He Who Dwells Beneath Our Feet Worshiped as deity in a lost continent located in southern Atlantic Ocean Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.CtC Q'yth-az The Crystalloid Intellect A towering mass of crystals, residing on the lightless planet Mthura. EF Raandaii-B'nk — A shark-like humanoid native to the Bermuda Triangle, possibly similar to Cthulhu CthulhuCthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
's avatar the Father of All Sharks.FD Ragnalla Seeker in the Skies A titanic raptorial fiend. CC2, SS2 Rhan-Tegoth Terror of the Hominids, He of the Ivory Throne A three-eyed, gilled, proboscidian monster with a globular torso, six long, sinuous limbs ending in black paws with crab-like claws, and covered in what appears to be hair, but is actually tiny tentacles. HM, AF, LT, RR, PD Rhogog RhogogRhogog is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos. He is the creation of Micheal Saint-Paul and first appeared in his short story "Sacristans of Rhogog" .-Summary:...The Bearer of the Cup of the Blood of the Ancients A dead-black leafless oak tree, hot to the touch, with a single red eye at the centre. RG Rh'Thulla of the Wind — Mentioned in American comics "Challengers of the Unknown Challengers of the UnknownThe Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
" (1977). Probably similar to M'Nagalah the EternalComics Rlim Shaikorth The White Worm A gigantic, whitish worm with a huge maw and eyes made of dripping globules of blood. CW, HG, LP Ruhtra Dyoll The Fire God CC2, SS2 Saa'itii The Hog A gigantic, ghostly hog. H5 Sebek The Crocodile God A crocodile-headed reptilian humanoid, equal to the Ancient Egyptian god Sebek. EK Sfatlicllp — FT Shathak Mistress of the Abyssmal Slime, Death Reborn - FT Shudde M'ell The Burrower Beneath,
The Great ChthonianChthonian (Cthulhu Mythos)Chthonians are fictional creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos. The species is the creation of Brian Lumley and was first featured in his short story "Cement Surroundings" —though the creature never made a direct appearance...Appears as a colossal worm with tentacles for a head. BU, CS, TC, WU Shuy-Nihl The Devourer in the Earth A dark blob of darkness endowed with tentacles. CC2, SS2 Summanus Monarch of Night,
The Terror that Walketh in DarknessA mouthless, grotesque human with pale tentacles protruding from underneath a dark robe. FH, WG Tharapithia The Shadow in the Crimson Light Slavic and Ugric God-like creature, photophobic and burrowing fiend awed in Middle Ages. It cannot endure the light of the sun and eludes it by tunnelling deep under the roots of the oaks. CL2 Tsathoggua TsathogguaTsathoggua is a fictional supernatural entity in the Cthulhu Mythos shared fictional universe. He is the creation of Clark Ashton Smith and is part of his Hyperborean cycle....The Sleeper of N'kai,
The Toad-God,
Zhothaqqua, SadagowahAppears as a huge, furry, almost humanoid toad, or a bat-like sloth. BC, DS, FT, IU, OL, RT, SG, TZ Ut'Ulls-Hr'Her The Great Horned Mother A huge faceless creature with various appendages sprouting from its head, a beard of oozing horns, and many reddish teats and fish-like fins sprouting from an egg-shaped body. NH Uvhash The Blood-Mad God of the Void A colossal, vampiric, red mass of tentacles and eyes, rumoured to have been one of mad emperor Caligola's eldritch sponsors. AD Vhuzompha Mother and Father to All Marine Life, The Hermaphroditic God An amorphous monster of prodigious size, covered in a multitude of eyes, mouths, projections and both male and female genitalia. CC2, SS2 Vibur The Thing from Beyond A huge furry and rapidly shifting entity casting radioactive stones. rpg Volgna-Gath Keeper of the Secrets Not described. SS2 Vulthoom The Sleeper of Ravermos,
GsarthoteggaMay appear as a huge, unearthly plant. VU The Worm that Gnaws in the Night Doom of Shaggai A massive, worm-like fiend, similar to a Graboid GraboidThe graboid is a fictional species that acts as the primary antagonist of the Tremors film series. As Suzanne Ferriss and Mallory Young explain, the "destruction of 'graboids', as they are quickly dubbed, becomes the central tension of the film." The creature made its debut in the 1990 film...
from Tremors.AG Xa'ligha Demon of Dissonance, Master of Twisted Sound A haunting sound leading to madness and self-destruction. Perhaps similar to Tru'Nembra. CC2 Ycnagnnisssz Lord of Realms Unknown A black, festering amorphous mass. rpg Yegg-Ha The Faceless One A 10 foot-tall winged being. IE Y'golonac Y'golonacY'golonac is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos. He is the creation of Ramsey Campbell and first appeared in his short story "Cold Print" .-Summary:...The Defiler Appears as a naked, obese, headless human with a mouth in the palm of each hand; other features are nebulous. CP Yhashtur The Worm-God of the Lords of Thule A worm-like monster. CtC Yhoundeh The Elk Goddess DS, LE Yig Father of Serpents A giant snake with human arms covered in scales. CY, SJ, VY Y'lla Master of the Seas A monstrous, barrel-shaped sea worm with tentacles and lamprey-like mouth. CC2 Ythogtha The Thing in the Pit, Shaurash-Ho Appears as a colossal Deep One, with tentacles surrounding its one eye. OA, PD, TC, TP Zathog The Black Lord of Whirling Vortices A festering, bubbling mass that constantly churns and whirls, putting forth vestigial appendages and reabsorbing them. Bubbles burst on its surface to reveal hate-filled eyes, and slobbering mouths form and close randomly about his horrible body. FB, WZ Zhar and Lloigor Zhar (Great Old One)Zhar is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos. The being first appeared in the short story "The Lair of the Star-Spawn" by August Derleth and Mark Schorer.-Zhar in the mythos:...The Twin Obscenities Both appear as a colossal mass of tentacles. SA, LS, TP, SX Zoth-Ommog Dweller in the Depths A gigantic entity with a cone-shaped body, a reptilian head, a beard of tentacles, and starfish-like arms. HG, OA, TC Zstylzhemghi Matriarch of Swarms,
ZystulzhemgniFT, TA Zushakon Dark Silent One,
Old Night,
Zul-Che-Quon,
ZuchequonAppears as a swirling, black vortex. BH, KD Zvilpogghua Feaster from the Stars,
The Sky-Devil,
OssadagowahA bat-winged, armless toad with tentacles instead of a face. LT, RM, SV
In Joseph Pulver's novel Nightmare's Disciple several new Great Old Ones and Elder Gods are named. The novel mentions Ob'mbu the Shatterer; T'ith and Xu'bea, The Teeth of the Dark Plains of Mwaalba. Miivls and Vn'Vulot, are said to have fought each other in southern Gondwanaland during the Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period.
Outer Gods
The Outer Gods are ruled by AzathothAzathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
, the "Blind Idiot God", who holds court at the center of the universe. A group of Outer Gods dance rhythmically around Azathoth, in cadence to the piping of a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
ic flute. Among the Outer Gods present at Azathoth's court are Lesser Outer Gods, the entities called "Ultimate Gods" in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, and possibly Shub-Niggurath
Shub-Niggurath
Shub-Niggurath, often associated with the phrase “The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young”, is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft...
, the "Black Goat of the Woods". Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth is a cosmic entity of the fictional Cthulhu Mythos and the Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft. Yog-Sothoth's name was first mentioned in his novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward...
, the "All-in-One", co-rules with Azathoth and exists at all places and in all times in the cosmos, yet is somehow locked outside the mundane universe. Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep, also known as the Crawling Chaos, is a malign deity in the Cthulhu Mythos fictional universe created by H. P. Lovecraft. First appearing in Lovecraft's 1920 prose poem of the same name, he was later mentioned in other works by Lovecraft and by other writers and in the tabletop...
, the "Crawling Chaos", is the avatar and soul of the Outer Gods, and serves as an intermediary between the deities of the pantheon and their cults. The only Outer God to have a true personality, Nyarlathotep possesses a malign intellect and reveals a mocking contempt for his masters.
The Blackness from the Stars
The Blackness from the Stars is an immobile blob of living, sentient darkness, torn from the primal fabric of the cosmos at the center of the universe. It is distinguishable in darkness only as vaguely shimmering oily pitch. Although intelligent, it speaks no known language and ignores attempts to communicate.----
The Cloud-Thing
A man-eating, cloudy mass, unnamed Outer God at the court of AzathothAzathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
.
----
Cxaxukluth
Cxaxukluth (Androgynous Offspring of Azathoth) is one of the Seeds or Spawn of AzathothAzathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
, grown to adulthood and monstrous proportions and power. In appearance, Cxaxukluth resembles something of a cross between Azathoth and Ubbo-Sathla: an amorphous, writhing mass of bubbling, nuclear protoplasmic gel. It normally dwells alone in some unnamed place beyond time and space, unless disturbed or summoned away.
----
Mh'ithrha
An invisible wolf-like fiend similar to Fenrir of Norse mythology (if not coincident). Mh'ithrha (Arch-Lord of Tindalos) is the lords of the Hounds of TindalosHounds of Tindalos
A Hound of Tindalos is a fictional creature created by Frank Belknap Long for the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. They first appeared in Long's short story "The Hounds of Tindalos" . Lovecraft mentions the creatures in his short story "The Whisperer in Darkness" .-Description:"They are lean and...
and the most powerful. Although not an actual Outer God as such, its form and awesome powers defy standard classification. Mh'ithra's eternal battle with Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth
Yog-Sothoth is a cosmic entity of the fictional Cthulhu Mythos and the Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft. Yog-Sothoth's name was first mentioned in his novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward...
is said to be legendary..
----
Mother of Pus
A Lesser Outer God composed of slime, tentacles, eyes, and mouths. The Mother of Pus was spawned through an obscene mating between a human and Shub-NiggurathShub-Niggurath
Shub-Niggurath, often associated with the phrase “The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young”, is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft...
. When summoned to Earth, the Mother of Pus seeks refuge in pools of stagnant, foul water.
----
The Nameless Mist
The Nameless Mist (Nyog' Sothep?) is a misty, shapeless thing, also it has no name.----
Shabbith-Ka
Shabbith-Ka appears as a shapeless, roughly man-sized purplish aura, spitting and crackling with powerful electrical arcs. A sense of power, malignancy, and intelligence accompanies it and persons able to gaze at its form long enough can see a rudimentary face or faces within the glowing mass.----
Star Mother
The Star Mother appears as a chunk of yellow-green stone about the size of an infant. Its shape suggests a plump, huge-breasted, faceless female figure. From it extend dozens of pencil-thin root-like strands. It is one of the Larvae of theOther Gods and has no cult, although served by zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
slaves.
----
Tru'nembra
Tru'nembra (The Angel of Music) is the name given in Malleus Monstrorum Call of CthulhuCall of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu may refer to:* "The Call of Cthulhu", the original short story by H. P. Lovecraft* Call of Cthulhu , published by Chaosium* Call of Cthulhu Collectible Card Game, published by Fantasy Flight Games...
roleplay game guide to the entity described in Howard Philips Lovecraft's novel "The Music of Eric Zahn". It has no shape, but manifests as a haunting music.
----
Tulzscha
A blazing green ball of flame, dancing with brethren Outer Gods at the court of AzathothAzathoth
Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan and the Blind Idiot God.-Inspiration:...
. Called to our world, it assumes a gaseous form, penetrates the planet to the core, then erupts from below as a pillar of flame. It cannot move from where it emerges.
----
Ycnàgnnisssz
Ycnàgnnisssz is a black, festering, amorphous mass that constantly blasts and erupts violently, spewing out bits of churning lava-like material. It spawned the Great Old One Zstylzhemgni by fission.----
Yibb-Tstll
A gigantic, bat-winged humanoid with detached eyes, wearing a green robe. This horrible deity sees all time and space as it slowly rotates in the centre of its clearing in the 'Jungle of Kled', in Earth‘s Dreamlands. Beneath its billowing cloak are a multitude of nightgaunts, suckling and clutching at her breasts. She has close connection to the Great Old One Bugg-Shash.----
Yidhra
Yidhra (The Dream Witch) usually appears as a youthful, attractive, earthly female, though her shape may vary.Yidhra has been on Earth since the first microorganisms appeared and is immortal. To survive in a changing environment, she gained the ability to take on the characteristics of any creature that she devoured. Over time, Yidhra split herself into different aspects, though each part shares her consciousness.
Yidhra is served by devoted cults found in such widely separated places as Burma, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Members of Yidhra's cult can gain immortality by merging with her, though they become somewhat like Yidhra as a consequence. Those who serve her are also promised plentiful harvests and healthy livestock. She usually conceals her true form behind a powerful illusion, appearing as a comely young woman; only favored members of her cult can see her as she actually is.
One of her avatar is Madam Yi, appearing as a human female dressed in beautiful white and black robes which constantly billow on some unseen wind, on which she may hover or fly. Her beautiful face is like the painted face of a porcelain doll and her bloodred lips and closed almond-shaped black eyes are forever frozen on a smooth and bone-white face. Long black hair is braided into a single ponytail. The avatar’s hands both end in very long, razor-like black fingernails
----
Yomagn'tho
Yomagn’tho (The Feaster from the Stars, That Which Relentlessly Waits Outside) is a malevolent being who wishes nothing more than the destruction of mankind for unknown reasons. It waits in its home dimension of Pherkard until it is summoned to Earth. When first summoned, Yomagn’tho appears as a small ball of fire that quickly expands to a large circle of fire with three flaming inner petals.Elder Gods
In post-Lovecraft stories, the Elder Gods oppose the Outer Gods and the Great Old Ones. Some consider them to be non-Lovecraftian because they employ a good versus evil dichotomyDichotomy
A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts, meaning it is a procedure in which a whole is divided into two parts...
which is contrary to the cosmic indifference of Lovecraft's fiction. Derleth attempted to retroactively group the deity Nodens in this category (who acts as deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
for the protagonists in both The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and "The Strange High House in the Mist
The Strange High House in the Mist
"The Strange High House in the Mist" is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. Written on November 9, 1926, it was first published in the October 1931 issue of Weird Tales.-Inspiration:An H. P...
").
Bast
Bast (Goddess of Cats or Pasht) appears as a female human with a cat's head.Nodens
Nodens (Lord of the Great Abyss) appears as a human male riding a huge seashell pulled by legendary beastsLegendary creature
A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature.-Origin:Some mythical creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and have been believed to be real creatures, for example the dragon, the unicorn, and griffin...
.
----
Ulthar
Ulthar (or Uldar) is a deity sent to Earth to hold vigil over the Great Old Ones.----
Vorvadoss
Vorvadoss* (The Flaming One, Lord of the Universal Spaces, The Troubler of the Sands, Who Waiteth in the Outer Dark) appears as a cloaked, hooded being, enveloped in green flames, with fiery eyes.----
Great Ones
The Great Ones are the "weak gods of earth" that reign in the Dreamlands. They are protected by NyarlathotepNyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep, also known as the Crawling Chaos, is a malign deity in the Cthulhu Mythos fictional universe created by H. P. Lovecraft. First appearing in Lovecraft's 1920 prose poem of the same name, he was later mentioned in other works by Lovecraft and by other writers and in the tabletop...
.
| Name | Description | References Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliography The following Cthulhu Mythos reference codes and bibliography is for use with the tables included in the articles Cthulhu Mythos deities, Elements of the Cthulhu Mythos, Cthulhu Mythos arcane literature, Cthulhu Mythos biographies, Cthulhu Mythos celestial bodies.-Index table 1:-Index table... |
| Hagarg Ryonis, The Lier-in-Wait |
Usually appears as a huge, reptilian monster. | DL, WH |
| Karakal | An elf-like humanoid. | DL, WH |
| Lobon | Appears as ivy-crowned youth bearing a spear. | DC The Doom that Came to Sarnath "The Doom that Came to Sarnath" is an early short story by H. P. Lovecraft. It is written in a mythic/fairy tale style and is associated with his Dream Cycle... , DL, WH |
| Nath-Horthath | Chief god of Celephaïs. | CE Celephaïs "Celephaïs" is a fantasy story by American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in early November 1920 and first published in the May 1922 issue of the Rainbow.The title refers to a fictional city that later appears in H. P... , DL, DQ The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. It was completed in 1927 and was unpublished in his lifetime. It is both the longest of the stories that comprise his Dream Cycle and the longest to feature protagonist Randolph Carter, and can thus be considered a culminating... , KA |
| Oukranos | River god | DQ The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. It was completed in 1927 and was unpublished in his lifetime. It is both the longest of the stories that comprise his Dream Cycle and the longest to feature protagonist Randolph Carter, and can thus be considered a culminating... |
| Tamash | Appears as a short, silver-skinned, ebon-haired, and bearded man. | DC The Doom that Came to Sarnath "The Doom that Came to Sarnath" is an early short story by H. P. Lovecraft. It is written in a mythic/fairy tale style and is associated with his Dream Cycle... , DL, MG, WH |
| Zo-Kalar | God of birth and death. | DC The Doom that Came to Sarnath "The Doom that Came to Sarnath" is an early short story by H. P. Lovecraft. It is written in a mythic/fairy tale style and is associated with his Dream Cycle... , WH |