#nyarlathotep of that reality

[terminalvelocityfrfr]

Imagine if Kayne actually does go through with Arthur’s deal but when John gets his own body he just fucking disintegrates because of his age

[noovorous]

"And I saw the world battling against blackness; against the waves of destruction from ultimate space; whirling, churning; struggling around the dimming, cooling sun."

"Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!"

"Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate."

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God."

LOVECRAFT MEETS GRIMSHAW 

by Oliver Wetter

[ozzgin]

Can I have Yandere Ben Drowned with Reader as powerful Eldritch being like Nyarlathotep, Hastur(it’s ok if you don’t know them, if you don’t know them, then a reader who is powerful being like Bill Cipher instead.) A reader still loves Ben so much after all.

I have no idea who Bill Cipher is (Google shows me a funky triangle), but if you want Lovecraftian horror you’ve come to the right place! I mostly read Gothic fiction so I’m very excited to see familiar names pop up in my requests. Thank you for the prop.

Yandere! Creepypasta x Eldritch! Reader

Featuring Ben Drowned and an ancient reader of cosmic origins. Abstract romance.

The world is a disorder of matter and antimatter that has come together through analytical laws of unknown origins. And yet somehow, throughout this chaos of slithering threads and tentacles, one path in particular has led him to you. The Dweller of the Depths, The Devourer of Space. Surely the Universe could not have conceived such fate out of a mere string of coincidences. Perhaps your hand crept its way into the mechanisms of the world itself to force the necessary arrangements, but Ben lacks the very fundaments to even begin to imagine such a process. His existence is a brief flash of light compared to your seemingly eternal linger.

(Y/N). That’s how he’s known you ever since your encounter. He quickly learned, however, that your name stretches and turns and rolls so differently out of the tongues of many mortals and creatures. You have many names, some so old and ancient that even you have to ponder their veracity. He has never questioned your origins and would rather not delve into incomprehensible cosmic history. Would having all the answers change anything? Not at all. He’s known it from the very beginning. The instant he laid his eyes on you and his blood froze in place - as if his very tissue became autonomous and cowered before your presence - he knew. He was immediately enraptured by your blasphemous, boundless being. From the nethermost bowels of the Nameless Mist, your vile essence leered down at him. He was overwhelmed, nauseous with unspeakable terror, fear and … love. Adoration. Obsession.

And so his purpose was rather clear. What greater cause could there be other than serving you? In his most feverish dreams he wouldn’t have dared to hope for your acceptance, and yet you welcomed him with open arms. You’ve had many servants and followers, prophets that wandered the world to warn of the mythical horned beast. All dull theatrics that bored you greatly. You hold no interest for perishable humans. Ben, on the other hand, caught your attention quite rapidly. A smudge in the orderly principles of reality. A spontaneous glitch of Earthly origins that alerted you out of your slumber. What could have caused his birth? The novelty of this mystery amuses you, so much that you’ve decided to keep him by your side.

An abyssal creature of forgotten genesis and a digital entity of unexpected source. Perhaps this bizarre partnership will eventually sneak its way into the forbidden Necronomicon for the future generations to uncover. Although Ben is more concerned with ways to profess his undying dedication to you. He might have walked these realms for a much shorter time, but he has an eternity left to catch up. As long as he’s blessed with your presence, everything else becomes trivial. He has found his reason to live and he will cling to it forever.

[tzeentchdaemonsart]

The beginning of Tzeentch. In this post I will explore where Tzeentch came from, and his earliest mentions and depictions, and his likely inspirations.

Realm of Chaos Book 1, 1988, picture of Tzeentch.

This is the earliest depiction of Tzeentch I've been able to find in the history of Warhammer publications.

Prior to this only Khorne and Nurgle were described in Warhammer fantasy roleplay 1986.

The earliest list of the Chaos gods names (and therefore the earliest printing of the name 'Tzeentch') I've been able to find, is from Warhammer 1st edition, Forces of Fantasy 1983 (first paragraph at the top of page 40) though it gives no description or depiction of them.

'... worship a documented god (Khorne, Slaanesh, Nurgle or Tzeentch at the time of writing)...' either Rick Priestley or Bryan Ansell in 1983

The image of Tzeentch appears to be kept consistent in modern editions as seen in this picture from Age of Sigmar (1st ed 2017, Disciples of Tzeentch)

And the description given of Tzeentch in the realm of chaos book is repeated in the Warhammer armies Chaos 4th & 5th edition, liber Chaotica Tzeentch, codex chaos etc. (pictured below is the description from the liber Chaotica (2005) followed by the description & adjoining picture in the realm of chaos book 2 (1990)

The face of Tzeentch is even given as a champion upgrade in the realm of chaos (1990), showing a cut of this much larger picture found elsewhere in the same book.

To definitively conclude this: Tzeentch is a big horned horror. Just like a big pink/blue horror, with two main arms, & two horned limbs right above his main arms, and two great big sweeping horns from above his brow which look more like moving snakes with faces on the end. He has a main face around his shoulder level, two smaller faces below on either side, and a large face across his belly. Any other faces are presumably transitory.

'Tzeen' means 'change' in the dark tongue, and 'neth' or 'leth' mean 'lord'. Hence Tzeeneth means Change-Lord. Its common form in the language of the empire or Imperium is Tzeentch

The inspiration for Tzeentch are most likely gods like Arioch, of Micheal Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone saga, and Nyarlathotep of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.

The 2nd Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles has a dedication to Michael Moorcock, Phil Barker and Donald Featherstone.

Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone saga (1960s) creates the Chaos - Law paradigm, where there are two sets of opposing Gods. Arioch is the main Chaos God and his relationship with Elric is highly characteristic of how Warhammer would go on to depict the relationship between a chaos champion and their god.

Whilst Chaos and Law appear superficially attached to evil & good, this becomes questioned as Moorcock eventually presents the idea that progress is only possible with a balance between chaos and law, as to live in a world of pure law and tradition would allow no change, and a world of pure chaos would live every day as if it was the first never progressing past it.

This likely inspired the early Dungeons and Dragons writers as well and is probably the reason Chaos & Order exist on a perpendicular axiom to Good and Evil on alignment charts in D&D. The early Warhammer writers were reacting towards D&D and inherited much from them (1st ed citadel miniatures from white dwarf issue 12 were 'advanced dungeons and dragons' minis).

The Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone is also likely the source for the idea of mutation in the Warhammer sense, and is likely the inspiration for the idea of Daemon Weapons, and Sentient Weapons.

Lovecraft is better known these days than Moorcock and probably needs no introduction. It's clear the eldritch ancient horrors of the Great Old Ones and their endless conspiracies to find a way (back) into reality and take it over, also inspired the idea of 'chaos' in both dungeons and dragons and Warhammer. The madness which comes from the Necronomicon and knowing it's secrets, echoes the madness followers of chaos might expect when learning more about the warp and their god. Stories like the Dunwich Horror could as easily be describing a daemonic incursion in the Warhammer world with little alteration needed.

The fusion of Moorcock's and Lovecraft's lore appears to be the inspiration for Chaos. They define the concept of a god without it being all powerful, and foreshadow the different relationships that are created between mortal followers of chaos and their gods. They introduce the themes of mutation and madness which characterise Chaos, thereby appearing to be the ingredients of what became Chaos in the Warhammer sense.

Khorne appears little more than a classic war god in this Warhammer-Chaos veneer, and likewise Slaanesh is clearly inspired by a unification of Astarte, Dionysus, & succubi/incubi in a manner reminiscent of the Christian Devil. Perhaps considering Khorne's image and that of his blood letters, one could conclude that both Khorne and Slaanesh look heavily towards the Christian Devil for inspiration, albeit in different ways.

Nurgle is loosely presented as a death god, and one day I'll look into his inspiration properly. Similarly Tzeentch is presented as a god of sorcery. It's suffice to say here that neither Nurgle nor Tzeentch draw as much from ancient mythology, as unlike Khorne and Slaanesh, their personalities are utterly antithetical towards the personalities of the ancient gods of death and magic which they would nominally be attributed towards. It is my opinion so far in researching this that both Nurgle and Tzeentch draw far more heavily on Moorcock & Lovecraft than the other two, uniting the themes of mutation and madness in chaos and more purely attempt to capture the very essence of Chaos itself. It seams as if Nurgle is the abundant manifestation of chaos and Tzeentch is the distilled essence of chaos.

[katsona-the-katsequel]

How are shadows/personas different from demons?

This is going to be a long one, sweet!

First, let´s discuss shadows and demons from a Doylist perspective: The franchise mostly treats them as if they were the same thing. That´s because P1 and P2 are more closely tied to the main SMT games, being more clear on the fact that Persona is from the same timeline as Devil Summoner and all that. After P2:EP they did a soft reboot and began coming up with new terminology, for example, changing the names of the main enemies from "demons" to "shadows". This could be either to stick closer to the Jungian mythos or separate the Persona franchise from the main SMT one. For them, demons and shadows (lowercase "s") could be the same thing, changing only their purpose and use depending on if you´re a Devil Summoner (like Tamaki or Kyouji) or a Persona User (like literally everyone else). We can see some differences if we pay attention, like the fact demons can appear anywhere at anytime while shadows are relegated to a specific place or event. Nyarlathotep is mostly seen as having complete control over demons while Nyx is declared as the origin of all shadows. But really? These are too little and too few differences to really separate them as different entities. Anyone can ally with a demon or shadow if they like you, they are both defeated by a Persona or other demons, lots of them can be found near places where a higher being has control, they are not the actual beings they´re called after but representations, Jack Frost...

In-universe, though? You would believe Igor would be helpful, having appeared in every game, but he just changes their terminology as if they were socks. Whose to say that Nyarly just took demons/shadows as part of his sphere of influence since Nyx wasn´t doing much of anything? Or that any other "god" just shaped the way they worked according to what they needed for their "games"? Heck, I would be more inclined to believe that they ARE actually the same thing. We can´t take P2 as the base for how they work since Nyarly was fucking everything up so rumors became reality, thinning the walls between the physical world and the Unconscious. But if they are the same... what is their actual name? Someone but be wrong, right? For this, we´re going to have to check the moment the Persona Users first named their enemies. See if their sources are trustworthy, since I believe Igor just goes along with whatever his guests call them.

Elly is the one to name them "demons" in P1 while the Kirijo Group named them "shadows". Neither of them are credible sources (sorry, Elly, but you saw them for the first time that day). The real deal starts when its Teddie, an actual member of their species, who calls them "shadows". Morgana, though less credible than Teddie, also calls them shadows. So, that´s the correct term, right?

Philemon, one of the two most powerful beings in the Persona universe (aside from whatever the fuck Nyx is), calls them "demons". The way I see it is that these boogers call themselves "shadows", while Dr. Phil, Nyarly, and similar beings call them "demons". The reason Igor uses the terms interchangeably is that they are both technically correct.

In truth, what we call demons or shadows are actually archetypes from the Collective Unconscious. All the little boogers were plucked from their homes in the Sea of Souls or wandered too far and ended up as lackeys in dungeons, palaces, a god´s game, or just in the way of a Persona User trying to grind for XP.

Being a Jungian archetype, demons/shadows can easily become Personas once they connect with a Wild Card´s psyche. That´s why they ask questions to see if they vibe with you or to see if you´re gay (This happened to my friend Tatsuya). Demons/shadows are already patterns of thought and behavior just waiting for realization. Innate potential. But for now they´re just... shadows.

Teddie is just a beary smart archetype that gained a conscience of its own, and continued learning from the people around him. Look at him go!

[thebloodydamnraven]

I read Haunter of the Dark last night, and I think I might be onto something here:

The haunter is an avatar of Nyarlathotep, connected to a certain stone. This stone is described as a Shining Trapezohedron, that from a far seems to have an irregular spherical shape or to be egg-shaped. It is nearly black, and red-striated.

People who gaze upon the stone are captivated by it, and if they look into it, they're awarded with sight into every crevice and facet of reality. That includes distant worlds, incomprehensible beings, and everything reality has to offer.

We're also told about its history, but most relevant of it, is that the last abode of the stone before it was unearthed into the modern world, was Egypt. A pharoah, Nephren-Ka, built a windowless temple for it, and "did that which caused his name to be deleted from the records".

Now move on to Malevolent:

Cummings remains in Arkham, Dowd is sent to Egypt as part of some excavation expedition. They uncover a stone, and Dowd sends it to the office, back to Cummings, without looking at it or touching it.

By the time Dowd returns, Cummings is gone. We know later that the King in Yellow tortured both for information. Eventually, Dowd escapes the Dreamlands, and Cummings is killed.

This seems to imply that Hastur wanted the stone for himself. It also answers the question of why Kayne sent Arthur to a different timeline to retrieve the stone: because by killing Cummings, the King destroyed the only thread that could lead to the stone in Arthur's timeline.

Also, note the Black Stone's description from the Wiki:

In the tapestry of the Blackstone in the Larson Estate, the stone is ornate. Painted very roughly to capture the divots and indentations covering it, the stone is massive, egg-shaped but elongated which distorts its proportions. Light comes from all around it to illuminate, and it is elevated over a swamp.

A bit similar, no?

Gazing into the stone awakens the Haunter, a being that holds all knowledge, but in return demands for monstrous sacrifices to be made.

It should also be noted that the main character of the story, as product of his gazing into the stone, was undergoing a merging of consciousness with the Haunter, a unification of sorts.

Please note that to this Haunter, light is fatal. Little exposure harms it, but enough exposure kills it. I'm reminded of Arthur's lighter now.

The thing is, all of this just gives me new questions. What's so important to Kayne and Hastur that they've gone to such lengths to ask the Haunter about it? Does Kayne just want the stone, or does he want Arthur to gaze into it?

And why didn't Kayne let Arthur touch the gray stone?

[vintagerpg]

Children of Fear (2020) is another hefty bit of proof that Chaosium of any era has a talent for massive RPG campaigns, whether elder gods are involved or not. As it happens, this Call of Cthulhu campaign doesn’t have to involve the Cthulhu Mythos at all. The main threat comes from the titular children of fear, who wish to see the gates of Agartha unlocked and the King of Fear released to unmake reality. This COULD be a face of the mythos (and there are mi-go and white apes here and there in the campaign) but it draws inspiration on non-mythos subjects like Vajrayana Buddhism, Theosophy, the fiction of Lord Bulwer-Lytton and Journey to the West.

The saga begins in Peking, where the investigators become entangled with a lama who senses the gates of Agartha are opening. In order to slam them shut again, he enlists the players to help him find the necessary artifacts that will power a ritual to save reality. To do this, they travel through China, India and Tibet, encountering wonders and wickedness both supernatural and mundane.

At 400 pages, it is quite the accomplishment by author Lynne Hardy (who, incidentally, wrote one of my favorite CoC one-shots, Scritch Scratch) — painstakingly researched, gorgeous (I love the inclusion of paintings by theosophist Nicholas Roerich) and terrible in turns (oh boy there is some deeply uncomfortable subject matter in here, including cannibalism, ritual murder and a variety of sexual situations). In terms of scope and complexity, it might be a bigger undertaking than Masks of Nyarlathotep. There are several places when reading the adventure where I paused and wondered if I could handle it (and the book isn’t quite flawless — there could be more support for GMs built in and some of the hooks that pull the story long seem wobbly as is). Still, daunting or not, an exciting effort in an unusual direction. Having read this, I’m very keen to see Hardy’s next project from Chaosium, Rivers of London.

[macabrecabra]

LOVECRAFTOBER: DAY EIGHT: The Nameless Mist, Magnum Innominandum, Milk of the Void

Affiliation: Court of Azathoth A fun design! Their form in the story/comic is mostly just the background mist monster of many mouths and three eyes. The rare humanoid form appears rarely.

The Nameless Mist is sibling to Darkness and Nyarlathotep and makes up the trio of outer gods that rule supreme with only Azathoth being more powerful. Powerful, chaotic, and with a certain glee for whispering madness across all points of reality, they are revered and feared in equal part.... except by theirsiblings. By Nyarlathotep's own account the Nameless Mist never can shut up, always jabbering away insistently with thousands of voices and mouths. On rare occasions, they will condense into a humanoid form, much like their sibling, taking on a Roman-esque form as the last time they were on Earth was during the height of the Roman empire....and most likely was the whispering voices of insanity in the emperors that brought it low. The Nameless Mist has no care for mortals or other god-like beings. They simply do as they please with a noted disregard for everything. Only their siblings and Tru'Nembra can truly hold their attention in conversation. Not even their own spawn, Yogsothoth matters.

[jimmy-johns-was-taken]

(I love gaming pastas too in my ♥️)

I can request Ben, and Red with Eldritch S/O(like Nyarlathotep) can shift itself into Zelda look alike, and trainer Leaf look alike. 😁

Ok I have no clue who this guy is, but i can definitely do the shifting! I really hope I got this right, sorry if I didn’t!

Thank you for requesting !!

BEN Drowned and Glitchy Red with a Eldritch s/o who can shape shift

BEN Drowned :

Thinks your so cool

But was freaked the fuck out when you shifted for the first time

Since you don’t really follow the laws of natural or reality, he respects you a lot

Like you really looked at physics and said “ha! Rules are for losers!”

And he loves it

Shifting into Zelda? It threw him for a loop

BEN much prefers you over Zelda so he’d rather have you

But he thinks it’s really cool

And he’s really happy that you paid attention to his game series and learned, then shape shifted into the main female character and Links lover

It made him super happy, but he’d never admit that to you

Glitchy Red :

You can do what now?

Is so stunned at first

Like bitch what? You aren’t supposed to be able to do that? You can’t just say “fuck reality I do what I want”????

But you do anyways

He thinks it’s really cool though

You definitely run around looking like other pastas and tormenting everyone

Shifting into the lead trainer?

Similar to BEN, Red much prefers you and your looks

Isn’t complaint though! He thinks you look good in the Pokémon trainer outfit

Definitely takes you into his game and y’all run around and act like normal trainers

Y’all have so much fun together

[terminalvelocityfrfr]

Can we talk about how well Kayne and Helen would get along

[memorysuace]

Mouthwashing characters and who I think kind of are like them them in Persona 2.... guys hear meow-t

THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR P2 AND MOUTHWASHING!!!! THIS IS ALSO ALL JUST MY OPINION AND MY KNOWLEDGE ON THE CHARACTERS FROM P2 IS A BIT RUSTY IF IM BEING HONEST! (i love the game to death but i have issues with remembering things and its been a while so PLEEEEEASE cut me some slack if im wrong or leave somethjng out (although do tell me so i can fix it...) THANK U!)

Anya

I feel like Anya and Tatsuya are very similar. They both feel trapped by their circumstances and tend to be unable to feel their feelings properly. Anya is stuck on a spaceship with her abuser, the one who ripped her autonomy from her, and has no means to really fight back, in the end killing herself because she couldn't properly express what he did, nor talk about it to anyone without risking the consequences. Tatsuya's situation is very similar to this, being isolated from the people he tried so hard to cling to after finally finding a place to fit in, only for Nyarlathotep to take that happiness from him by ending the world and forcing him to live in a reality that is basically his own hellscape. Tatsuya can't reach out to anyone about whats going on out of fear of what will happen, and has to suffer silently because of it. He has nobody to go to, just like Anya, and it's implied that Tatsuya has had many thoughts of taking his own life during the events of Eternal Punishment.

Swansea

When I think of Swansea, I think of Baofu. They both have made made bad mistakes in their past and have attempted to reconcile and move on. They act harsher than they let on at points as well, but in the end they are able to show they genuinely care for the people they are close with. (I honestly dont remember much about Baofu, but i can feel it in my BONES that these two overlap somehow.... I need to re-research some of these characters man..... baofu is really cool.....)

Daisuke

Daisuke also kinda reminds me of (Innocent Sin)Tatsuya, but Maya as well. Daisuke not really knowing what he wants to be, or do with his life, reminds me of Tatsuya, but the cheerful and more optimistic parts of his personality also remind me of Maya. I want to touch on Daisuke's relationship with his parents and compare it to Tatsuya's, but it's a bit difficult for me to comprehend media, and honestly I really do not want to be wrong about this, so for my own sake this is pure theory (😝). I think Daisuke's relationship with his parents could possibly be a bit strained. Not an intense amount, but when I think about him and how he thinks about his mom, wondering if she's disappointed in him, I feel that. It makes me wonder if maybe Daisuke isn't as close with his parents as it seems? That maybe they struggle to communicate their feelings toward him healthily? If Daisuke feels like a disappointment, that's caused by something. Maybe his parents had said something similar to him. Now that I'm thinking about it, his relationship with them reminds me of Katsuya as well. He took the internship because of his parents, Daisuke did all of this to appease them, which with Katsuya, isn't exactly what he did, but their motivations both root from something to do with their parents.

Jimmy

Nyarlathotep. the connection is that i dont like him 😿😿😿😿😿😿😿😿

Actually though, they are both irredemable villains, characters so complex and well written that they make you so angry you want to rip your hair out, yet you want to know so much more about them. I don't hate Jimmy as a character. He is a horrible person, but so well written. You as the player feel no sympathy for the person you play as most of the time, you hate him. You view Jimmy the way he views Anya. Everything that happened to him was his own fault, he deserved what was coming to him. this actually wasnt really comparison it was just a rant about jimmy im sorry

Curly

Curly really, really reminds me of Philemon. Very neutral. In Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Philemon and Nyarlathotep make a bet about the will of human life. Knowing the consequences of losing the bet, Philemon still accepted it, causing all of these awful events to take place when he could have attempted to prevent it. That doesn't immediately mean Philemon is a horrible person. He is meant to be neutral. His actions palallel how curly acts, trying to stay in the middle of everything instead of taking a side. Sure, he wasn't the exact reason Jimmy crashed the ship, but he didn't do anything to make sure he didn't either. Just like how Philemon wasn't the reason Maya died, that was a choice Nyarlathotep made, to have her killed, but he also did nothing to prevent that.

someone match my freak and discuss this with me the hyperfixations are all coming together and its driving me crazy

[dailydemonspotlight]

Nyarlethotep

Do it

Nyarlathotep - Day 101 (Request)

Race: Vile

Arcana: Tower

Alignment: Dark-Law

September 2nd, 2024

...Shit, something slipped through the cracks... uh, Frosty, make a note to get some new janitorial staff. I mean, I guess this makes for more content...? Whatever. Demons, demons, it's all so demoning...

Need you some help? I promise I can... just give me the reigns. I don't want you misrepresenting me, after all. Humans are too foolish to understand their ends and beginnings, and that some may be more than one.

... Y'know what, sure. Whatever. Welcome aboard, Nyarly- now let me talk about you, for fucks sake.

Fie, you're impatient.

For fucks sake- okay, Frosty, get the hose, and I'll do the entry. Ahem.

Something that sometimes SMT, but mostly Persona, does, is intertwine the mythological with the fantastical. While a lot of Personas are based primarily off of mythological characters or major historical figures (I.E Captain Kidd, Sakuya, Anat, or Izanagi,) quite a lot are actually based on contemporary modern fiction, with characters such as Arsene or Zorro. One of my favorite examples of this, though, has to be from Persona 2, with its main antagonist being a major character in none other than HP Lovecraft’s very own mythos, tying together the two major sources for demons and personas- Nyarlathotep, the crawling chaos.

The annals of cosmic horror that make up Lovecraft’s sprawling series have quite a lot of outer gods- beings that exist outside of our own reality- but next to Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep is easily the most iconic and recognizable of this pantheon. It is shown as an actively malicious force in the universe, and while serving under the blind idiot god Azathoth that dreams of the world, it’s not afraid to scare and mess with the inhabitants of said world. 

Portrayed as a cunning manipulator in its primary source work, the self-titled Nyarlathotep, Nyarlathotep is shown gathering followers who slowly lose control over themselves and their minds, and as the story literally begins to fall apart as it goes on, the world begins to fall apart as well. Its presence degrades those who follow him, though it wins over hundreds of people through demonstrations of control with strange, glass instruments- even before that, though, it’d force those who approached it to bow, taking the form of a pharaoh. 

Since then, it appears sporadically throughout several stories, almost always as a manipulative and explicitly antagonistic force, as opposed to the generally uncaring forms of most other figures in the mythos. Shown as narcissistic and cruel- 

Come now, I only wish to help. 

Shut up. Anyways, its villainous streak continues throughout many tales, being variously described as a cunning man who typically appears as a pharaoh, though one with oddly caucasian features, though it also tends to appear elsewhere in other forms, evidently being a shapeshifter. The manner in which Nyarlathotep interacts with humanity is somewhat unusual for an elder god, though many still prescribe it as an elder god. 

Regardless, Nyarlathotep seems to represent the decline and loss of humanity, one possibly brought about by the commercial world, as it may even represent said commercialization if some interpretations are to be followed (see ‘Literary Copernicus’ linked above.) It’s rather hard to describe much more about Nyarlathotep, given how much of the horror of Lovecraft is built on the unknown, but it’s clearly far more than meets the eye- its role is unknown past that of a servant of Azathoth, and the way its only role is typically just to manipulate those it comes across brings up more questions than it does answers. 

In terms of design, though, I’d say that the SMT II and Persona 2 designs are about the same, at least in my eyes- the SMT II design is far more recognizable, but the mixes of designs and focus on cosmic horror and tentacles in Persona 2’s designs are incredibly fitting, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. Still, I do find it interesting that its role in Persona 2’s story is incredibly similar to that of it in most Lovecraft stories, being, yet again, a manipulator.

[rpgsandbox]

Elder Mythos is a cosmic horror tabletop role-playing game in which players will play frightening Lovecraftian Entities vying to destroy or control the world. 

Venture beyond the veil of reality with Elder Mythos, become one of the ancient entities and unleash unspeakable horrors. Join us in a cosmic horror saga that transcends human comprehension. The fate of the world is at stake: will you rule it or will you throw it into chaos? 

Elder Mythos is a cosmic horror tabletop role-playing game in which players will incarnate frightening Lovecraftian Entities vying to destroy or control the world. 

Through shared worldbuilding or by choosing a Scenario, players will weave a conversation that will create a cosmic horror narrative.

Choosing among 12 different Entities - including Hastur The Unspeakable One and Cthulhu The Great Dreamer -  each with its own Attributes and Powers, each player will have to pursue unique and disturbing purposes. 

Using adepts of ancient cults, nightmarish creatures and priestly figures of immense power as expendable resources, players will create a terrifying plot amid catastrophes and consequences.

In this tabletop RPG, the Cthulhu Mythos, once again, come to life - and you will incarnate them!

Elder Mythos uses a Year Zero System hack designed to handle cosmic horrors without necessitating preparation from the Eldritch Master.

This game is characterized by an emergent and intuitive gameplay, where the fate of entire cities will be mapped out with a few dice rolls. 

Building a pool of D6s using the Entities' Attributes and Resources, players must strive to get at least a 6, but beware! Obtaining more than a 6 will lead to Catastrophic Success: the chaos will be out of control for the Entity's emanations, and even if it succeeds, incredible twists and turns could upset the narrative.  

By performing Actions on the Scenario’s Map, players will fight for the control of the setting, but it will not be easy! Other playing Entities, as well as the Eldritch Master Resources, from occult detectives to human organization, will hamper your plots.  

You are an Elder Entity: for you, twisting the rules using your unspeakable powers it's effortless. Take possession of the Eldritch Master Resources with Cthulhu’s effigies, and drive them mad; swap the initiative order with Nyarlathotep’s omnipotence on the Dreamlands. 

Elder Mythos is a game designed to be played collectively at the table, without preparation from the Eldritch Master. Using one of the 5 Scenarios, or through collaborative worldbuilding, each element of the game world, alongside the triggering main events, will be outlined rapidly, in an easy and intuitive process. 

In Elder Mythos, players will incarnate the most powerful Lovecraftian Entities. 

They won’t be mere RPG characters, they will be terrific deities with immense and frightening powers, each described in great detail within the Corebook. 

These Entities rarely take the field: some of them prefer to operate from distant galaxies, while others are unable to do so, forced in a lethargic state. On the contrary, they will use minuscule fragments of their power, their Manifestations, and will act primarily through their evil cults, their treacherous creatures, channeling some of their immense strength within their ministers.

Elder Mythos is a shared narrative role-playing game, where by playing different Entities, players could pursue different purposes and goals. 

Conflict between the playing Entities is not only possible but an integral part of the game system, and for some of them it might even be part of their Great Design.

But better not to get too distracted by Azathoth or Hastur, because fearsome interference, played by the Eldritch Master, could seize the opportunity to hamper the schemes of all the Playing Entities!

Kickstarter campaign ends: Wed, April 24 2024 10:29 PM BST

Website: [Mana Project Studio] [facebook] [twitter] [instagram]

[lovecraft-oc-and-canon-ask]

By evening you began to feel a certain anxiety, which, however, came more from inside your consciousness than from outside. For the past few weeks, your dreams have been heavy, filled with chaotically changing nightmare visions. Day after day, you convinced yourself that it was just fatigue. Maybe you shouldn't have stayed up late reading those strange books. Perhaps they shouldn't have even been opened.

This time everything was different. The bright but chaotic images from your dreams that night seemed especially meaningful. It was as if you were playing according to someone else's script, compiled by someone beyond your understanding.

At some point, the plot of the dream ended abruptly, as if it had been cut with a sharp razor.

You find yourself in a black, almost tangible void. Gradually, the space around you, the capacity of which you could not fully comprehend, for one reason or another, began to fill with smoke, spreading across the invisible floor. There was no need to breathe in your sleep, but if you did, you would smell the intoxicating aroma of incense, but you would hardly be able to distinguish what exactly it reminds you of.

It seems that the blackness is beginning to thicken right in front of you, if that is possible. You're not sure. Its outlines take shape. A tall, dark silhouette, he distorts the very space around him. Clouds of terribly dense smoke that block out light obscure his features. But not for long. You don’t feel fear, rather a bad feeling, as if what is happening is calling to some kind of internal memory. Something almost at the level of instincts suggests that this event will divide your further existence into “before” and “after”. If, of course, such concepts exist at all.

While you are thinking about this, images flash before your eyes like a giant kaleidoscope. Lifeless black rocks, painfully bright desert sands, a triple burning eye, a strange mechanical device crackling with electricity, a peaceful cityscape drowning in the gold of sunset rays, a wax mask, a box with strange drawings that were unlike anything you had ever seen before, darkness, darkness, darkness...

After a moment or a century, each asymmetrical part of the fragmentary images takes on a single form.

His features become surprisingly... human. The majestic face, which evokes in your memory associations with the images of ancient pharaohs immortalized in stone, seems deathly beautiful to you.

And then his lips break into a smile and he speaks.

-Greetings, dreamer! You are a curious creature, and I see it... The voice is deep, but not without an inviting softness. It seems to you that it sounds from everywhere and from nowhere at the same time.

-You are a soul wandering alone through space, exploring the endless mysteries of reality. I came to you in your dreams to guide you along your destined path through the endless labyrinths of the universe.

____________________________________________

WELCOME OUR FIRST CHARACTER!

NYARLATHOTEP

The Crawling Chaos is now available for questions

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[areadersuncertaintyprinciple]

Lovecraftian Influence in ORV (part 2):

Disclaimer: idk if all the parallels are intentional; I'm not an expert on Lovecraft; this is defo not going to contain all the stuff in detail or even all the stuff coz like I said, I ain't an expert 1. Textual parallels:

Both ORV & Lovecraftian lore emphasize the cyclical nature of time and existence. In ORV, Dokja's regressions and the ever-repeating scenarios of "Ways of Survival" mirror the cyclical dreams of Azathoth. Similarly, Lovecraft's stories often feature ancient entities trapped in endless cycles of slumber and awakening.

The motif of uncaring gods and the dangers of seeking ultimate knowledge is central to both Lovecraftian mythos and ORV.

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. - H.P. Lovecraft

In the mythos, Yog-Sothoth embodies the totality of time and space, existing outside our linear perception. It has the ability to manipulate time in non-linear ways, creating alternate realities and diverging timelines. Imagine a tapestry of time, and Yog-Sothoth meticulously snipping sections and reconnecting them in impossible geometries, birthing new worlds and realities into existence. Similar is ORV's "square circle". Imagine a perfect circle, representing a closed timeline, yet simultaneously containing its own square corners, moments of choice and potential divergence.

Crawling Chaos(one of the names of Nyarlathotep) is directly mentioned in ORV: (look at the phrasing- myths that were prototype of Ways of Survival)

Character parallels:

Most Ancient Dream & Azathoth: This one's a no-brainer.

Both are dreaming entities who shape reality without conscious intent- while Azathoth is a blind god who's unconsciously dreaming up the universe & MAD is a traumatized child who's dreaming up stories as a coping mechanism.

The "idiot god" aspect of Azathoth resonates with MAD too. Both are unaware or atleast have a lack of choice/control. Their dreams & reality itself are in a continuous loop

The "uncaring god" aspect of Azathoth resonates with the MAD's desire for new stories rather than any sense of morality or concern for its creations.

2. Nyarlathotep & Secretive Plotter:

Nyarlathotep is said to be the puppet/avatar of Azathoth while YJH/Secretive Plotter is labeled as the puppet of MAD.

Worldline Jumpers

All black ensemble (silly comparison ik)

Mocking contempt for their "masters"

Nyarlathotep views humanity as playthings, pawns in his game. He's often described as a harbinger of apocalypse, acts on an enigmatic agenda seemingly tied to chaos and destruction. While Secretive Plotter's goal was to meet-kill MAD & end the cycle of regressions once & for all through an apocalypse.

3. The Hounds of Tindalos:

The Hounds of Tindalos are creatures created by Frank Belknap Long and later incorporated into the Cthulhu Mythos. Both the names of Hounds of Tindalos & Hounds Chasing After the Abyss have been mentioned in the text. So, it's a direct reference.

4. Yog-Sothoth the gatekeeper & Fourth Wall+Dokkaebi King

5. Shub-Niggurath & tls123/1863hsy: disclaimer: Lovecraft's work is unfortunately riddled with racist and xenophobic imagery and tropes, particularly regarding Shub-Niggurath.

Shub-Niggurath is said to be the "Mother of All Gods" & we can compare tls123 to her in the same vein as tls123 is the author of TWSA while 1864hsy is the author(or co-author) of ORV. "tls" represents the Korean word for "god" as the keys for T, L, and S correspond to the letters ㅅ, ㅣ, and ㄴ on the Korean keyboard. => tls123 is the author-god of the universe

(tls123 is also kinda similar to Azathoth in having no power over their creations)

6. Randolph Carter & the 0th YJH: Randolph Carter is a recurring character in many stories from Lovecraft's Dream Cycle series. He also features in an unfinished short story called "Azathoth". In Azathoth, Randalph travels through space and time in his dream-form, and is drawn to the nighted throne of the far daemon-sultan Azathoth, the blind idiot god who rules over chaos and creation. Like, Randalph, 0th YJH chooses to regress because he wants to meet MAD

...and that's it for now. I'll add more if I remember. Constructive feedback is welcome but keep in mind: I'm no expert & also a human behind the keyboard.

[katsona-the-katsequel]

Background Events: The Power of Rumors

A compilation of times where rumors have changed reality in the Persona series.

Click here for the time we focused on the evolution of Persona experimentation.

Spoilers for P2, P3 (briefly), P4 and P5!

One of the most basic concepts of Persona is the connection of everything through the Collective Unconscious, and to understand this concept, we're gonna have to rely on the J-Man once more.

According to Carl Jung, the Collective Unconscious refers to a part of the human mind shared by all people, inherited rather than developed individually. This universal aspect contains fundamental symbols and themes (archetypes) that influence our thoughts, emotions and behaviors unconsciously. Despite attempts to suppress these ancient influences, they continue to appear in traditions, superstitions and phenomena.

Rumors relate to the Collective Unconscious by reflecting shared, deep-seated fears, hopes or archetypal themes present in a culture. Since the Collective Unconscious consists of universal experiences and symbols, rumors often tap into these common elements, spreading quickly because they resonate with the unconscious mind's familiar patterns and ideas. This shared connection makes rumors compelling and believable to many people, as they echo fundamental, collective human experiences and anxieties.

And this is how Nyarlathotep took advantage of the Collective Unconscious to create the Rumor Curse. He probably only thinned the barriers between the physical world and the CU in Sumaru City so rumors became a reality (which would also explain why there are demons all over the city). I'm not going to mention every single instance of rumors becoming true in Persona 2 since that's a whole game mechanic, so let's go over the most important one: the Oracle of Maia.

Despite Nyarly admitting he made the whole thing up, the entire city thought this was a prophecy created by the Maian aliens, which made it true. Through Innocent Sin the prophecy was fulfilled, culminating in Maya dying and the world ending. This is the best and most extreme example of rumors becoming true, a high bar that wouldn't be reached again, not even in Eternal Punishment.

Some fans theorize that the Rumor Curse didn't affect just Sumaru, but all of Japan, and that it was never lifted. While this would give an explanation to some of the following cases, there are more canon reasons for them becoming true. Also, if the theory was true, then Strega would have done more damage than it did when they formed their cult and defamed SEES. Not to mention, the minor rumors like Fuuka being a ghost come to take revenge. By P2 rules, they should all become reality, but they didn't. And so, we must rely on the alternate explanations given to us.

Like divine intervention. The next major rumor spread in the series comes from Chie of all people:

Urban legends like the Persona Game or the Joker were the bread and butter of early Persona, and this fits the bill. Depending on how much of The Magician you hold canon, the rumor existed way before Izanami began her game, which would mean she simply took advantage of a popular rumor to create a connection to the TV World. Being a small town, Inaba is more susceptible to rumors and gossip quickly spreading around. Rumors would keep moving the plot forward, whether it was to learn a victim's identity or their profile to find them in the TV World.

The closest thing to the rumors game mechanic from P2 was the fame-to-advance-in-Mementos from P5. Both Akechi and Phantom Thieves fought an invisible battle to stay in the population's mind and gain influence in the CU. However, this is a double-edged sword. Can anyone remember what happened when all of Tokyo thought the Phantom Thieves didn't exist at all?

Yaldabaoth thinned the barriers once more and, for a few moments, the "Rumor Curse" had returned to lay siege on all of Tokyo. The only time anyone took advantage of this would be during the final fight against Yaldy, where the entire city saw the Phantom Thieves as heroes and saviors, boosting their powers to defeat a god. This can be compared to P2's Joker, whom the entire city saw as a wish-granting entity, and ended up becoming one.

Regardless, the same curse that plagued Sumaru ended in Tokyo when everything went back to normal. Default settings for everyone. Even though rumors aren't as powerful as before, no one can deny the way they shape the people's cognition. And in a world where the Collective Unconscious really is a thing? That can go a long way.