The Elder Gods

Elder God	

Elder God
Sociocultural Characteristics
Also known as
Elder Deity
Pain Lord
Origin
Glyu-Uho
Notable members
Kthanid (de facto leader)

Nodens
Hypnos
Physical Characteristics
Average lifespan
Immortal

“ 	The entire sky began to glow with a weird purple light, and in the ray that descended from above I saw a file of beings even stranger than the Star-Warriors. They were great, writhing pillars of light, moving like tremendous flames, colored purple and white, dazzling in their intensity. These gigantic beings from outer space descended swiftly, circling the Plateau of Sung, and from them great rays of stabbing light shot out toward the hidden fastnesses below. And at the same time, the earth began to tremble. 	„
	~ Eric Marsh (AWD: "The Lair of the Star-Spawn") 		

This subject contains information from the "Lovecraft Circle" Myth Cycles, and while guided by HPL are not based on his work alone. This subject contains information from the Derleth Cthulhu Mythos, and not based on H.P. Lovecraft's works directly. This subject contains information from the Expanded Cthulhu Mythos, and not based on H.P. Lovecraft's works directly. The Elder Gods, also referred to as the Elder Deities, are fictional extraterrestrial entities featured in the Cthulhu Mythos. They are originally described as looking like huge pillars of light or fire, which dwell in the vicinity of the star Betelgeuse, and are known to protect humans while being inimical to the "evil" gods such as Cthulhu, Hastur, Zhar and Lloigor (AWD: "The Lair of the Star-Spawn", "The Horror from the Depths"). In the Expanded Mythos, they originate from another dimension, have mostly human-like appearance and are benevolent in nature. In different parts of the world - such as Egypt, Mesoamerica, and the Mediterranean - they were worshipped by ancient humans. Nowadays, they are remembered as the gods in just about every ancient race, including Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Aztec, and many others.

The Great Old Ones refer to the Elder Gods as the "Pain Lords".
Contents

    1 Description
    2 History
    3 List of Elder Gods
    4 In Popular Culture
        4.1 IDW Publishing
        4.2 Marvel Comics
    5 Behind the Mythos
    6 Gallery

Description
“ 	They came down out of the star-spaces unto this Earth, so that They might deal a grim and heavy judgement upon their former servants; and They went to and fro upon the Earth, terrible in Their wrath, like unto mighty Towers of Flame that walked like Men. Yea and verily was it writ of old, Terrible be the Elder Gods in Their wrath in the Hour of Their coming-hence. 	„
	~ Necronomicon quote , EXP: "The Horror in the Gallery" 		

The Elder Gods are said to be the former lords of the Great Old Ones. While some have specific appearances, like Nodens, most of them are described as "terrific Towers of Flame". In the Zanthu Tablets, titular Zanthu enrages the Elder Gods when he manages to break one of Ythogtha's chains, thus being able to see them when they descend to Earth. (EXP: "The Thing in the Pit")

They are said to rule in the star Glyu-Vho (Betelgeuse), from which they watch the Earth eternally. (AWD: The Lurker at the Threshold)

The Elder Gods waged a cosmic war of enormous proportions against their enemies, the Great Old Ones. According to Dr. Fo-Lan, the two warred for possession of the Earth, although the victorious Elder Gods later left the planet after imprisoning or banishing all of the Great Old Ones (AWD: "The Lair of the Star-Spawn"). To imprison the Great Old Ones, they used five-pointed star-stones that could also be used to repel the Great Old Ones' servants (AWD: "The Horror from the Depths", The Trail of Cthulhu).

Species known to be loyal to the Elder Gods include the Star-Warriors of Orion (AWD: "The Lair of the Star-Spawn") and the Lithards (EXP: The Transition of Titus Crow)

The K'n-yanians (who are worshipers of Cthulhu and Yig) claim that their gods were defeated and imprisoned by a species of hostile "space-devils", these being the same species that returned ages later to cause the cataclysm that sank most of the Earth's old continents. They also believe that the only humans who survived the cataclysm are those who were already in league with the "space-devils" (HPL: The Mound). It's not known whether the "space-devils" are related to the Elder Gods, since both have been held responsible for imprisoning Cthulhu in sunken R'lyeh.

The Elder Gods are also the creators of the mysterious golden mead that humans can use to travel to other star systems by astral projection. The books of the Great Library of Celaeno are said to have been stolen from the Elder Gods as well. (AWD: The Trail of Cthulhu)
History

In the Unaussprechlichen Kulten, it is said that both the Earth and the Elder Gods originate from a nameless dimension in which they ruled supreme. They created Azathoth and Ubbo-Sathla as slaves, so they would create a race of servants. Ubbo-Sathla, in an act of rebellion, stole the Elder Records, a library of tablets that contained various knowledge of the Elder Gods. Ubbo-Sathla invoked the powers he learned from the tablets, and thus the Earth fell from its original plane into the actual universe (EXP: "The Horror in the Gallery").

Not long after, the Elder Gods entered the universe and installed their power in Betelgeuse. They broke into a war with the Great Old Ones, standing victorious and imprisoning them in the Earth or other planets and dimensions. (AWD: The Lurker at the Threshold, EXP: "The Horror in the Gallery")

After their victory, the Elder Gods remained on Earth for a while and even interbred with humans. Some individuals with psychic abilities are believed to be their descendants. At some point, satisfied that humanity would be able to stand fight against the Great Old Ones' servants and prevent them from freeing their masters, the Elder Gods left Earth and settled in another dimension known as Elysia. (EXP: The Transition of Titus Crow)

It is prophesied in the Necronomicon that the Great Old Ones shall break free when "the Cycle returneth", and the Elder Gods shall war with them once more. (AWD: The Lurker at the Threshold)
“ 	Then shal They return & on this great Return'g shal ye Great Cthulhu be fre'd from R'lyeh beneath ye Sea & Him Who Is Not To Be Nam'd shal come from His City which is Carcosa near ye Lake of Hali, & Shub-Niggurath shal come forth & mulitiply in his Hideousness, & Nyarlathotep shal carry ye word to all the Gr. Old Ones & their Minions, & Cthugha shal lay His Hand upon all that oppose Him & Destroy, & ye blind idiot, ye noxious Azathoth shal arise from ye middle of ye World where all is Chaos & Destruction where He hath bubbl'd & blasphem'd at Ye centre which is of All Things, which is to say Infinity, & Yog-Sothoth, who is ye All-in-One & One-in-All, shal bring his globes, & Ithaqua shal walk again, & from ye black-litt'n caverns within ye Earth shal come Tsathoggua, & togeth'r shal take possession of Earth and all things that live upon it, & shal prepare to do battle with ye Elder Gods when ye Lord of ye Great Abyss is apprised of their return'g & shal come with His Brothers to disperse ye Evill. 	„
	~ AWD: The Lurker at the Threshold 		

List of Elder Gods

    Adaedu (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Alithlai Tyy (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Amaterasu (EXP: Call of Cthulhu (Role-Playing Game))
    Bast (CIRCLE: "The Suicide in the Study", "The Mannikin", "The Brood of Bubastis")
    Dveahtehs (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Eppirfon (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Eyroix (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Hypnos (HPL: "Hypnos")
    Jade Emperor (EXP: Call of Cthulhu (Role-Playing Game))
    Kthanid (EXP: The Transition of Titus Crow, The Clock of Dreams)
    Orryx (CIRCLE: "The Lair of the Star-spawn", EXP: The Creature Companion (RPG supplement))
    Othkkartho (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Ovytonv (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Oztalun (CIRCLE: "Ascharia", EXP: "The Bane of the Byagoona", "The Star-Seed")
    Nodens (HPL: "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", "The Strange High House in the Mist", EXP: "The House of the Worm", "Glimpses", Nightside of Eden, "A Priestess of Nodens", "Parting the Veil")
    Paighon (EXP: "The Barrett Horror")
    Shavalyoth (CIRCLE: "Ascharia", EXP: "The Bane of the Byagoona")
    Sk'tai (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Ulthar (EXP: "The Sussex Manuscript", A Guide to the Cthulhu Cult)
    Urthuvn (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Vorvadoss (CIRCLE: "The Eater of Souls", "The Invaders", EXP: "The Star-Seed", "Wizards of Hyperborea")
    Xislanyx (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Xuthyos-Sihb'Bz (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Yad-Thaddag (EXP: Elysia)
    Yaggdytha (EXP: "The Star-Seed", "The Advent of Uvhash", "The Bane of the Byagoona")
    Zehirete (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
    Chululas