Nyarlathotep

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Nyarlathotep (the Crawling Chaos) is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos. He is the creation of H.P. Lovecraft and first appeared in his prose poem "Nyarlathotep" (1920). The being is one of the cosmic Outer Gods and appears in numerous stories by Lovecraft. Nyarlathotep is also featured in the works of other authors, as well as in role-playing games based on the Cthulhu Mythos.

Contents

1 Summary
2 Table of forms

2.1 Overview
2.2 Table-a (A–D)
2.3 Table-b (E–M)
2.4 Table-c (N–W)

3 Quotations
4 Popular culture

4.1 Literature
4.2 Comics
4.3 Games

5 References

5.1 Role-playing game material
5.2 Notes

Summary

Nyarlathotep differs from the other beings in a number of ways. Most of them are exiled to stars, like Yog-Sothoth and Hastur, or sleeping and dreaming like Cthulhu; Nyarlathotep, however, is active and frequently walks the Earth in the guise of a human being, usually a tall, slim, joyous man. Most of them have their own cults serving them, while Nyarlathotep seems to serve them and take care of their affairs in their absence. Most of them use strange alien languages, while Nyarlathotep uses human languages and can be mistaken for a human being. Finally, most of them are all powerful yet purposeless, yet Nyarlathotep seems to be deliberately deceptive and manipulative, and even uses propaganda to achieve his goals. In this regard, he is probably the most human-like among them.

Nyarlathotep enacts the will of the Outer Gods, and is their messenger, heart and soul; he is also a servant of Azathoth, whose wishes he immediately fulfills. Unlike the other Outer Gods, causing madness is more important and enjoyable than death and destruction to Nyarlathotep.Harms, "Nyarlathotep", The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, pp. 218–9. In this sense, he strongly resembles the traditional role of the devil.^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}

In the recent d20 revision of the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game, Nyarlathotep's involvement in human affairs is expanded. According to the Necronomicon, Nyarlathotep will play some part in the End Times. It is stated that he will allow Nyogtha to wipe the Earth clean in preparation for the return of the Great Old Ones, although it does not specify how Nyarlathotep will accomplish this. It also fails to mention when this will occur, but presumably it would be after the fall of Zothique some 5,000 years in the future.

Table of forms

Nyarlathotep has many forms (some literature refers to these forms as Masks and claims that he has a thousand of them) and is thus known by different avatars.

Overview

This table is organized as follows:

Name. This is the name of Nyarlathotep's form.
Region. This is the geographical location where Nyarlathotep's form is active.
Description. This entry describes Nyarlathotep's form.
Notes. This field contains additional information.
References. This field lists the sources that contain references to Nyarlathotep's form. If the source is a story, it is denoted by a two-letter code—the key to the codes is found here. Otherwise, the source is denoted as follows:
*rpg means a role-playing game and includes a footnote to the source.
*MofN means the Masks of Nyarlathotep web site.

If an entry appears in bold, this means that the reference introduces Nyarlathotep's form.

Table-a (A–D)

Nyarlathotep's forms
Name Region Description Notes References
Ahtu Congo Appears as a gelatinous mass extruding golden tentacles. Ahtu's cult in Africa is comprised of human worshipers of no hope, driven to insanity by being ill-treated and forced into encroachments by rulers and exploiters. Self-mutilation is a sign of the cult: all have amputations and terrible scars from near-fatal whippings and beatings. However, New World worship more resembles voodoo rituals. He can be called by a magical, golden bracelet, which is kept separated into two halves to prevent accidental summonings. rpgDetwiller et al, Delta Green; Herber, "Dead of Night"., UD
The Beast Worldwide Manifests through the Sphinx. In this form, Nyarlathotep is worshipped by the Brotherhood of the Beast. This manifestation can only appear in a specific location in Egypt. rpgHerber, The Fungi from Yuggoth.
The Black Demon — Appears as a black, furry, snouted creature which fears light but is not harmed by it. Although special talismans can be used to control the Black Demon, there is still the risk that the summoner will be attacked. rpgLyons & Isinwyll, "One in Darkness".
Black Man England Appears as a hooved, hairless, man. Nyarlathotep is worshipped by witch s in this form. DW, FG
Black Pharaoh Egypt Appears as a haughty Egyptian pharaoh wearing a brightly colored robe. The Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh worships Nyarlathotep in this form. DQ, rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep.
Black Wind Kenya Manifests as a devastating storm. — IK, rpgIbid.
Bloated Woman China Appears as a five-mouthed, morbidly obese woman with numerous tentacles. The Bloated Woman hides behind the Black Fan to conceal its great bulk from unwary victims. rpgIbid.
Bringer of Pests Egypt Appears as a swarm of preternatural locusts. This avatar had a following in Egypt's Twelfth Dynasty. Today it is worshipped by the Knights of the Silver Twilight. rpgPetersen & Monroe, "The Ten Commandments of Cthulhu Hunting".
Crawling Mist Dreamlands Appears as a putrid, living fog. — EL
Dark Demon — Appears as a larger version of the Black Demon yet more treacherous. Those who study the black arts are sometimes contacted by this avatar. In return for entering their bodies, the Dark Demon promises them great rewards. Unfortunately, Nyarlathotep never makes good on this promise. KD
Dark One California,
Louisiana Appears as a pitch-black, eight-foot-tall, faceless man who can walk through any physical barrier. — '''MK '''
Dweller in Darkness Wood of N'gai (somewhere in northern America) Appears as a hideous, howling giant with a tentacle in place of a face. — DD

**Nyarlathotep's forms**
Name	Region	Description	Notes	References
Ahtu	Congo	Appears as a gelatinous mass extruding golden tentacles.	Ahtu's cult in Africa is comprised of human worshipers of no hope, driven to insanity by being ill-treated and forced into encroachments by rulers and exploiters. Self-mutilation is a sign of the cult: all have amputations and terrible scars from near-fatal whippings and beatings. However, New World worship more resembles voodoo rituals. He can be called by a magical, golden bracelet, which is kept separated into two halves to prevent accidental summonings.	rpgDetwiller et al, Delta Green; Herber, "Dead of Night"., UD
The Beast	Worldwide	Manifests through the Sphinx.	In this form, Nyarlathotep is worshipped by the Brotherhood of the Beast. This manifestation can only appear in a specific location in Egypt.	*rpgHerber, The Fungi from Yuggoth.*
The Black Demon	—	Appears as a black, furry, snouted creature which fears light but is not harmed by it.	Although special talismans can be used to control the Black Demon, there is still the risk that the summoner will be attacked.	rpgLyons & Isinwyll, "One in Darkness".
Black Man	England	Appears as a hooved, hairless, man.	Nyarlathotep is worshipped by witch s in this form.	DW, FG
Black Pharaoh	Egypt	Appears as a haughty Egyptian pharaoh wearing a brightly colored robe.	The Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh worships Nyarlathotep in this form.	DQ, rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep.
Black Wind	Kenya	Manifests as a devastating storm.	—	IK, rpgIbid.
Bloated Woman	China	Appears as a five-mouthed, morbidly obese woman with numerous tentacles.	The Bloated Woman hides behind the Black Fan to conceal its great bulk from unwary victims.	rpgIbid.
Bringer of Pests	Egypt	Appears as a swarm of preternatural locusts.	This avatar had a following in Egypt's Twelfth Dynasty. Today it is worshipped by the Knights of the Silver Twilight.	rpgPetersen & Monroe, "The Ten Commandments of Cthulhu Hunting".
Crawling Mist	Dreamlands	Appears as a putrid, living fog.	—	EL
Dark Demon	—	Appears as a larger version of the Black Demon yet more treacherous.	Those who study the black arts are sometimes contacted by this avatar. In return for entering their bodies, the Dark Demon promises them great rewards. Unfortunately, Nyarlathotep never makes good on this promise.	KD
Dark One	California, Louisiana	Appears as a pitch-black, eight-foot-tall, faceless man who can walk through any physical barrier.	—	'''MK '''
Dweller in Darkness	Wood of N'gai (somewhere in northern America)	Appears as a hideous, howling giant with a tentacle in place of a face.	—	DD

Table-b (E–M)

Nyarlathotep's forms
Name Region Description Notes References
Effigy of Hate Africa A winged creature that manifests through a war totem. — rpgGillian, "Regiment of Dread".
The Faceless God Ancient Egypt Appears as a winged, faceless sphinx. This avatar has the ability to send its worshippers back through time. '''FG '''
Father of the Million Favored One ? ? — MofN, WD(?)
The Floating HorrorHarms, The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, "The Floating Horror", pp. 222. This name was created by Harms. Haiti Appears as a bluish, red-veined jellyfish-like creature. — AP
God of the Bloody Tongue
Kenya Appears as gigantic monster with a red tentacle in place of a face. In this form, Nyarlathotep is worshipped by the Cult of the Bloody Tongue. rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep (first appeared in this scenario?); Johnson, A Resection of Time.
Green Man Celts Appears as an animated, man-like made of plant material. — rpgHallet & Isinwyll, "Eyes for the Blind".
The Haunter of the Dark Australia;
Providence, Rhode Island;
Yuggoth A bloated, batlike creature with a single, burning, three-lobed eye which appears able to kill by fear alone. This avatar is destroyed by light. Its most important cult is the Church of Starry Wisdom, based in Providence, which can summon the avatar using the Shining Trapezohedron. It is also worshipped by some modern Aborigines. Its other epithets include Face Eater, Father of All Bats, Dark Wing, Sand Bat, and Fly-The-Light. CD, HD, rpgDiTillio et al, "City beneath the Sands"; Petersen et al, The Complete Dreamlands., S5
The Horned Man Celts Appears as a man with stag-like horns. This avatar can only be viewed while under the influence of certain hallucinogenic drugs. rpgHerber, Return to Dunwich.
The Howler at the Moon,
Howler in the Night (?) ? Appearance is the same as the God of the Bloody Tongue. — DD(?)
L'rog'g
(also Lrogg),
Bat God of L'gy'hx The planet L'gy'hx (Uranus) Appears as a two-headed bat (debatable). Avatar worshipped by the cuboid inhabitants of L'gy'hx and by a group of renegade Shan. IS, rpgAniolowski, Ye Booke of Monstres.
Messenger of the Old Ones — Appears as an enormous black mass that seems to creep across the sky. This form is manifast only during occasions of cosmic importance, such as the awakening of Cthulhu. rpgIbid; Petersen, "The Rise of R'lyeh"., WA
Mr. Skin Los Angeles Indistinguishable imitation of an African American pimp. This avatar is closely associated with certain worshippers of Shub-Niggurath. MK

**Nyarlathotep's forms**
Name	Region	Description	Notes	References
Effigy of Hate	Africa	A winged creature that manifests through a war totem.	—	rpgGillian, "Regiment of Dread".
The Faceless God	Ancient Egypt	Appears as a winged, faceless sphinx.	This avatar has the ability to send its worshippers back through time.	'''FG '''
Father of the Million Favored One	?	?	—	MofN, WD(?)
The Floating HorrorHarms, The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, "The Floating Horror", pp. 222. This name was created by Harms.	Haiti	Appears as a bluish, red-veined jellyfish-like creature.	—	AP
God of the Bloody Tongue	Kenya	Appears as gigantic monster with a red tentacle in place of a face.	In this form, Nyarlathotep is worshipped by the Cult of the Bloody Tongue.	*rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep* (first appeared in this scenario?); Johnson, A Resection of Time.**
Green Man	Celts	Appears as an animated, man-like made of plant material.	—	rpgHallet & Isinwyll, "Eyes for the Blind".
The Haunter of the Dark	Australia; Providence, Rhode Island; Yuggoth	A bloated, batlike creature with a single, burning, three-lobed eye which appears able to kill by fear alone. This avatar is destroyed by light.	Its most important cult is the Church of Starry Wisdom, based in Providence, which can summon the avatar using the Shining Trapezohedron. It is also worshipped by some modern Aborigines. Its other epithets include Face Eater, Father of All Bats, Dark Wing, Sand Bat, and Fly-The-Light.	CD, HD, rpgDiTillio et al, "City beneath the Sands"; Petersen et al, The Complete Dreamlands., S5
The Horned Man	Celts	Appears as a man with stag-like horns.	This avatar can only be viewed while under the influence of certain hallucinogenic drugs.	*rpgHerber, Return to Dunwich.*
The Howler at the Moon, Howler in the Night (?)	?	Appearance is the same as the God of the Bloody Tongue.	—	DD(?)
L'rog'g (also Lrogg), Bat God of L'gy'hx	The planet L'gy'hx (Uranus)	Appears as a two-headed bat (debatable).	Avatar worshipped by the cuboid inhabitants of L'gy'hx and by a group of renegade Shan.	IS, rpgAniolowski, Ye Booke of Monstres.
Messenger of the Old Ones	—	Appears as an enormous black mass that seems to creep across the sky.	This form is manifast only during occasions of cosmic importance, such as the awakening of Cthulhu.	rpgIbid; Petersen, "The Rise of R'lyeh"., WA
Mr. Skin	Los Angeles	Indistinguishable imitation of an African American pimp.	This avatar is closely associated with certain worshippers of Shub-Niggurath.	MK

Table-c (N–W)

Nyarlathotep's forms
Name Region Description Notes References
The Pool of Shadow Druids ? This avatar was worshipped for thousands of years by a small druidic cult. rpgDiaper et al. The Arkham Evil.
Set Egypt ? This avatar is worshipped by the Majestic Order of the Great Dark One, a cult which may still be active in Egypt. rpgAniolowski, "The Sundial of Amen-Tet".
Shugoran Malaysia Appears as a black human-like creature playing a horn. This form is worshipped by the Tcho-tcho. They sometimes summon this avatar to punish offenders. BH, rpgRoss, Escape from Innsmouth.
Skeletal Horror Egypt Manifests as a twelve-foot-tall living skeleton with enormous claws and the head of a human embryo. — rpgHamblin, "Thoth's Dagger" in Different Worlds #27.
Skinless One,
Xipe Totec Middle East Appears as a skinned corpse. This avatar was worshipped by an abhorrent cult in Turkey and its environs. The Aztecs revered this avatar as Xipe Totec. rpgGillan et al, Horror on the Orient Express.
The Small Crawler India A small human figure with four arms and three tentacles for legs. This avatar is described in the Cthaat Aquadingen and has a small cult in India. rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep.
Tezcatlipoca Mexico Dark-skinned man with a foot that looks like a smoking mirror. This avatar was a prominent deity among the Aztecs. rpgJohnson, A Resection of Time.
The Thing in the Yellow Mask Dreamlands A creature clothed in yellow silk. This avatar is only known to manifest in the city of 'Ygiroth in the Dreamlands. Some claim that it is the lone occupant of the remote, unnamed monastery on the Plateau of Leng (see High Priest Not to Be Described). CE, FY, YG
The Wailing Writher ? A column of writhing black tentacles and screaming mouths. This avatar has no known worshippers. rpgRoss, Escape from Innsmouth.
The White Man New England Appears as a blonde man in a shiny white robe. — NS

**Nyarlathotep's forms**
Name	Region	Description	Notes	References
The Pool of Shadow	Druids	?	This avatar was worshipped for thousands of years by a small druidic cult.	*rpgDiaper et al. The Arkham Evil.*
Set	Egypt	?	This avatar is worshipped by the Majestic Order of the Great Dark One, a cult which may still be active in Egypt.	rpgAniolowski, "The Sundial of Amen-Tet".
Shugoran	Malaysia	Appears as a black human-like creature playing a horn.	This form is worshipped by the Tcho-tcho. They sometimes summon this avatar to punish offenders.	BH, rpgRoss, Escape from Innsmouth.
Skeletal Horror	Egypt	Manifests as a twelve-foot-tall living skeleton with enormous claws and the head of a human embryo.	—	*rpgHamblin, "Thoth's Dagger" in Different Worlds #27.*
Skinless One, Xipe Totec	Middle East	Appears as a skinned corpse.	This avatar was worshipped by an abhorrent cult in Turkey and its environs. The Aztecs revered this avatar as Xipe Totec.	*rpgGillan et al, Horror on the Orient Express.*
The Small Crawler	India	A small human figure with four arms and three tentacles for legs.	This avatar is described in the Cthaat Aquadingen and has a small cult in India.	*rpgDiTillio & Willis, Masks of Nyarlathotep.*
Tezcatlipoca	Mexico	Dark-skinned man with a foot that looks like a smoking mirror.	This avatar was a prominent deity among the Aztecs.	*rpgJohnson, A Resection of Time.*
The Thing in the Yellow Mask	Dreamlands	A creature clothed in yellow silk.	This avatar is only known to manifest in the city of 'Ygiroth in the Dreamlands. Some claim that it is the lone occupant of the remote, unnamed monastery on the Plateau of Leng (see High Priest Not to Be Described).	CE, FY, YG
The Wailing Writher	?	A column of writhing black tentacles and screaming mouths.	This avatar has no known worshippers.	*rpgRoss, Escape from Innsmouth.*
The White Man	New England	Appears as a blonde man in a shiny white robe.	—	NS

Quotations

And it was then that Nyarlathotep came out of Egypt. Who he was, none could tell, but he was of the old native blood and looked like a Pharaoh. The fellahin knelt when they saw him, yet could not say why. He said he had risen up out of the blackness of twenty-seven centuries, and that he had heard messages from places not on this planet. Into the lands of civilisation came Nyarlathotep, swarthy, slender, and sinister, always buying strange instruments of glass and metal and combining them into instruments yet stranger. He spoke much of the sciences - of electricity and psychology - and gave exhibitions of power which sent his spectators away speechless, yet which swelled his fame to exceeding magnitude. Men advised one another to see Nyarlathotep, and shuddered. And where Nyarlathotep went, rest vanished; for the small hours were rent with the screams of a nightmare.
—H.P. Lovecraft, "Nyarlathotep"

What his fate would be, he did not know; but he felt that he was held for the coming of that frightful soul and messenger of infinity's Other Gods, the crawling chaos Nyarlathotep.
—H.P. Lovecraft, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

There was the immemorial figure of the deputy or messenger of hidden and terrible powers - the "Black Man" of the witch cult, and the "Nyarlathotep" of the Necronomicon.
—H.P. Lovecraft, "The Dreams in the Witch House"

There are references to a Haunter of the Dark awaked by gazing into the Shining Trapezohedron, and insane conjectures about the black gulfs from which it was called. The being is spoken of as holding all knowledge, and demanding monstrous sacrifices.
—H.P. Lovecraft, "The Haunter of the Dark"

Popular culture

Literature

Nyarlathotep sometimes appears or is referred to in literature outside the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror:

In Stephen King's The Stand and The_Dark_Tower_%28series%29 series of books, the character Randall Flagg was known (among many other names) as Nyarlathotep.
The children's horror writer Brad Strickland used Nyarlathotep as the main antagonist in his book The Wrath of the Grinning Ghost.
Nyarlathotep is a student in Harry Turtledove's short story "The Genetics Lecture."

Comics

Magic spells in the comic book Conan the Barbarian feature invocations to "Nyarla Thotep".
In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Loki summons Nyarlathotep, "tearer of souls, ripper of flesh".
Nyarlathotep (also called Priest of the Ether, Chaos Made Flesh, etc.) is a character in the webcomic [Friendly Hostility].

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Ethan Kostabi in the Caballistics, Inc. series is Nyarlathotep.

Games

Nyarlathotep appears in the Persona series of PlayStation games as a god symbolic of the destructive potential of Carl Jung's collective unconsciousness; as as "Nylonathatep, the laddering horror" in the Discworld game Discworld Noir; and as the Thing Outside Time and Space in the trading card game Hecatomb.

References

Harms, Daniel. "Nyarlathotep" in The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (2nd ed.), pp. 218–222. Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1998. ISBN 1-56882-119-0.

Role-playing game material

Notes

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