Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 70: R'lyeh!

Liu Xing suddenly realized something crucial. If this mirror world was teeming with Formless Offspring, then "the Tiger" should not be merely one of them. It was more likely that this old Taoist was the true identity. But who exactly this old Taoist was remained unclear to Liu Xing. Observing the old man's demeanor, Liu Xing deduced that he was at least a projection or an incarnation of an Eldritch God. Liu Xing strongly suspected that if this old Taoist was indeed an incarnation, it would most likely be that of Nyarlathotep.

Nyarlathotep belonged to the Outer Gods faction, a group considered the most powerful amongst Eldritch Gods in the entire Cthulhu Mythos. However, H.P. Lovecraft himself never explicitly used the term 'Outer Gods'. This concept, akin to Elemental Theory, was a secondary creation, attributed to Lovecraft's successor, Dres, who developed these concepts to establish the Cthulhu Mythos.

During his lifetime, H.P. Lovecraft published only foundational stories of the Cthulhu Mythos, without formally conceptualizing it. As an ardent fan and friend of Lovecraft, Dres, also a novelist, engaged in lengthy and detailed correspondence with Lovecraft, discussing various aspects of the Mythos. This included the hierarchy of the Formless Offspring and their superior, Tsathoggua, elements that Liu Xing encountered in his promotion game. With Lovecraft's blessing, Dres authored numerous Cthulhu Mythos stories.

Following the news of Lovecraft's death, Dres resolved to establish the Cthulhu Mythos in honor of Lovecraft. He began integrating scattered Mythos stories, infusing new elements like Elemental Theory and a faction system. These additions, however, attracted criticism for being "un-Lovecraftian" and lacking theoretical grounding, such as Yog-Sothoth's classification under the earth element.

Nevertheless, as Lovecraft's chosen successor, Dres made indelible contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos, elevating Lovecraft's legacy and works to a status akin to Greek and Norse mythologies, widely recognized and revered in the West.

Liu Xing was aware that distinguishing between the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods was often challenging. In domestic and Japanese Cthulhu Mythos fan circles, the Outer Gods were frequently classified under the Great Old Ones. Liu Xing believed that the Outer Gods were essentially more powerful Great Old Ones, representing the physical manifestations of cosmic forces, entities far beyond the universe whose powers dwarfed those of the Great Old Ones. The primary ruler, "the Blind Idiot God" Azathoth, represented the primordial chaos of the universe's origin, with many considering Azathoth as the universe itself.

Following Azathoth, the "Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young" Shub-Niggurath, "the Unifier of All Things" Yuggoth, and "the Crawling Chaos" Nyarlathotep emerged as the three principal deities, central to the heart of the Cthulhu Mythos.

The Outer God known as Nyarlathotep, a prominent figure in the Cthulhu Mythos, is notorious for stirring up trouble. Unique among his kind, he freely interacts with the human realm in numerous guises without diminishing his power. Notably, Nyarlathotep is one of the few Eldritch Gods who demonstrates a rational understanding of humanity.

His human avatars typically appear as tall, slender men with dark skin and cheerful smiles. This has led to playful comments about Nyaruko entering politics, especially during Aughra's presidency. Nyarlathotep delights in deceiving and tempting humans, finding his greatest joy in their terror and despair. He also has a charming female persona known as Nyaruko.

Consequently, Nyarlathotep often emerges as the hidden antagonist in many Cthulhu RPG games, earning him the nickname "Scapegoat." Whenever a game's narrative encounters a dead end, bringing in Nyarlathotep as the disruptive force is a common resolution.

Liu Xing initially suspects the old Taoist he meets to be an avatar of Nyarlathotep. However, he soon doubts this theory, reasoning that Nyarlathotep would more likely join the game as a player, not as a mere extra explaining the plot. Thus, Liu Xing remains uncertain about the Taoist's true identity.

During Liu Xing's contemplation, he follows the old Taoist to a mystifying palace at the heart of a dense mist. The structure's alien dimensions and spatial configuration evoke an unexplainable repulsion in Liu Xing, as if the entire palace radiates an ominous aura. He notes that the palace is built of an unbelievably large, unearthly green stone, not of this world.

Suddenly, Liu Xing realizes he is gazing upon R'lyeh – the underwater city and resting place of the Great Old One, Cthulhu. According to the Cthulhu Mythos, R'lyeh is destined to rise from the ocean depths when the stars align, awakening Cthulhu to bring about world destruction.

Amidst his shock at witnessing R'lyeh, the scene vanishes. In its place appears a man, casual yet peculiar with toad-shaped glasses. His T-shirt bears the image of Nyarlathotep's infamous incarnation, Nyaruko. This man is none other than KP Cao.

With a mischievous voice, KP Cao exclaims, "Surprised, aren't you? Witnessing the ancient city of R'lyeh is a rarity. In the entire Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall, few players have ever seen it."

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