Sandy petersens cthulhu mythos (1) 197

support is the formation of Cthugha. However, when

as the one in charge of continued development of the

cultists are added to the equation, greater collectives

species. Deep ones sworn to Mother Hydra may be

can be realized. The goal of these cults is to form such

mutated or keep deep-sea monsters as pets.

a stage beyond that of Cthugha: a supernova that can
destroy entire worlds. There are stages even beyond
this, which can potentially cause a massive explosion
so powerful it can birth entire universes. Some sages
believe this is how our own reality came to be, at the
dawn of creation.
Mortal worshippers of Cthugha are sophisticated
and, in their own odd way, high-minded and forwardlooking. They believe it inevitable that the natural
and supernatural forces of death, darkness, and cold
will someday overtake all existence. In replicating the
unimaginably powerful event that they believe birthed
the universe by forming a mega-Cthugha, they hope to
reset this course and lengthen the life of the universe.
Gathering enough souls dedicated to such a cause may
require populations larger than a single world, perhaps
requiring an entire star system of worshippers bonding
with fire vampires in a great collective ritual. Then and
only then, the cult of Cthugha can bring about the
death of this universe and the birth of a new one.

Father Dagon and
Mother Hydra
All deep ones honor and follow Father Dagon, and they
form cults such as the Esoteric Order of Dagon to force
their human followers and hybrid spawn to worship
him. This worship strengthens him and empowers his
supernatural abilities. A major purpose of the cult is to
carry out the military, political, and religious functions
of deep one society.
Less well known to non-deep ones (even among
their land-dwelling allies and hybrid children) is their
servitude to Mother Hydra. As with Father Dagon, the
deep ones do not truly worship her but pay her homage

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Ghatanothoa
Cultists of Ghatanothoa primarily work to appease
their dread deity so that it does not issue forth from
its fiery lair and destroy those who live in the volcano’s
vicinity. Ghatanothoa prefers live sentient creatures
for sacrifices for this purpose. Unlike most Mythos
cults, this one serves a useful purpose and its priests
see worship as a civic duty. The cult estimates the
number of sacrifices required each year to stay the
god’s wrath, works with political and military leaders
to ensure a sufficient number are obtained, and carries
out the necessary rituals. For example, the local general
captures as many war prisoners as possible by raiding,

and then the priests hold lotteries among their own
people to determine who will be sacrificed to make up
the remainder.
One might think it madness that people dare
to reside so near to Ghatanothoa’s volcano, but the
constant mixture of lava and ash makes the soil of the
surrounding countryside fertile and lush. The cult can
also beseech Ghatanothoa to project gnarled roots or
otherwise shift the nearby land, such as to neutralize
an invading army. Also, those aware of the curse of
Ghatanothoa’s presence in lands where it is worshipped
rarely have an interest in raiding or otherwise directly
interfering with the people there.
The cult has spread at times to other lands,
geographically far from Ghatanothoa’s volcano itself.
These cults are heinous groups, often led by a lich or
demi-lich mummified by Ghatanothoa, which use
the god to further their own ends. In their rituals,
they open a magical portal to the distant volcano’s
interior that they might reveal Ghatanothoa and
deliver sacrifices, in return for which their god extends