#pharaoh primary

[fantastic-fr-scries]

Fae Male

Coral / Cream / Brick , Pharaoh / Trail / Lace

[daisybell-on-a-carousel]

95735375

Beige | Banana | Shale

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95735252

Saffron | Brick | Beige

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My two map fathoms! "Saffron" ended up being the kind of dragon thats hard to scry but can eventually land on one really solid one, and "Beige" is the kind of dragon where most everything looks good so I can't chose help

[raskies456]

not sure if I’m going to keep this g1 hatchie but I am very proud of finding a nice scry for spring/fog/ultramarine of all things

[scryingworkshop]

[talonabraxas]

RA (Egyptian Sun God) Talon Abraxas

All the world knows that Nuu was called 'the one without eyes' and it was Ra, the Sun, who addressed him as "Thou oldest god, from whom I have arisen." Thus, out of that which sees not, the golden eye was born. And Ra said:

There were formed many forms, The forms of the forms in the forms of the children. What I ejected was Shu, What I spat out was Tefenet, My father, the abyss, sent them. My eye followed them through the ages of ages.

Ra (Re) was the primary name of the sun god of Ancient Egypt. He was often considered to be the King of the Gods and thus the patron of the pharaoh and one of the central gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was also described as the creator of everything.

[antiquitiesandlabyrinths]

Nefretiti

Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, or Nofretiti, (14th century BC; 18th dynasty, New Kingdom) is perhaps best well known for her bust, which has become world famous for its' uniqueness and craftsmanship. But Nefertiti played a role in one of the most controversial eras of Egyptian history. She is one of the most well-recorded Queens of ancient Egypt, but very little is known about her actual life besides conjecture.

Let's start with dissecting her name. Most people will divide her name up into the words Nefer and Titi; Nefer being a common word in ancient Egypt meaning beauty and goodness. In actuality, her name is divided up as neferet - iiti, more classically transliterated as Nfr.t-jy.tj. The t belongs to nefer as it is the denomination of a female pronoun in the ancient Egyptian language, and the jy.tj means coming or has come. All together, her name means The Beautiful One Has Come.

Nefertiti is indeed beautiful; she is, as mentioned earlier, one of the most depicted Queens of Egyptian history, with her image appearing on a great number of walls, in carvings and in paintings, and of course, statues. The reason for this is partly due to her marriage to the Heretic Pharaoh, Akhenaten. To understand this connection a little better, one must have some background about the Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti were married close to when Akhenaten was coronated, which was for him around the age of 16 or 18, and for Nefertiti was around the age of 12 to 16. Akhenaten is fairly well known Pharaoh. His controversial history has made sure of that, despite the fact that after he died, the following Pharaohs did everything in their power to rid Egypt of his memory by destroying his city and erasing all images of him. Akhenaten started off as Amenhotep IV––a name which connects him to the Egyptian God Amun, often associated with the sun, but representing hiddenness, and one of the highest and most powerful Gods of Egypt. The cult of Amun at the time of the New Kingdom was perhaps the most widespread cult of worship in Egypt, and the 18th dynasty, to which the Pharaoh Amenhotep IV belongs, is the first dynasty of the New Kingdom.

This was, apparently, unsatisfactory for the Pharaoh Amenhotep IV. Still, for the first 5 years of his reign, he followed Amun's cult, until he made a dramatic religious change to worship of the Aten; a new God that represented the sun disc. Aten was a faceless God, and the first mention of the word aten was in the Old Kingdom, and back then, it meant 'disc'. While Aten was worshipped as a mere aspect of Ra, the Sun God, in Amenhopte IV's father's (Amenhotep III) reign, Amenhotep IV decided that the Aten should be the primary deity worshipped. Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten, and worshipped the Aten above all else, as the nurturer of the world, the creator, and the giver of life. This would've likely been fine; however, Akhenaten decided that the Aten should be the only God worshipped, and banned the worship of all other Gods.

Ancient Egypt had been polytheistic since it's very earliest beginnings. Akhenaten essentially introduced monotheism out of nowhere and insisted all his subjects follow him in his new faith, outlawing all other worships, and forcing many priests to abandon the temples of other Gods. Additionally, ancient Egyptians were very accustomed to using an image to worship a God; the image usually being an animal, human, or an animal-headed human. But the Aten was a disc. Although the Aten had been worshipped in Amenhotep III's reign as a falcon-headed solar deity, Akhenaten insisted that the Aten be only shown as a disc with rays reaching out, with small hands on each ray.

Obviously, this caused a lot of dissent in Egypt and the following reigns.

Another interesting point of contention was the fashion in which the Aten interacted with the royal family. In the past, the Pharaoh was connected to the Gods more than any other human––he was the bridge between the two worlds, and the mediator between humanity and the Gods. This was, generally, not a task shared by the whole of the royal family. But in Atenism, the Aten would only shine its life-giving rays onto the Pharaoh and his royal wife; in this case, Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Thus the people, if they wanted to experience the life and love of the only, legally worshippable God, would have to go through the Pharaoh and his wife. This power would've likely, at least in part, been given to the royal family in order to cement their changes, and protect them from any backlash.

This massive change in culture and religion had great affects on ancient Egypt at the time. The style of ancient Egyptian art changed drastically, and the figures of the royal family were now represented as sinuous and gangly, often with large, sagging bellies and breasts, and curved, graceful facial features. Since Akhenaten and Nefertiti, as the royal family, were so important to this new religion of Atenism, the two of them were depicted in a number of scenes––many of them unique to the Amarna period, which is the name for the period in which Atenism was installed. These scenes were familial in nature; depicting the royal couple sitting with their children and bathing in Aten's life-light, throwing gifts down to the people, and engaging with one another. This is one of the main reasons that Nefertiti is the most widely-depicted Queen of Egypt. Not only is she depicted often as the wife of Akhenaten, but she is drawn in her own right––she makes offerings to the Aten on her own, and there are depictions of her smiting the enemies of Egypt, which is a role traditionally given solely to the Pharaoh.

Another piece of evidence for the high status of Nefertiti comes from this famous depiction of the royal Amarna family:

Here, Nefertiti sits on the right side, opposite her husband, Akhenaten. Akhenaten is holding up one of his children, and Nefertiti holds another two children; three of the six daughters that Nefertiti would bear for Akhenaten. The children are depicted in an almost grotesque, alien fashion, though it's not something you can really fault the artists for; it took a long time for artists across the world to realize that babies are not, in fact, just tiny humans, and that their proportions are different. Still, the style of the Amarna period is not helpful; with their large, oval heads, thin limbs, and sagging stomachs, it is difficult to imagine that anyone could be traditionally, Egyptian beautiful. Yet there is still a strange beauty to it; the sagging bellies are meant to call to mind Hapi, a God of great fertility, and the artist's ability to capture the facial features and emotions of their subject is amplified by this new and forgiving artstyle.

This image is a house altar. What that means is that people were encouraged, and evidentially did, worship the royal family in their homes, which is somewhat unprecedented. House altars were usually for Gods such as Tawaret and Bes, who were protectors of the household. But now, with traditional Egyptian religion banned, the typical house altar was now a shrine to Akhenaten and Nefertiti, and by extension, their children, which again shows the importance and power bestowed upon not just the Pharaoh, but his wife as well, as the two are represented in equal size.

Another interesting note about this particular house altar is the thrones on which Akhenaten and Nefertiti are seated. While Akhenaten's seat is mostly blank, Nefertiti is seated upon a throne reserved only for Pharaohs, the reason for this being the decorations which depict the Sema-Tawy ritual; the conjoining of the two lands.

Some time during the course of Akhenaten's reign, he decided to move the capital of Egypt to a deserted stretch of land along the Nile Valley, and called the new city Amarna, for which the period was named after. Here, the royal family took up residence, and this is where the cult center of the Aten would carry out its worship. This is also where Akhenaten royally screwed up his duties in foreign diplomacy, but that is a story for another day.

Before moving to Amarna, Nefertiti had three daughters in Thebes, the previous capital, and three more daughters in Amarna. In order, her daughter's names were Meritaten, Meketaten, and Ankhesenpaaten; then in Amarna, Neferneferuaten Tasherit, Neferneferure, and the youngest, Setepenre. It was to a lesser wife of Akhenaten's that the famous boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun was born, and originally, his name was Tutankhaten.

During his reign, when concerning Nefertiti, Akhenaten placed special attention upon her and loved her dearly, which is why she was one of the most powerful Queens of Egypt. Akhenaten described her as "possessed of charm" and "sweet of love", that "one is happy to hear her voice," and that "contents the Aten with her sweet voice". The two husband and wife were rarely depicted separately, and Akhenaten gave Nefertiti the title of 'heiress', although she was not the daughter of a King. Instead, what many scholars believe Akhenaten meant by this, was that she was to be his successor.

After Akhenaten's death, two Pharaohs ruled for a short time before Tutankhamun took over, and one of those Pharaohs is believed to have possibly been Nefertiti under the name of Neferneferuaten, which means beautiful is the beauty of the Aten. It is still debated whether this was in fact Nefertiti, but given that Nefertiti had given herself the name Neferneferuaten far before Akhenaten's death, and the elvated status gifted by her husband, it seems somewhat likely.

In essence, due to the circumstances of her life and her husband, Nefertiti was elevated to a status that never came before or after her life. Women in ancient Egypt were awarded the same rights as a man, but the wife of the Pharaoh was never depicted as equal to the Pharaoh in such a fashion, as being Pharaoh meant being the intermediary between the heavenly and the earthly, and was a special accorded honour. Nefertiti, perhaps due in part to her charisma and beauty, was given a position equal to the Pharaoh, which never happened unless it was a woman who was becoming Pharaoh. As controversial as Akhenaten's reign was, he did love his wife greatly.

I want to share my opinion on this subject a little, which is essentially to say, that I don't like Akhenaten and I don't try to hide it. His worship of the Aten is alright, but it is the banning of all other worship which rests very uneasily in me. That being said, there is a good source which goes more into detail about Nefertiti, and it is very pro-Akhenaten and anti-ancient Egyptian religion, instead glorifying the monotheism of Atenism and such. Still, it is a valuable resource; Nefertiti and Cleopatra: Queen-monarchs of Ancient Egypt, by Julia Samson, and can be found on Internet Archive here.

[blueiscoool]

‘Curse’ Behind King Tutankhamun’s Tomb Mysterious Deaths Finally Solved

The unsettling curse of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt has bewildered archaeologists since it’s been feared to be linked to the mysterious deaths of multiple excavators who discovered it in 1922.

However, a scientist now claims to have solved the mysteries of the infamous “Pharaoh’s Curse” more than 100 years later.

Toxic levels of radiation emanating from uranium and poisonous waste are believed to have lingered inside the tomb since it was sealed over 3,000 years ago, Ross Fellowes wrote last month in the Journal of Scientific Exploration (JSE).

The burial chamber in the tomb of Tutankhamun, near Luxor, Egypt.

The radiation level inside Tutankhamun’s tomb is so high that anyone who comes in contact with it could very likely develop a fatal dose of radiation sickness and cancer.

“Both contemporary and ancient Egypt populations are characterized by unusually high incidences of hematopoietic cancers, of bone/blood/lymph, for which a primary known cause is radiation exposure,” Fellowes wrote in his study.

However, this radioactivity isn’t isolated to Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Fellowes revealed that “unusually high radiation levels have been documented in Old Kingdom tomb ruins” and spread throughout sites in Egypt.

“Radiation has been detected by the Geiger counter at two sites at Giza adjacent to the pyramids,” he wrote, adding that radon — a radioactive gas — has also been detected in “several underground tombs at Saqqara.”

The “Coffinette for the Viscera of Tutankhamun,” which contained the king’s mummified liver, depicts him as Osiris, holding a crook and flail.

Medical imagery of Tutankhamun is shown above a replica of King Tut’s skull on display during the “Tutankhamun And The Golden Age Of The Pharaohs” at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.

These readings were all found to be “intensely radioactive.”

“Modern studies confirm very high levels of radiation in ancient Egyptian tombs, in the order of 10x accepted safety standards,” the study shared.

It’s also theorized that those who built the ancient tombs were aware of the toxins based on the eerie warnings carved on the walls.

“The nature of the curse was explicitly inscribed on some tombs, with one translated presciently as, ‘they that break this tomb shall meet death by a disease that no doctor can diagnose,’” Fellowes wrote.

Outside the tomb of Tutankhamun during the 1922 excavation in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

Other ominous translations like “forbidden” because of “evil spirits” may have significantly fueled the fear that supernatural curses lingered in the ancient sites.

Those fears intensified with the mysterious deaths of Lord Carnarvon, who funded the excavation in 1922 and reportedly walked through the treasured filled rooms — and multiple others after they unsealed the tomb.

“Carnarvon was dead within a few weeks of the uncertain diagnosis of blood poisoning and pneumonia,” Fellowes wrote.

Egyptologist Howard Carter (R) walks with archaeologist Lord Carnarvon, the patron of his research, outside the tomb of King Tutankhamun in 1922.

Egyptologist Arthur Weigall allegedly told colleagues that Carnarvon would “be dead within six weeks” upon entering, the study claimed.

Howard Carter, the first person to walk inside Tutankhamun’s tomb with Carnarvon, died in 1939 after a long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was suspected to be caused by radiation poisoning.

British Egyptologist and independent excavator Arthur Weigall was present at the opening of Tut’s Tomb and is also credited with starting the ‘myth’ of the curse.

He died of cancer at 54 years old in 1934.

Workers remove a tray of chariot parts from the Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt, in 1922.

In total, six of the 26 people present when the tomb was opened died within a decade from asphyxia, stroke, diabetes, heart failure, pneumonia, poisoning, malaria and X-ray exposure.

While the deaths can be seen as odd, the curse theory was also likely fueled by the oddities that happened when it opened.

Carnarvon had reportedly suffered a mosquito bite that became severely infected.

Around the time excavators opened the tomb, Cairo reportedly suffered a bizarre power outage and a freak sandstorm, according to National Geographic.’

At one point during the excavation, Carnarvon’s favorite dog allegedly let out a chilling howl and suddenly dropped dead.

A photograph showing guards standing outside the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt in 1922.

A sacred cow being removed from Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

From a historical perspective, the discovery of the tomb in the Valley of Kings is considered one of the most fascinating finds that gave modern society a glimpse into the Egyptian royalty voyage into the afterlife.

Five thousand items, including solid gold funeral shoes, statues, games, and strange animals, were discovered inside Tutankhamun’s tombs.

It would take the excavators ten years to clear the tomb of its treasure.

The golden funerary mask of Tutankhamun.

The unsealing and studying of the tomb is also credited with launching the modern era of Egyptology.

Tutankhamun took the throne as pharaoh around nine or ten years old and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC.

However, he died by the time he turned 18.

There are no surviving records of Tutankhamun’s death and how the young pharaoh died remains a mystery.

However, Tutankhamun is suspected to have suffered from several health issues — likely linked to his father, Akhenaten, and his mother, Nefertiti, being brother and sister.

By Richard Pollina.

[mythologyolympics]

Mythology Olympics tournament round 1

Propaganda!

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Apophis was a malevolent deity or demon, often depicted as a giant serpent or snake. He was considered to be the embodiment of chaos, of destruction, and deep darkness. Ultimately, it was believed to be the primary enemy of the gods and the pharaoh. Since Apophis was seen as a constant threat to the order of the universe, his ultimate goal was to devour the sun god Ra and plunge the world into eternal darkness. He was often invoked in protective spells and incantations to ward off evil and ensure the continued prosperity of the kingdom.

Propaganda from the submitter:

He's just a lil' big worm boi

Flora is a Roman goddess of flowers and spring. She was one of the twelve deities of traditional Roman religion who had their own flamen, the Floralis, one of the flamines minores. Her association with spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime, as did her role as goddess of youth. She is one of several fertility goddesses and a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology. Her Greek counterpart is Chloris.

[whencyclopedia]

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome

This comprehensive and engaging narrative covers many ancient civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, early China, Greece, and Rome. Bauer's accessible writing and use of primary sources make complex historical events understandable and interesting. Ideal for history enthusiasts and general readers, this book offers a balanced and detailed overview of ancient history.

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome by Susan Wise Bauer is a sweeping and well-researched work that endeavours to present a coherent narrative of ancient history from its earliest beginnings to the fall of the Roman Empire. Bauer, a historian and seasoned author, undertakes the formidable task of chronicling the development of human civilisations across the globe, weaving together historical events, cultural evolutions, and significant personalities.

The book is organised into 70 chapters, each serving as a vignette illuminating specific eras, events, and figures in ancient history. Bauer's narrative is both chronological and thematic, a dual approach that allows readers to follow the progression of historical events while also understanding each period's broader cultural and societal developments.

Bauer begins her journey in Mesopotamia, exploring the rise and fall of ancient societies such as Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. She delves deeply into the development of writing with cuneiform, the establishment of legal codes exemplified by Hammurabi's Code, and the growth of urbanization and statecraft under rulers like Sargon of Akkad. Her detailed descriptions provide a vivid picture of how these early societies laid the groundwork for future civilisations.

The narrative then shifts to ancient Egypt, where Bauer traces the history from the early dynastic periods through the heights of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Her portrayal of Egyptian pharaohs such as Ramses II and Cleopatra pays particular attention to the complexities of their reigns. Bauer's exploration of Egyptian religion, monumental architecture like the pyramids and the temples at Karnak, and the daily life of its people enriches the reader's understanding of this ancient culture.

Bauer also examines the ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley and China. She discusses the sophisticated urban planning and social organization of the Harappan culture, as well as the early Chinese dynasties of Shang and Zhou, highlighting their contributions to writing, philosophy, and governance. Bauer's ability to interweave these diverse cultures into a single narrative thread is a testament to her skill as a historian and storyteller.

The book provides an in-depth look into ancient Greece and the Roman Republic and Empire. Bauer details impactful philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, military and political exploits executed by figures like Alexander the Great, the legacies of Julius Caesar and Constantine, and many other topics. Readers should pay attention to the discussion on the administrative and military structures that enabled Rome to maintain its dominance and its defining cultural and technological innovations. Bauer then concludes with the fall of Rome, marking the end of ancient history as traditionally defined and setting the stage for the medieval period.

Having published over six books, Bauer's writing style and storytelling skills to cover such a large timeline are evident, making complex concepts understandable and lively to a broad audience without sacrificing depth or accuracy. Her narrative is richly detailed while avoiding overwhelming readers with excessive minutiae. The book is well-supported by maps, timelines, and illustrations that contextualize the narrative and provide visual aids. Bauer's use of primary sources and quotations adds depth to her account, bringing the voices of ancient peoples into the modern narrative.

However, the book's scope also presents challenges. Some readers may find certain sections too brief, as Bauer moves quickly through some significant events and figures to maintain the narrative's momentum. Despite her efforts to include non-Western civilisations, the book still feels like it leans heavily towards a Eurocentric perspective, particularly in its treatment of the later chapters on Greece and Rome.

Overall, The History of the Ancient World is an impressive and highly readable account of ancient history. Susan Wise Bauer's synthesis of a vast array of historical data into a coherent narrative is commendable. While the book's scope means that some areas are covered more briefly than others, it remains an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of the ancient world.

Continue reading...

[lazarusdrawsthings]

You know what, fuck it *dragon-ifies your DRDT cast*

I've been thinking abt making a flight rising AU for a bit now, but I finally got around to getting some simple sketches down and finalizing my ideas for the main cast (excluding MonoTV and a certain unnamed student).

Text is just breed, eye type, genes, and gene colors, but it's kinda disorganized and hard to read even when clicking on it, so I'll list everything below the cut.

Teruko Breed: Mirror Eye type: Earth Rare Primary: Shamrock Savannah Secondary: Umber Noxtide Tertiary: Pistachio Ghost

Eden Breed: Tundra Eye type: Earth Uncommon Primary: Cottoncandy Fade Secondary: Raspberry Seraph Tertiary: White Underbelly

Xander Breed: Guardian Eye type: Fire Primal Primary: Tomato Falcon Secondary: Rust Morph Tertiary: Black Spines

Min Breed: Gaoler Eye type: Arcane Unusual Primary: Wisteria Shaggy Secondary: Wine Stripes Tertiary: Wine Wintercoat

David Breed: Skydancer Eye type: Light Uncommon Primary: Ice Falcon Secondary: Twilight Constellation Tertiary: Lemon Sparkle

Charles Breed: Imperial Eye type: Light Common Primary: Violet Savannah Secondary: Heather Stripes Tertiary: Storm Capsule

Nico Breed: Fae Eye type: Plague Bright Primary: Stonewash Jaguar Secondary: Midnight Stripes Tertiary: Midnight Points

Ace Breed: Wildclaw Eye type: Fire Rare Primary: Vermillion Skink Secondary: Berry Toxin Tertiary: White Underbelly

Levi Breed: Gaoler Eye type: Ice Unusual Primary: Plum Boa Secondary: Eggplant Blend Tertiary: Magenta Weathered

Whit Breed: Aether Eye type: Ice Uncommon Primary: Cottoncandy Cinder Secondary: Heather Blaze Tertiary: Cyan Monarch

Arturo Breed: Pearlcatcher Eye type: Ice Common Primary: Splash Iridescent Secondary: Robin Blend Tertiary: Aqua Points

Veronika Breed: Aberration Eye type: Plague Unusual Primary: Red Pharaoh Secondary: Red Weaver Tertiary: White Ghost

Arei Breed: Pearlcatcher Eye type: Water Bright Primary: Ultramarine Ribbon Secondary: Ultramarine Eel Tertiary: Cornflower Glimmer

J Breed: Nocturne Eye type: Lightning Common Primary: Azure Vipera Secondary: Phthalo Eel Tertiary: Mantis Thylacine

Rose Breed: Coatl Eye type: Earth Rare Primary: Rose Poison Secondary: Rose Toxin Tertiary: Iris Glimmer

Hu Breed: Skydancer Eye type: Nature Bright Primary: Fern Petals Secondary: Emerald Butterfly Tertiary: Turquoise Stained

(Worth noting: not all tert genes are visible in the image)

[santoschristos]

Origin of the Eye of Ra Ra (Re) was the primary name of the sun god of Ancient Egypt.

He was often considered to be the King of the Gods and thus the patron of the pharaoh and one of the central gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was also described as the creator of everything.

Ra, the Sun God --Mahaboka

[fantastic-fr-scries]

Banescale Female

Sunshine / Marigold / Saffron , Pharaoh / Trail / Monarch

Fire Primal

[empyrisan]

Flight Rising: Pharaoh/Sarcophagus Genes

Ominous and regal black markings with vibrant accents that I designed for the modern dragon breeds of Flight Rising. This pair of primary/secondary genes was my first set of gem genes that I worked on, and the first one that utilized black markings throughout all colors (like how Piebald/Paint features white splotches), which was really exciting for me!

[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.

[scryingworkshop]

[talonabraxas]

RA (Egyptian Sun God) Talon Abraxas

Eye of RA Ra (Re) was the primary name of the sun god of Ancient Egypt. He was often considered to be the King of the Gods and thus the patron of the pharaoh and one of the central gods of the Egyptian pantheon. He was also described as the creator of everything.