Names and Titles
Primary: Shub-Niggurath
Common Epithet: The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young
Others: The All-Mother, Lord of the Wood (rare, masculine reference), Magna Mater (linked to ancient fertility cults)
Classification
Outer God in the Cthulhu Mythos pantheon. A perverse deity of fertility and monstrous proliferation. Exists beyond space-time, possibly at Azathoth's court or in other dimensions (e.g., beneath Yaddith). Classified as an Outer God in Call of Cthulhu RPG; some sources (e.g., August Derleth) treat as Great Old One.
Description
Never directly described in H.P. Lovecraft's own stories—only invoked in chants. Post-Lovecraft expansions depict an enormous, amorphous cloud-like mass of dark protoplasm, constantly extruding and reabsorbing black tentacles, slime-dripping mouths, fanged orifices, short writhing goat-like legs, hooves, eyes, and perverse organs. Represents unchecked, cancerous fertility: feeds, spawns endlessly, impregnates or is impregnated by nearly anything. Hermaphroditic or gender-fluid essence.
Family and Offspring
Mate: Primarily Yog-Sothoth (per Lovecraft's letters); sired twins Nug and Yeb.
Alternative mates in expansions: Hastur (Derleth influence), possibly Yig or "Not-to-Be-Named One."
Progeny: "Thousand Young" — primarily the Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath (tree-like tentacled horrors with hooves, mouths on trunks, smelling of open graves; serve as proxies). Other spawn via fission, mating with humans/aliens/gods, or rituals—often monstrous hybrids. Some sources link to mi-go or other species.
Appearances in Lovecraft's Works (References Only)
First mention: "The Last Test" (1928, revision).
"The Dunwich Horror" (1928): Necronomicon quote breaks into "Iä! Shub-Niggurath!"
"The Whisperer in Darkness" (1930): Ritual chant — "Ever Their praises, and abundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Goat with a Thousand Young!" (Also calls Black Goat "Lord of the Wood.")
"The Dreams in the Witch House" (1932) and "The Thing on the Doorstep" (1933): Invoked in incantations.
"The Mound" (revision): Shrine to "Shub-Niggurath, the All-Mother and wife of the Not-to-Be-Named One" — likened to sophisticated Astarte; worship deemed obnoxious.
"Out of the Aeons" (revision): High Priest T'yog guards copper temple of "Goat with a Thousand Young"; sides with humanity against hostile gods.
Cult and Worship
One of the most widely worshiped Mythos entities. Cults emphasize ecstatic fertility rites: orgiastic, bloody sacrifices in deep woods (new moon preferred), blood offerings on stone altars. Summoning requires occult tools; Dark Young often appear as intermediaries to accept sacrifices/devour outsiders.
Human cults: Hyperboreans, Muvians, Sarnath peoples, druidic/barbaric groups; linked to ancient fertility goddesses (Astarte, Cybele, Ishtar, Magna Mater). Modern/rural: forests, swamps, jungles.
Non-human: Mi-Go (Fungi from Yuggoth), K'n-yanians, Dholes/Nug-Soth of Yaddith.
Practices: Transform favored worshipers into satyr-like "gof'nn hupadgh Shub-Niggurath" (swallowed/regurgitated). Blessings: monstrous fertility, immortality via spawn.
Avatars/Proxies: Black Goat (possibly male form for copulation, inspired by Pan/Baphomet); Great God Pan in some interpretations.
Role in Mythos
Embodies profane life-force: source of miscellaneous monsters, perverse abundance without morality. Indifferent to suffering; spawn destructive. In RPGs (e.g., Call of Cthulhu): Summons Dark Young; influences areas with unnatural growth/monsters. Manifestations escalate via rituals (e.g., fertility booms, orifices, spawn).
Key Quotes/Chants
"Iä! Shub-Niggurath!"
"Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!"
Full ritual excerpt ("The Whisperer in Darkness"): "...ever the praises of Great Cthulhu, of Tsathoggua, and of Him Who is not to be Named. Ever Their praises, and abundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Goat with a Thousand Young!"
Notes for Reference
Lovecraft's intent: Cloud-like evil entity; wife of Yog-Sothoth.
Expansions (Derleth, Campbell, Lumley, RPGs): Fleshed out form, Dark Young, broader cults.
Themes: Inversion of maternal/fertility archetypes; cosmic horror via unchecked reproduction.