Imagining a terrible thing and incorporating it into a well-structured plot demands a special skill. H.P. Lovecraft, a well-known horror writer, excelled in this field with his unique monsters that defined cosmic horror.
Many critics believe he had a well-developed other reality in which he imagined these terrifying monsters to exist. Others believe there is no such continuity between these entities, and that they only assisted him in his creepy storytelling.
In any case, these Lovecraftian monsters have provided us with some memorable shock-moments, sometimes in movies and sometimes in Lovecraft’s creepy tales! We’ll take a quick look at some of these monsters in this video, which can give you the most terrifying nightmare you’ve ever experienced!
NYARLATHOTEP
The Crawling Chaos is one of the most horrific monsters from the Cthulhu Mythos, and it is also known as one of the most terrifying monsters from the Cthulhu Mythos. He was initially mentioned in the prose poem Nyarlathotep and is claimed to be a spawn of Azathoth. Lovecraft has employed him in several subsequent stories since his origin. Other authors have included this renowned creature in their novels as well.
The Crawling Chaos is an Outer God, but unlike most of the Outer Gods who are exiled to the stars, this mighty beast walks the Earth in a vaguely human form. He is a shape-shifter and has thousands of forms, but he is mostly seen as a tall, lean man with no trace of hair or beard.
He resembles an Egyptian Pharaoh and is draped in a black gown, and uses human language, unlike the other Outer Gods who use some form of alien language. The scariest feature of this monster is that it can easily pass for a human, and it is tough to detect him. Some of the storylines suggest that Nyarlathotep seeks to destroy the Earth and all of humanity.
However, we generally see this monster keener on spreading madness and chaos than causing death and destruction. This creature was first conceived by Lovecraft as someone who travels over the Earth and recruits adherents by demonstrating his magical abilities.
Following this, the followers lose awareness of their surroundings and become mind-controlled members of the monster’s army. Lovecraft subsequently revealed that Nyarlathotep was inspired by a horrifying nightmare he experienced that was extremely precise and vivid!
YOG-SOTHOTH
The Cthulhu Mythos included this Lovecraftian monstrosity, and the Outer God is a cosmic entity. According to the myth, he is one of Cthulhu’s forefathers and appears in numerous forms that change from time to time.
Various authors used their creative licence to create this monster, but one thing they all had in common was the appearance of a mass of light orbs. In some depictions, Yog-Sothoth has eyes, whereas in others, he is merely depicted as an ugly creature with orbs.
We can comprehend the powers of most monsters created by Lovecraft, but when it comes to Yog-Sothoth, his powers are a bit too Godly for our liking! It is believed that this monster is an omniscient being, and everything in the domain of space and time is known to him.
We first found mention of this monster in “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” and according to this storyline, he even fathered twins with a human. He can be summoned for certain rituals, and there are some harrowing plots that start off like this.
Notably, The Dunwich Horror featured a narrative based on Yog-baffling Sothoth’s powers, including the ability to resurrect the dead. Yog-Sothoth, like other of Lovecraft’s terrible creatures, desires to conquer the cosmos and is continuously spreading his influence by entering different realms. However, it is important to note that this monster is probably among the less-vicious ones and is not all about ripping apart humans!
Y’GOLONAC
The Great Old One, a terrible monster from the Cthulhu mythos, is also known as the Great Old One. Y’Golonac, like many other Lovecraftian monsters, has more than one appearance. He is thought to be sleeping in one of the old subterranean tunnels, the location of which is unknown to the rest of the world.
It can, however, take control of a mortal being and materialise as an obese, headless man. He then transforms into a shape with mouths in his palms, which he displays briefly throughout the possession phase.
When it comes to such higher monsters, it is often the case that they are unable to understand the minds of lesser beings. Y’Golonac is an exception, and he can use his host to conduct lucid conversations.
Y’Golonac is also called The Defiler because he is the God of depravity and perversion. He seeks absolute control over his followers who worship him for his immense knowledge in degenerate practices.
He can sink to morbid lows that the human mind cannot even imagine! He can be summoned by an individual who harbors evil thoughts in his mind and also by simply reading from the occult text titled The Revelations of Gla’aki.
This monster is eternally hungry, and when summoned, he either consumes the person who summoned him or made him a part of his priesthood. This Lovecraftian creature is mentioned in the novella Cold Print, in which he takes control of a bookstore after murdering the owner and stealing his skin. Later pieces by Daniel Hams and Richard Watts featured him as well.
Yig
Yig is the serpent’s parent, and the notorious Snake-God is another terrifying creature from the Cthulhu Mythos. His appearance is reptilian-like, as his name suggests. He has the arms of a man and resembles a reptile humanoid beast.
As the protector and master of all snakes, he is deeply attached to them and treats them as his children. Every autumn, he emerges from hibernation to punish anyone who have injured serpents while he has been gone. The punishment is harsh, as the victim is either transformed into a serpent or just slain while sleeping by other vicious snakes!
The origin-story of Yig is rather intriguing as he was said to be ruling the crimson cavern of Yoth, where he and his mate Coatlicue were worshipped by the denizens. However, it all changed after Yig placed his curse upon them.
There are numerous spooky stories doing the rounds that explore the horrors that can be unleashed by Yig. One of the tales will take you across Arkansas when a woman killed baby rattlesnakes while traveling because her husband was petrified by serpents.
During the fall that year, Yig came for her family to seek revenge and tricked her into killing her own husband with an ax. He then transformed her into a disgusting half-man, half-reptile form, and she was cursed to remain in that form for all eternity. In the story titled The Curse of Yig, this monster appeared for the first time, and later it was used in several other platforms, including board games!
AZATHOTH
How terrifying could their ruler be if the Outer Gods are so terrifying? Azathoth is a perfect representation of the monstrosity that the powerful beasts’ leader could be. He is appropriately regarded as a symbol of primordial chaos, and he is linked to some of the most terrifying creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos, including Yog-Sothoth and Cthulhu.
Azathoth has been mentioned not only in Lovecraft’s works, but also in the works of other authors. The first recorded mention is in a note sent by Lovecraft to himself, in which he states that Azathoth is a dreadful name.
Like many other iconic monsters created by Lovecraft, this one too finds detailed mention in his letters. He wrote to Frank Belknap Long detailing the horrors of this monster and linking it to a novel by William Beckford that narrated the stories of a supernatural caliph.
Later, we find mention of Azathoth in the stories titled The Whisperer in Darkness and The Dreams in the Witch House. It is mighty tough to describe this monster because every individual views it in a different form.
He is ever-changing, and his physical manifestation is continuous with a spot in the center of the galaxy. His followers and worshippers perform some unspeakable practices that include obscene rites involving still-living victims. The insane creature is a real contender for one of Lovecraft’s favourite monsters from his own inventions, and the cruel torment and horrors transfer into love for him!
DAGON
Dagon is a massive humanoid beast with a height of well over fifty feet. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the Lovecraft-created Deep One beings. It does, however, have a fish-like face with gills and a slimy, scaled hide.
Many people believe Dagon is the Great Old One, while others say the creature has grown to ridiculous proportions yet is actually a Deep One creature. Dagon is expected to continue to expand in size throughout its life.
Dagon is an oceanic God, worshipped alongside the great Cthulhu and Mother Hydra. It exists somewhere in the Pacific Ocean along the East of Java, and there are many stories penned down around this monster.
Its worshippers are a cult, and over the years the size of this cult has grown considerably smaller and more secretive. In operation Project X, in the Lovecraft-inspired Cthulhu Mythos, a plan was hatched to destroy the trio of Great Old Ones, including Dagon, Mother Hydra, and Cthylla. However, the mission failed, and the monsters managed to escape out of it alive.
It is believed that the inspiration of this grotesque monster came to Lovecraft from an ancient deity found after excavations of the Mesopotamian civilization. The deity was apparently of the same name and was worshipped as the lord of fishing and fertility. You will find indirect references to this unique monster in popular movies and shows like The Witcher and Game of Thrones!
SHOGGOTH
Every time you think you’ve seen everything there is to see about the Cthulhu Mythos, Lovecraft surprises you with something new! Shoggoths are a type of amorphous, shape-shifting monster that the Elder Things genetically developed to serve as their servants.
They were designed to be dumb, but things didn’t go as planned, and these animals eventually revolted against their creators and masters. They were responsible for the extinction of the Elder Things, and these monsters may now be found in remote locations all across the earth.
It is tough to give you an exact description of a shape-shifting monster, but Shoggoths are usually seen as a shapeless blob of self-shaping gelatinous flesh. You can imagine something like a giant amoeba for a more appropriate idea about these creatures. It can change its shape into whatever it wants and can move at breathtaking speeds.
The manner of its attacks is also something unique because it crushes its victims to death after enveloping them and using suction-force to decapitate them. In fact, this is how they fought back against their masters. A very strange feature of this monster is its eerie cry that is somewhat like penguins crying out in their shrill voice.
As per various storylines, the Deep Ones often ally with the Shoggoths, and they find mention even in the Marvel Multiverse. This monster was first seen in the story At the Mountains of Madness, and since then, prominent authors like Edgar Allen Poe has taken the reference of this mythical beast for their stories.
KASSOGTHA
This is probably Cthulhu’s sister and partner, and is one of the Great Old Ones. She was the second bride of the monstrous Cthulhu and is known as a writhing tangle of tentacles. Her tentacles may not appear as threatening as those of the other monsters, yet she may inflict just as much damage by trapping her prey between their stretched tendrils.
She also possesses a set of razor-sharp teeth capable of ripping through her prey. There is no getting away from the ferocious Kassogtha once you’ve been trapped.
She is one of the most violent monsters in the Cthulhu mythos, and even Cthulhu had some trouble subduing her before he could proceed with the mating rituals. This powerful monster then gave birth to twin daughters that resemble Cthylla.
As for her powers, she can crush her prey to death using her tentacles, like we already discussed. Besides this, she also poisons the waters that she resides in, a quality that has earned her the title of Leviathan of Diseases. She first appeared in a story titled Nightmare’s Disciple, and there have been multiple storylines that elaborate on her powers and origins.
She can also be summoned to Earth, but the process involves a complex ritual of death, sex, and a mysterious chant from Fu-Shen’s Zhou Texts. Lovecraft’s source of inspiration while creating this monster is unknown, but it could well be one of his hauntingly vivid nightmares.
CTHULHU
Cthulhu is a fictitious cosmic monster that originally appeared in the short novel The Call of Cthulhu. He is regarded to be one of the Great Old Ones and is the most well-known of Lovecraft’s monsters. He has been a vital element of popular culture, influencing numerous other horrific things, in addition to featuring in several stories and films.
Cthulhu, according to Lovecraft’s vision, is a giant, octopus-like being with traits of both a dragon and a human in one body! He has a stretchy body with scales and vicious claws on his hind and forefeet, which can be used as weapons.
Cthulhu stands hundreds of meters tall and has webbed human arms and legs that complement its hideous appearance. The octopus-like head also comes with a number of tentacles that originate from its supposed mouth.
This god-like monstrosity is a manifestation of chaos and destruction and has lived from times when humans didn’t even exist. After the introduction with a story by Lovecraft, Cthulhu was seen in a popular role-playing game, and soon, the detailing of this monster began to take shape.
When we hear stories about Lovecraft having some disturbing dreams and visions that led to the ideas behind most of the monsters, it doesn’t come as a surprise because no one in the right frame of mind could imagine something as horrendous as Cthulhu!
MI-GO
This is a fictional alien creature created by H.P. Lovecraft’s brilliant imagination. Mi-Go is nearly the same size as an adult person, and the strange-looking creature is actually a fungus.
These monsters feature lozenge-shaped heads with short antennas, and the bodies of huge insects with many limbs and wings. The insectoid creature can travel at incredible speeds through space, but the atmosphere slows it down significantly.
These alien monsters are incredibly hostile to humans, but a few of them can be found on the Earth. According to the Cthulhu mythos, Mi-Go has established a colony on a planet named Yuggoth, which is right outside our Solar System.
The ones on Earth repeatedly send human samples to Yuggoth, but it is not known why these creatures perform such activities. Their home planet has many designs that can be used to conduct certain rituals mentioned in the Necronomicon, but these monsters have a strange ability to detect any similar design created by humans.
In that case, they attack the human victims and exterminate them along with the copies that they possess. You cannot photograph these creatures because they are made of alien matter that reflects light differently than we know. It is amusing how the Mi-Go can communicate by changing the color of their heads, but their vicious attacks are no joking matter!
Glaaki
A lake near Brichester, England is supposed to be home to this aquatic monster. One of the few possible locations for this mythological beast from space is this mystery lake in the Severn Valley! Glaaki is reported to have come to Earth after being imprisoned by a meteor that fell and settled on the planet.
On impact, he was released and has since taken refuge in the lake. This ancient creature is a Great Old One, which means he knows everything there is to know about everyone else in the area.
He enjoys a cult following where the followers worship his sorceries knowledge, and they even had a holy book, The Revelations of Glaaki. The appearance of Glaaki is enough to send shivers down your spine. He has a creepy sluggish appearance, and his body is covered in metallic spines.
These spines are organic growths, and there are deadly tentacles at the tips of his eyes. This allows him to check out his surroundings while still remaining underwater. Is Glaaki vicious? Well, so far, nothing has been known on that because of the minimal human interactions.
Yibb-Tsll
This Lovecraftian creature, sometimes known as The Patient One, is an enigmatic God. It stands at the centre of the cosmos and is one of the wisest monsters, only Yog-Sothoth being smarter. This monster’s specific appearance is unknown, but it has been characterised as a tentacle beast with a strange alien skull.
The monster’s frightening appearance is enhanced by its detached eyes, and according to some tales, it is rather motionless. Innumerable Night-gaunts drink black milk from its multiple breasts behind its enormous bat wings!
Yibb-Tsll has a strange power that resides in his blood, the Black. It can be used to smother the victim as it takes the form of black snowflakes that stick to him. If this mighty God touches the victim, it can be fatal, but on rare occasions, it can also be beneficial.
We got a taste of this hideous monster in The Horror at Oakdene and later in The Caller of the Black. All we can vouch for is that you certainly don’t want Yibb-Tsll in your nightmares ever!