The divinities of the Cthulhu Mythos, or the Yog-Sothoth Cycle of Myth as it has been more appropriately termed, are native to a semi-insular complex of planes adjacent to the Material Planes. Within this complex are a Parallel Material Plane, a shadow plane coterminous with the Parallel Material and a large adjacent plane known as the Dreamlands, which serves as both an Afterworld for the Material Plane, and a home to an indigenous population as well. Transport from this complex to the Material Planes, or vice versa, is accomplished through the shadow plane and either the astral or ethereal planes, to which the shadow plane is also adjacent.
Within this complex of planes, an extended clan of deities have ruled since time immemorial. Their great power may in fact be attributable to their monopoly over an entire set of planes. Aeons ago, however, war broke out within this clan over an ethical dispute related to the permission or proscription of Black Magic. The advocates of Black Magic, henceforth known as the Great Old Ones, were narrowly defeated by its opponents, known as the Elder Gods. Defeat held an awful price for the Great Old Ones: all of the divinities in this complex of planes have among their available avatars one Primary Avatar, which is the only avatar that may operate within their Parallel Material Plane, and which cannot leave their home complex. With their defeat in this great War, the Primary Avatars of the Great Old Ones were imprisoned by the Elder Gods under the power of the greatest magic that they could devise, the Elder Sign. As long as the Elder Sign is efficacious, it is sovereign in controlling the Great Old Ones and their supernatural minions; however, as the warring factions were so nearly equal in power, even this greatest of magicks has only temporary effectiveness. One day, when the stars are right, the Elder Sign will lose all power over the Great Old Ones, and they will once again be free to do as they please within their domains.
The relative isolation of their home complex of planes yields a similar effect on their abilities on the other Material Planes. With one exception, Nyarlathotep, an avatar of one of the Great Old Ones cannot enter any crystal sphere in which his worship has not been established. For this reason, in their quest for power in order to prepare for their return at home, the Great Old Ones have attempted to spread their worship into other Material Planes, so that they may be capable of action there, as well. It is most likely under such circumstances that an AD&D party will encounter the Great Old Ones and their minions.
Azathoth is nominally the head of the pantheon known as the Great Old Ones; since the Great War against the Elder Gods, however, Azathoth has been robbed of his mind, and therefore does nothing save exist and writhe mindlessly to the tune of daemon flautists.
Azathoth is utterly amorphous, and resides in his own massive court, which is perhaps arbitrarily referred to as the Center of the Universe. There he is surrounded by other equally blind, idiotic and amorphous dancers/musicians, and his every need (rare as such things might be) is served by Nyarlathotep.
Role-playing Notes: None whatsoever. Azathoth cannot be role-played in the traditional sense; not, at least, to any degree of satisfaction. Statistics: AL cn; WAL any insane, or any worshipper of the Great Old Ones; AoC essence of the Universe; SY Seven-pointed star
Azathoth's Avatar
Azathoth's Avatars appear only when summoned, and hence initially fill only the area of the summoning. If angered, however (which is no difficult deed), Azathoth grows as it attacks, giving it a 50 yard reach at the end of the first round, and doubling its reach every subsequent round, until Azathoth loses track of what it is doing and leaves.
Str 25 Dex 20 Con 25
Int -- Wis -- Cha -7
MV None Sz var MR 75%
AC -2 HD 37.5 HP 300
#AT 1-6 THAC0 - Dmg as below
Special Att/Def: Anyone viewing Azathoth must save vs. spells at -6
or go permanently insane. Azathoth can attack with from 1 to 6 pseudopods,
with his THAC0 varying according to the number attacking, as follows: 1=-10,
2=0, 3=2, 4=5, 5=10, 6=12. Damage is devastating, however, at 1-100 hp. It
is also highly corrosive, weakening any structural material, destroying any
wood, stone a yard or less thick, or metal a foot or less thick. The range
of the pseudopods also determines the radius of blasted earth. If the avatar
is slain, it is in fact returned to Azathoth at his court.
Duties of the Priesthood
The priests of Azathoth are utterly mad. Azathoth does not know about them, nor does he grant them spells. Of course, they could care less.
Requirements: AB standard, plus insanity; AL cn or ce; WP any; AR a; SP none; PW nil; TU nil.
Yog-Sothoth is effectively the regent of the Great Old Ones, as he is the most powerful member of the group with a mind to speak of. Yog-Sothoth holds sway over all of space-time; in the home planes of the Mythos, Yog-Sothoth is both outside of, and coterminous with, all of space and all of time, while in all other planes, he has access to all times and space.
Depending upon the aspect that he wishes to emphasize, he can appear alternately as a slimy amorphous mass covered with tentacles, or as a mass of glowing orbs. At will, he can gate any subject or worshipper of the Mythos, or any supplicant, from any one time and/or place to another.
Role-playing Notes: Yog-Sothoth is amoral by human standards. He is never malicious regarding most petty mortals, as they are so many ants in his eyes. In his form as the Umr at'Tawil, he can even be moderately benevolent. Rare and powerful are they who could attract the especial attention of Yog-Sothoth, or any other Great Old One, for good or ill. Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil, or cn; AoC time, space; SY Y rune (or equivalent)
Yog-Sothoth's Avatar (fighter 20, wizard 20, psionicist 20)
Yog Sothoth's Avatars appear as he can, and their attack modes vary accordingly. In the home set of planes, or in any plane where he does not have an established following, he can only send his avatar into the Prime Material if it is gated in by mortal spellcasters. Often, he will arrange for a gate in order to beget progeny (viz. the Whateley twins) upon one or more of the locals, for use as catspaws.
Str 25 Dex 20 Con 25
Int 25 Wis 23 Cha -7
MV 18" SZ 50'd MR 50%
AC -2 HD 20 HP 160
#AT var THACO 1 Dmg as below
Special Att/Def: In its tentacled form, it can attack 12 times per
round, causing 1d8+14 damage per hit. In its globular form, it has two
available attack forms: it can strike one character with one of its corrosive
globes, causing loss of 1d6 Con, or shoot a silver bolt, causing death (save
vs. death or die) or destruction (non-magical items ruined) to everything in
a 5-foot radius of the target point. All who see him must save vs. death or
go insane for a number of months equal to the character's intelligence.
Duties of the Priesthood
The priests of Yog-Sothoth are multi-classed priest-mages, and are particularly interested in divinations, gates, summonings, and time. Sacrifices are performed regularly, usually in the form of sentient life. Making it possible for Yog-Sothoth to enter, and to expand his power, are the chief goals.
Requirements: AB standard, plus 12 Int; AL ce; WP any; AR none; SP all, astral, combat*, divination, necromantic, numbers*, summoning, time, weather*; PW nil; TU nil.
Nyarlathotep completes the unholy triad with Azathoth and Yog-Sothoth, and is the Messenger of the Great Old Ones. Nyarlathotep is the only Great Old One free to move his Avatars at will among the home planes of the Mythos, as he was exempted from the bondage of the Elder Sign. Nyarlathotep moves at will among the Great Old Ones and any other races; he can even enter planes and crystal spheres where the Great Old Ones are unrepresented without difficulty. He cannot, however, personally summon aid from his own Mythos in such places; he can only seek support elsewhere, or dupe others to bring in aid.
Nyarlathotep can take a myriad forms, traditionally referred to as 1,000 but more likely infinite in number. Most common are his humanoid form (a tall hairless man with jet-black skin), an amorphous form quite similar to Azathoth and Yog-Sothoth, and an as-yet unidentifiable form completely encased in darkness, which is linked to magical crystals of trapezohedral shape.
Role-playing Notes: Nyarlathotep has the most subtlety and panache of his kind when dealing with mortal races. He holds them in the same contempt that the others do, but often conceals this, even deigning to be seen as human himself. He bears messages from, and rallies support for, the Great Old Ones. Given his choice, he would sooner inspire madness than simply slay mortals that irritate him.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil, or cn; AoC communication with and among the Great Old Ones; SY Faceless Sphinx, cat o' nine tails, black-garbed pharaoh, or shining trapezohedron.
Nyarlathotep's Avatar (fighter 15, wizard 20, psionicist 20, cleric 15, thief 15)
Nyarlathotep's Avatars can appear in any of the forms that he can take himself. Statistics must be determined for each individual form; these given here apply to his humanoid form, the one that mortals are most likely to see, gods willing. While he will appear odd, it will not be egregiously so, for most individuals in fantasy worlds have seen far stranger individuals as a matter of course. The Black Man will be little more than a curiosity until he chooses to reveal his true nature.
Str 19 Dex 20 Con 20
Int 25 Wis 25 Cha 19
MV 15" SZ M MR 50%
AC 2 HD 20 HP 160
#AT 1or2 THAC0 1 Dmg as weapon
Special Att/Def: His very presence acts as a charm upon humans,
humanoids and non-magical animals (+4 to save if good, -4 if evil). Those
that fail do his bidding, or else act utterly chaotically. No non-sentient
creature can harm him, even if charmed. He will usually be armed with the
most technologically-advanced weapon available in the given plane and time,
but rarely if ever engages in combat. Nyarlathotep knows all spells of his
Mythos, and all standard spells as well. His preferred mode of attack is
to summon assistance, however. Once per round, he can summon any one Mythos
monster, if the plane and crystal sphere recognize the Mythos; if not, he
has a 75% chance of gating in one Fiend from the Lower Planes, modified by
the power of the Fiend summoned (+5% for least, +0% for lesser, -15% for
greater tanar'ri, -25% for true tanar'ri or greater baatezu or yugoloths).
Again, such a gate can be opened once per round. If the Avatar is brought
to 0 or fewer hp, it will collapse, and reform as one of the other available
forms. It is generally advisable to escape from Nyarlathotep, if the
appropriate protective magicks are unknown.
Duties of the Priesthood
Nyarlathotep has no priesthood, as he is never worshipped independently of the rest of the Mythos. Rather, he is the common thread that binds all of the Great Old Ones together in their exile, and is therefore worshipped by all who revere the Great Old Ones.
Cthulhu is one of the key members of the pantheon known as the Great Old Ones, and as such is worshipped under a number of names, most of which in some way resemble Cthulhu: Tulu, Chac and Tlaloc are three obvious examples. Cthulhu is often referred to as the high priest of the gods, a designation that reflects not merely his power, but also his status and degree of leadership in their pantheon. He enjoys a special affinity with water, and since the imprisonment of his primary avatar, he is also strongly associated with sleep and dreams. He is consequently a very important power in the Dreamlands, in the region known as the Belly of Ammit.
Cthulhu's primary avatar flew to Terra from the depths of space, and ruled over a significant empire until the Great War. After the narrow defeat of the Great Old Ones, Cthulhu's avatar was imprisoned in his capital city of R'lyeh, wherein he sleeps until the end of the Elder Sign and its power. Cthulhu is worshipped as a god of the sea, sleep and dreams, and chief patron of the Deep Ones.
Cthulhu's physical form is somewhat malleable: he can alter any aspect or detail to suit his purposes; he will always be recognizable, however, as a vaguely anthropoid creature with a cephalopoidal head, and a pair of wings on his back.
Role-playing Notes: Cthulhu is amoral by human standards. He is not truly malicious regarding petty mortals, as they are so many ants in his eyes. Rare and powerful are they who could attract the especial attention of Cthulhu, or any other Great Old One, for good or ill.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil, or cn; AoC sea, sleep, dreams (usually nightmares); SY Image of Cthulhu.
Cthulhu's Avatar (fighter 20, wizard 20, psionicist 20) Cthulhu's Avatars appear as he does, with the same warping powers.
Str 25 Dex 20 Con 25
Int 25 Wis 23 Cha -7
MV 18/36 SZ 100' MR 60%
AC 2 HD 20 HP 160
#AT var THAC0 1 Dmg as below
Special Att/Def: They can scoop up 1d3 opponents in their claws and
crush for 22d6 hp damage; if the head is close enough, up to four opponents
can be attacked by tentacles as well, crushing for 11d6. They are immune to
the effects of water, cold, and vacuum, and can summon 10-100 Deep Ones, if
any are in the vicinity. They can only be hit by +2 or better weapons,
regenerate 10hp of damage per round, and if "slain", they explode in a
noxious gas, and reform in 1d10+10 minutes. Of course, this is rarely
necessary; all who see him must save vs. death or go insane for a number
of months equal to the character's intelligence.
Duties of the Priesthood
The priests of Cthulhu are determined to bring about the return (or advent) of their god to their given world. Offerings in the form of sentient sacrifice are performed regularly, with the intent of using the attendant magical power to help bring about this goal, if possible, as well as doing him the highest honor.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP any; AR none; SP all, combat, divination*, elemental (water only), necromantic, summoning*, weather; PW nil; TU nil.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: sea, coast FREQUENCY: very rare ORGANIZATION: tribal/city ACTIVITY CYCLE: any DIET: omnivore INTELLIGENCE: very (mean) TREASURE: Z ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil NO. APPEARING: 1-100 ARMOR CLASS: 3 MOVEMENT: 12"//24" HIT DICE: 4 THACO: 17 NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 or 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4 or weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: nil SIZE: M(6')Appearance: The Deep Ones appear as anthropoid amphibians, with fishlike heads. They have both infravision and normal sight.
Combat: In battle, they can attack with their claws, or use weapons. Due to their great strength (18), they cause +2 to damage.
Habitat/Society: Deep Ones live in large undersea cities, often near populated shores. While they are evil, they are not particularly aggressive, being more inclined to seek the worship of their neighbors than their destruction. They are the servants of Cthulhu and his lieutenants Dagon and Hydra, and the furtherance of their goals are the primary interests of the Deep Ones. To that end, they seek to expand their influence and numbers by accepting human worship and expanding their own numbers.
Ecology: Deep Ones are immortal, as long as they are not slain by violence. They are capable of breeding with humans (and possibly certain demi-human or humanoid races), in such a way that the child is born human in appearance, but grows progressively batrachian in appearance and/or manner. Between the ages of 21 and 40 (1d20+20), the hybrid will undergo a transformation: within a few months, he will develop into a full Deep One. Typically, he will then take to the sea and live with his nonhuman ancestors (often stretching back many generations).
Variants: Deep Ones are a standard humanoid race, indeed more intelligent than most humans. In consequence, many individuals will have character classes, with unlimited advancement as fighters and clerics (of Cthulhu), although they are limited to the 16th level of advancement as mages. Some physiological aspect of the Deep Ones' brains prevent them from retaining spells of ninth level, a source of considerable frustration to them. However, given both their origins and the influx of new genetic material due to their mode of reproduction, the chances of mutants capable of casting ninth level spells are high.
For more information, see "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and "The Thing on the Doorstep" by H.P. Lovecraft.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: sea, land, space FREQUENCY: very rare ORGANIZATION: city ACTIVITY CYCLE: any DIET: ? INTELLIGENCE: high (mean) TREASURE: A ALIGNMENT: lawful neutral NO. APPEARING: 1-8 ARMOR CLASS: 6 MOVEMENT: 18"/12" HIT DICE: 8 THAC0: 13 NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 x3 SPECIAL ATTACKS: nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to heat and cold MAGIC RESISTANCE: nil SIZE: L(9')Appearance: Elder Things appear as barrel-shaped creatures with starfish heads and bases, and membranous wings radiating from their bodies.
Combat: In combat, they can attack with three of their tentacles, although they would prefer to send in their slaves or use more advanced weaponry.
Habitat/Society: Elder Things live in quite organized cities, both on planetary surfaces and underwater. They are quite advanced scientifically, especially in the biological (particularly genetic) sciences, and all share a deep scientific curiosity. They created the shoggoths, and are capable of significant biological research leading to the creation of an astounding variety of creatures. It is believed that they started the process of evolution on the planet Terra in the home planes of the Mythos. They will typically use, if possible and necessary, the most advanced weapons available; usually these will be more advanced than those of their opponents.
Ecology: Elder Things are capable of flying through space with a Ship's Rating of 4. They have no need of air for breathing.
Variants: Some colonies of Elder Things that have long been on the ground without occasional forays into space have atrophied wings, robbing them at least partially of their spelljamming powers.
For further information, see "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: any FREQUENCY: very rare ORGANIZATION: nil ACTIVITY CYCLE: any DIET: ? INTELLIGENCE: low to average TREASURE: C ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil NO. APPEARING: 1-4 ARMOR CLASS: 1 MOVEMENT: 9" HIT DICE: 20 THAC0: 1 NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-30/3-30 SPECIAL ATTACKS: nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to weakness, paralysis, charm MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30% SIZE: L (15'+ diameter)Appearance: The Shoggoth appears as a huge, bubbling amoeba. If desired, they can create a vast array of tools from their bodies.
Combat: In combat, they grasp with their pseudopods and both crush and pull at the same time (decapitation is the signature of a shoggoth attack). Fire and electricity cause only 1/2 damage to a shoggoth. Physical weapons cause only 1 hp damage per hit, and the shoggoth regenerates 2 hp per round until slain.
Habitat/Society: Shoggoths were created as slaves by the Terran Elder Things, but in time they rebelled against their Masters and took to their own devices. Many live in former Elder Thing cities, while others now serve the Great Old Ones.
Variants: Shoggoths vary considerably; some may be larger or smaller, others stronger, while others more intelligent.
For more information, see "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: land, space FREQUENCY: very rare ORGANIZATION: city ACTIVITY CYCLE: any DIET: liquids INTELLIGENCE: high (mean) TREASURE: nil ALIGNMENT: lawful neutral NO. APPEARING: 1-10 ARMOR CLASS: 5 MOVEMENT: 15" HIT DICE: 8 THAC0: 13 NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 or 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 x2 or weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: lightning gun SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to magical control MAGIC RESISTANCE: nil SIZE: L(10')Appearance: The Great Race currently inhabits forms that resemble broad-based cones with four tentacles sprouting from the top. Two tentacles end in claws, while one ends in trumpet-like ears and the fourth ends in a globe sporting three eyes and several small tentacles.
Combat: In combat, they can attack with their two claws (as above), but they prefer to use their lightning guns: short range 100 y; 32 charges/pack, one round to reload; any number of charges can be used per shot, but each charge beyond 4 has a 5% cumulative chance of burning out the gun; each charge causes 1d10 points of damage due to electricity, save vs. wand for half.
Habitat/Society: The Great Race is quite civilized, living in highly advanced cities. They are quite adept at psionics, and the average Great Race member has the power of an 8th level psionicist. They practice time travel, or more properly mental projection through time. They are also voracious consumers of knowledge, and have built up vast libraries.
Ecology: The Great Race (in their current forms) feed only on liquids, and reproduce only rarely.
For more information, see "The Shadow Out of Time" by H.P. Lovecraft.
Shub-Niggurath represents the essence of fertility among the Great Old Ones, which pantheon is already quite fecund as it is; she is also strongly associated with the forces of the element of earth. While she is not the equal of Azathoth or Yog-Sothoth in the grand scheme of things, she is by far the most widely worshipped of the Great Old Ones, and one or more of her masks are revered in nearly every culture of Terra in the home material plane of the Mythos. It is this broad popularity that gives her her status as a greater goddess. She is most often identified as female, but as the veritable essence of procreation, she can also be male or hermaphroditic. She can and does reproduce in all three modes; most famous, however, is her mating-partnership (often anthropomorphized as a "marriage") with Hastur.
Shub-Niggurath is almost never seen in her natural form, which doubtless involves a number of tentacles and a considerable amount of primordial slime.
Role-playing Notes: Of all the Great Old Ones, Shub-Niggurath is the most benign in her attitudes toward mortals. While her motives in this are not certain, it is likely that she actively courts worship in this fashion, thereby enhancing her own power to advance the goals of the Great Old Ones.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any; AoC fertility; SY black goat
Shub-Niggurath's Avatar (wizard 20, priest 20, psionicist 20)
Shub-Niggurath's Avatars almost never appear in her natural form, preferring one of her masks, whichever is most appropriate to the viewer. For example, an audience comprised of those from a Hindu culture would be faced with an avatar indistinguishable from one of Kali, while Celts would see a man bearing the antlers of a stag on his head, and would be known as Cernunnos; her witches, for that matter, would likely see a humanoid creature with the head of a black goat, referred to by some as "Baphomet", which is also the name given to her symbol, especially if her head is depicted in frontal view, circumscribed by an inverted pentagram. (This is the idol the Templars were accused of worshipping.) The powers of her Avatar will vary according to form; where appropriate (as in the case of her Cernunnos-form), substitute druid for priest.
Str 24 Dex 19 Con 25
Int 25 Wis 20 Cha -4 or 25
MV var SZ 100'd MR 55%
AC 4 HD 20 HP 160
#AT var THAC0 1 Dmg as per form
Duties of the Priesthood
There are many different kinds of priest serving Shub-Niggurath, and these will differ from each other according to the priests' cultures and the masks that they worship. A priest of Shub-Niggurath as Ishtar would be indistinguishable from a real priest of Ishtar; the same rule applies whether the mask is of Cybele, Chalchihuitlicue, Hecate, Kali or Cernunnos. Naturally, the real divinities that resemble her masks will resent her intrusion in planes where THEY hold sway. In a more pastoral environment, priests of Shub-Niggurath may be druids; whether they are neutral or chaotic evil will depend upon the level of revelation, while all other particulars remain standard. Under active persecution, her worshippers may be witches instead; in some cases, her priests worship her in her true nature, as the Great Old One Shub-Niggurath. It is this comparatively rare group that is described below.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP any; AR none; SP all, animal,
charm, combat*, creation, elemental earth, healing, plant, weather*; PW nil;
TU nil.
HASTUR (He Who Must Not Be Named) (intermediate god)
Hastur is the half-brother of Cthulhu and mate of Shub-Niggurath.
Like them, he enjoys a special affinity with one of the elements, in his case
air. He is also in some way associated with flight through space, and is
thus more widely recognized in Wildspace than on the ground.
Hastur's natural form is rarely seen, but it is believed to be
bloated and scaly, and somewhat fluid. Like his half-brother, he also has
octopoidal and reptilian elements in his appearance.
Role-playing Notes: Hastur is even more aloof regarding mortal
affairs than most of his kin.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil or cn; AoC air, space; SY image of
Hastur.
Hastur's Avatar (fighter 20, wizard 20, psionicist 20)
Hastur's Avatars usually appear as massive creatures, rather
reptilian in face and form, with tentacles covering much of his body.
This last aspect appears to be a familial trait.
Str 25 Dex 21 Con 23
Int 22 Wis 23 Cha -4
MV 36/36 SZ 600' MR 50%
AC -2 HD 20 HP 160
#AT 2 THAC0 1 Dmg 20-200 each
Special att/def: Hastur's avatars regenerate 5 hp/round, and can
summon 2-20 byakhee. Creatures that fly naturally cannot attack Hastur.
Duties of the Priesthood
The priests of Hastur are little different from most priests of the
Great Old Ones, in that they shower adoration upon an entity that could care
less about such things, save for the enhanced power such worship brings;
their only expectation is to work for the freedom of the Great Old Ones
(in the home planes) or their introduction into other planes. They are
rather common in Wildspace, though held as abominations by most other cults.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP a; AR a; SP all, combat,
elemental air, weather; PW nil; TU nil.
THE FUNGI FROM YUGGOTH
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: land, space
FREQUENCY: very rare
ORGANIZATION: enclave
ACTIVITY CYCLE: any
DIET: ?(they DO live on Yuggoth...)
INTELLIGENCE: average (mean)
TREASURE: nil
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 2-12
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 15"/30"
HIT DICE: 5
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: grapple and drop
SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to cold, dark and vacuum
MAGIC RESISTANCE: nil
SIZE: L(8')
Appearance: The Fungi from Yuggoth resemble lobsters with wings. They can
fly through space with a Ship's Rating of 2. When they speak, they do so
with a buzzing, droning voice.
Combat: All impaling-type weapons cause only the minimum possible damage when
they hit. If they hit a single target with both of their claws, they can
grapple and take flight (make a strength check at half-strength to break
free). It will then drop the opponent from a devastating height.
Habitat/Society: The Fungi come originally from Yuggoth, but often set up
enclaves on other worlds. They are remarkable surgeons, capable of removing
the brain from the body and keeping it alive and active indefinitely. They
worship Shub-Niggurath and Nyarlathotep in particular.
Ecology: Very little is known about their ecology. It seems that they would
need very little of anything to survive, as the come originally from
Yuggoth (i.e., Pluto, which was surmised by some scientists but not in the
least bit verified in Lovecraft's day).
BYAKHEE
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: space, ground
FREQUENCY: very rare
ORGANIZATION: none
ACTIVITY CYCLE: any
DIET: blood
INTELLIGENCE: average
TREASURE: none
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 6"/24" (A) or Sr5
HIT DICE: 10
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 or 1 special
SPECIAL ATTACKS: bite with blood drain
SPECIAL DEFENSES: nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%
SIZE: L (20')
Appearance: The byakhee look much like a fiend or a gargoyle, but with a
largely decayed appearance and avian and insectoid influences. They
stand bipedally, but prefer to move by flight.
Combat: In battle, they can opt for two claw attacks, or a vicious bite
causing 1d10 damage; in the latter event, it will remain attached to the
victim and drain 1d6 Constitution from him each round (including the
first) until the victim has died of blood loss or the byakhee is killed
or driven off. It will not attack another opponent until it is finished
feeding. Lost Con will return with rest (1 day per point lost). It can
teleport without error at will. 25% of Byakhee have an intelligence
between 14 and 18, and these will have spell-like powers as well;
normally, such spells are those associated with Hastur.
Habitat/Society: Byakhee are often used as mounts as well as guards. This
reduces their Maneuverability Class to C. They can fly through space as well
as atmosphere, with a Ship's Rating of 5, and they are immune to the effects
of vacuum or fouled air.
Ecology: Byakhee are an alien race whose ecological niche remains a mystery.
CTHUGHA (intermediate god)
Cthugha is one of the more remote members of the
pantheon, as his primary Avatar is imprisoned near the star Fomalhaut.
Accordingly, his cult is far more common in Wildspace than on the ground.
Cthugha always appears as an amorphous mass of fire with flaming tentacles.
Role-playing Notes: Cthugha has no real interest in working with
mortals, or any non-fire creatures.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil or cn; AoC fire; SY flame
Cthugha's Avatar (fighter 20, wizard 20, psionicist 20)
Cthugha's Avatars almost universally appear in his natural form.
When they appear, they are accompanied by Fire Vampires, as follows:
outside of the home planes, 1-20; within the home planes, 1d100x10!
These Fire Vampires will begin to ignite individual objects, while
Cthugha will hover overhead and blast the entire area.
Str 25 Dex 25 Con 25
Int 18 Wis 18 Cha -1
MV 36" SZ 40y r MR 50%
AC -6 HD 20 HP 160
#AT 2 THAC0 1 Dmg 3-30 each
Special att/def: Only weapons of +3 or greater enchantment can even
hit Cthugha's avatar; all others melt before contact. Even such strong
weapons must make a save vs. breath weapon or be destroyed. The heat of
his body does 5d10 hp of damage (save vs. breath for half) to all within
100 yards. It is immune to all heat and cold effects (the cold is dissipated
before it reaches him). It can cast any fire spell (wizard or clerical) at
the 30th level of ability, any two per round, and in the same round it can
also lash out with two of its tentacles, for 3-30 hp of damage each. Those
who see Cthugha must save vs. death magic at +2 or go insane for 2d4 weeks.
Duties of the Priesthood
The priests of Cthugha are usually pyromaniacs, and are usually
spaceborne. On the ground they have a negligible cult.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP any; AR e; SP all, combat,
elemental fire (including all mage spells of elemental fire through 7th
level), summoning; PW 5) immune to the effects of normal fire; 10) take
no damage from fire attacks; 15) take no damage from any fire source,
even a star, for up to 3 weeks; 20) can live indefinitely upon a fire
body or the elemental plane of fire -- no damage ever from any fire
source; TU nil.
FIRE VAMPIRE
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: space
FREQUENCY: very rare
ORGANIZATION: n/a
DIET: n/a
INTELLIGENCE: average
TREASURE: nil
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: -2
MOVEMENT: 24"
HIT DICE: 3
THAC0: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to material weapons
MAGIC RESISTANCE: nil
SIZE: S
Appearance: Fire Vampires look like tiny stars, and are similar to fire
elementals.
Combat: In combat, they attack by touching objects and causing them to catch
fire. Damage is 2-20 points per hit, or half that if a save vs. breath
weapon is made. They take damage from water, however, at 1 hp/ half-gallon.
Habitat/Society: Fire Vampires live in fire bodies, and are believed to have
originated near Fomalhaut.
Ecology: Fire Vampires have no place in the ecology at large.
ITHAQUA (lesser god)
Ithaqua, also known as the Wendigo and the Walker on the
Wind, is particularly recognized in cold wastelands, as he is associated
with the freezing winds, snowstorms and other destructive forces of
weather in such regions. Ithaqua typically appears as a huge cloud of fog
or snow in a vaguely humanoid shape, with blazing red eyes. When passing
overhead, it gives the optical illusion of two bright stars close
together visible through a storm.
Role-playing notes: Ithaqua considers cold wastelands to be his
special province, and if one of his avatars has taken up residence in such
a realm, he will wander it aimlessly, preying upon travellers if he so
chooses, and accepting human sacrifices from local inhabitants.
Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil or cn; AoC cold storms, wastelands,
etc.; SY two burning eyes in a human-shaped cloud of snow.
Ithaqua's Avatar (fighter 15, wizard 15, priest 15)
Ithaqua's Avatars almost universally appear in his natural form. He
often stalks his wastelands, picking up human sacrifices and waylaying
travellers; his victims are often discovered weeks or months later, frozen
solid, and missing significant portions of their bodies.
Str 21 Dex 18 Con 20
Int 18 Wis 18 Cha -1
MV 24 SZ 20' MR 30%
AC 2 HD 15 HP120
#AT 2 THAC0 5 Dmg 4-40 each
Special att/def: His most potent weapon is his ability of controlling
weather, usable at will, with triple range and effects. If he is within 36
yards of his victim, he can pick him up and carry him away, or drop him from
1d10x10 feet (standard d6 damage per 10 feet fallen); if the victim resists,
he must make a successful strength check, in which case Ithaqua must make a
successful attack roll to pick him up. He may also attack with his claws.
If he hits, grasping can follow automatically. Viewing Ithaqua requires that
one save vs. death magic or go mad; after every three months, another save
may be attempted to regain sanity. Should that same character ever see
Ithaqua again, however, the madness returns automatically, and even hearing
his howl in the wind requires a save at -3 to avoid recurrence.
Duties of the Priesthood
Ithaqua has no regular priesthood, as most of his worship is of a
preventative nature. He does, however, have a few unscrupulous shamans in
his service.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP any; AR b; SP all, combat,
elemental air, summoning, weather; PW nil; TU nil.
Dawn is approaching fast, and I must close my post. As I wrote,
however, and most particularly while I wrote about Ithaqua, I was very aware
of the high winds that are still circulating outside. Now, in retrospect,
particularly in light of the great storm that struck this weekend, I wonder
why it is that I waited so long to send out this final installment. I have
heard this referred to as the storm of the century on several occasions, and
I must indeed wonder.
At any rate, a final caveat must be offered to DM's using the
priesthood of Cthugha: do not inform the players in too much detail of the
abilities available to them, as many players will clamour to take the role.
Immunity to fire and wizard fire spells must surely be attractive in
particular to those powergamers out there who see the sole aim of a
campaign as the acquisition of power for their characters.
Well, Brian here again. That's it. Cthulhu and friends. Took me quite
a long time to copy and paste it from my original document to my mail
program. I didn't want to attach it as a file because not everyone can
read it then. If there appears to be some words missing, it may have not
pasted completely. Let me know if you see any "holes" like that and I'll
look at the original and tell you what to write in there.
Brian Brousseau
Taken from the pages of Jens-Arthur Leirbakk