Nyarlathotep (the Crawling Chaos) is a fictional character in the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. He is one of the cosmic Outer Gods and appears in the works of Lovecraft and August Derleth, among others.

Nyarlathotep - A desert noise cult who's namesake has convicted some to create "loathsome sounds from beyond".

Nyarlathotep in the mythos

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. In this sense, he strongly resembles the traditional role of the devil.

According to the Necronomicon, Nyarlathotep will play some part in the End Time. 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 doesn't specify how Nyarlathotep will accomplish this. It also fails to mention any timeframe for this to occur, although it would presumably be after the fall of Zothique some 5,000 years in the future.

Table of Nyarlathotep's 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.

. This is the name of Nyarlathotep's form. Region . This is the geographical location where Nyarlathotep's form is active.

. This is the geographical location where Nyarlathotep's form is active. Description . This entry describes Nyarlathotep's form.

. This entry describes Nyarlathotep's form. Notes . This field contains additional information.

. 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.

. 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:

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 is made of crippled and disfigured natives (though Europeans with similar deformities can join). He can be called by a magical, golden bracelet, which is kept separated into two halves to prevent accidental summonings. Also knowns as the Spiralling Worm. rpg, UD, SoK All-Seeing Eye ? ? — MofN 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. rpg 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. rpg The Black Lion,

Destroyer of Egypt ? ? — Template:Fact Black Man England Appears as a hooved, hairless, swarthy man. Nyarlathotep is worshipped by witch covens in this form. DW, FG Black Messenger of Karneter ? ? — MofN Black One ? ? — MofN 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, rpg Black Wind Kenya Manifests as a devastating storm. — IK, rpg Blind Ape of Truth ? ? — MofN 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. rpg 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. rpg 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 Demon Messenger ? ? — MofN 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)

Table-c (N–W)

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 (fiction)"

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 (fiction)

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 (fiction)"

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 (fiction)"

Appearances

See also

References

Template:Cite web

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

Aniolowski, Scott D. "The Sundial of Amen-Tet" in Lurking Fears , Lockport, NY: Triad Entertainments, 1990. Ye Booke of Monstres , Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1994. ISBN 1-568-82019-4.



Conyers, David. Secrets of Kenya, Chaosium Inc, 2006.

Detwiller, Dennis, Adam Scott Glancy, and John Tynes. Delta Green: A Call of Cthulhu Sourcebook of Modern Horror and Conspiracy, Tynes Cowan Corp, 1997. ISBN 1-887-79708-4.

Diaper, John, et al. The Arkham Evil, Theatre of the Mind, 1983.

DiTillio, Larry and Lynn Willis. "City beneath the Sands" in Terror Australis , Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1987. ISBN 0-933-63540-0. Masks of Nyarlathotep , Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1996. ISBN 1-568-82069-0.



Gillian, Geoff. "Regiment of Dread" in Tales of the Miskatonic Valley , , Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1991. ISBN 0-933-63583-4. — et al . Horror on the Orient Express , 1991.



Hallet, David and L.N. Isinwyll. "Eyes for the Blind" in Dark Designs, 1991.

Hamblin, William. "Thoth's Dagger" in Different Worlds #27, 1983.

Herber, Keith. "Dead of Night" in Arkham Unveiled , 1990. The Fungi from Yuggoth , 1984. Return to Dunwich , 1991.



Johnson, Sam. A Resection of Time, Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1997. ISBN 1-568-82095-X.

Lyons, Doug and Isinwyll, L.N. "One in Darkness" in The Great Old Ones, Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1989.

Petersen, Sandy "The Rise of R'lyeh", 1982) in Shadows of Yog-Sothoth . —and John B. Monroe. "The Ten Commandments of Cthulhu Hunting" in The Cthulhu Casebook , 1990.



Ross, Kevin. Escape from Innsmouth (2nd ed.), Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1997. ISBN 1-568-82115-8.

Williams, Chris and Sandy Petersen. The Complete Dreamlands (4th ed.), Oakland, CA: Chaosium, 1997. ISBN 1-568-82086-0.

Notes