Yog-Sothoth

All-in-One and One-in-All

In Randolph Carter's transdimensional journeys by means of the silver key, he encountered a being that may have been Yog-Sothoth; Carter experienced it as "an All-in-One and One-in-All of limitless being and self—not merely a thing of one space-time continuum, but allied to the ultimate animating essence of existence's whole unbounded sweep—the last, utter sweep which has no confines and which outreaches fancy and mathematics alike." Carter learned that this entity is one of a number of archetypes that exist outside of space, each of which has many phases that manifest in our world as a variety of seemingly separate individuals. Among these archetypes, the "All-in-One" who spoke to Carter is the supreme archetype, and the archetype of all great wizards, thinkers, and artists, including Carter himself. [Gates (online text)]

The Ancient Ones (1), including 'Umr at-Tawil, are Yog-Sothoth's manifestations on the transdimensional extension of Earth. [Gates (online text)]

Family

Yog-Sothoth was descended from The Nameless Mist. His spouse was Shub-Niggurath, and their offspring were Nug and Yeb. [HPL Family (online text)] Since the Old Ones of K'n-yan referred to the husband of Shub-Niggurath as the Not-to-Be-Named One, this was presumably a euphemism for Yog-Sothoth [HPL Mound (online text)].

Guardian of the Gate

The Necronomicon also describes Yog-Sothoth in mystically effusive terms, as the "key to the gate, whereby the spheres meet." He transcends time: "Past, present, future, all are one in Yog-Sothoth." He knows where the Old Ones broke through to our world of old, and where they shall break through again. Since he is the "key and guardian of the gate," it seems that Yog-Sothoth can enable the Old Ones to break through to our world again. [Dunwich (online text)] The Necronomicon quote does not state that Yog-Sothoth is actually one of the Old Ones himself; but this later becomes clear, because in the course of The Dunwich Horror, Yog-Sothoth is shown to have the other attributes that Alhazred attributes to the Old Ones: invisible, foul-smelling, and given to begetting offspring on humanity. His two offspring spawned on Lavinia Whateley were the twins, Wilbur Whateley and his unnamed older brother.

According to Randolph Carter, Yog-Sothoth's worshippers include secret cults of earth, as well as the Outer Ones ("crustaceans of Yuggoth") and the vaporous brains of the spiral nebulae [Gates (online text)]. Henry Akeley referred to the Yog-Sothoth cycle as an example of myths antedating the coming of man to the earth, which are hinted at in the Necronomicon [Whisperer (online text)]. Alhazred worshipped Yog-Sothoth [History (online text)].

Old Whateley and his family held ceremonies around the table-like rock, presumably serving as a sacrificial altar, on Sentinel Hill. The invocation was done in the light of huge bonfires with Old Whateley reciting from a large book. The ceremonies were probably performed nude, as Silas Bishop once saw an unclothed Lavinia and Wilbur running up Sentinel Hill on Hallowe'en. Other ceremonies to Yog-Sothoth or similar entities seem to have been held amid the circles of stone pillars that crown most of the hills around Dunwich, for Earl Sawyer noticed a smell on Old Whateley and at the Whateley place similar to one he had smelled near the Indian circles on the hills. Zebulon Whateley suggested that rites ought to be performed in the stone circles, apparently for defense against the Dunwich Horror (Wilbur's older brother). [Dunwich (online text)]

The ceremonial days of European paganism seem to be of great significance to the followers of Yog-Sothoth. Henry Armitage referred to Wilbur's father as a "Roodmas horror" and surmised that Wilbur was conceived on May-Eve (Roodmas). Wilbur was born on Candlemas. Old Whateley died on Lammas Night . The Whateley family held major ceremonies on Sentinel Hill on May Eve and Hallowe'en. Wilbur saw entities resembling his brother on May Eve on the hill . Wilbur seems to have sacrificed his own mother Lavinia on Hallowe'en.

Old Whateley advised Wilbur to open up the gates to Yog-Sothoth with the long chant on page 751 of the complete edition of the Necronomicon. Wilbur copied this formula from the Latin version at Miskatonic Library. As Wilbur died, he muttered the cryptic phrase "N'gai, n'gha'ghaa, bugg-shoggog, y'hah: Yog-Sothoth, Yog-Sothoth". Similarly, as Wilbur's brother was finally vanquished by a spell, he cried out "FATHER! FATHER! YOG-SOTHOTH!".

Like the Old Ones, Wilbur's brother was invisible, but Wilbur could see it a little when he made the Voorish sign or blew the powder of Ibn Ghazi at it. Dr. Armitage learned how to make the powder. Yog-Sothoth's form can perhaps be inferred from the brief glimpse that Curtis Whateley got of Wilbur's brother, when it was revealed by the Professors' sprayer: shaped somewhat like a hen's egg, and jelly-like, lacking solidity; seemingly composed of many separate wriggling ropes pushed close together; grey with blue or purple rings; bulging eyes scattered all over; and ten or twenty trunks with mouths opening and closing; "an octopus, centipede, spider kind o' thing." Henry Armitage commented that the thing looked more like the father than Wilbur did.

On the other hand, at Rogers' Museum, the statue of Yog-Sothoth looked like a congeries of iridescent globes [Museum (online text)]. This could have been a symbolic image meant to convey Yog-Sothoth's role as the "key to the gate, whereby the spheres meet."

According to Wilbur's diary, the plan for the return of the Old Ones and Yog-Sothoth called for the "clearing off" of all earth beings from earth. In Dr. Armitage's delirium, he raved of a plan for certain Elder Things to extirpate all earth life and drag the earth "from the solar system and cosmos of matter into some other plane or phase of entity from which it had once fallen, vigintillions of aeons ago."

Raiser of the Dead

Joseph Curwen summoned "Yogge-Sothothe," who revealed to Curwen how to create a spell that would cause a descendant to resurrect him [HPL Case (online text)]. Yog-Sothoth was also invoked by Charles Dexter Ward to resurrect Curwen. Simon Orne closed a letter to Curwen with the cryptic phrase "Yogg-Sothoth Neblod Zin," which perhaps implied that Curwen and his friends were devotees of Yog-Sothoth. After Curwen's revival in modern times, he wrote a note indicating that he had raised Yog-Sothoth thrice. Dr. Willett found the spells invoking Yog-Sothoth to resurrect the dead from their salts, or to return them back to their salts, and later used the second spell to destroy Curwen. Regarding the goals of Curwen, Orne, and their cohort Edward Hutchinson, Willett concluded that "They were robbing the tombs of all the ages, including those of the world's wisest and greatest men. . . . from what was extorted from this centuried dust there was anticipated a power and wisdom beyond anything which the cosmos had ever seen concentrated in one man or group." If Willett was correct, the conspirator's goal was far different—more personal and limited—than the Whateleys plan to bring the wholesale return of the Old Ones.

Allies and Enemies

Robert Blake wrote "Yog-Sothoth save me" when he saw the approach of that avatar of Nyarlathotep known as the Haunter of the Dark [Haunter (online text)]. The implication seems to be that a human could look to Yog-Sothoth as a protective entity, at least under certain conditions. Perhaps there is also an implication of some enmity between Yog-Sothoth and Nyarlathotep?

Danforth mentioned Yog-Sothoth when speaking of his glimpse of what lay beyond the Antarctic mountains of madness [Mountains (online text)]. Since the crinoid Old Ones of Antarctica lived in dread fear of those mountains, this raises the possibility that Yog-Sothoth was somehow the cause of that fear.

Yog-Sothoth in Derleth Stories

Yog-Sothoth is one of the Great Old Ones (3) aka Ancient Ones (2) aka Evil Ones (1). [AWD Hastur, Sandwin] Yog-Sothoth is the most powerful of these beings [Island, Keeper, Whippoorwills], and shares the dominion of Azathoth. [Lurker]

Yog-Sothoth is the All-in-One and One-In-All, upon whom are no strictures of time or space [Curwen, Gable (online text), Gorge, Keeper, Seal (online text)].

Yog-Sothoth is the key to the gate whereby the spheres meet [Lurker]. He is the Guardian of the Threshold, the Keeper of the Gate [Whippoorwills].

Earth Elemental

David read in forbidden books at the Miskatonic that Yog-Sothoth is one of the earth elementals [Sandwin]. Prof. Upton Gardner's notes said that Yog-Sothoth is of earth. Tony Alwyn read in the forbidden texts at Miskatonic University that Yog-Sothoth is a dweller in the depths of the earth [Beyond2]. On the other hand, Marius Phillips read that Yog-Sothoth is not an elemental, but belongs to the time-space continua. [Seal (online text)]

Appearance

Yog-Sothoth is the only one of the Great Old Ones (3) who can take the form of a "congeries" (that is, a collection) of shining globes [Whippoorwills]. His appearance as a congeries of iridescent globes is only a disguise concealing the primal horror beneath. Winfield Phillips glimpsed Yog-Sothoth and described a charnel, nauseating smell, and great globes of light, which broke apart to reveal black, slimy, frothing protoplasmic flesh. [Lurker]

And the Elder Gods

Yog-Sothoth and the other Great Old Ones (3) are in terrible, unceasing conflict with the Elder Gods (1). [Survivor (online text), Valley (online text)]

The Necronomicon foretells that Great Old Ones (3) shall return and Yog-Sothoth shall bring his "globes" [Lurker]. Marius Phillips and Asa Clarke expected the day of the resurrection, when Yog-Sothoth will be among the beings who rise again and vanquish the Elder Gods [Seal (online text)]. The Great Race fear the future time when Yog-Sothoth and the other Ancient Ones (2) escape from their bondage [Space].

Offspring and Agents

Yog-Sothoth has a "loathsome brood," according to Clithanus [Depths (online text)].

When Jonathan Bishop found giant claw marks of winged creatures, he thought they might possibly be servants of Yog-Sothoth [Lurker].

Yog-Sothoth's agents include ’Umr At-Tawil and the Ancient Ones (2) [Curwen].

Cult

Asaph Gilman wrote in a letter that worship of Yog-Sothoth is less wide-spread than that of Cthulhu [Gorge].

In the Necronomicon

Laban Shrewsbury said of Abdul Alhazred's book Al Azif, that none other had ever come so close to revealing the secrets of Yog-Sothoth [Keeper]. The Necronomicon copy in the Field Museum speaks of Yog-Sothoth [Depths (online text)]. Stephen Bates found an excerpt from the Necronomicon that speaks of Yog-Sothoth. Winfield Phillips read more of Yog-Sothoth in another Necronomicon excerpt [Lurker].

Invocations

Jonathan Bishop closed a letter with the salutation "Yogge-Sothothe Neblod Zin" [Lurker].

Ambrose Dewart, in his sleep, recited a passage of instructions (possibly from the Necronomicon) for raising up Yog-Sothoth: "To bring up Yogge-Sothothe thou shalt wait upon the sun in the fifth house, with Saturn in trine; then shalt thou draw the pentagram of fire, saying the ninth verse thrice, repeating which each Roodemas and Hallow’s Eve causeth the Thing to breed in the Outside Spaces beyond the gate, of which Yogge-Sothothe is the Guardian." [Lurker]

Mis' Bishop was heard muttering "N’gai, n’gha’ghaa, shoggog, y’hah, Nyarla-to, Nyarla-totep, YogSotot, n-yah, n-yah." [Lurker]

Ambrose Dewart, while possessed by Richard Billington, uttered the cry "N’gai, n’gha’ghaa, y’hah -Yog-Sothoth!" and also this invocation: "Iä! Iä! N’ghaa, n’n’ghai-ghai! Iä! Iä! N’ghai, n-yah, n-yah, shoggog, phthaghn! Iä! Iä! Y-hah, y-nyah, y-nyah! N’ghaa, n’n’ghai, waf’l pthaghn-Yog-Sothoth! Yog-Sothoth! . . ." Quamis the Indian continued the rite "Iä! Iä! Yog-Sothoth! Ossadagowah!" [Lurker]

Abel Harrop's handwritten book included directions for summoning Yog-Sothoth, possibly copied from the Necronomicon. Dan Harrop heard chanting of "Lllllll-nglui, nnnnn-lagl, fhtagn-ngah, ai Yog-Sothoth!" [Whippoorwills]

Prof. Jordan Holmes spoke a Latin incantation from the Confessions of Clithanus to banish the loathsome brood of Yog-Sothoth. [Depths (online text)]

And the Billingtons

Inhabitants of Billington House, near Dunwich, have repeatedly performed ceremonies at a round tower to summon beings from the outside over the course of centuries. The summoners included Richard Billington, Alijah Billington, Ambrose Dewart, and Misquamacus/Quamis. Jonathan Bishop of New Dunnich (Dunwich) was engaged in similar efforts. Yog-Sothoth may be one of the beings they summoned. Dr. Seneca Lapham speculated about the identity of the lurker at the threshold, the entity that was being summoned by Ambrose Dewart and Quamis. When the being appeared, it proved to be Yog-Sothoth. However, since it was established earlier that Ossadagowah was imprisoned at the round tower, it seems likely that Yog-Sothoth was being summoned only in his role as gatekeeper, to allow Ossadagowah to return. Note Quamis's exclamation: "Iä! Iä! Yog-Sothoth! Ossadagowah! . . ." [Lurker]

Other Mentions

Mis' Bishop uttered a chant that mentioned "YogSotot" [Lurker].

Jonathan Bishop mentioned Yog-Sothoth in a letter to Alijah Billington [Lurker].

Dan Harrop also inwardly heard the name Yog-Sothoth chanted along with other Ancient Ones (2). Dan Harrop dreamed that he was one of the Chosen Ones, belonging to Yog-Sothoth [Whippoorwills].

Henry Lucas, in his delirious ravings, mentioned the god Yog-Sothoth [Ithaqua].

Sylvan Phillips wrote of Yog-Sothoth in his notes [Seal (online text)].

Ward Phillips wrote of Yog-Sothoth in his fictions [Lamp (online text)].

Other Sources

Edgar Gordon claimed to be able to describe Yog-Sothoth from his dreams [RB Demon].

Albert Keith dreamed of creatures chanting to Yog-Sothoth. Reverend Nye spoke of Yog-Sothoth to his congregation at the Starry Wisdom Temple. The being possessing Orin Sanderson said that Yog-Sothoth and other Great Old Ones created animals to feed humanity, and created humanity to feed on our emotions. Yog-Sothoth's priest is Cthulhu. [RB Strange]

The tiny man from the bookstore said that the Book talks of frightful and omniscient Yok-Zothoth [HH Guardian].

The Hooded Monk posed as a Mongolian priest of Yog-Sothoh [REH Bear].

Professor Kirowan admitted that cults like that of Yog-Sothoth might have existed in the past, but denied that such cults survive today [REH Children (online text)].

John Grimlan hinted that he knew of Yog-Sothoth [REH Dig (online text)].

As Xuthltan died, he called on Yog-Sothoth and other gods to curse the false king and the Fire of Asshurbanipal [REH Fire (online text)].

Franz, twenty-first Baron Kralitz, learned of the strange pleasures that the followers of leprous, subterranean Yog-Sothoth may possess [HK Kralitz (online text)].

The narrator called out to Yog-Sothoth and other deities while in a trance state due to contact with an octopoid amulet [FBL Awakening].

The Ice-Goddess Ythillin referred to Yog-Sothoth as one of the Old Ones [FBL Gift].

Boys in the late Elmer Harrod's house heard the name Yog-Sothoth chanted from underground [JVS Dead].

Aka: Iog-Sotot; Guardian of the Threshold; Keeper of the Gate; Lurker at the Threshold; Yog-Sototl; Yok-Zothoth.

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