Mind Flayers: Servants of Chutulhu?

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2003-09-20 02:03am

could this be the case ? Could the old one have created them in its own image to spread chaos and destruction?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-09-20 02:05am

Typhonis 1 wrote:could this be the case ? Could the old one have created them in its own image to spread chaos and destruction?

It's not a direct link, but examining the history of the Illithid's in AD&D shows a definate link to the Lovecraftian tales(How about the fact they once held a massive empire, but their own specially-altered slaves overthrew them and now hunt them?).

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-09-20 02:07am

Despite the slight resemblance, I'd say no. My guess is that the Mindflayers and the Piscodemons were created by Kraken.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-20 02:07am

But if the Illithids truly were Cthulhu's Spawn, wouldn't they have wings??

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2003-09-20 09:14am

According to the d20 version of "Call of Cthulhu", when Making a Lovecraftian D&D campaign--yes, they do worship Cthulu. I think something else does as well...

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2003-09-20 10:38am

It all depends on what you want them to be.
Mind Flayers were built to put punk-ass psionic munchkins from 1st ed AD&D in their place.
I use them in dragonquest games to put the fear of well, fear into my players. I however see them as crafty manipulators and puppet masters.
In my games no-one is insane enough to worship the Great Old Ones.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-20 12:15pm

Majin Gojira wrote:According to the d20 version of "Call of Cthulhu", when Making a Lovecraftian D&D campaign--yes, they do worship Cthulu. I think something else does as well...

What about the Skum?? They are clearly based upon the Deep Ones....

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2003-09-21 08:10pm

I always thought it'd be nifty if the Illithids worshipped Cthulhu...

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2003-09-22 10:22pm

This entire post is about 2nd Ed Forgotten Realms

Although the creature design is definitely Lovecraftian, the majority of Illithids would not worship Cthulhu.

1) Illithids are Lawful.

It is established fact that Illithids are Lawful (ref The Illithiad). As beings with ordered lives, a fixed system of laws and organised minds, the worship of a Chaotic power would be anathema to the vast majority of them.

It is possible that Alhoon and rogue Illithids would be interested, but the Elder Brain of a full Illithid community would never make such a decision unless warped by the power of the Old ones.

2) Cthulhu is a beholden and incapacitated deity

Cthulhu himself, although quite high in the Lovecraft antipantheon (definitely higher than He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken) does not lead it. That is reserved to Azathoth, and thus Cthulhu is subordinate to him. Illithids, as an arrogant race, would therefore not choose to worship a lesser god.

Although worship of dead/sleeping gods is not unheard of (ref Finder's Stone Trilogy and the Cult of Moander), such cults are normally surviving fragments of the original religion which fell with it's god. With no Illithid tradition of Cthulhu worship to begin with, there cannot be this remaining cult.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-23 11:40am

Xisiqomelir wrote: Cthulhu himself, although quite high in the Lovecraft antipantheon (definitely higher than He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken) does not lead it. That is reserved to Azathoth, and thus Cthulhu is subordinate to him. Illithids, as an arrogant race, would therefore not choose to worship a lesser god.

I thought that Azathoth only was officially the leader of the Outer Gods due to his inability to do pretty much anything, and that Nyarlathotep was the one who really was charge??

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2003-09-23 02:18pm

You also made an error. Cthulhu is a Great Old One, not an outer god. He's an immortal entity from a foreign world.

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2003-09-24 08:20am

Simon H.Johansen wrote: I thought that Azathoth only was officially the leader of the Outer Gods due to his inability to do pretty much anything, and that Nyarlathotep was the one who really was charge??

Nyarlathothep?

The Necronomicon

Of Ye Old Ones and their Spawn

para 10:

And the Old Ones hold foul and formless Azathoth for Their Master and Abide with Him in the black cavern at the centre of all infinity, where he gnaws ravenously in ultimate chaos amid the mad beating of hidden drums, the tuneless piping of hideous flutes and the ceaseless bellowing of blind idiot gods that shamble and gesture aimlessly for ever.

para 11:

The soul of Azathoth dwelleth in Yog-sothoth and He shall beckon unto the Old Ones when the stars mark the time of Their coming; for Yog-sothoth is the Gate through which Those of the Void will re-enter. Yog-sothoth knowest the mazes of of time, for all time is one unto Him. He knowest where the Old Ones came forth in time along long past and where They shall come forth again when the cycle returneth.

Nyarlathotep = Office Mail Boy

Concerning Nyarlathotep

"I hear the Crawling Chaos that calls beyond the stars"

And They created Nyarlathotep for Their messenger, and They clothed Him with Chaos that His form might be ever hidden amidst the stars.

Who shall know the mystery of Nyarlathotep? for He is the mask and will of Those that were when time was not. He is the priest of the Ether, the Dweller in Air and hath many faces that none shall recall.

The waves freeze before Him; Gods dread His call. In men's dreams He whispers, yet who knoweth His form?

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-24 09:01am

From which story is this?? I know that several Cthulhu Mythos fans have created their own fake Necronomica and some of them even got published - but how high do these rank in the Cthulhu Mythos canon??

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Mind Flayers: Servants of Chutulhu?

Mind Flayers: Servants of Chutulhu?

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