Nodens - The Elder God and Lord of the Abyss

Among the forces constituting the known Universe, with their many powers and hierarchies, the Elder Gods may be the most unfathomable.

In fact, we know little about this host of obscure deities and entities of enormous power that some theorists say inhabit a distant site in Betelgeuse or an Alternative Dimension known to scholars as Elysia. For others, they would live in another reality named enigmatically as the House of the Hourglass, somewhere in the Dreamlands.

According to the legends, at some time in the distant past, long before mankind arose, the Great Old Ones, beings of immense power, created by the Elder Gods to act as their servants, revolted and started an unprecedented war. The confrontation was costly for both sides, and the Elder Gods suffered heavy casualties and many of them found their destruction. This War ended when the Elder Gods took advantage of a fortuitous Cosmic Configuration that forced the Great Old Ones to hibernate. However, this drained considerably their powers and also forced them to return to their original worlds. According to the legends, the Elder Gods will return when the stars are right and the fatal configuration is set. This will mark the awakening of their fearsome adversaries and the breaking of the chains that keep them imprisoned.

Ironically mankind knows very little about the Elder Gods, since they disappeared long before the Age of Man. Only a few esoteric texts, most of them apocryphal, mention them, and when they do, in an uncertain or reticent way as if the knowledge about them had been fragmented. For some, this is due to the interference of worshipers devoted to the Great Ones (Cthulhu, Hastur, and Ghatanathoa primarily) that would have erased the records of the Gods so that mankind could never resort to them. In fact, most of the information available about these deities comes from dreamers and pilgrims from the Dreamlands who have found in there different clues about them and their cosmic role.

Among the Elder Gods the most famous may be Nodens, known as the Lord of the Great Abyss, and whose human form inspires some to believe in his sympathy for our species.

According to some, Nodens came to Earth the last time thousands of years ago and was worshiped by primitive humans who knew nothing of their origin. For some, this contact would have served as the basis for building countless myths that would later become the gods of Earth's ancient civilizations. If this is true, Nodens may be the patron of human spirituality, the one who sedimented the concepts of belief, reverence and devotion in our psyche.

Some editions of the Book of Eibon cite that Nodens would be the arch-nemesis of Yog-Sothoth and that these two entities would have fought in the beginning of time. These same sources guarantee that at a certain moment the two will meet for a final confrontation and that the struggle between them will serve to infuriate Azathoth, bringing about the End of the Universe. If this terrible assumption is true, it is possible to assume that Nodens was a much more powerful day or that his powers will increase to fight one of the most titanic Outer Gods.

The advanced inhabitants of mythical Atlantis revered Nodens under the name of Chozzar, and had it as a God of Magic. They built in their honor temples with domes and marble columns where the prelates entered in trance to receive mystical instruction. In spite of their importance, their temples were destroyed before the seas swallowed the Continent, thanks to the competition of cults like the one of Ghatanathoa.

Druids also paid homage to Nodens under the guise of "Nuada" or "Ludd" (He Who Creates the Clouds), which is possibly one of their avatars. His most important place of worship was a sacred grove on the outskirts of Lydney, in the British Isles, which was destroyed by the Romans. However, there is rumors, that the place still exists in the Dreamlands as a wood full of healing and miracles. Nodens would also have originated the belief in the infallible God of the Hunt, responsible for tracking and killing their prey. This interpretation, probably collected in the Dreamlands, may have given rise to legends about the Wild Hunt, a recurring myth in European folklore.

It is rumored that another avatar of Nodens would have been venerated on the African Continent at the dawn of humanity as a God who planted in man the seed of inspiration and ingenuity. This God whose name was forgotten would inhabit a magnificent city with towers of transparent crystal whose top touched the clouds. He received specially chosen visitors in the dreams and encourage them to fulfill their fantasies. Unfortunately many of the African oral traditions about this legend have been lost and today only a few isolated tribes still remember it.

Nodens is seen by many as a God sympathetic to humanity, a deity who loves the visionaries and welcomes utopias and fantasies, sometimes encouraging them. However, he is not always understood. In the Middle Ages, a small cult that emerged in Picardy claimed that Satan was an avatar of Nodens. The cult was declared heretic and harshly persecuted by the Church until its complete extinction.

Another belief debated in certain volumes states that Nodens would have received from the other Elder Gods the incumbency of guarding the Prison of the Great Ones - perhaps the Abyss mentioned in his title. Nodens would have the role of Keeper, charged with invoking his brothers when the stars was right and urging them to war. The vigilance of Nodens, however, would not be infallible, and at certain times, through the action of Cults or astral phenomena, the Great Ones awakened briefly. For some, the powers of Nodens, after countless millennia, began to dimish, creating loopholes for the Ancients to experience brief periods of freedom. That would be an unmistakable sign that the dreaded stellar alignment is closer than we think.

On the rare occasions when Nodens decides to present himself to mortals, he does so by assuming a human form endowed with a regal and distinct bearing. His physical appearance refers to the artistic representations of the Greek divinities of the classical period. He appears as a tall and imposing man, more than two meters tall, beard and gray hair, sometimes curly, but always growing full and wild. His eyes in some descriptions are pale blue, in others they have a turquoise coloration or a yellowish glow that shows their supernatural nature. His face is austere, but the God allows himself to smile when dealing with mortals, boasting of unshakable confidence. However, when enraged, his face molds into a mask of terrifying rage. He is versed in all the languages ​ ​​known to man, and when he speaks his words are pleasant as an autumn rain.

Nodens wears a silk or cotton toga, without ornaments, but dyed blue or immaculately white. His feet are worn with sandals of leather straps tied in the shins. Most of the time he relies on a knobbly wooden walking staff, although he clearly doesn't need such a thing. This staff never goes out of their hands and serves as a kind of artifact of authority. He uses the object to open dimensional passages, tame beasts, or channel the spells he dominates. The staff can also be used to self defense. A mere touch of his tip is enough to cause unconsciousness or if the God so desires, to cause death.

Most of the time Nodens appears in a fantastic chariot framed in the shape of a huge shell. This strange vehicle is propelled by mythological beasts, griffins, and unicorns attached to harnesses guided by Nodens. These beasts can also be ordered to defend their master and when they do, they fiercely attack anyone pointed by him. Nodens never refers to these beings by names, but seems to be able to speak to them, as all commands are immediately obeyed. Nodens carriage is able to defy natural laws, float in the air, glide or descend vertically reaching unbelievable speeds. It also moves through dimensions, realities, and enters the Dreamland as he please. The farthest corners of the Galaxy are reachable in a heartbeat.

Nodens already granted certain guests the honor of accompanying him in his chariot, even passed them the ropes and allowed them to guide the vehicle. The God seems to find the reaction of mortals curious and entertains himself by talking to them. His mood, however, disappears if he discovers that mortals are somehow allies or in collusion with the Great Ones. In that case he can simply remove them from his presence or destroy them with a touch of his wood staff. On the other hand, those who have faced the Great Ones or have become enemies of cults, gain his immediate sympathy. Under certain circumstances Nodens can provide information or even magical gifts to aid individuals who fight cult-worshipers devoted to the Great Ones.

The Lord of the Abyss is served by the Nightgaunts, faceless humanoid creatures that seem made out of sheer darkness and fly with huge bat wings. Nodens can summon a flock of them by simply raising his Staff. The creatures appear to emerge from the shadows in the numbers that the God thinks adequate. In fact, when Nodens is present the shadows seem to behave strangely, moving in an unusual way, evidencing that they hide some Nightgaunts accompanying their master. The origin of this alliance between Nodens and the Nightgaunts is unknown, but it seems inviolable.

In spite of his appearance and his affable posture towards men, one must understand something about all the Elder Gods and especially Nodens. They are not benevolent entities or friends of human as many imagine or even desire. The Elder Gods act according to their personal interest and as powerful entities, they have us as inferior forms of life, although peculiar. Nodens is the greatest representative of this behavior, looking amusing yet mildly condescending to the mortals surrounding him. Although his interest is not in destroying us or cause amy harm, Nodens wouldn't think twice about eliminate a mortal that displeases him, just as we could kill a annoying insect,

Nodens' morality is dictated exclusively by his mercurial mood, and so, any contact with the Deity is potential dangerous. He is aware of his preponderance role and is not willing to accept abuse or disrespect of any nature. If so, He would remove the cause of his frustration without a second thought. He is after all a God, and as such, unfathomable in his ethics to our fragile minds.

Perhaps the best way to interact with Nodens is accepting his advice or gifts, but simply get out of his way as soon as possible, just as ants get out of the way of boots that can crush them.

Tsathoggua - The Hungry Sleeper (Conclusion)

The High Priest of Tsathoggua Cult is usually a skilled wizard and zealous of his status. He quickly learns to commune with the Formless Spawns and uses them as guardians of the temple. The proximity to the God gives the High Priest a knowledge of the Mythos greater than any other of the subordinates. The structure of the cult resembles a pyramid, with the High Priest, sometimes a archdruid, occupying the top. A few sectarians, hand-picked and trusted, serve him, who in turn offers some instruction and make them disciples. The function of the apprentices is to coordinate the other cultists and keep them in line. The High Priest and his disciples care very little for these subaltern cultists, they are nothing more than material to supply with raw vital energy the rituals or sacrifices at times when God awakens and his hunger needs to be appeased.

The greatest and most important rituals devoted to Tsathoggua are performed on the eve of Halloween. It is in this period that God awakens briefly from his hibernation and is invoked to bless the Cult with its nefarious presence. On these occasions he appears waiting for a tribute and in return offers teaching, spells or artifacts collected by the High Priest. Rituals are always performed on new moon nights between midnight and three in the morning. In general, such rituals begin at the surface and pass into an underground environment with access to caves or deep grottos. Tsathoggua usually manifests itself in these subterranean places where it appears through portals that opens uniting the Caves of N'Kai to the place of invocation. Immediately upon manifesting, he demands a sacrifice. If satisfied after eating, he moves on to the second part of the ritual, in which he graces the cultists with his gifts, returning to the darkness where he then disappears.

Much is said of Tsathoggua's wrath when the tribute of blood is not enough to quench his voracious hunger. The Toad God feeds on flesh, and devours all those offered to him, yet his hunger varies, as does his mood. If by chance he is still hungry after devouring the sacrifices, the God will simply begin to feast on the cultists. It is not known when hunger will be appeased, but to avoid problems, cultists tend to keep a large number of victims to be offered at festivals so there is no risk. It is known of some cults that were virtually wiped out by Tsathoggua and his glutony.

Ironically, among the beings of the Mythos of Cthulhu, Tsathoggua is perhaps the least inherently evil. Still, he could never be considered a benign deity. Its most striking feature is its indifference to the human condition. It is very likely that the Toad God simply prefers to ignore human beings and their little existence since, to him, mortal beings are just irritating in their transience and represents nothing. The only instance where God devotes any tiny portion of attention to humans is when he is hungry.

The greed of Tsathoggua is well known. The Book of Eibon - a text dealing in detail about the Toad God, mentions that he is ALWAYS hungry and that his full satisfaction is impossible. He may, however, momentarily ignore his hunger to deal with other pressing matters, such as bargaining with his cultists. It is not known, however, whether eating is a necessity or a pleasure for which he has great appreciation. In most of the depictions in which he is portrayed, Tsathoggua emerges feeding or about to feed on some sacrifice offered to him. There are also images of him on a bed of crushed bones or with desperate victims trying to escape from his apetites. In all scenes, Tsathoggua always seems willing to devour more victims, giving the impression that nothing can satiate his hunger.

Another striking feature of Tsathoggua's images is his indolence. The God is treated with epithets like the somnambulist, the asleep and he is called even of lazy . Such adjectives refer to the fact that Tsathoggua being a God of little activity, who keeps sleeping or meditating most of the time, waking up for few and precious moments.

Physically Tsathoggua is an impressive entity because of its size, being at least six meters high (about 20 feet). He has, however, stocky and poorly distributed corpanzil being, with a protruding bulge shaped belly with numerous folds of flaccid skin form. The abdomen is so vast that it looks as if it could hold dozens of people at once, which is true. The general appearance of God resembles a mixture of a giant sloth and an bullfrog, bloated beyond belief. The God looks morbidly obese, with all sagging and the immense belly.

The legs are short and compact ending in huge feet adapted to support their immense weight. Dark, recurve nails protrude from the four toes on each foot. The arms are quite long and also end in four fingers endowed with the same dark nails. When he moves, he does it with a sway that resembles the movement of a huge bear balancing on its hind legs. He never moves on all fours, being a humanoid creature. Tsathogua is covered in a thick fur, with gorilla-like hairs that run down its back and accumulate in the chest, legs and genital area. This body hair is rough and tends to retain dirt patches and traces of food that get stuck producing a stench of nauseating putrefaction. The coloration varies: on the back it is mostly black with a dark green shade and more graying on the chest.

Tsathoggua has a long tail that crawls across the floor and allows him a little more balance as he moves. This tail curiously has no hairs, being smooth and muscular almost like the appendage of an amphibian still in formation. In addition to assisting in balance, the tail has no practical function. She curls up in front of him as he sits down. Tsathoggua is found almost always sitting, letting the weight of his body settle on the crouching legs, the arms resting on the circumference of the belly like a caricature of a obscene buddha.

The snoring of Tsathoggua is powerful, producing a gurgling sound as the belly rises and descends rhythmically. Other than that, it emits coughing sounds that reverberate loudly. Tsathoggua does not speak verbally, but communicates through telepathy. He knows all human languages and addresses his interlocutors with a guttural tone of baritone that sounds immensely unpleasant. He rarely looks at the person with whom he communicates, and most of the time he addresses them without even opening his eyes.

Tsathoggua's face is terribly strange, but still, it finds similarity in terrestrial animals. Some compare his head to that of an immense vampire bat or sloth, with long, pointed ears protruding from the sides. The eyes are comparatively small and rounded with black orbits, although they remain at most semi-closed. Underneath are rugged skin bags and yellow patches. The muzzle may be what most refers to a bat; flat and deep nasal cavities from which mucus flows abundantly.

The mouth is broad extending longitudinally from side to side of the face. A thick drool constantly dripping on his imense belly. The mouth is provided with small teeth, all of the same size and shape in "v", arranged in rows side by side. The teeth are not necessarily sharp, but the jaw force resembles a hydraulic press and can cut an adult man in half with a single bite. Teeth fulfill their role of processing the food by grinding the bones and cartilage that are pushed through the saliva to the gullet. Tsathoggua has a long tongue that resembles that of a toad. This tongue is brownish red and muscular, covered by a thick sticky saliva that serves to glue the prey and pull them to the mouth. A victim catched in this way is swallowed whole at once. The fate of this victim is irreversible, for the acid bile and the digestive juices of God's stomach are especially potent. A swallowed person, however, may be lucky enough to die quickly, crushed by the movements of the stomach.

It is believed that Tsathoggua is able to change its shape according to the environment in which he is. On Saturn it looked quite different - or so some texts say. There is enough evidence to suggest that he can voluntarily change his size and corporal mass as his needs dictate. If this is true, it is likely that the God uses as the "raw material" for his chosen form, the image of native animals, which explains why an alien being would have traces of animals from the terrestrial fauna.

Probably immortal by the passage of time, Tsathoggua is one of the major entities among the Great Old Ones, a being of immense power and vast knowledge who tends to be sometimes underestimated as a minor Deity. But those who confuse Tsathoggua's apparent tolerance with complacency are wrong, he has always been, and will continue to be, one of the most important cosmic forces inhabiting our System.

Tsathoggua - The Toad God in the Deep Recesses of N'Kai

Among the Great Old Ones, only Cthulhu and perhaps Hastur, have larger and more widespread cults than Tsathoggua. The hideous master of the subterranean recesses and deep caverns is known by several names, obtained throughout the ages, by different people that served him with blind obedience. It is called Sadogui in the Amazonian forests, Saint Crapaud in Gaul and Medieval France, Zhothaqquah in China and Sadogua by the tribes of North Africa. But it is through the name Tsathoggua that he is best known.

The kmer genealogist Pnom, possibly one of the greatest authorities on Tsathoggua, maintains that he is the offspring of two obscure entities called Ghisguth and Zstylzhemghi, inhabitants of another remote reality who were drawn to the World of Yuggoth (which in the future would become one of the bases of the Mi-Go). Little is known about Tsathoggua's offspring, but there are rumors that he is the only remaining member of his kind. The still infant creature would have found refuge in the deep caves of Yuggoth where it has developed over a millennia.

Once reaching maturity, Tsathoggua developed consciousness of his cosmic abilities and was able to undertake a journey from Yuggoth to Saturn (or possibly one of the Moons of this solar planet). In this new home, Tsathoggua established a shelter in which he completed the second stage of his growth, which take another several millennia.

During this period the entity spent most of its time hibernating in meditation, expanding its mind to probe the ends of the Galaxy. In this period the creature became aware of the main cosmic entities: the existence of Azathoth and its Court at the center of the Universe, the role of the Outer Gods, the function of each and of course, the existence of the other Great Ancients who share with it the same heritage. At this time, the creature have learned enough about manipulation of reality by mystical formulations - what hermetic human traditions classify under the generic name of "magic."

It is unknown when or how, but at a certain moment of his permanence on Saturn, Tsathoggua embarked on a new journey to the third planet in the solar system, the Earth, which then possessed almost innocuous life forms. According to the Manuscripts of Hsan, some extinct inhabitants of a dark planet at the border of our solar system would have been in charge of transporting Tsathoggua to Earth. The same document cites that this civilization performed this service in exchange for mystical instruction on the part of the creature. This may be the first mention of Tsathoggua as a preceptor of mystical knowledge, a function he has apparently performed repeatedly since then.

Once on Earth, Tsathoggua settled in Yuth, a ruined city originally owned by the same alien creatures with whom he bargained his transfer. The period at Yuth, however was brief, and soon it settled in the N'Kai Caves (also called the Black Gulf of N'Kai). For ages he has remained in hibernation, allowing his psychic emanations to remain active, while his numbed body rested in his deep sepulcher, awakening only in brief periods. In one of these awakened periods, Tsathoggua discovered the existence of living beings complex, the Voormis who believed he is a Deity. Inhabiting the depths of Mount Voormithadreth, Tsathoggua became a legendary entity, feared by the human peoples who succeeded the Voormis and founded the proud Kingdom of Hyperborea.

Before humans, however, Tsathoggua was the Main God of the Serpent People, a race of reptilian humanoids who built a vast empire on the surface. In Black Basalt Towers he was praised and received sacrifices, sharing his knowledge, used to set the bases for the Empire of Valusia. The serpent's people civilization fell into decadence and were coerced by the humans who push them into the land. By this time the reptiles had already deteriorated to the point of abandoning Tsathoggua, adopting Yig, the father of the Serpents, as their chief deity.

The humans discovered the Cult of Tsathoggua and formed around it a new religion considered heretic by the kings of Commorium, Hyperborea City State. When hyperboreans also faced its destruction, survivors who settled in colonies around the world carried with them the knowledge about Tsathoggua. One of the main descendants of Hyperboreans settled in Averoigne, present-day France. Founded by the might sorcerer Klarkash-Ton, it was responsible for preserving the god-toad cult.

The druids of Averoigne revered the God speaking through an oracle, the representative of Tsathoggua in periods of hibernation. This cult became widespread and spread throughout Central Europe, confusing itself with the primitive pagan religions that also gained space. Their leaders clashed with the Romans who expanded their empire and narrowly did not exterminate them. Forced to ocult their rituals, the followers of Tsathoggua had to hide until the Roman Empire fell into decay. During the medieval age, the cult of Tsathoggua established in France resurfaced. Acting secretly in rural enclaves, the Cult formed a solid structure even during the persecutions of sorcerers undertaken by the Catholic Church.

The other colonies that scattered the continents also preserved the cult of Tsathoggua that settled years later in America, Africa and Asia, albeit with less success. The native tribes of Narrangasett and Wompanoags of the east coast of the United States worshiped Tsathoggua. So did the Tuareg nomads who lived in the Sahara and indigenous tribes of the Amazon Basin in Brazil. Tsathoggua's last bastion was established in China, but it lost ground to other deities, notably Chaugnar Faugn, Cthulhu, and Atlach-Nacha, who pushed cultists to Southeast Asia, with a few cells settling into present-day Korea and Thailand.

Tsathoggua's blatant lack of interest in keeping his cults active and the long periods of hibernation undoubtedly represented a significant decrease in the number of followers. In the twentieth century, its cultists fought not to disappear completely, with only the Averoigne sect remaining cohesive and organized. But in the 21st century, Tsathoggua experienced a sudden rebirth, surviving in clandestine sanctuaries in big cities, gaining power with orgies and sacrifices. His followers are interested in neopaganism and ritual magic that fits well with some precepts of worship.

Some say that Tsathoggua awakens in times of instability and war, taking advantage of human afflictions. Others believe he cares little for the devotion of his mortal servants, sharing with them mere crumbs of his arcane knowledge. Those who attend the rituals directed to Him tend to degenerate over time, gaining bestial characteristics by the noxious proximity of the Toad God. It is not strange that some cultists have a distinctly batrachic appearance, with a swollen stomach, short necks, bulging eyes, extremely wide mouths, and little (or no) facial or body hair. Some cultists have a very smooth skin, cool to the touch and wet.

The wild beasts are especially subservient to Tsathoggua. There is a legend that stray cats tend to watch over the outskirts of His temples at Averoigne, a practice that may have originated belief in familiars, animals loyal to sorcerers. Wolfs, bears and wild boars are servants frequently used by the Druids of Tsathoggua. Carcasses animated by witchcraft are also used by cultists, especially when it is necessary to defend the temples and preserve such places from the presence of invaders.

In addition to animals and undead, the Toad God is served by an amorphous race known only as the Formless Spawn of Tsathoggua. It's unknown how this relationship, between the God and these strange beings formed. Everything indicates that they are the most faithful keepers devoted to the God. The Pnom Scrolls suggest that this life forms may have some connection with the beings who built Yuth, although some other sources attest that these creatures are native of N'Kai.

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The Sound of Flutes - The Servitors of the Outer Gods

This article is a sequel to the post about the fearsome Outer God Azathoth.

Azathoth, the all-powerful Entity, known as the Demon Sultan, reigns supreme in the Center of the Universe, unable to act on its own. Deprived of a conscious mind, it is said that it has no trace of rational intelligence. The irony that the most powerful being in the universe is incapable of making decisions and exists by itself, is only a proof of the indifference that rules everything in the cosmos.

It is up to Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, to fulfill the pressing desires of Azathoth. Treated as the Mind and Soul of the Outer Gods, he is the Herald who coordinates all efforts to keep Azathoth satisfied, otherwise great repercussions could emerge. But even an almost infallible being like Nyarlathotep has an entourage of servants to help him in this arduous task.

Little is known about the creatures that serve Azathoth, and indeed, all the other mindless Deities. They are a unique breed of misshapen beings with batrachian traits that sometimes differ from each other in such a way they hardly appear to be of the same species. Still, there are sufficient elements indicating the Servitors of the Gods have a common origin. Unfortunately, this offspring is a great mystery, over which some scholars of the ancient myths tried to know about, but from which they have emerged only with more doubts.

Abdul Al-Hazred, the famous Mad Arab, briefly quotes the Servants in his Necronomicon, giving them a few words, perhaps considering them as despicable beings in the Cosmic Court, since in their eyes they are mere servants of the Primordial Chaos. . The Yemenite says in his blasphemous tone that the sultan possesses a vast array of repulsive beings, similar to squid or toads, but also with traces of hideous reptiles, who perform various menial functions, fulfilling the role of subalterns of the court. Alhazred states that the main function of these nameless servants is to blow their flutes and produce the malicious sound that echoes across the center of the universe as a kind of maddening lullaby. The Arab cannot explain what a song like that is - or purposely does not try to do it, just by stating that the sound is produced by similar wind instruments, but not quite like the flutes. The nature of this cosmic resonance is a matter of debate; would it really be something similar to the sounds we are accustomed to hear and produce or would it be something completely different?

Caius Faber, the translator of the insidious Book of Dzyan mentions in his version, entitled The Liber Ivonis, that this "Music of the Spheres" as he calls it, is like a monotonous sound produced by hundreds, perhaps thousands of flutes playing in unison, creating an intonation that can`t be understood as music, but an absurd cacophony of bizarre sounds. Faber states that this noise affects the human mind in such a way that a few seconds of exposure to this perverse aria, is enough to lead to unconsciousness, and perhaps to utter madness.

However, it was not a writer, nor an occultist, who attempted more ambitiously to explain the nature of the Servitor's music, but a very skilled musician. Benvenutto Chieti Brodighera, an obscure Italian maestro, who lived in the eighteenth century tried to translate the Music of the Spheres to an epic concert that he called Massa di Requiem per Shuggay. Considered as virtually impossible to reproduce in a reliable way, Brodighera created even musical instruments, capable of repeating the incoherent noises included in his opera. Considered as a madman, the musician never could present the spectacle in which worked for decades. Some theorists believe that if one day Massa di Requiem is performed correctly, Azathoth will be invoked to Earth through a dimensional portal. If this presumption is true, even the few surviving scores of the cursed opera pose a serious threat, especially since, according to rumors, some sheets with musical notation were auctioned at the famous Christies of London.

But let’s discuss the nature of the enigmatic Servitor of the Outer Gods. It is again up to Caius Faber to define the creatures as a race he believed to have been created, or at least compelled by Nyarlathotep to become subservient.

Faber supposes that the nameless Servitors would belong to an ancestral race, as old as the universe itself, coerced by the power of Crawling Chaos to serve for all eternity. From where Faber drew these notions is a mystery, but for a long time he proved himself to be one of the greatest experts in such creatures, of whom, the great truth is, little is known.

According to Faber, the Servitors of the Outer Gods would have received some kind of blessing from Nyarlathotep which made them extremely resistant to the unhealthy function of serving Azathoth. Where other beings would be easily pulverized by the radiation emanating from the Demon Sultan, the Servitors endure with unshakable resistance. Neither the extreme heat nor the cold seems to have any effect on them, which allows them to approach Azathoth and in the same way survive the frozen space vacuum. Perhaps this resistance is a gift from Nyarlathotep, but it is also possible that it is nothing more than a natural advantage of these strange beings. Be that as it may, the matter that makes up the bodies of the Servitor makes them immune to the vicissitudes of most forces of the universe. The Servitors can withstand colossal impacts, falls, shocks, and powerful discharges of energy, none of these seem to vilify their bodies. The spongy-flesh absorbs all these aggressions without showing signs of injury. Indeed, when invoked, some of these beings fall from the sky, colliding with the ground without being affected by the fall. In the same way, if summoned by the Court, they enter our reality with the body in such a high temperature that constitutes a danger to anyone close.

They are probably immortal, do not age or contract degenerative diseases. They also do not need to breathe, excrete or feed; basic functions to most living things. Faber insists that Nyarlathotep's gift made them immune to everything but the distance from their master. He suggests that such beings feed on the radioactive emanations of Azathoth, establishing with him a relationship of mutualism. They serve their lord and master, receiving as reward a sustenance that only he can provide. Whether this is true or not, no one knows. In the same way, those who accompany other Outer Gods also establish with them a symbiosis or parasitism from which they extract sustenance.

Though incredibly robust, the Servitors of the Outer Gods can be injured or even destroyed.

Magic imbued objects with enchanted abilities have an effect on these creatures and are capable of killing them. It is at the very least peculiar that no man-made weapon, even the most lethal, is capable of causing injury to the Servants, yet a simple but properly enchanted blade can cut through its skin and lacerate its spongy flesh with relative ease. Mystic dusts and symbols of power, such as the famous Elder Sign, can also injure this aberration causing caustic burns when in contact with it. Wizards and conjurers prepare a stock of such enchanted items when they need to deal with Servitors. The occultist John Dee invoked them using nothing less than 21 consecrated talismans with the Elder Signs. Notwithstanding their vulnerability to magic and charms, the Servitors have a remarkable regenerative ability that allows them to overcome damage suffered in a few minutes.

It`s also a mistake believe the Servitors are mentally inferior or inept beings. The Servitors are endowed with an intelligence that puts them in a level of equality with the human race. They are perfectly capable of negotiating, rationalizing, and fawning and serving other masters. Many of these creatures are adherents of the Occult Sciences and capable of organizing Cults for the worship of their Masters. One does not know of beings like these that own their own cults; however the possibility cannot be removed. Some Sects have Servitors of the Outer Gods as part of the congregation, valuable members who actively participate in Religious Rituals. They are still Temple Guardians, Treasure Guards containing Treasures or important achievers of mystical wonders once they know spells and charms. The Cthulhu Cult in Louisiana and the followers of Nephrem Ka in Ancient Egypt, for example, enlisted Servants in their ranks. Physically the Servitors of the Outer Gods are an abominable sight. Your body looks like a mass of skin and pustular flesh of greyish-green coloration, or copper color in some cases. This mass pulsates and moves constantly with dozens of long tentacles stretching and retreating at the same time. These tentacles are extremely sensitive and each is capable of performing simultaneous tactile functions. Besides being adept, they are very strong, and a tentacle is able to easily equate the physical strength of an adult man. When more than one tentacle grabs a prey, they are able to squeeze it hard enough to shatter it limb by limb. Servant casualties are often encountered with constricted bones, torn limbs and irreparably shattered parts of the body. The tentacles are also used in the important task of playing the "flutes" that these beings always carry with them.

Servants move rolling on the base of their own body in a motion that mimics a crawl. In doing so they leave a trail of muddy substance that facilitates its progression reducing friction with the soil. There are testimonies, however, of Servitors jumping great distances driven by their muscular tentacles. Nor is it strange that such beings are capable of taking flight, although this mode of movement is rarely seen.

Above the tentacles that focus on the back, the Servitors have a kind of thorax cast to a bulbous solid head. In this great head stand out three pairs of dull and possibly blind eyes and four atrial fossae which give them a very sharp hearing used as the main sensory medium. The mouth of these creatures is narrow and oval, fitting perfectly into the mouth of the flute that is blown. The power of this breath cannot be measured by any human standard; in terms of time a Servitor can perform the same music for days without needing to take any further breath. The Servitor's mouth is not used to speak, and although they may learn different languages they prefer to communicate through sounds produced by their flutes.

Flutes are an important part of the Servitor, and so far as they are known, they are never seen without bearing these formidable instruments. Made of an unknown and virtually indestructible metal alloy, the flutes cannot be damaged even by incantations that affect their wearers. Vital information about these objects is that they cannot be claimed as treasures by those who willfully remove them from a Servitor. In the rare cases where such a thing occurs, the bearers were found dead, victims of other Servitor who tracked them and reclaimed the artifact from the hands of the usurper. John Dee was supposed to survive this "visit," but he had to give up the Flute he had in his possession, knowing he would have no rest if he kept it with him.

The flutes were not meant to be blown by humans. Those who try to do so are unable to produce any sound. It is speculated that terrible curses and all manner of communicable disease fall upon those who attempt to blow these pestilential objects.

Servitors of the Outer Gods are unusual beings and difficult to describe in human terms. They are slaves to Azathoth, and that alone tells you enough about their nature. Those who dealt with such creatures, at least the wise, did so with extreme caution, and even they knew of the inherent risk.

The final word about these beings rests with Faber who in the invocation spell explains the following: 

"Never turn your back on them, never trust them, never dare to think that you are in control when dealing with the Servitors of the Outer Gods, keep in mind what they are and what they stand for. Never assume the arrogance of believing that by submitting to these cosmic forces they will also submit to you. "

Byakhee - The Flight of the Star Steeds

"That's when we heard the powerful sound of wings, a sound unlike anything we've ever heard and considered normal." It was not the sound of a flock of birds, but the vigorous beating of a pair of leather wings. I soon realized that nothing produced that sound. At least, nothing on this planet "

Several Great Old Ones have an association with races of alien creatures. These species, too diverse to be satisfactorily cataloged, act as cultists, as slaves or as servants. There are independent races that face the power of the Gods (or other all powerful entities) and do not submit to them. Some of these races are eventually annihilated by the overwhelming power of Mythos deities, unable to deal with them, they are obliterated, ruined and cast into oblivion.

On the other hand, there are those races that choose for themselves to become faithful servants of the Mythos Entities. So it is with deep-sea creatures, the Deep Ones, who are intimately attached to Cthulhu. The black and amorphus things known as Spawn of Tsathoggua, dedicate their cursed existence to the Sleeping God of N'kai, and owe to him, perpetual obedience. Another example would be the Vampires of Fire, a race of flaming beings dancing around Cthugha, the Primordial Fire, fulfilling its desires.

But among all the Lesser Servant Races, the Byakhee, perhaps have the most unbreakable link.

Loyal Servants of Hastur, the Unspeakable and his many avatars, especially the King in Yellow, the Byakhees are so attached to this entity that when It manifests, is common to have several of them present. When invoked in his temples, Hastur is escorted by entire hosts of Byakhee who fly like a frantic phalanx, spinning around their master. On occasions when the King in Yellow is called upon to take place on his throne, He appears accompanied by byakhees, standing next to the throne as dignitaries, performing the functions of defending and guarding their master. 

Even when acting alone, the Byakhee are somehow associated with Hastur, whether it be descending from heaven to protect a temple from the presence of invaders or to capture sacrifices as part of some ritual.

Many sects dedicated to Hastur consider that the Byakhee are a useful tool that the Great Old One gives the cultists to fulfill His will. A heretical sect, which arose in Palestine early in Christendom, regarded the Byakhee as the equivalent of angels, who served God as their emissaries. This association of the byakhees as angelic figures is not the only one. During Crusades, Byakhee flock were confused with the appearance of angels. In Imperial Russia, a cult founded in St. Petersburg (of which, according to rumors the mad monk Rasputin was part) treated these creatures as divine messengers. Even in the Great War, reports of soldiers on the Western front may have been motivated by sightings of Byakhees

The concept, however, is not shared by all cultists within the circle of worshipers of Hastur. For some sects, the Byakhees are no more than servants, beneath the chief priests and cultists who make up the cult.

In West Africa, a group dedicated to Hastur, practiced a specific ritual in which a single byakhee was specially invoked to be sacrificed. From the skin they made a cloak, the leather of the wings served to create drums, their teeth and claws became ornaments and the bones, whistles, used to call other creatures. The high priests of this cult, active until the middle of the eighteenth century in present-day Cameroon, used these objects with great distinction.

The evil Tcho-Tcho people who worship Hastur and inhabit the Plateau of Tsang in Nepal, also consider the Byakhee as inferiors; useful in their plans, but nothing but simple beasts of burden.

In fact, one of the chief functions of the Byakhee over the ages was to serve as a mount for powerful sorcerers and magicians. Legends say that Eibon, the Hyperborean sorcerer rode on the back of a Byakhee who obeyed his orders. The mad Arab, Abdul Al Hazred, also quoted this function, and possibly it was he who coined the term "stellar mount" to refer to the byakhee. In the Necronomicon he says textually that the Byakhee are the consecrated mount of the great sorcerers and that to ride one of them is the full proof that the wizard has attained his mystical maturity. It may be in the face of this association of the byakhee as a mount that some mystical hermetic orders use the title Knight to name their high ranking members - such as the Knights of Silver Twilight.

But those who think of the Byakhee as mere animals deceive themselves by assuming that they possess inferior intelligence. A byakhee can be as intelligent as a human being, being able to understand languages, to form a line of reasoning and to perform complex tasks that denote cognitive power. It is not uncommon for them also to possess arcane knowledge, and to master the art of witchcraft.

As so often happens in the enigmatic universe of Mythos, there is no consensus about the origin of the Byakhee. 

It is true, however, that they are a interstellar race, and most theoreticians assume that they come from Aldebaran. Some researchers argue that the Byakhee were once the dominant species of a planet conquered by the King in Yellow. Others believe that the race as a whole, struck a pact with Hastur that led to the end of their home world. This destruction made them a homeless species, forced to adopt the worlds claimed by Hastur and the space as their new home. 

There are indications that byakhee are also present in other planets, especially those that revolve around black stars or that are subject to overwhelming gravitational activity.

These alien creatures have an organ, so far as is known, unique to their species, called hune. By activating this appendix, located in their abdomen, the byakhee can affect reality, folding the interstellar distances so fast that for the observer they seem to teleport from one point to the other. The speed of this journey is so mind-boggling that it overcomes the speed of light itself, allowing the Byakhee to take incredible distances in mere seconds.

It is known of sorcerers who have used this method of interstellar travel to reach normally inaccessible points in the cosmos such as Celaeno, Aldebaran, Formalhaut and even the Throne of Azathoth in the center of the Universe. Of course, to undertake such a journey, the sorcerer must make preparations and consume at least one dose of Space Mead. Only by using this numbing substance can the sorcerer accompany the byakhee on his journey in safety. Those who do not know this detail, have their atoms dispersed in space as soon as the mount's hune begins to vibrate.

Metaphysicians have already tried to explore the mysteries of the unique byakhee way of moving through space, but as far as anyone knows, no one has succeeded in explaining how the hune works.

In the early 1950s, rocket scientist and occultist Jack Parsons (one of the pioneers in aerospace engineering) conjectured that the byakhee could represent a solution to future space exploration, eliminating once and for all any question concerning distance and speed. There are rumors that Parsons has dissected more than one byakhee trying to understand the functioning of the hune, but this may be mere hearsay.

Other rumors have claimed that engineers apart of the Nazi Wunderwaffen Project also showed interest in the Byakhee's unique abilities.

On the other side of the iron curtain, it is believed to have existed an analogous project funded by the Soviets in the 1960s. More recently, the Chinese would have tried the same approach. The current status of these projects is unknown.

To invoke a byakhee, the sorcerer must utter a series of kabbalistic words and the name of Hastur himself. A combination of words used by the Brotherhood of the Yellow Symbol involves the following invocation:

"Iä! Iä! Hastur! Hastur cf'ayak 'vulgtmm, vulgtmm, vulgtmm! Ai! Ai! Hastur!"

If Aldebaran is above the horizon and the Sorcerer used a whistle, especially one made with the bone of the femur of another byakhee, the chances of success are considerably greater. In these positive circumstances, the creature emerges straight out of space, its body half frozen by the cold of the space vacuum through which it traveled. Sometimes the Elder Sign must be used to cause the byakhee to comply with orders. But be warned that not always, this works! Many sorcerers who believed themselves capable of controlling a byakhee were sliced in ribbons by the very creature they conjured.

The physical appearance of the Byakhee is difficult to describe. Many chroniclers tried to describe them, but none succeeded in finding the adjectives that best define them. In the eagerness to try to say what they are, the witnesses try to compare them to animals with which they bear the slightest resemblance. In Greece, the Byakhee were compared to the mythical harpies, and perhaps as more than one scholar has suggested, they are the basis for the legend of these and other winged beings such as Griffin and Manticore. Some arcane tomes state that no Byakhee is equal to another, and that they may have unique characteristics that greatly differentiate members of the same race, to the point of sometimes being difficult to regard two creatures as kin.

The Necronomicon refers to the Byakhee as a monstrous chimera with characteristics that refer to birds, reptiles, mammals and even insects. There are specimens with beaks, horns and scales, coexisting with fur, multifaceted eyes and antennae. Most likely, the characteristics similar to that of animals on our planet are a mere accident, as the Byakhee are undeniably alien. As for color, the Byakhee are usually pale, predominating white, beige and light brown, but there are creatures with yellowish, blueish and even greenish scales. It is not impossible to find a Byakhee totally black, able to merge with the darkness like a shadow. Their flesh and skin is at least three times denser than that of humans, the same value for their bone structure.

One characteristic is present in all specimens: the powerful wings that propel them in their flight. Every Byakhee has at least one pair of wings, usually bat-like, on its back. These wings are vigorous and possess tremendous speed, allowing the creature to launch into the air and immediately gain height. The size of the Byakhee wings varies for each specimen, the largest can easily reach 6 meters spread. The creature's flying speed in our atmosphere has never been determined but it is likely that they can travel more than 200 kilometers per hour..  

The Byakhee usually has upper limbs that resemble arms, with hands endowed with five long toes ending in claws curved like scythes. The same claws are present on the feet, being mainly used for digging and grabbing, but also for attacking enemies. The injury caused by these claws results in a deep and possibly lethal gash. With their intelligence, the Byakhee seem to know enough of the anatomy of other beings to target delicate areas, such as the throat of human targets.

In addition to having a well-developed view, the Byakhee have an accurate scent that allows them to determine the particular smell of each person. When sent by sorcerers on murder missions, a Byakhee is usually supplied with some garment or with blood drawn from his victim so that he may find her and kill her. There are reports of Byakhees traveling long distances to accomplish their missions after being summoned. Creatures are unable to communicate in any human language, but they seem to understand orders and instructions, especially when their interlocutor uses ancient languages as well as esoteric languages.

Another peculiarity of these creatures is their particular taste for blood. A Byakhee apparently does not need to feed, but the pleasure they feel by draining fresh blood from a prey can be described as intoxicating. There are cases of Byakhees that capture their prey and carry them to isolated places. There they cut a vein and hang the prey upside down in order to extract the precious liquid. Others suck directly from the body of their captive, using long, tubular tongues that act like cannulas. A byakhee is able to drain gallons of blood voraciously, leaving a prey the size of a adult human dry within minutes. It is not known if they have other sources of nutrition, if they really exists at all.

There is controversy regarding a separation by gender in these creatures. If such a distinction exists, it is not possible to discern typical characteristics of males and females. Virtually nothing is known about the reproduction of the species, never having been found pups or evidence of mating.

Finally, it must be admitted that although the Byakhee have been known to sorcerers and circles of magic practitioners for millennia, in practice little is known about their nature.

And we may never know all the mysteries of this obscure alien race.

The Color of Madness - The King in Yellow Mythology

"The thing, they whispered, was wearing a yellow silk mask that hid a face that was not of this world..."

The King in Yellow, also called the "Pale Mask", "Yellow Pilgrim" and the "Tattered King" is undoubtedly the best-known avatar of Hastur, the Unspeakable.

The Yellow King is so important to the Hastur Mythology, that theorists even wonder whether this manifestation of the Old One is a completly apart deity. However, as a basis for understanding the real nature of the Yellow King, it is fair to give credit to his cultists and understand him as an avatar of the Cosmic Entity known as Hastur.

Curiously, the King in Yellow is not quoted in sacred books or tomes dedicated to Hastur, not even in the canonical gospel known as "Truths of the Unspeakable." Its very existence seems to have only recently been discovered by mankind. The book containing the play that bears his name - the legendary "King in Yellow", essential to make it known among cultists has only gained notoriety in recent centuries. It is possible that the rigid laws condemning the use of the sacred name of Hastur have favored the emergence of a particular sect that venerates a more accessible figure, in the case not only humanoid in appearance, but who agrees to be named and treated with a title - King.

Researchers have determined that the earliest writings mentioning the Yellow King originated in Dark Age Europe, Dynastic China and India in the same time, around 13th or 14th centuries. In common the fact that the King in Yellow was treated as a figure of authority, which requires reverence and devotion from his servants. These "tremble, lament and court his favor". 

Also, the nauseating "King in Yellow" book bearing the King's coat of arms, the dreadful Yellow Sign, circulated in France only in the late nineteenth century, published in 1895. It is possible, however, that older works refer to the avatar and still need to be discovered.

About this, members of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign have raised the hypothesis that some sections of Tao Te-Sen and Popol Vuh, sacred books in China and among the Aztec people, refer in some portions to the Yellow King. They go even further, stating that the Christian Bible and the Bhagavad Gita have obscure carefully censored apocryphal books that quoted the Yellow King verbatim. If this is true then the existence of the King was already known in antiquity and was only rediscovered by contemporary cultists.

There is another controversy in the cult that concerns the divine nature of the Yellow King: whether It is a concrete physical entity or an abstract concept.

Cultists are divided concerning this issue and there does not seem to be a consense; in fact different sects consider divergent beliefs as blasphemous and punishable. The Yellow Symbol Brothers believe that the King is a physical entity that can be invoked in certain rituals. The King in Yellow would officiate and give legitimacy to rites essential to the worship - cultists cry out for him to recognize his priests, to share knowledge, and to offer sacrifices. 

Other sects believe that the King is a symbol, a concept of sovereignty over humanity, representing a "human" facet of Hastur. The sect founded in the Indian subcontinent called "The Silent Ones" claims that the Yellow King is a spiritual entity - insubstantial and invisible.

Temples dedicated to the Yellow King always have a majestic seat, arranged in a prominent elevated position, on a promontory or at the top of a flight of stairs. Known as the Yellow Throne, this chair symbolizes the presence of the King, even on occasions when the avatar is not invoked, but is presumed to be present. Before the throne, the cultists repeat praises, dance, and practice sacrifices. Sometimes the seat is adorned with human skulls, valuable jewels and yellow silk drapes hanging. Banners with the evil yellow sign, wich accompanies the king are always present. Braziers exuding yellowish smoke and treasures, both magical and undane, are usually organized near the throne, representing the portents shared by the King with his subjects.

For a temple to be consecrated, the cultists perform a ritual of great importance that aims to make it part of Carcosa.

The mythical city of Carcosa has an alien origin, it is located on an obscure planet that orbits the star of Aldebaran. The city is described as an abandoned metropolis with tall, dark buildings, palaces in various architectural styles and shadows that seem to lurk. Those who have visited this cursed place claim that the urban landscape tends to change when no one is paying attention. Described as a ghost town devoid of population, it is still possible to hear disembodied voices in the deserted streets. Those who wander through Carcosa experience mind-shattering visions of incomparable beauty and horror.

The city lies on the placid shores of Lake Hali, with its oily and dark waters reflecting the constellations of Hyades and Pleiades. Beyond the lake rests the Palace of Ythill, where according to the myth, the avatar of Hastur founded his Reign. The story is told in detail in the play "The King in Yellow".

When a temple is consecrated as part of Carcosa, the King in Yellow manifests in our reality, albeit for short periods of time. These occasions are marked by creative outbursts by artists, social instability and insanity that seems to contaminate people living in the vicinity. Particularly sensitive individuals are blessed (or cursed) by dreams where they find themselves walking through the streets of Carcosa. Others come to know the harmful secrets of the Yellow Sign and draw it on walls and facades of buildings, unleashing the madness that it represents. Injustified violence and suicide outbreaks become recurrent in places where the King exerts his nefarious influence.

The King in Yellow, when invoked, appears like a very high figure, with more than two meters of height. He wears a heavy, tattered yellowish cloak that covers his whole body, including his face and hands, hidden by hood and long sleeves. Those who look what is under the hood, see a pale mask with an enigmatic human expression. When the King moves he seems to float in the air, he produces no audible noise or sound of footsteps. He leaves no trail, and has no shadow. Surrounding him is a sweet, sickly scent, reminiscent of the odor of ripe fruits left in the sun.

The King is able to comunicate, knowing every language used by mankind through the ages. His words are heard directly in the mind, causing an indescribable sense of insignificance before a cosmic presence. Some people feel a uncontrollable ecstasy or a sense of utter doom, when they hear the King. It is not uncommon for some to faint, fall to their knees, cry loudly, or suffer epileptic seizures. The King's voice is described as the whisper of thousands of people speaking at the same time. He never addresses a person looking in his direction, his movements are stealthy, never obvious. Those who try to talk to him are summarily ignored. Those who show courage to approach and are foolish enough to try to touch it are hard repelled by the mantle flaps that act as extensions of his body. Anyone who insists in the error gets the legendary stare of the King, which causes a wave of uncontrollable panic and primitive terror.

On the occasions when it is invoked, the King in Yellow usually takes position on his Throne - most of the time it appears directly on the royal seat. During the rituals he remains indifferent to the presence of his cultists and oblivious to any appeal. If bestowed with some sacrifice - not necessarily blood, perhaps mystical energy or an artifact, the Yellow King offers the cultists his favor. A wave of sensations and emotions, many of them absolutely inhuman, affects those who are close, struck by a confluence of sweeping stimuli. Many do not support experience and simply detach themselves from reality, sometimes forever. Others find themselves disturbed gifted by visions and prone to outbreaks. There are those who crave to repeat the experience, plunging into eternal servitude. After bestowing his blessing, the King simply disappears.

When dissatisfied, the King is especially ruthless and prone to acts of cruelty. Much is said about the Yellow King's Dance, a kind of hypnotic trance triggered by rhythmic movements performed by the Deity. Those affected by this sight feel their muscles paralyzed and are unable to move. The rags of the King cloak gain life and extend like tentacles with razor-sharp tips that tear and lacerate the immobilized victims. Death is slow and painful, though marked by a grave silence occasionally interrupted by the sound of the lash and cuts.

The most mysterious aspect of the Yellow King may be the true nature of what is hidden under the hood. Those who could see the face of the King without the mask, went completely crazy and could never say what is down there. The most simplistic believe that the mask hides a multitude of filaments and pseudopodia that once released spread like roots of pale colors, grabbing and draining the vigor of everything that lives.

Others claim that to contemplate the true face of the Yellow King is to come face to face with the original principle of cosmic entropy, the same force that will one day devastate all reality in the inevitable collapse of the universe.

Baba Yaga - The Most Sinister Legend of Russian Folklore

Baba Yaga is the archetype of the Slavic witch present in Russian folklore and throughout Eastern Europe. She is a much deeper and more intricate character than the witches in the myths of Western Europe, a figure who inspires contradictory feelings of fear, respect, and hope.

Her name is a testament to its identity, as the many legends that surround her. The Russian term "Baba" is generally considered offensive among the Slavs. It serves to designate a kind of vindictive woman, who lives complaining, who is grossly disheveled, a true matron who has never married or been truly loved throughout her existence. It would be the equivalent of a spinster, an old woman who is consumed by the envy of all who are happy and who is becoming more bitter, perverse and cruel over the years. "Yaga" is more often translated as "witch," but has several other meanings, such as "sorceress," "wicked," "treacherous," and even "serpent," sometimes the word is also used to describe a situation of danger, of fear or even fury.

In legends, Baba Yaga lives in the depths of a wild forest almost inaccessible. The vegetation in this place grows in an unusual, unnatural way. The canopy of trees prevents sunlight from entering, the trunks are taken from poisonous fungi and even the bushes are full of thorns. Weed and nettle grow wild. Wild animals avoid this evil forest; where there would be the song of birds and the buzz of insects, lies only a sepulchral silence.

In general, there is only one way leading into this wild forest, which offers itself as a safe route. This dirt road leads to a ruined wooden hut. It is a rustic construction, a typical peasant home, with slats of wood engendered one over the other and a brick chimney always spitting smoke. Through the dirty windows can be seen a yellowish light of lamp. The tiles on top look old, in need of repair, everything is old and with a look of flagrant abandon.

Around the house, there is an indication of the danger that lies in that dwelling. A low fence made of bones surrounds the entire estate, human skulls serve as lookouts on the top of the macabre wall, and at night, empty orbits glow with a phosphorescent glow. The entrance gate is made up of arched ribs hanging on poles erected with long, yellowish bones. The lock is in the mouth of a skull amid its pearly teeth. The bell is a rattle with phalanxes hanging on a rope of hair that when shaken emits a tinkling noise

For some reason, the entrance door of the cabin is always facing the opposite side of the road. Anyone who wishes to enter needs to clap or call the owner's attention inside. In fact, Baba Yaga is always aware when there are visitors on her porch, she decides if she wants visitors. According to legend, if that is the case, the entire cabin shudders rising arthritically from the dirt floor. Enormous chicken legs that serve as a support base for the hut are in charge of positioning it correctly, causing the door to be in front of anyone who plans to enter. If for some reason the visitor behaves disrespectfully at the door, the witch simply commands the hut to trample the tresspasser crushing every bone of his body. But in general, Baba Yaga grants the visitor the right to enter her dreadful lair.

The witch itself is a ghastly sight, a lean old woman with a long, hook-shaped nose, plucked from warts and a pointed chin. Long greyish gray hair, not washed for years, runs down shoulders and shriveled backs. Her spine is so bent that she walks down, giving the impression that her nose will touch the ground. But this is a trick to hide her sinister smile composed of rows of extremely sharp teeth. The witch's body is so thin that the patched rags she wears hang loose in her squalid silhouette. Although it seems extremely fragile, Baba Yaga is fast and extremely strong, being able to subdue an adult man with her own hands.

Some legends mention that she has servants who protect her hut. They are a large and ferocious hunting dog, a black cat with extremely evil green eyes and a kind of tree (fed with blood) that grows in front of his house and whose branches extend like tentacles. These creatures are created magically and therefore endowed with intelligence, obeying with murderous intent all the orders of their master. In some stories they carry out tasks like sending messages, follow victims or protecting the house in the absence of the witch. There are still horrible hands cut off from corpses that are buried at the entrance to the witch's house and serve as guardians against invaders. When someone tries to force the entrance, these hands erupt from the ground to grab feet and ankles stopping the advance. There would still be three enigmatic riders who ride ghostly mounts and serve the witch in all tasks.

Baba Yaga rarely leaves her hut, most of the time she waits patiently (like a spider in the center of her web) for some prey. She is able to disguise her lair through a very real mystical enchantment, making the sinister appearance give way to a comfortable and inviting home. The witch herself can take on two more pleasant human forms. The first is a young woman with black hair and very pale skin who walks barefoot on the snow, protected only by a cloak of fox fur. She is chosen when the witch wishes to attract a man by lust. The other form is of a middle-aged woman in peasant clothes and the comforting look of a mother full of candor. When using this aspect, the house exudes an inviting odor of freshly prepared food, bread and broth. Of course, these two forms conceal the true face of the witch who amuses herself by showing her decrepit appearance before capturing her victims.

On the rare occasions when she leaves the safety of her cabin, she uses a kind of flying wood pestle to propel her through the air as she maneuvers it with a straw broom that gives directions. In Slavic cultures, nothing can be a sign of greater misfortune than knocking down a grinding pestle on the floor, as it was said that such a thing could attract Baba Yaga's rage. In the same way, a broom used to sweep a person's two feet at the same time act as a kind of curse, marking the individual to find the terrible witch sooner or later.

[NOTE: I do not know if that's where comes from the superstition, that sweeping a person's feet causes her to be unable to find someone to marry.]

Visitors who enter the hut, willingly or otherwise deceived, are destined to end up in the large oven of the witch. At least that's the end of most people. These unhappy ones can be attacked by surprise, simply shoved into the oven or make unconscious after ingesting some potion, having a supper or sharing the witch's bed (when she takes the form of the young woman).

As in all fables, there are some rules that can save the person from becoming food of the cannibal witch. Offering to crack firewood, sweep the house, grind grain or prepare some meal can save the person from certain death. In some circumstances showing kindness, cleverness or bravery, sufice. Unfortunately, ask inconvenient questions, act rudely or defy the mistress of the house is a sure way to perdition.

Present throughout Eastern Europe and Russia, Baba Yaga has always been (and still is) an extremely popular entity that dominates local folklore. Even during the strictest years imposed by the communist regime of the Soviet Union, the old myths surrounding the witch were not entirely forgotten. During the pogroms imposed by the regime, many women were spared being evicted from their huts, not for the sudden goodness of the Soviet commissioners, but because many feared that the hut might be the witch's abode. Likewise, reports of soldiers who allegedly encountered or even ventured into Baba Yaga's hut, became recurrent in both the First and Second World War. The Red Army itself spread a rumor to contain a wave of defections that Baba Yaga attacked solitary soldiers in the forests. Faced with the prospect of facing the Nazi war machine or the hungry witch, many soldiers preferred to try their luck against the German army.

Baba Yaga is the archetype of the Slavic witch present in Russian folklore and throughout Eastern Europe. She is a much deeper and more intricate character than the witches present in the myths of Western Europe, a figure who inspires contradictory feelings of fear, respect, and hope.

Her name is a testament to its identity, as the many legends that surround her. The Russian term "Baba" is generally considered offensive among the Slavs. It serves to designate a kind of vindictive woman, who lives complaining, who is grossly disheveled, a true matron who has never married or been truly loved throughout her existence. It would be the equivalent of a spinster, an old woman who is consumed by the envy of all who are happy and who is becoming more bitter, perverse and cruel over the years. "Yaga" is more often translated as "witch," but has several other meanings, such as "sorceress," "wicked," "treacherous," and even "serpent," sometimes the word is also used to describe a situation of danger, of fear or even fury.

In legends, Baba Yaga lives in the depths of a wild forest almost inaccessible. The vegetation in this place grows in an unusual, unnatural way. The canopy of trees prevents sunlight from entering, the trunks are taken from poisonous fungi and even the bushes are full of thorns. Weed and nettle grow wild. Wild animals avoid this evil forest; where there would be the song of birds and the buzz of insects, lies only a sepulchral silence.

In general, there is only one way leading into this wild forest, which offers itself as a safe route. This dirt road leads to a ruined wooden hut. It is a rustic construction, a typical peasant home, with slats of wood engendered one over the other and a brick chimney always spitting smoke. Through the dirty windows can be seen a yellowish light of lamp. The tiles on top look old, in need of repair, everything is old and with a look of flagrant abandon.

Around the house, there is an indication of the danger that lies in that dwelling. A low fence made of bones surrounds the entire estate, human skulls serve as lookouts on the top of the macabre wall, and at night, empty orbits glow with a phosphorescent glow. The entrance gate is made up of arched ribs hanging on poles erected with long, yellowish bones. The lock is in the mouth of a skull amid its pearly teeth. The bell is a rattle with phalanxes hanging on a rope of hair that when shaken emits a tinkling noise.

For some reason, the entrance door of the cabin is always facing the opposite side of the road. Anyone who wishes to enter needs to clap or call the owner's attention inside. In fact, Baba Yaga is always aware when there are visitors on her porch, she decides if she wants visitors. According to legend, if that is the case, the entire cabin shudders rising arthritically from the dirt floor. Enormous chicken legs that serve as a support base for the hut are in charge of positioning it correctly, causing the door to be in front of anyone who plans to enter. If for some reason the visitor behaves disrespectfully at the door, the witch simply commands the hut to trample the trespasser crushing every bone of his body. But in general, Baba Yaga grants the visitor the right to enter her dreadful lair.

The witch itself is a ghastly sight, a lean old woman with a long, hook-shaped nose, plucked from warts and a pointed chin. Long greyish gray hair, not washed for years, runs down shoulders and shriveled backs. Her spine is so bent that she walks down, giving the impression that her nose will touch the ground. But this is a trick to hide her sinister smile composed of rows of extremely sharp teeth. The witch's body is so thin that the patched rags she wears hang loose in her squalid silhouette. Although it seems extremely fragile, Baba Yaga is fast and extremely strong, being able to subdue an adult man with her own hands.

Some legends mention that she has servants who protect her hut. They are a large and ferocious hunting dog, a black cat with extremely evil green eyes and a kind of tree (fed with blood) that grows in front of her house and whose branches extend like tentacles. These creatures are created magically and therefore endowed with intelligence, obeying with murderous intent all the orders of their master. In some stories they carry out tasks like sending messages, follow victims or protecting the house in the absence of the witch. There are still horrible hands cut off from corpses that are buried at the entrance to the witch's house and serve as guardians against invaders. When someone tries to force the entrance, these hands erupt from the ground to grab feet and ankles stopping the advance. There will still be three enigmatic riders who ride ghostly mounts and serve the witch in all tasks.

Baba Yaga rarely leaves her hut, most of the time she waits patiently (like a spider in the center of her web) for some prey. She is able to disguise her lair through a very real mystical enchantment, making the sinister appearance give way to a comfortable and inviting home. The witch herself can take on two more pleasant human forms. The first is a young woman with black hair and very pale skin who walks barefoot on the snow, protected only by a cloak of fox fur. She is chosen when the witch wishes to attract a man by lust. The other form is of a middle-aged woman in peasant clothes and the comforting look of a mother full of candor. When using this aspect, the house exudes an inviting odor of freshly prepared food, bread and broth. Of course, these two forms conceal the true face of the witch who amuses herself by showing her decrepit appearance before capturing her victims.

On the rare occasions when she leaves the safety of her cabin, she uses a kind of flying wood pestle to propel her through the air as she maneuvers it with a straw broom that gives directions. In Slavic cultures, nothing can be a sign of greater misfortune than knocking down a grinding pestle on the floor, as it was said that such a thing could attract Baba Yaga's rage. In the same way, a broom used to sweep a person's two feet at the same time act as a kind of curse, marking the individual to find the terrible witch sooner or later.

[NOTE: I do not know if that's where comes from the superstition that sweeping a person's feet cause her to be unable to find someone to marry.]

Visitors who enter the hut, willingly or otherwise deceived, are destined to end up in the large oven of the witch. At least that's the end of most people. These unhappy ones can be attacked by surprise, simply shoved into the oven or make unconscious after ingesting some potion, having a supper or sharing the witch's bed (when she takes the form of the young woman).

As in all fables, there are some rules that can save the person from becoming food of the cannibal witch. Offering to crack firewood, sweep the house, grind grain or prepare some meal can save the person from certain death. In some circumstances, showing kindness, cleverness or bravery, is suffice. Unfortunately, ask inconvenient questions, act rudely or defy the mistress of the house is a sure way to perdition.

Present throughout Eastern Europe and Russia, Baba Yaga has always been (and still is) an extremely popular entity that dominates local folklore. Even during the strictest years imposed by the communist regime of the Soviet Union, the old myths surrounding the witch were not entirely forgotten. During the pogroms imposed by the regime, many women were spared being evicted from their huts, not for the sudden goodness of the Soviet commissioners, but because many feared that the hut might be the witch's abode. Likewise, reports of soldiers who allegedly encountered or even ventured into Baba Yaga's hut, became recurrent in both the First and Second World War. The Red Army itself spread a rumor to contain a wave of defections that Baba Yaga attacked solitary soldiers in the forests. Faced with the prospect of facing the Nazi war machine or the hungry witch, many soldiers preferred to try their luck against the German army.

Despite being an essentially evil creature, Baba Yaga is sometimes willing to help those who seek her, especially if the person has suffered injustice or persecution. It's not rare for her to know about some problem or affliction, trying to solve dilemmas, offering some talisman, amulet or miraculous spell. Relying too much on the old woman however can be fatal, her mood is as fickle as the weather, and a friend may sudden find himself in the oven.

Few things are able to hurt Baba Yaga: she is immune to guns and most physical attacks simply do not result in any damage in her body. However, cold iron is able to injure and perhaps even kill her. Spells can also be an asset, although she knows how neutralize or nullify enchantments.

Like many figures in folklore, Baba Yaga is more a force of nature than a symbol of death, evil or destruction. Although she is a creature of unpredictable behavior, she is a good judge of character and when she perceives some attribute or virtue worthy of note in a potential victim, she prefers to listen to what she has to say before simply devour her. Although she is always hungry, the Slav people see in Baba Yaga a source of great wisdom and knowledge.