Yog-Sothoth - The Gate and the Key Beyond Time and Space

The One Who stalks Beyond Limits.

The Gate and the Key.

The Opener of Ways.

There are many names for Yog-Sothoth, one of the most important and powerful Outer Gods in the Mythos Universe. Much is said about Azathoth's colossal influence, elevated to the rank of universal ruler in his Mephitic Court, but if the Demonic Sultan is Chaos incarnate, Yog-Sothoth has the role of Keeper of Knowledge and Bastion of the Order.

It is difficult to measure the importance and scope of Yog-Sothoth for cosmic ordering. Perhaps without Him, the universe itself, as we know it, would not exist and would eventually collapse completely. He is one of the most important entities in existence, the great modulator of reality and the maintainer of status, for it is said that Yog-Sothoth brings together in his Being the physical concepts of Time and Space, and without him neither one nor another would exist. Perhaps in the face of all this preponderance, the particular macabre mythology known as "Mythos de Cthulhu" could be better - or at least more correctly, called "Yog-Sothoth Mythos".

When the primordial spark was unleashed, and the wave of creation emanated from the Big Bang Nuclear Chaos, one of the first entities to form was Yog-Sothoth. Theorists conjecture that the lost consciousness of Azathoth would have been absorbed in some way by Yog-Sothoth, and if such a thing happened, would he not be an avatar of Primordial Chaos. The truth, no one knows.

Yog-Sothoh is, however, the verb made power.

The Necronomicon is the most reliable esoteric tome to comprehend the full extent of its existence, but even such pages are ridiculously incomplete to dissect Its grandeur. No work done by mere mortals could do it. Yog-Sothoth is far beyond any attempt of analysis or understanding of fragile minds. Those who tried to investigate its origin failed painfully, for it is not for men to contemplate the face of such an entity.

Still, it comes from Abdul Al-Hazred's pen the most laudable attempt to peek under the veil of mysteries that surrounds the Outer God. The mad Arab calls him "the one who knows and sees everything," reputing to him the gifts of Omnipresence and Omniscience. These faculties are linked to Yog-Sothoth's ability to see all planes and dimensions simultaneously. "His eyes are everywhere, his ears are all around the cosmos. If a noise is made he will hear." He is a kind of Monitor whose prerogative is to watch all incidents and occurrences in an endless chain of realities. The smallest of incidents, the subtlest and tiniest of things, goes unnoticed. He knows, for it is his prerogative to know.

He is the Keeper of the infinite universes.

This very important purpose has led countless species to seek in Him through the ages the source of knowledge and all universal answers. The Fungi of Yuggoth call Him "the one above," though they rarely offer Him worship.

The Great Yog-Sothoth is reputed as a kind of Demiurge, and as such sought after by those who pursue the ultimate truth. His followers cry out for His attention, begging for a fragment of His immeasurable wisdom. Some sages have weaved from this interaction parables filled with Kabbalistic and philosophical doctrines.

Patron of ascetics and mystics, hermits and cenobites, he is also the sponsor of Wizards who try to achieve a limited degree of control over time and space. In more than one narrative, it is said that Yog-Sothoth is willing to share His secrets with those who turn to him. It is said that the Outer God does not act in a particularly evil or perverse way, although in practice none of the Mythos Entities can be analyzed from the simplistic point of view of good and evil. Most likely, he is merely indifferent, and as such, does not care at all about the inferiority of other beings. However, those who seek to interfere with the laws of space and time or abuse the God's prerogative, end up incurring in His wrath. And these suffer untold misfortunes.

In ancient times, schools and mystical traditions were formed to peer into the wisdom of Yog-Sothoth. In Mu and Hyperborea, and possibly in the Nameless City, societies devoted to this God emerged, but it was in mythical Atlantis that the largest of these groups committed to absorbing His wisdom were formed. It is interesting to realize that rarely did people who gathered around the entity form Cults, as happened with other primeval Mythos gods. At most, around Yog-Sothoth arose sects without a determining religious nature. Its members saw themselves as academics willing to learn, unlike the sycophants who subject themselves to humiliation and are satisfied with crumbs.

The Atlantean philosophers sought to commune with Yog-Sothoth, which earned them a valuable arcane framework. Some even conjecture that it was from this interaction that the whole mystical heritage of the human race was born, a legacy that was spread throughout the world with the collapse of the Lost Continent. Followers of other gods equally regarded as patrons of magic, such as Nyarlathotep, Tsathoggua, and Ubbo-Sathla, contest this notion.

However, the essential importance of Yog-Sothoth in the formulation of innumerable spells and in the creation of all kinds of rituals is undeniable. Several spells require his name to be invoked and depend on his consent to work. Noteworthy are the spells that involve manifestation and depend on the Outer God, as he is responsible for opening the way, allowing the creation of portals and access to dimensions. Even other deities are believed to subject to Yog-Sothoth's will if they wish to move across distances and travel the cosmos. Without him, turning the locks of creation and opening the passages, the gods themselves would be confined within their spatial boundaries. It is His prerogative to grant the right of way or to prohibit transit through Its domains. "Leave a place without movement" this is the gift of Yog-Sothoth. Whatever a gate is opened depends of His seal, without which the paths would be closed forever. Through the thresholds watched by Yog-Sothoth only those he wishes may advance.

That truth is attested by the famous Necronomicon excerpt:

"Yog-Sothoth knows the Gate. Yog-Sothoth is the Gate. Yog-Sothoth is the Key and Keeper of the Gate. Past, present, future, all are one in Yog-Sothoth. He knows where the Ancients crossed in the past, and where they will break out again. He knows where they tread the fields, and where they tread yet, and why no one can behold whem they tread. "

The name of the Outer God is also part of the spell that brings dead beings back to life. "Through his intercession, even death can be reversed." Known as Resurrection of the Primordial Salts, this blasphemous magic, used by necromancer's brotherhoods, guarantees a certain dominion over death. By employing it correctly, the wizard is able to bring "back out of the void" individuals whose existence has ended. Similarly, the reverse of this spell causes the rapid physical degradation of the resurrected.

Yog-Sothoth is rumored to be the mortal enemy of Nodens and arch-nemesis of the Elder Gods. Some mythologies claim that the two face each other since the beginning, as antagonistic forces determined to destroy each other. Moreover, this confrontation would cause the destruction of the universe. Not all scholars agree with this notion, pointing out that Yog-Sothoth would be far more powerful than the God of the Abyss and all the Ancient Gods together. There may be misinterpretations or followers of Nodens have exaggerated their role in this cosmic feud.

Interestingly, while other deities have gained relevance among men in the last millennia, the original importance of Yog-Sothoth has faded. Cults dedicated to Cthulhu, Shub-Nigurath, Hastur, the various masks of Nyarlathotep and other Great Old Ones have become much more widespread, perhaps because they are more accessible. While negotiating with Yog-Sothoth demands some degree of arcane discernment and pedigree, the others are willing to bestow their favors on those who simply put themselves in servitude. Indeed, few human societies are concerned with the Outer God who became the preceptor of hermits and lone wizards. The exception would be an order of scholars at the height of the Aztec Empire and more contemporaneously the Hermetic Order of Silver Twilight, a society dedicated to explore the gifts offered by the Outer God.

In addition to governing Space, Yog-Sothoth is the undisputed Lord of Time.

The tides of the Past, Present and Future flow from and through Him and can be visited at His pleasure. Just as it is His faculty to grant passage through Space, it is up to Yog-Sothoth to govern the temporal flow, being able to guarantee the traffic of those who He deem worthy. Unlike those traveling through space, those wishing to travel through time rarely have His consent. It seems that Yog-Sothoth resents those who try to use Him for this purpose.

In the form of his avatar Umr At-Tawil (or Tawil at-Umr, The Prolonger of Life), Yog-Sothoth presents himself as the ultimate gatekeeper who watches over the Halls Beyond Time, a place inhabited by beings not subject to time itself. Such a place can only be accessed with artifacts like the legendary Silver Key that allows to unlock these mysterious doors.

Despite its cosmic importance, Yog-Sothoth can be drawn to Earth in order to respond to the call of individuals who knows the correct invocation. Stone circles high on hills or consecrated monoliths are necessary for the ceremony. The sacrifice of at least one conscious beings and the recitation of words of power are also essential. There are favorable dates for the ritual, especially the Lammas (August 1st).

Complex rituals often include safeguards that prevent the physical manifestation of the God from unleashing unwanted effects that could otherwise be catastrophic. If such measures are not properly fulfilled, the appearance of Yog-Sothoth can cause permanent damage to the temporal flow and open irreparable tears in the fabric of reality. It is rumored that more than one planet was devastated by the sudden appearance of Yog-Sothoth and when leaving, there was nothing left of these worlds, but ashes and oblivion.

Even with due protections, the invocation of the God is not an ordinary event, leaving permanent marks in the immediate vicinity. There are reports of "wasted time", people experiencing a strong sense of deja-vu and beings overwhelmed by all sorts of strange sensations. Living things are directly affected, some show unmistakable signs of aging while others inexplicably rejuvenate. Similarly, small dimensional rifts opens. The boundaries between dimensions become blurred, allowing some degree of interaction between the inhabitants on both sides. There are reports that in the exact place where He has been present, will be possible to hear, understand or even see other planes.

At times, when he answered the invocation, the Outer God fulfill predetermined purposes. He shares his knowledge, flooding people's minds with the information he wishes to convey. This experience can devastete as not everyone minds are prepared to that kind of contact.

However, Yog-Sothoth has also been invoked for other reasons as well. On one occasion he was brought in to fertilize a woman with her seed. In this bizarre incident in the village of Dunwich, the Outer God Himself impregnated Lavinia Whateley who gave birth to twins born with unique characteristics conveyed by the "father." It is unclear whether this case has been isolated or whether the God has been summoned at other times for the same blasphemous purpose.

Physically Yog-Sothoth takes the form of a huge cluster of iridescent globes joined by an unknown foamy substance sprouting tendrils that constantly extend and contract. The mass may extend over an area of ​​almost 100 meters in length, but may become much larger, spreading over 800 meters or more. The hundreds of globes emit a pulsating glow in shades of yellow, white and purple. This luminosity is filtered like rays of light passing through opaque glass. The globes, although they look like gelatinous structures, cannot be conceptualized as solid or gaseous. They are probably made up of alien matter that defies known physical state and changes through realities, appearing and reappearing at all times. Some observers claim that globes reflect scenes from the past, present, and future, and look at these structures for a long time reveals secrets that can destroy human sanity. The binding substance that surrounds the globes has a slimy appearance that produces electric current and causes a strong static charge.

The Outer God floats gently in the air like a cluster of slowly moving balloons. It can, however, disappear from one point and materialize at another, crossing immeasurable distances. Its delicate tentacles, smooth and agile, are used to probe the surroundings, grasp and manipulate, though rarely He make use of them. The entity makes no noise, but has a pungent odor of ozone, zinc and magnesium.

Yog-Sothoth does not express itself vocally, but can communicate through "unspoken language," a telepathic insertion cast directly into the mind of sentient beings. The experience is painful, causing a terrifying sensation as the brain is invaded by an absolutely alien entity. This may cause aneurysm and edema. The entity is obviously endowed with high intelligence, determination and self-will. In general, He does not seem to care about inferior creatures, solemnly ignoring them, yet He can be attracted to and respond to them.

When invoked, He stands motionless, floating upon the stone circle as He consumes sacrifices offered. If these are not satisfactory, Yog-Sothoth can simply return to his reality or consume anyone he sees fit as compensation. Touching the tentacles or spheres is horribly harmful, causing aging, burns and corrosion in all biological life forms. They drain the vital energy of His victims, leaving them physically and mentally mutilated. Such damage is permanent and incurable. Prolonged touch, on the other hand, is invariably fatal, killing in seconds, leaving only an empty and dry shell. Whether the God finds sustenance in this way is unknown, but He seems interested in consuming the energy of living beings whenever has the opportunity.

In the few times he is challenged, Yog-Sothoth defends himself in a stormy way. He can transport any target anywhere in the universe in the blink of an eye, removing him from his haughty presence. Whether it is the center of a star or the cold space vacuum, its victims are never seen again. Alternatively, when enraged, Yog-Sothoth can generate a powerful silver ray-like discharge that strikes everything within five meters in diameter. Those affected are disintegrated, their bodies turned to dust.

Although the Mythos literature contains many narratives involving the interaction between mortals and this Deity, it is possible that most of them are but fables. One in particular, which describes Moses releasing the entity from the interior of Mount Sinai, seems especially allegorical. If it serves as a warning, the most likely outcome for any bargaining attempt with this entity is complete and total obliteration.

Yog-Sothoth constitutes a principle of Cosmic Power, a regulating forces of reality and as such is far beyond our comprehension. To deal with Him is to court annihilation.