Azathoth is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos stories of H.P. Lovecraft and other authors. Its epithets include The Blind Idiot God, Nuclear Chaos and the Daemon Sultan. Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... Cthulhu and Rlyeh Cthulhu Mythos is the term coined by the writer August Derleth to describe the shared elements, characters, settings, and themes in the works of H. P. Lovecraft and associated horror fiction writers. ... Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction, noted for combining these three genres within single narratives. ...

H.P. Lovecraft

Inspiration

The first recorded mention of Azathoth was in a note Lovecraft wrote to himself in 1919 that read simply, "AZATHOTH--hideous name". Mythos editor Robert M. Price argues that Lovecraft could have combined the biblical names Anathoth (Jeremiah's home town) and Azazel (a desert demon to which the scapegoat was sacrificed--mentioned by Lovecraft in "The Dunwich Horror"^[1]). Price also points to the alchemical term "Azoth", which was used in the title of a book by Arthur Edward Waite, the model for the wizard Ephraim Waite in Lovecraft's "The Thing on the Doorstep".^[2] Robert McNair Price was born July 7, 1954 in Mississippi and is a Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies. ... This entry incorporates text from Eastons Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation. ... Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem by Rembrandt van Rijn. ... A modern interpretation of Azazel as a Satanic, goatlike demon, from Collin de Plancys Dictionnaire Infernal (Paris,1825). ... The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854. ... The Dunwich Horror is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Azoth was considered to be a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy, its symbol was the Caduceus and so the term, which being originally a term for an occult formula sought by alchemists much like the philosophers stone, became a poetic word for the element Mercury. ... The Thing on the Doorstep is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. ...

Another note Lovecraft made to himself later in 1919 refers to an idea for a story: "A terrible pilgrimage to seek the nighted throne of the far daemon-sultan Azathoth."^[3] In a letter to Frank Belknap Long, Lovecraft ties this plot germ to Vathek, a novel by William Beckford about a supernatural caliph.^[4] Lovecraft's attempts to work this idea into a novel foundered (a 500-word fragment survives, first published under the title "Azathoth"^[5]) in the journal Leaves in 1938^[6]), although Lovecraftian scholar Will Murray suggests that Lovecraft recycled the idea into his Dream Cycle novella The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, written in 1926.^[7] Frank Belknap Long (April 27, 1901 - January 3, 1994) was a prolific American writer of horror fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, gothic romance, comic books, and non-fiction. ... Vathek (alternatively titled Vathek, an Arabian Tale or The History of the Caliph Vathek) is a Gothic novel written by William Thomas Beckford. ... William Beckford could be either: William Beckford (politician) (1709 - 1770) - a political figure in London. ... For main article see: Caliphate Khalif is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, or global Islamic nation. ... Azathoth is a the beginning of a never-completed novel written by American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. ... H.P. Lovecrafts Dream-Cycle, although often overlooked for his Cthulhu Mythos, is a huge entity in a good number of this master of the macabres fictional works. ... The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. ...

Price sees another inspiration for Azathoth in Lord Dunsany's Mana-Yood-Sushai , from The Gods of Pegana, a creator deity "who made the gods and thereafter rested." In Dunsany's conception, MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI sleeps eternally, lulled by the music of a lesser deity who must drum forever, "for if he cease for an instant then MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI will start awake, and there will be worlds nor gods no more." This oblivious creator god accompanied by supernatural musicians is a clear prototype for Azathoth, Price argues.^[8] Best known as Lord Dunsany, Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (July 24, 1878–October 25, 1957) was an Irish writer and dramatist notable for his work in fantasy and horror. ... Mana-Yood-Sushai is a fictional deity in the works of Lord Dunsany, mainly The Gods of Pegana, but also mentioned in a later work, Time and the Gods. ... The Gods of Pegāna is the first book by Irish fantasy writer Lord Dunsany, published on a commission basis in 1905. ...

Fiction

Aside from the title of the novel fragment, The Dream-Quest was the first fiction by Lovecraft to mention Azathoth:

[O]utside the ordered universe [is] that amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the center of all infinity—the boundless daemon sultan Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time and space amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin monotonous whine of accursed flutes.^[9]

Lovecraft referred to Azathoth again in "The Whisperer in Darkness" (1931), where the narrator relates that he "started with loathing when told of the monstrous nuclear chaos beyond angled space which the Necronomicon had mercifully cloaked under the name of Azathoth."^[10] Here "nuclear" most likely refers to Azathoth's central location at the nucleus of the cosmos and not to nuclear energy, which did not truly come of age until after Lovecraft's death. The Whisperer in Darkness is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, written in 1930. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... A prop designed to look like the Necronomicon. ... Nuclear energy is energy released from the atomic nucleus. ...

In "The Dreams in the Witch House" (1932), the protagonist Walter Gilman dreams that he is told by the witch Keziah Mason that "He must meet the Black Man, and go with them all to the throne of Azathoth at the centre of ultimate Chaos.... He must sign in his own blood the book of Azathoth and take a new secret name.... What kept him from going with her...to the throne of Chaos where the thin flutes pipe mindlessly was the fact that he had seen the name 'Azathoth' in the Necronomicon, and knew it stood for a primal horror too horrible for description."^[11] Gilman wakes from another dream remembering "the thin, monotonous piping of an unseen flute", and decides that "he had picked up that last conception from what he had read in the Necronomicon about the mindless entity Azathoth, which rules all time and space from a curiously environed black throne at the centre of Chaos."^[12] He later fears finding himself "in the spiral black vortices of that ultimate void of Chaos wherein reigns the mindless daemon-sultan Azathoth".^[13] The Dreams in the Witch House is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. ... Nyarlathotep (the Crawling Chaos) is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos. ...

The poet Edward Pickman Derby, the protagonist of Lovecraft's "The Thing on the Doorstep", is a poet whose collection of "nightmare lyrics" is called Azathoth and Other Horrors.."^[14] The Thing on the Doorstep is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. ...

The last major reference in Lovecraft's fiction to Azathoth was in 1935's "The Haunter of the Dark", which tells of "the ancient legends of Ultimate Chaos, at whose center sprawls the blind idiot god Azathoth, Lord of All Things, encircled by his flopping horde of mindless and amorphous dancers, and lulled by the thin monotonous piping of a demoniac flute held in nameless paws."^[15] The Haunter of the Dark is a horror story by H.P. Lovecraft. ...

Other writers

August Derleth

Many other Mythos writers have referred to Azathoth in their stories. August Derleth, in his novel The Lurker on the Threshold, depicts the entity as a leader in a cosmic upheaval akin to Lucifer's rebellion in the Bible. In a passage attributed to the Necronomicon of Abdul Alhazred, Derleth writes: To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Lucifer, as depicted in Collin de Plancys Dictionnaire Infernal (1863). ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... A prop designed to look like the Necronomicon. ... Abdul Alhazred is a fictional character created by American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. ...

(T)hose daring to oppose the Elder Gods who ruled from Betelgueze, the Great Old Ones who fought against the Elder Gods...were instructed by Azathoth, who is the blind idiot god, and by Yog-Sothoth....^[16]

In another passage, Derleth quotes a prophecy: The Great Old Ones (also Old Ones or Cthulhu Cycle Deities) are a group of fictional deities in the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. ... Elder Gods are a group of beings who oppose the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones in the Cthulhu Mythos, originating in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. ... Yog-Sothoth (The Lurker at the Threshold, The Key and the Gate, The Beyond One, Opener of the Way The All-in-One and the One-in-All) is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos. ...

(Y)e blind idiot, ye noxious Azathoth shal arise from ye middle of ye World where all is Chaos & Destruction where He hath bubbl'd and blasphem'd at Ye centre which is of All Things, which is to say Infinity....

Ramsey Campbell

In "The Insects from Shaggai", Ramsey Campbell describes the extraterrestrial creatures of the title as worshippers of "the hideous god Azathoth", practicing "obscene rites" that involved "atrocities practiced on still-living victims" in Azathoth's conical temple. After fleeing from the destruction of their home planet of Shaggai, the insects teleport the temple across the universe, eventually ending up in a forest near Campbell's fictional town of Goatswood.^[17] John Ramsey Campbell (born January 4, 1946 in Liverpool) is a British writer considered by a number of critics to be one of the great masters of horror fiction. ... The following fictional celestial bodies figure prominently in the Cthulhu Mythos stories of H.P. Lovecraft and other writers. ... The Insects from Shaggai are fictional aliens in the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. ... Severn Valley could be the actual Severn Valley (England) in the United Kingdom the fictional Severn Valley (Cthulhu Mythos) Category: ...

Ronald Shea, the narrator of Campbell's story, enters the temple after visiting the forest and discovers a twenty-foot idol that "represented the god Azathoth--Azathoth as he had been before his exile Outside":

[I]t consisted of a bivalvular shell supported on many pairs of flexible legs. From the half-open shell rose several jointed cylinders, tipped with polypous appendages; and in the darkness inside the shell I thought I saw a horrible bestial, mouthless face, with deep-sunk eyes and covered with glistening black hair.^[18]

At the story's climax, Shea catches a glimpse of "what the idiot god might now resemble": Orders Subclass Protobranchia Solemyoida Nuculoida Subclass Pteriomorphia - oysters Arcoida Mytiloida Pterioida Subclass Paleoheterodonta - mussels Trigoinoida Unionoida Subclass Heterodonta - clams, zebra mussels Veneroida Myoida Subclass Anomalosdesmata Pholadomyoida Animals of the Class Bivalvia are known as bivalves because they typically have two-part shells, with both parts being more or less symmetrical. ... In zoology, a polyp is one of two forms of individuals found in many species of cnidarians. ...

I saw something ooze into the corridor--a pale grey shape, expanding and crinkling, which glistened and shook gelatinously as still-moving particles dropped free; but it was only a glimpse, and after that it is only in nightmares that I imagine I see the complete shape of Azathoth.^[19]

Thomas Ligotti

Thomas Ligotti's short story "The Sect of the Idiot" (1988) mentions a circle of non-human worshippers composed of wizened, hideous creatures. The story's epigram--a "quotation" from the Necronomicon--reads "The primal chaos, Lord of all...the blind idiot god--Azathoth," suggesting that it is that entity whom the creatures worship. ^[20] Thomas Ligotti (born July 9, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan) is a writer of horror stories. ... This article is in need of attention. ... See also: 1987 in literature, other events of 1988, 1989 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

The Azathoth Cycle

In 1995, Chaosium published The Azathoth Cycle, a Cthulhu Mythos anthology focusing on works referring to or inspired by the entity Azathoth. Edited by Lovecraft scholar Robert M. Price, the book includes an introduction by Price tracing the roots and development of the Blind Idiot God. The contents include: Chaosium is one of the longer lived publishers of role_playing games still in existence. ... A Cthulhu Mythos anthology is a type of short story collection that contains stories written in or related to the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction launched by H. P. Lovecraft. ... Robert McNair Price was born July 7, 1954 in Mississippi and is a Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies. ...

• "Azathoth" by Edward Pickman Derby
• "Azathoth in Arkham" by Peter Cannon
• "The Revenge of Azathoth" by Peter Cannon
• "The Pit of the Shoggoths" by Stephen M. Rainey
• "Hydra" by Henry Kuttner
• "The Madness Out of Time" by Lin Carter
• "The Insects from Shaggai" by Ramsey Campbell
• "The Sect of the Idiot" by Thomas Ligotti
• "The Throne of Achamoth" by Richard L. Tierney & Robert M. Price
• "The Last Night of the Earth" by Gary Myers
• "The Daemon-Sultan" by Donald R. Burleson
• "Idiot Savant" by C. J. Henderson
• "The Space of Madness" by Stephen Studach
• "The Nameless Tower" by John Glasby
• "The Plague Jar" by Allen Mackey
• "The Old Ones’ Promise of Eternal Life" by Robert M. Price

The Thing on the Doorstep is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Henry Kuttner (April 7, 1915 - February 4, 1958) was a science fiction author born in Los Angeles, California. ... Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 - February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor and critic. ... John Ramsey Campbell (born January 4, 1946 in Liverpool) is a British writer considered by a number of critics to be one of the great masters of horror fiction. ... Thomas Ligotti (born July 9, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan) is a writer of horror stories. ... Robert McNair Price was born July 7, 1954 in Mississippi and is a Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies. ...

Popular culture

Trey Azagthoth is the stage name of George Emmanuel III who founded Death Metal band Morbid Angel Trey Azagthoth (born George Emmanuel III March 26 1965 in Bellingham, Washington) is an American musician best known as founder and guitarist of the Florida death metal band Morbid Angel. ... Morbid Angel is a Florida-based death metal band assembled in 1983. ...

The Finnish avant-garde metal band Aarni has a song called "Reaching Azathoth", which quotes from the description of Azathoth in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Aarni is an avant garde metal band from Oulu, in Finland, which consists primarily of Master Warjomaa and, occasionally, some session musicians. ...

The instrumental heavy metal group Blind Idiot God takes its name from Azathoth's epithet. Blind Idiot God was an instrumental rock trio formed in New York City in the late 1980s by Andy Hawkins (guitar), Gabe Katz (bass guitar) and Ted Epstein (drums). ...

The Danish Death Metal band Iniquity has a song called "Son Of Cosmos" that, although his name is not spoken in the song, clearly hints towards Azathoth. Iniquity was a Danish death metal group. ...

In the webcomic Penny Arcade, Tycho summons Azathoth to recover his Ultima IX save games, only to find that the demon is unable to do so ("There's unholy, and then there's unholy!"), though he says that he would typically be called upon to destroy entire countries. To say the least, Tycho is unimpressed, and Azathoth departs to watch Friends. Penny Arcade is a webcomic and blog written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The drummer of the Taiwanese symphonic/melodic black metal band ChthoniC is nicknamed "Azathothian Hands". Chthonic (閃靈樂團; sometimes spelled ChthoniC) is a Taiwanese symphonic black metal band that incorporates influences from traditional Chinese music including instruments such as the Er-hu. ...

References

• Harms, Daniel (1998). The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, 2nd ed., Oakland, CA: Chaosium. ISBN 1-56882-119-0. 

• Petersen, Sandy. Call of Cthulhu, 5th ed., Oakland, CA: Chaosium. ISBN 1-56882-148-4. 

• Price, Robert M. (ed.) (1995). The Azathoth Cycle, 1st ed., Oakland, CA: Chaosium. ISBN 1-56882-040-2. 

Sandy Petersen Carl Sanford Joslyn Petersen (born September 16, 1955) is a game designer. ... Robert McNair Price was born July 7, 1954 in Mississippi and is a Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies. ...

Notes

1. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, "The Dunwich Horror", The Dunwich Horror and Others, p. 158.
2. ^ Robert M. Price, The Azathoth Cycle, pp. v-vi.
3. ^ cited in Price, The Azathoth Cycle, p. vi.
4. ^ Letter to Frank Belknap Long, June 9, 1922; cited in Price, The Azathoth Cycle, p. vi.
5. ^ "H. P. Lovecraft's original fragment, 'Azathoth'"
6. ^ "Publication History for H. P. Lovecraft's 'Azathoth'", The H. P. Lovecraft Archive.
7. ^ Price, The Azathoth Cycle, p. vii.
8. ^ Price, The Azathoth Cycle, pp. viii-ix.
9. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, in At The Mountains of Madness, p. 308.
10. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, "The Whisperer in Darkness", The Dunwich Horror and Others, p. 256.
11. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, "The Dreams in the Witch House", At the Mountains of Madness, pp. 272-273.
12. ^ Lovecraft, "The Dreams in the Witch House", p. 282.
13. ^ Lovecraft, "The Dreams in the Witch House", p. 293.
14. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, "The Thing on the Doorstep", The Dunwich Horror and Others, p. 277.
15. ^ H. P. Lovecraft, "The Haunter of the Dark", The Dunwich Horror and Others, p. 110.
16. ^ August Derleth, The Lurker at the Threshold, in The Watchers Out of Time, p. 133.
17. ^ Ramsey Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai", The Azathoth Cycle, pp. 86-87.
18. ^ Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai", pp. 89, 91.
19. ^ Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai", pp. 91-92.
20. ^ Thomas Ligotti, "The Sect of the Idiot" (1988), The Azathoth Cycle, 93–102.