Old One

Old One is a fictional term used in numerous fantasy and horror series.

Contents

1 Cthulhu Mythos
2 Buffyverse
3 Warhammer 40,000
4 Warhammer Fantasy
5 The Dark Tower series
6 Other appearances
7 References

7.1 Notes

8 External links

Cthulhu Mythos

In H.P. Lovecraft's fiction, the term Old Ones is used in different contexts. In his short story "The Call of Cthulhu" (1928), Lovecraft used "Old Ones" to refer to Cthulhu's spawn Harms, "Great Old Ones", The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, p. 128.. Lovecraft also mentioned the Old Ones in "The Dunwich Horror" (1929), naming them as mysterious entities associated with the Outer God Yog-Sothoth. In "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" (1936), the Old Ones (whoever they were) had the power to keep the Deep Ones in check. In Lovecraft's revision story "The Mound" (1940), "Old Ones" referred to the denizens of K'n-yan.

In Lovecraft's novella At the Mountains of Madness (1936), "Old Ones" was another name for a fictional alien species, the Elder Things, which were described in vivid detail in the story. These aliens built cities around the world during prehistory but were eventually relegated to Antarctica. At the end of their reign, they were all but destroyed by the shoggoths, a slave race of their own creation.

Old Ones can also refer to the Great Old Ones, alien beings of immense power. Along with the previous definition, these two uses of the term are the most popular among Cthulhu Mythos authors.Harms, "Old Ones", The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, pp. 228–9.

Buffyverse

In the fictional Buffyverse established by the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, the Old Ones are the powerful pure-breed demons that once dominated earth before humankind appeared and during its first years.

Warhammer 40,000

In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Old Ones traveled through space manipulating minor species on several planets and growing them into tools for their battle against the C'tan. The Slann were probably their servants.

Warhammer Fantasy

Though less prevalent, the Slann and Old Ones were also in Warhammer Fantasy. The biggest difference is that there is more concrete difference between the Slann and Old Ones.

The Dark Tower series

In The Dark Tower series written by Stephen King, the Old Ones (also sometimes called Great Old Ones) were a highly advanced civilization that ruled the All-World many centuries, or possibly millenia ago. They were obsessed with technological development and saw their inventions as a solution to everything; replacing the immortal, magical essence of creation with mortal machinery. They were wiped out in an unknown catastrophic event that was apparently worse than a global thermonuclear war. Technological relics of the Old One's era can still be found scattered throughout the world.

Other appearances

There is a filk entitled The Old Ones by Zander Nyrond that was inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos.

A theocratic group of Martians mentioned by the main character in Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land are called the Old Ones.

In The Dark is Rising Sequence, Old Ones are beings who battle the Dark.

In the Webcomic Kagerou, the Old ones are a race of humanoid beings who become trees later in life.

References

Harms, Daniel. The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (2nd ed.), Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1998. ISBN 1-56882-119-0.

Notes

External links

["Who Were The Old Ones?" by Daniel Harms], an essay about H.P. Lovecraft's "Old Ones"

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