Nodens

A being of great antiquity, described variously as hoary, immemorial, archaic, and primal. Nodens visited the Strange High House in the Mist, traveling in a great sea shell on dolphins' backs, in company with Neptune (1), nereids, and tritons. Nodens himself is described as of "grey and awful form" with wizened hand. Nodens might be dangerous to consort with too closely, for after he took Thomas Olney and his host for a ride, it was said that Olney was never the same and seemed to have lost his spirit [HPL Mist (online text)]. In the dreamland, Nodens is the lord of the night-gaunts, who own not Nyarlathotep but hoary Nodens as their lord [HPL Kadath (online text)]. This is noteworthy since Nyarlathatotep appears in other respects to be the most powerful being in the dreamland, as the soul and messenger of the Other Gods, who "protect" the meek gods of Earth.

Randolph Carter seemed to think that Nodens might even be more powerful than the Other Gods, for "even were unexpected things to come from the Other Gods, who are prone to oversee the affairs of earth's milder gods, the night-gaunts need not fear; for the outer hells are indifferent matters to such silent and slippery flyers as own not Nyarlathotep for their master, but bow only to potent and archaic Nodens." Nevertheless, it transpires that the Other Gods are able to control the night-gaunts, which suggests that the Other Gods are stronger than Nodens after all. When Randolph Carter narrowly escapes being transported to the realm of Azathoth, Nodens provides no help except to bellow "his guidance from unhinted deeps." [HPL Kadath (online text)] It is not clear why Nodens was interested in Carter's fate; perhaps Nodens is a patron god of dreamers, or perhaps simply a rival or enemy of Azathoth and the Other Gods.

In his title Lord of the Great Abyss [Mist (online text), Kadath (online text)], Nodens seems a bit reminiscent of Azathoth who dwells outside the ordered universe. Unlike Azathoth, however, Nodens is not described as mindless, and it seems that he might aid or befriend humans on some occasions. It is possible that Noden's influence is limited to dream realms, since (1) it is there that his night-gaunts are active, and (2) it seems that he took Olney's soul to some transcendent, dreamlike realm. On this theory, the Strange High House would have to be regarded as a rare gateway between our realm and that of Nodens.

In Celtic mythology, Nodens (or Nodons) was a god of healing. Accounts of Noden's shrine at Lydney in Gloucesterhire may have inspired Arthur Machen to include Nodens in the inscription at the end of his story "The Great God Pan." (See "The Great God Nodens" at http://www.cafes.net/ditch/nodens.htm ). In that story, Nodens/Pan's mating with a mortal woman leads to the birth of a daughter of strongly evil powers.

In August Derleth's stories, Nodens is the only named one of the Elder Gods (1) [AWD Gable (online text)]. Since the Elder Gods (1) are said to be benevolent, this would make Nodens a beneficent deity.

By contrast, Phillips Keith identified Primal Nodens as a synonym for Satan, the archetype of evil. [RB Hell (online text)]

A Druid priest on Anglesey in Roman times swore by Primal Nodens [RB DarkIsle].

Aka: Lord of the Great Abyss; Primal One.

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