Elder Gods
"Elder god" is a broad term for any ancient (subjectively to one's perception) deities.
Many races and groups have been called "Elder Gods" throughout time: the Lords of the Dawn, the first Elder Gods;[1] ancient beings such as the Elder Gods of Earth;[2] the Old Ones/[3][4][5][6][7]Many-Angled Ones;[8][9] the Elder Gods of Limbo,[10][11][12] the Gibborim[13][14] (one of them being possibly part of the Elder Gods of Limbo),[10] the Many-Souled Ones;[15] the Elder Ones;[16] the N'Garai[5][6] and their masters the Mabdhara,[17] and even some Abstract Entities.[18]
It would also become a name for more recent pantheons, such as the Gods of Egypt,[19] the Olympians,[20] and also of the Aesir from the Ragnarök era preceding our era.[21]
The Elder Gods presented here are unlikely to be all related to each other, apart from that name, originating from their status as ancient deities.
History
Knull, Lord of the Abyss
First Elder Gods
From before creation
The Dweller-in-Darkness, who described himself as an elder god,[22] possibly the son of Cthulhu,[23] originated from the dimension Everinnye,[24] and survived from a previous universe,[25] where he fractured the M'kraan Crystal in an effort to destroy reality as a whole, creating fear throughout the universe that would feed his appetites. Instead, the Phoenix Force united the minds of the dying universe, preventing them from being afraid, and foiling his plans.[26]
The Black Winter, a cosmic entity capable of devouring universes, consumed the Sixth Cosmos; sparing only Galan of Taa to serve as its Herald in the new Multiverse.[27][18]
The Black Winter's destruction of the universe created an existential void,[28] in which the elder god Knull came into being and claimed as his domain. When the Celestials began creating the seventh iteration of the universe, Knull declared war on them and their creations.[29][30]
One of the first Elder Gods smiling at his creation
Early years of the Universe
Fourteen billion years ago, in the Void, one of the first Elder Gods, a baby, played with creating life before being assassinated by the time-travelling Gorr.[31]
Twelve[1] or four billion years ago,[32] after the First Great War of the Gods, the Lords of the Dawn, "the first Elder Gods",[1] or their begetters,[33] built Omnipotence City as a place of divine fellowship.[1]
Many other entities identified as Elder Gods, such as the God Tempest, the Phoenix, and Great Old Ones, came into being during the early years of the cosmos and warred for dominion over the nascent universe.[18][34][35]
Elder Gods on Earth
On Earth, many groups and beings were described as "elder gods", including :
- the Elder Gods of Earth (created 4 billion years ago);[2]
- the Old Ones[3][4][5][6][7] who, according to lore, populated all existence before the act of creation.[35] The Nameless Old Ones allegedly ruled the universe a billion eons before the birth of Gayomar, the first of all men.[36] Shuma-Gorath and other Old Ones came million years ago, ruling the Earth and feasting on the ape-men;[37]
- the Elder Ones,[16] alternatively described as beings of goodness[38] or entities evil,[39] or at least antagonists to Man;[16][40]
- the Many-Souled Ones, creatures who walked the Earth before Man or animal, and who lived and died before there was a Heaven;[15]
- the N'Garai, created by the Elder God of Earth Chthon after his fleeing of Earth, and their masters the Mabdhara.[17]
Additionally a certain number of gods and demons have received that appellation.
Though the Demogorge is usually stated to have dealt with the degenerated Elder Gods of Earth, he has been stated to have destroyed the various elder gods and demons that ruled the planet before the gods' creation,[41] possibly including other elder gods.
The Elder Gods have been alternatively described as dark gods requiring human sacrifices,[42] and beings gifted with great wisdom and insight.[43]
Opposing Gods and Demons
The mighty (but also arrogant and ambitious) god G'bharr Rjinn sought to dethrone the Elder Gods, using his magical eyes. The Elder Gods consequently destroyed him, leaving as only remains his eyes.[44]
Jergal Zadh, a demon so great even the gods feared him, was banished to a hellish netherworld by elder god jealous of his power.[45] Similarly, they banished Thazarra the Sorceress into a prison in another plane.[46] Similarly, the Ancient Ones/Ancients imprisoned the Dark Angels.[47]
The Elder God appearing to Zulda Thaal
Pre-Cataclysmic Age
During the Pre-Cataclysmic Age, a mountain city on the fringes of Valusia and ruled by Thuron worshiped the Unnameable One, who rewarded Thuron with enhanced strength and the Ring of the Black Shadow, allowing him to summon the Black Shadow. They sacrificed humans to the Unnameable One.
King Kull of Valusia decided to have all those who offered human sacrifice to the dark elder gods, and marched upon at least the city worshipping the Unnameable One. Thuron was killed, seemingly by the intervention of the Scorpion-God, before the arrival of Kull.[42]
Hyborian Age
13,000 BC
Circa 13,000 BC, Zulda Thaal worshiped an elder god who bestowed him a magic breastplate, gauntlets encrusted with precious gems and an enchanted bow.[48]
Age of Conan (10,000 BC)
The elder gods were invoked by sorcerers,[49] demons,[50] and other figures.[51]
The oldest god of the Hyperboreans was the elder god Bardisattva the Very Old, or Bardis, the god of the Coya clan, while despised by the Clan Curgill. The Land of Bardisattva was forbidden to all but the Silent Followers, priests of the Coya.[52]
An elder god was worshiped by women of the race inhabiting the Vale of Lost Women, for which they performed human sacrifices. Such one was the Ophirean woman Livia of House of Chelkus, who was rescued by Conan the Cimmerian.[53]
At some point before the 1950s, the evil sorcerer Khalis-Wu encountered the Elder Gods and was seemingly defeated into retreat.[54]
Miscellaneous
Representatives: Here are listed "Elder Gods" from unknown origin, including the Unnameable One,[42] the Elder God worshiped by Zulda Thaal,[48] Pluorrg,[55] X'axal,[56] Knull,[30] Bardisattva the Very Old / Bardis,[52] the Dweller-in-Darkness[22] (a demon from the dimension Everinnye),[24] and the Elder God worshiped in the Vale of Lost Women.[53]
List of the known Elder Gods
Notes
- The Aesir from the Ragnarök era preceding our era were known as Elder Gods as well.[21]
- The demon Gathonagog was described as an "archaic god" by Doctor Doom.[57]
See also
- Appearances of Elder Gods whose exact affiliation or classification (if any) is unknown.
- Mentions of Elder Gods whose exact affiliation or classification (if any) is unknown.
- Images of Elder Gods whose exact affiliation or classification (if any) is unknown.
- Yug-Sluggoth, Baron of the Elder Hell.[1]
- Razazel, Arch-Demon of the Elder Night.[58]
Links and references
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Thor: God of Thunder #3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thor Annual #10
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Savage Sword of Conan #125; At the Altar of the Goat God
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Savage Sword of Conan #164; The Slithering God
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #8; N'Garai's profile
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities #1; Demons' profile
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Doctor Strange #388
- ↑ Thanos Imperative #5
- ↑ Thanos Imperative #6
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 X-Infernus #4
- ↑ New Mutants Vol 3 #22
- ↑ New Mutants Vol 3 #21
- ↑ Runaways Vol 5 #14
- ↑ Runaways Vol 5 #16
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Secret Avengers #19
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Savage Sword of Conan #150; Call to the Slain
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities #1; Belasco's profile
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Thor Vol 6 #19
- ↑ Wolverine Annual Vol 3 #1
- ↑ Chamber of Darkness #3; Something Lurks on Shadow Mountain!
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Thor #294
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Journey into Mystery #636
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005 #1; Dweller-in-Darkness' profile's corrections
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005 #1; Appendix
- ↑ Journey into Mystery #633
- ↑ Adventures of the X-Men #12
- ↑ Thor (Vol. 6) #1-6
- ↑ King in Black #1
- ↑ Venom Vol 4 #4
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Venom Vol 4 #6
- ↑ Thor: God of Thunder #5
- ↑ Mighty Thor Vol 3 #12
- ↑ King Thor #1
- ↑ King in Black: Namor #2
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Moon Knight #191
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian Annual #7
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005 #1; Shuma-Gorath's profile
- ↑ Marvel Premiere #7
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #152; Valley Beyond the Stars
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #161; Call of the Howling Shadows
- ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #1; Amatsu-Kami' profile
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Conan the Barbarian #52
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #98; Blood Ruby of Death!
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #107; Eyes of G'Bharr R'Jinn!
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #152
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #165
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #164
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Savage Sword of Conan #87; The Armor of Zulda Thaal
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #8; The Forever Phial
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #113
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian #89
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 Savage Sword of Conan #178; Pillar of the Sky
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 Conan the Barbarian #104
- ↑ Marvel Comics Super Special #5
- ↑ Doctor Strange Vol 4 #21
- ↑ Doctor Strange Vol 5 #1
- ↑ Marvel #2; Leave the Demon, Take the Cannoli
- ↑ Conan the Barbarian Vol 3 #1; The Life & Death of Conan: part one - The Weird of the Crimson Witch
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