Though Gorgulu the Devourer of Souls is counted as among the Demon Lords of Nil, there is nothing
about this monstrosity that hints at having an intellect, at least not one that is commonly
understood as sentient. Also known as the Mouth of a Thousand Hungers, Gorgulu is a seething,
amorphous mass that surges with corruption, filth and tainted putrescence. There always seems to be
mouths of various sizes and species that form and salivate upon the inchoate blob that is Gorgulu.
The mouths are fed by appendages that grow from the slime and pus, often appearing as tentacles or
giant tongues, but sometimes as fully formed humanoids connected to Gorgulu by a cord, like half-
aborted miscarriages.
It has 223 months of usefulness left.
It appears to be of level 13.
It weighs about 31 pounds.
It bears the distinctive mark of Dystopia Alaksanteri Elithysius, High Priestess of Whispers.
It is imbued with 71,800 units of esteem.
It has the following aliases: figurine.
I influenced all of it .
Still going to fill it up some more, but I'm so impatient to offer it.
@Ventidius. While Gorgulu has several similarities to Shub-Niggurath (Mouth of a Thousand Hungers vs Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young; both symbolize consumption and procreation) I argue that Gorgulu is more like Ubbo-Sathla (Clark Ashton Smith, Ubbo-Sathla,1933) or Abhoth (Clark Ashton Smith, The Seven Geases,1934)
Compare:
Ubbo-Sathla
There, in the grey beginning of Earth, the formless mass that was Ubbo-Sathla reposed amid the slime and the vapors. Headless, without organs or members, it sloughed from its oozy sides, in a slow, ceaseless wave, the amoebic forms that were the archetypes of earthly life. Horrible it was, if there had been aught to apprehend the horror; and loathsome, if there had been any to feel loathing. About it, prone or tilted in the mire, there lay the mighty tablets of star-quarried stone that were writ with the inconceivable wisdom of the pre-mundane gods. —Clark Ashton Smith, Ubbo-Sathla
Ubbo-Sathla ("The Unbegotten Source", "The Demiurge") is described as a huge protoplasmic mass resting in a grotto deep beneath the frozen earth. The being is of a monstrous fecundity, spontaneously generating primordial single-celled organisms that pour unceasingly from its shapeless form. It guards a set of stone tablets believed to contain the knowledge of the Elder Gods.
Ubbo-Sathla is said to have spawned the prototypes of all forms of life on Earth; though whatever its pseudopods touch is forever devoid of life. Ubbo-Sathla is destined to someday reabsorb all living things on Earth.
Ubbo-Sathla possibly dwells in gray-litten Y'qaa. The being may also dwell in Mount Voormithadreth and may have spawned another of its residents, the being Abhoth, whose form and nature is very similar. This similarity has led some writers to speculate that Ubbo-Sathla and Abhoth are the same entity viewed at different epochs under different names.[1][2] The tablets that Ubbo-Sathla guards have been oft sought by sorcerers, though no sorcerer has yet succeeded in acquiring them.
Abhoth
[H]e described a sort of pool with a margin of mud that was marled with obscene offal; and in the pool a grayish, horrid mass that nearly choked it from rim to rim... Here, it seemed, was the ultimate source of all miscreation and abomination. For the gray mass quobbed and quivered, and swelled perpetually; and from it, in manifold fission, were spawned the anatomies that crept away on every side through the grotto. There were things like bodiless legs or arms that flailed in the slime, or heads that rolled, or floundering bellies with fishes' fins; and all manner of things malformed and monstrous, that grew in size as they departed from the neighborhood of Abhoth. And those that swam not swiftly ashore when they fell into the pool from Abhoth, were devoured by mouths that gaped in the parent bulk. —Clark Ashton Smith, The Seven Geases
Obscene monsters constantly form in Abhoth's gray mass and crawl away from their parent. No two of Abhoth's children are alike. In general, they are complex life forms, but the majority of them are simple-minded, acting on impulse. Their forms can be anything from amorphous blobs and singular body parts, to queer humanoids and monstrous mutants. Abhoth's tentacles and limbs grab many of them, pulling them back and devouring them. Most of those that escape simply wander off, only a few of them tend to their sire's needs. Abhoth has a twisted and cynical mind, and can communicate telepathically with others near him.
Consider that Lovecraft never fully described Shub-Niggurath, except for a mention in his letters that our dear Shubby was "an evil cloud like entity".
If we consider the possibility that Shub-Niggurath was inspired by Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan, then Shub's description would be:
"Though horror and revolting nausea rose up within me, and an odour of corruption choked my breath, I remained firm. I was then privileged or accursed, I dare not say which, to see that which was on the bed, lying there black like ink, transformed before my eyes. The skin, and the flesh, and the muscles, and the bones, and the firm structure of the human body that I had thought to be unchangeable, and permanent as adamant, began to melt and dissolve.
"I know that the body may be separated into its elements by external agencies, but I should have refused to believe what I saw. For here there was some internal force, of which I knew nothing, that caused dissolution and change.
"Here too was all the work by which man had been made repeated before my eyes. I saw the form waver from sex to sex, dividing itself from itself, and then again reunited. Then I saw the body descend to the beasts whence it ascended, and that which was on the heights go down to the depths, even to the abyss of all being. The principle of life, which makes organism, always remained, while the outward form changed.
"The light within the room had turned to blackness, not the darkness of night, in which objects are seen dimly, for I could see clearly and without difficulty. But it was the negation of light; objects were presented to my eyes, if I may say so, without any medium, in such a manner that if there had been a prism in the room I should have seen no colours represented in it.
"I watched, and at last I saw nothing but a substance as jelly. Then the ladder was ascended again... [here the MS. is illegible] ...for one instance I saw a Form, shaped in dimness before me, which I will not farther describe. But the symbol of this form may be seen in ancient sculptures, and in paintings which survived beneath the lava, too foul to be spoken of... as a horrible and unspeakable shape, neither man nor beast, was changed into human form, there came finally death.
Though all entities discussed are variations upon protoplasmic pools and genderless/omnigendered shapeshifting entities, Gorgulu's description best fits a protoplasmic mass from which independent entities are being generated.
Consider the line "but sometimes as fully formed humanoids connected to Gorgulu by a cord, like half-aborted miscarriages". From this I suggest Gorgulu is more like Abhoth as both generate "children" in a similar manner. Though as you will note Gorgulu's "children" never become separate from Him and appear to function as orifices of consumption, while Abhoth's children try their best to escape from the ever hungering primordial mass of their "mother".
And of course I have left the venerable Shoggoth out of this discussion as Gorgulu does not display the motive force those constructs have.
Why yes I do have the flu and have a fever, why do you ask?
I agree. People who bind with Gorgulu are fucking insane - it even says in the Nihilism ABs under bonding that people who bond with Gorgulu are considered insane.
Well -- every Nihilist bonds with Gorgulu. I assume you mean deeppact. But Gorgulu and Klaymech are just titans of the Taint aren't they? [/forumrp] [/pearls]
You examine a partial poteen pot curio piece of the Poteen Pot Curio Set carefully, before carefully touching it to a barrel of barley curio piece of the Poteen Pot Curio Set. A brief flash of light reveals that the two pieces have joined together, finally completing a potent pot of poteen.
Got the final pieces from a present. If I could guarantee presents from the solstice crates, I'd buy a whole bunch more.
Yay for winning Knowledge. I knew I should've spent more time studying Taint Wars though. And nothing regarding Mornhai? That's disappointing. That's what I studied the most.
Anyway, thanks to all who helped me study. Now I can finally relax.
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
Eh. They were part of it, but it's something you could've easily known without visiting Mornhai. It did come up before Mornhai was released after all.
I was hoping for questions involving Cimtri's spirit friends. I also hope they'll come up more in the future. The Twilight Realm has caught my interest.
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
Yeah, I'm really interested in that stuff. The Earthburner lore is the only events stuff I've been remotly interested in for a long time. It's the kind of mystic lore that is totes Seren/Glom.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders, Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice. It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze. It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence radiating in waves about him.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders, Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice. It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze. It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence radiating in waves about him.
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders, Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice. It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze. It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence radiating in waves about him.
. . .
:: Rushes to log in. ::
Psh. My god cooks up the good stuff while your god is out wandering.
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders, Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice. It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze. It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence radiating in waves about him.
. . .
:: Rushes to log in. ::
Psh. My god cooks up the good stuff while your god is out wandering.
Nothing there's for now, but who knows, he could wander back over with a really, really cool entrance message thing.
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders, Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice. It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze. It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence radiating in waves about him.
. . .
:: Rushes to log in. ::
Psh. My god cooks up the good stuff while your god is out wandering.
Nothing there's for now, but who knows, he could wander back over with a really, really cool entrance message thing.
Well ours are going to be the most enchanting you've ever seen!
Raves to @Isune for making the origami birds display such a lovely and colorful reality, and raves as well to @Daraius for coming up with the idea and @Zyphora for lending her usual lyrical and imaginative flair to the display.
Also, raves for @Kiradawea and @Aruin for being so helpful and great with events.
Raves to @Isune for making the origami birds display such a lovely and colorful reality, and raves as well to @Daraius for coming up with the idea and @Zyphora for lending her usual lyrical and imaginative flair to the display.
Also, raves for @Kiradawea and @Aruin for being so helpful and great with events.
I really regret not being able to be present for the origami show itself, but I'm very happy that it turned out as beautifully and well-received as it did. In addition to the above, many raves for @Irillia too, for organizing and managing and creating so unbelievably much for the Sesquicentennial Refounding Festival, including the origami show!
(Go, zeppelin, go!)
Unrelated:
Thank you, @Turnus, for spurring the visit to the ever-charming @Isune that resulted in such a wonderful piece of lore. I've been so anxious and reluctant to put myself out there lately, but this was a great break from that.
You quickly unwrap a glistening silver present, which sprays glittering silver dust and cheerful confetti into the air, and excitedly pull a changeling cameo from within. You've unwrapped an ULTIMATE present! (Your Gift Counter has been reset.)
You examine a steamer trunk curio piece of the Wooden Luggage Curio Set carefully, before carefully touching it to a partial wooden luggage curio piece of the Wooden Luggage Curio Set. A brief flash of light reveals that the two pieces have joined together, finally completing a carved pile of luggage.
Comments
Ubbo-Sathla ("The Unbegotten Source", "The Demiurge") is described as a huge protoplasmic mass resting in a grotto deep beneath the frozen earth. The being is of a monstrous fecundity, spontaneously generating primordial single-celled organisms that pour unceasingly from its shapeless form. It guards a set of stone tablets believed to contain the knowledge of the Elder Gods.
Ubbo-Sathla is said to have spawned the prototypes of all forms of life on Earth; though whatever its pseudopods touch is forever devoid of life. Ubbo-Sathla is destined to someday reabsorb all living things on Earth.
Ubbo-Sathla possibly dwells in gray-litten Y'qaa. The being may also dwell in Mount Voormithadreth and may have spawned another of its residents, the being Abhoth, whose form and nature is very similar. This similarity has led some writers to speculate that Ubbo-Sathla and Abhoth are the same entity viewed at different epochs under different names.[1][2] The tablets that Ubbo-Sathla guards have been oft sought by sorcerers, though no sorcerer has yet succeeded in acquiring them.
Abhoth
Abhoth ("The Source of Uncleanliness") resides in the cavern of Y'quaa beneath Mount Voormithadreth. It is a horrid, dark gray protean mass and is said to be the ultimate source of all miscreation and abomination.
Obscene monsters constantly form in Abhoth's gray mass and crawl away from their parent. No two of Abhoth's children are alike. In general, they are complex life forms, but the majority of them are simple-minded, acting on impulse. Their forms can be anything from amorphous blobs and singular body parts, to queer humanoids and monstrous mutants. Abhoth's tentacles and limbs grab many of them, pulling them back and devouring them. Most of those that escape simply wander off, only a few of them tend to their sire's needs. Abhoth has a twisted and cynical mind, and can communicate telepathically with others near him.
Consider that Lovecraft never fully described Shub-Niggurath, except for a mention in his letters that our dear Shubby was "an evil cloud like entity".
If we consider the possibility that Shub-Niggurath was inspired by Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan, then Shub's description would be:
"Though horror and revolting nausea rose up within me, and an odour of corruption choked my breath, I remained firm. I was then privileged or accursed, I dare not say which, to see that which was on the bed, lying there black like ink, transformed before my eyes. The skin, and the flesh, and the muscles, and the bones, and the firm structure of the human body that I had thought to be unchangeable, and permanent as adamant, began to melt and dissolve.
"I know that the body may be separated into its elements by external agencies, but I should have refused to believe what I saw. For here there was some internal force, of which I knew nothing, that caused dissolution and change.
"Here too was all the work by which man had been made repeated before my eyes. I saw the form waver from sex to sex, dividing itself from itself, and then again reunited. Then I saw the body descend to the beasts whence it ascended, and that which was on the heights go down to the depths, even to the abyss of all being. The principle of life, which makes organism, always remained, while the outward form changed.
"The light within the room had turned to blackness, not the darkness of night, in which objects are seen dimly, for I could see clearly and without difficulty. But it was the negation of light; objects were presented to my eyes, if I may say so, without any medium, in such a manner that if there had been a prism in the room I should have seen no colours represented in it.
"I watched, and at last I saw nothing but a substance as jelly. Then the ladder was ascended again... [here the MS. is illegible] ...for one instance I saw a Form, shaped in dimness before me, which I will not farther describe. But the symbol of this form may be seen in ancient sculptures, and in paintings which survived beneath the lava, too foul to be spoken of... as a horrible and unspeakable shape, neither man nor beast, was changed into human form, there came finally death.
Though all entities discussed are variations upon protoplasmic pools and genderless/omnigendered shapeshifting entities, Gorgulu's description best fits a protoplasmic mass from which independent entities are being generated.
Consider the line "but sometimes as fully formed humanoids connected to Gorgulu by a cord, like half-aborted miscarriages". From this I suggest Gorgulu is more like Abhoth as both generate "children" in a similar manner. Though as you will note Gorgulu's "children" never become separate from Him and appear to function as orifices of consumption, while Abhoth's children try their best to escape from the ever hungering primordial mass of their "mother".
And of course I have left the venerable Shoggoth out of this discussion as Gorgulu does not display the motive force those constructs have.
Why yes I do have the flu and have a fever, why do you ask?
For further reading on good old Shub-Niggurath I recommend Stross's Equoid. It is free and excellent. http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/09/equoid
before carefully touching it to a barrel of barley curio piece of the Poteen Pot
Curio Set. A brief flash of light reveals that the two pieces have joined together,
finally completing a potent pot of poteen.
Got the final pieces from a present. If I could guarantee presents from the solstice crates, I'd buy a whole bunch more.
Signature!
The Inner Sea. I take commissions doe.
#136 He has aided the Oracle of the Earthburner in exacting her vengeance.
Signature!
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
Anyway, thanks to all who helped me study. Now I can finally relax.
Also, Arcanis missed the seal by ONE LETTER (A in Slaay), on an 8 point question with no partial credits.
I was hoping for questions involving Cimtri's spirit friends. I also hope they'll come up more in the future. The Twilight Realm has caught my interest.
Logs or it didn't happen.
Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
You have set your enter message to: Announced by the ambrosial aroma of confectionary wonders,
Subotai saunters leisurely in from the DIR amidst a flurry of sugar and spice.
It has corresponding exit message: The ambrosial fragrance in the air becomes stale once more as
Subotai strolls casually out to the DIR, a flurry of sugar and spice kicked up behind him.
You have set your enter message to: A cyclone of flaky crumbs appears from the DIR, Subotai
appearing suddenly amidst its centre as the crumbs slowly fade away on a sweeping breeze.
It has corresponding exit message: A cyclone of flaky crumbs rises from the ground, collecting
Subotai and carrying him out to the DIR.
You have set your look message to: Subotai stands here, his presence perfuming the air with the warm
scent of mouth-watering confections.
You have set your look message to: Subotai is here, an ambrosial aura of hunger and indulgence
radiating in waves about him.
Well ours are going to be the most enchanting you've ever seen!
Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
confetti into the air, and excitedly pull a changeling cameo from within.
You've unwrapped an ULTIMATE present! (Your Gift Counter has been reset.)
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Signature!
Harmony wooo
I think this summed it up.. (clan): You say, "Holy good nilcake god **** that was insane."
You examine a steamer trunk curio piece of the Wooden Luggage Curio Set carefully, before carefully
touching it to a partial wooden luggage curio piece of the Wooden Luggage Curio Set. A brief flash
of light reveals that the two pieces have joined together, finally completing a carved pile of
luggage.