Difference between revisions of "Tsathoggua"

From Marillia
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Tsathoggua's idols often depict him as a giant toad-like monstrosity, morbidly obese and often sleeping. He is ever-hungering. In the words of Clark Ashton Smith himself:
Tsathoggua's idols often depict him as a giant toad-like monstrosity, morbidly obese and often sleeping. He is ever-hungering. In the words of Clark Ashton Smith himself:


<blockquote>''You shall know Tsathoggua by his great girth''<ref>whichisalsowhatisayaboutmyselfbutthatsanothermatter</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>''You shall know Tsathoggua by his great girth''<ref>Which is also what I say about myself but for different reasons.</ref></blockquote>


Nice.
Nice.
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== Lineage ==
== Lineage ==


Lovecraft describes Tsathoggua as the offspring of [[Yeb]], but [[Clark Ashton Smith | CAS]] describes him as being born of [[Ghisguth]] and [[Zystulzhemgni]].
Lovecraft describes Tsathoggua as the offspring of [[Yeb]], which would make him the "grandson" of Yog-Sothoth and Shub-Niggurath; the "great-grandson" of the Nameless Mist and Eternal Darkness; and the "great-great-grandson" of [[Azathoth]].
 
[[Clark Ashton Smith | Clark Ashton Smith's]] account differs. He describes describes Tsathoggua as being born of [[Ghisguth]] and [[Zystulzhemgni]]. Ghisguth, so he says, is the spawn of [[Cxaxukluth]] (who'd be Tsathoggua's "grandfather"), and brother of [[Hziulquoigmnzhah]] (who'd be Tsathoggua's "uncle"). Cxaxukluth is said to be the spawn of [[Azathoth]] (who'd be Tsathoggua's "great-grandfather."
 
It's also possible that somehow both Lovecraft and CAS are correct. There are other conflicting stories as well, such as the story that Tsathoggua did descend from Cxaxukluth but that Cxaxukluth split himself into Nug and Yeb, and that was it was Yeb who mothered Tsathoggua.
 
Confusing, I know.
 
Anyway, here's the family tree according to CAS:
 
<nowiki>
Azathoth
  |
Cxaxukluth
    |
  +-+------------------+
  |                    |
Hziulquoigmnzhah    Ghisguth --+-- Zystulzhemgni
                              |
                          Tsathoggua --+-- Shathak
                                        |
                                    Zvilpogghua
                                        |
                                    Sfatlicllp
</nowiki>


== Endnotes ==
== Endnotes ==

Revision as of 04:55, 11 September 2021

Tsathoggua.jpg

Tsathoggua (I pronounce this "tsath-oh-GOO-uh" or "tsuh-THOH-goo-uh," but I've also heard it's "zuh-THOG-wuh"), also known as Zhothaqquah and the Sleeper of N'kai, is an entity described as a Great Old One.

Tsathoggua's idols often depict him as a giant toad-like monstrosity, morbidly obese and often sleeping. He is ever-hungering. In the words of Clark Ashton Smith himself:

You shall know Tsathoggua by his great girth[1]

Nice.

Lineage

Lovecraft describes Tsathoggua as the offspring of Yeb, which would make him the "grandson" of Yog-Sothoth and Shub-Niggurath; the "great-grandson" of the Nameless Mist and Eternal Darkness; and the "great-great-grandson" of Azathoth.

Clark Ashton Smith's account differs. He describes describes Tsathoggua as being born of Ghisguth and Zystulzhemgni. Ghisguth, so he says, is the spawn of Cxaxukluth (who'd be Tsathoggua's "grandfather"), and brother of Hziulquoigmnzhah (who'd be Tsathoggua's "uncle"). Cxaxukluth is said to be the spawn of Azathoth (who'd be Tsathoggua's "great-grandfather."

It's also possible that somehow both Lovecraft and CAS are correct. There are other conflicting stories as well, such as the story that Tsathoggua did descend from Cxaxukluth but that Cxaxukluth split himself into Nug and Yeb, and that was it was Yeb who mothered Tsathoggua.

Confusing, I know.

Anyway, here's the family tree according to CAS:

Azathoth
   |
Cxaxukluth
    |
  +-+------------------+
  |                    |
Hziulquoigmnzhah    Ghisguth --+-- Zystulzhemgni
                               |
                           Tsathoggua --+-- Shathak
                                        |
                                    Zvilpogghua
                                        |
                                    Sfatlicllp

Endnotes

  1. Which is also what I say about myself but for different reasons.