Elder God

The Elder Gods are a group of cosmic beings which feature in the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired Cthulhu Mythos. Whilst initially depicted by Lovecraft as little different to the other deities of the setting, they have been retroactively portrayed as the adversaries to such entities as the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones, and are usually depicted as “good” beings.

Overview
Whilst the appearance, powers and motivations of the Elder Gods varies dramatically from one to another, they share a universal hatred of the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods, and many seem to spend much of their time thwarting the plots and schemes hatched by these beings. Whilst generally perceived as being on the side of good, it should be noted that a large percentage of these beings show little interest in the activities, or even survival, of mortal creatures.

Many of the Elder Gods are rumored to dwell in the wondrous dimension of Elysia, where they are nominally ruled over by Kthanid - said to be the “brother” of Great Cthulhu - a benevolent god who has dedicated his existence to stopping his sibling’s plans.

Origins
Whilst the exact origins of the Elder Gods is shrouded in mystery, they are believed to have existed since the beginning of time. Many of these beings have been adopted by various civilizations over the years, and thus at least a partial knowledge of their existence has filtered through to the general population.

History
In eons long past, the Elder Gods engaged in a celestial war with the Great Old Ones for reasons undisclosed, and after a struggle which lasted for millennia emerged victorious. Rather than killing the Great Old Ones, the Elder Gods chose to instead imprison them, utilizing powerful artefacts known as star-stones to keep them dormant while captive. The Outer Gods they banished to pocket dimensions from which they could not escape and could do no harm. However, since that time, several of the Great Old Ones have managed to free themselves through a variety of methods, and now the Elder Gods once again battle against their old adversaries, although this time the balance of power seems to have somewhat shifted against them.

List of Elder Gods
Whilst this lists all of the known Elder Gods, it should be noted that there are likely many more of these entities.
 * Bast
 * Kthanid
 * Nodens
 * Oryx
 * Oztalun
 * Paighon
 * Shavalyoth
 * Ulthar
 * Vorvadoss
 * Yad-Thaddag
 * Yaggdytha