Ythogtha, also known as "The Thing in the Pit", is a Great Old One who appears in the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired Cthulhu Mythos.
Description[]
Spawned by Cthulhu and Idh-yaa on the distant planet Xoth, Ythogtha was 'brother' to Ghatanothoa, Zoth-Ommog and Cthylla. A cyclopean humanoid with a frog-like appearance, a great mane sprouts from it's head, as does a squirming beard of tentacles. It is said to most closely resemble a one-eyed Deep One, though like all of the Great Old Ones is similar to nothing else that exists. Ythogtha was so large that when his high priest Zanthu attempted to free him from his imprisonment, Zanthu initially mistook Ythogtha's fingertips for mountainous heads.
History[]
Ythogtha was imprisoned deep in the Abyss of Yhe by the Elder Gods, and was worshipped as a god by both the Yugg and the various tribes of humans who inhabited the lost continent of Mu.
After the demise of the high priest of Shub-Niggurath at the hands of Ghatanothoa, the Cult of Ghatanothoa became the dominant religion on Mu, and it's priesthood outlawed all other religions. To overthrow the Cult of Ghatanothoa and restore the declining Cult of Ythogtha to its rightful place as chief religion of Mu, the high priest Zanthu attempted to free his master Ythogtha, but once he saw the true nature of this beast, abandoned the ritual and fled Mu, recording his endeavours on the twelve "Zanthu Tablets," which also contained all of Ythogtha's sacred rituals and secrets.
Seeing this blasphemy, the Elder Gods were displeased, and destroyed the continent of Mu, sending it to the bottom of the ocean along with Ythogtha.
Appearances[]
- The Transition of Titus Crow (1975), Brian Lumley
- Out of the Ages (1997), Lin Carter
- Perchance to Dream (1997), Lin Carter
- The Thing in the Pit (1997), Lin Carter