Ghatanothoa (Art by BorjaPindado)
| “ | Oozing and surging up out of that yawning trap-door in the Cyclopean crypt I had glimpsed such an unbelievable behemothic monstrosity that I could not doubt the power of its original to kill with its mere sight. Even now I cannot begin to suggest it with any words at my command. I might call it gigantic—tentacled—proboscidian—octopus-eyed—semi-amorphous—plastic—partly squamous and partly rugose—ugh! But nothing I could say could even adumbrate the loathsome, unholy, non-human, extra-galactic horror and hatefulness and unutterable evil of that forbidden spawn of black chaos and illimitable night. As I write these words the associated mental image causes me to lean back faint and nauseated. | „ |
| ~ H.P. Lovecraft |
Ghatanothoa, also known as Gatanothoa, Gatanozoa, Ghatanothor, Katha-Hem and The Dark God, is one of the Ogdru Hem and the firstborn of Cthulhu spawned by Idh-yaa on the planet Xoth along with its younger siblings, Ythogtha, Zoth-Ommog and Cthylla. He is also the master of Lloiger-based monster known as the Zoiger.
Description[]
It is a huge, amorphous monstrosity, whose appearance is so hideous that anyone who gazes upon it (or even a perfect replica) is petrified into a living mummy. The victim is permanently immobilized, the body taking on the consistency of leather and the internal organs and brain preserved indefinitely, yet remains fully aware. Only the destruction of the subject's brain or the application of a magic scroll can free it from its hellish prison, though the unfortunate is likely to be incurably insane long before the welcomed release.
History[]
Origins[]
It was brought to Earth from the planet Yuggoth by an ancient alien race, possibly the Mi-go, who built a colossal fortress atop Yaddith-Gho, a mountain existing on the land of Mu, and sealed Ghatanothoa inside the mountain beneath a large trapdoor where it remains to this day. Here it is said that Ghatanothoa would brood eternally and wallowed, waddled and burrowed deep in the Earth.
There it was worshipped by the lloigor. It was later worshipped by Mankind (the Kthatans and the people of Mu), who both feared and respected it because of its aforementioned ability to turn any humans that beheld him into living, thinking mummies. Nevertheless brave individuals like the heretic T'yog have tried and failed to destroy it. With his power and appearance, he has been called many things like the Evil God or the King Demon Beast of Darkness.
Imprisonment[]
The people of Mu requested the aid of the Agartha, the hidden kingdom dwelling within the Hollow Earth, to rid not just their land but the world itself from Ghatanothoa's darkness. The Agarthians obliged and after a long and great struggle, the Agarthians were able to slay Ghatanothoa and his ilk, but while they destroyed his physical body, his spirit lingered but was incredibly weakened from the conflict with Agartha and the people of Mu who defected from his worship.
Based on the ancient text, Ghatanothoa must have wreaked havoc on Yuggoth since the Spawn imprisoned it on Earth. While Ghatanothoa was placed on Earth, the Spawn did not intentionally want to use this entity as a means of cleansing the planet of humans. Thus, the thing was imprisoned and a select portion of humanity, who ended up being the priests of Ghatanothoa were provided with a means of keeping it imprisoned.