Mythos Deities: Nyarlathotep

We’re back and we’re learning hideous secrets from Nyarlathotep, Messenger of the Outer Gods, signing his black book and hoping we recognise him next time we meet him. He can be difficult to pick out of a crowd, with the thousand masks and all. Given his reputation for mocking humour, this is all going to end in deadly embarrassment.

Main Topic: Mythos Deities: Nyarlathotep

Our discussion starts with an overview of Nyarlathotep’s role in Lovecraft’s fiction and his development by other writers. From there, we move on to his portrayal in the Call of Cthulhu RPG. Then we tie things up by brainstorming a few unusual ways we could use Nyarlathotep in our games.

When Nyarlathotep isn’t busy carrying messages for the Outer Gods, he’s a menace in the mosh pit.

In our discussion, we reference a few earlier episodes in which Nyarlathotep appeared. He gets everywhere!

News

For the past few months, Scott has been running the How We Roll podcast through The Two-Headed Serpent. This is the Pulp Cthulhu campaign we wrote for Chaosium and which was released last year. The first episodes are now available for download. Come, share in the heady mix of weirdness, madness and extreme violence that only How We Roll can offer!

Our Two-Headed Serpent heroes (and Keeper), courtesy of Rachael Tew.

Speaking of epic campaigns, we have now finished our initial playtest of A Poison Tree. This is the Trail of Cthulhu campaign that we have spent the last four years developing for Pelgrane Press. We are hard at work on writing it all up now and will keep you posted as things progress.

Other Stuff

In Lovecraft’s The Whisperer in Darkness, we learn of unspeakable rites performed in the Vermont woods, in which the mi-go chant the name of Nyarlathotep in twisted, buzzing voices. To hear such a thing would drive most mortals to madness. Alternatively, some might think, “Now there’s an idea!” and start singing their own unholy praises. We are very much in the latter camp. This episode contains two hideous incantations, crafted to please a pair of new Patreon backers.

And speaking of Patreon, we remind you that issue 4 of The Blasphemous Tome is currently assembling itself from essential saltes, protoplasm and lashings of blood. The paper cuts this thing inflicts can be murder. If you would like to ensure your copy, take a look at our page on the Tome for full details. Issue 4 features a brand-new, modern-day Call of Cthulhu scenario written by our own Matt Sanderson.

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3 comments on “Mythos Deities: Nyarlathotep”

Eugene Doherty Dec 22, 2018

given Matt’s aversion to vegetables, I assume he hasn’t played The Veggie Patch, which daft as it sounds is actually a surprising complex setting
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20710/The-Veggie-Patch

Noah Marsh Mar 26, 2019

I am kind of late, I guess.
But I have watched the first season of Haiyore! Nyaruko-san and it’s not really worth the time. Despite all the mythos references (and some of them were admittedly pretty funny) it fundamentally still is a generic romantic comedy. As generic as something like this can be, anyway. Worst of all, it’s kind of boring. I didn’t really care for the characters and I did certainly not care for the mythos related “high-stakes” situations. A porn-addicted Lloigor, Nyarlathotep wanting to sleep with someone who knows about the mythos, R’lyeh and Carcosa as competing video game companies, the male protagonists mother being essentially an investigator who fights with forks… All of it sounds insane enough to be entertaining for the concepts alone, but everything seemed to be done half-arsed.

Also, they constantly hinted at a Dreamlands story and this kept me watching. But the characters were literally too lazy to go there and this turned into a running gag.

Matt Zander Oct 12, 2020

A little late to the party, but I listened to this episode this past week and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Question came up during the episode as to why Nyarlathotep gets involved with humanity, and having read the latest novel in Charles Stross’s Laundry series, The Labyrinth Index, recently, I found the explanation that Stross provides to be pretty good — the POV character in that novel compares Nyarlathotep to a beekeeper, he doesn’t care for any one of us individually and would certainly squish any of us that tried to “sting” him, we’re that insignificant to him and powerless against him, but he “tends our hive” because he likes the “honey” we make (they don’t speculate on what that “honey” is).

While i’m at it, would love to hear your takes on the Laundry series in a future episode.

Eugene Doherty Dec 22, 2018
given Matt’s aversion to vegetables, I assume he hasn’t played The Veggie Patch, which daft as it sounds is actually a surprising complex setting
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20710/The-Veggie-Patch
Noah Marsh Mar 26, 2019
I am kind of late, I guess.
But I have watched the first season of Haiyore! Nyaruko-san and it’s not really worth the time. Despite all the mythos references (and some of them were admittedly pretty funny) it fundamentally still is a generic romantic comedy. As generic as something like this can be, anyway. Worst of all, it’s kind of boring. I didn’t really care for the characters and I did certainly not care for the mythos related “high-stakes” situations. A porn-addicted Lloigor, Nyarlathotep wanting to sleep with someone who knows about the mythos, R’lyeh and Carcosa as competing video game companies, the male protagonists mother being essentially an investigator who fights with forks… All of it sounds insane enough to be entertaining for the concepts alone, but everything seemed to be done half-arsed.
Also, they constantly hinted at a Dreamlands story and this kept me watching. But the characters were literally too lazy to go there and this turned into a running gag.
Matt Zander Oct 12, 2020
A little late to the party, but I listened to this episode this past week and enjoyed it quite a bit.
Question came up during the episode as to why Nyarlathotep gets involved with humanity, and having read the latest novel in Charles Stross’s Laundry series, The Labyrinth Index, recently, I found the explanation that Stross provides to be pretty good — the POV character in that novel compares Nyarlathotep to a beekeeper, he doesn’t care for any one of us individually and would certainly squish any of us that tried to “sting” him, we’re that insignificant to him and powerless against him, but he “tends our hive” because he likes the “honey” we make (they don’t speculate on what that “honey” is).
While i’m at it, would love to hear your takes on the Laundry series in a future episode.