In the forbidden tomes and whispered revelations of the Cthulhu Mythos, the so-called "gods" are not benevolent deities of human myth but vast, indifferent alien intelligences—cosmic forces whose mere existence mocks the frailty of mortal minds. Divided loosely into Outer Gods (primordial, boundless entities at the universe's chaotic core) and Great Old Ones (powerful but imprisoned or localized beings capable of direct influence on Earth), these entities inspire cults, drive scholars to madness, and await cycles when the stars align for their return. To name them is perilous; to comprehend them, impossible. Below are the most commonly referenced in grimoires like the Necronomicon.
Azathoth
The Blind Idiot God, Sultan Demon at the center of ultimate chaos. Azathoth is a mindless, seething nuclear chaos—depicted as a vast, amorphous mass surrounded by gibbering pipers and mindless dancers—that birthed the universe in a blind spasm. It exists beyond time and space, dreaming reality into being; should it awaken fully, all existence would dissolve into nothingness. No cults worship Azathoth directly, for it is too incomprehensible, but its mindless will permeates all.
Yog-Sothoth
The All-in-One and One-in-All, the Gate and the Key. Yog-Sothoth is coterminous with all time and space, a congeries of iridescent spheres that knows past, present, and future simultaneously. It guards the thresholds between dimensions, allowing travel or summoning at terrible cost. Cults invoke it for forbidden knowledge or to birth gateways (often through hybrid offspring). Merciless and all-knowing, it embodies the terror of infinite interconnectedness.
Nyarlathotep
The Crawling Chaos, Black Pharaoh, Haunter of the Dark—messenger and soul of the Outer Gods. Unlike his kin, Nyarlathotep is actively malevolent and engaged with humanity, assuming thousands of forms (most famously a dark-skinned Egyptian pharaoh or shadowy winged horror) to manipulate, deceive, and torment. A trickster who delights in madness and betrayal, he spreads discord through charismatic guises, bizarre inventions, or apocalyptic prophecies. Alone among the pantheon, he seems to possess personality—sadistic, intelligent, and capricious.
Shub-Niggurath
The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, perverse goddess of fertility and proliferation. Manifesting as a vast, cloudy mass birthing endless grotesque spawn (including tree-like Dark Young with hoofed legs and sucking mouths), Shub-Niggurath embodies mindless, teeming life. Her cults revel in frenzied woodland rites, sacrifices, and orgiastic ceremonies, seeking vitality from her "dark milk." She represents unchecked growth that devours all in its path.
Cthulhu
Great Priest of the Great Old Ones, octopus-headed and dragon-winged colossus dreaming in the sunken cyclopean city of R'lyeh. Imprisoned eons ago, Cthulhu telepathically influences sensitive minds worldwide, spawning dreams of drowned ruins and inevitable awakening ("When the stars are right"). His cult is the most widespread, promising power to followers who perform drownings and chants. When free, he will usher in an age of madness and domination.
Hastur
The Unspeakable, He Who Is Not to Be Named, King in Yellow. An enigmatic entity of entropy and decadence, often linked to a forbidden play that drives readers insane and the Yellow Sign (a twisting symbol that enslaves minds). Hastur is associated with the doomed alien city Carcosa and may manifest as a tattered, robed figure. His influence spreads through art, literature, and subtle decay, turning creativity into self-destruction. Naming him thrice risks summoning his attention.
Tsathoggua
Toad-like Great Old One dwelling in subterranean voids (such as N'kai beneath Yoth). Lazy and gluttonous, Tsathoggua accepts sacrifices of living beings in exchange for sorcerous aid. Once worshiped by ancient serpent people, his cults persist in hidden caverns, appealing to those seeking indolent power.
Ithaqua
The Wind-Walker, Wendigo god of arctic wastes. A towering, gaunt figure with glowing eyes, Ithaqua strides on freezing winds, abducting victims to cannibalistic doom. Northern tribes and isolated settlements revere (or fear) him through human sacrifices to appease blizzards.
Yig
Father of Serpents, a curse-bringing entity punishing those who harm snakes. More "personal" than most, Yig sends serpentine vengeance—often transforming offenders into hybrids. Cults in the American Southwest and Central America blend native traditions with his worship.
These beings are not a unified pantheon with hierarchies or alliances; rivalries and indifference prevail. Humanity is insignificant to them—mere ants beneath cosmic feet. Investigators who delve too deeply into their lore risk sanity's erosion, for the truth is that the universe is ruled not by order, but by blind, monstrous chaos.