The Elder Gods have mostly human-like appearance and they are benevolent in nature. In different parts of the world such as Egypt, Mesoamerica, and the Mediterranean they were worshipped by ancient humans. Nowadays, they are remembered as the gods in just about every ancient race, including Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Aztec, and many others.
The Great Old Ones refer to the Elder Gods as the "Pain Lords".
List of Elder Gods
- Adaedu (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Alithlai Tyy (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Bast (CIRCLE: "The Suicide in the Study", "The Mannikin", "The Brood of Bubastis")
- Dveahtehs (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Eppirfon (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Eyroix (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Hypnos (HPL: "Hypnos")
- Kthanid (EXP: The Transition of Titus Crow, The Clock of Dreams)
- Orryx (CIRCLE: "The Lair of the Star-spawn", EXP: The Creature Companion (RPG supplement))
- Othkkartho (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Ovytonv (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Oztalun (CIRCLE: "Ascharia", EXP: "The Bane of the Byagoona", "The Star-Seed")
- Nodens (HPL: "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", "The Strange High House in the Mist", EXP: "The House of the Worm", "Glimpses", Nightside of Eden, "A Priestess of Nodens", "Parting the Veil")
- Paighon (EXP: "The Barrett Horror")
- Shavalyoth (CIRCLE: "Ascharia", EXP: "The Bane of the Byagoona")
- Sk'tai (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Ulthar (EXP: "The Sussex Manuscript", A Guide to the Cthulhu Cult)
- Urthuvn (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Vorvadoss (CIRCLE: "The Eater of Souls", "The Invaders", EXP: "The Star-Seed", "Wizards of Hyperborea")
- Xislanyx (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Xuthyos-Sihb'Bz (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Yad-Thaddag (EXP: Elysia)
- Yaggdytha (EXP: "The Star-Seed", "The Advent of Uvhash", "The Bane of the Byagoona")
- Zehirete (EXP: Nightmare's Disciple)
- Chululas
Behind the Mythos
In stories written after Lovecraft's death, the Elder Gods oppose the Outer Gods and the Great Old Ones. August Derleth attempted to retroactively group the benevolent deity Nodens in this category (who acts as deus ex machina for the protagonists in both "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath" and "The Strange High House in the Mist").
Robert M. Price postulated that a "Reformist" group of Elder God worshippers had tampered with many Mythos books to make them more pro-Elder God in tone. Reformist Theology of the "benign" Elder Gods as creator beings and the "evil" Old Ones as rebellious slaves who were imprisoned after a “war in heaven” to protect Mankind.
After Derleth's death many writers have moved away from this Duelist notion, either ignoring the Elder Gods or suggesting that they have an agenda as inimical to mankind as the Great Old Ones themselves.
As for Great Old Ones, Joseph S. Pulver mentions in his "Nightmare Disciples" (2006) a series of original Elder Gods, though lacking of any description about their true form. The story introduces entities as Adaedu, Alithlai Tyy, Dveahtehs, Eyroix,Ovytonv, Urthuvn, Xislanyx and Xuthyos-Sihb’Bz. Others have a cult title as Othkkartho (Sire of the Four Titans of Balance and Order), which is said to be Nodens's son, and Zehirete, who is The Pure and Holy Womb of Light. Sk’tai and Eppirfon are brothers and the former (female) has been Cthulhu's second bride who bore him a son, T'ith, now dead, murdered by Cthulhu himself.
Another Elder God with no description is Walter C. DeBill, Jr.'s Paighon, an extra-galactic entity which now dwells in the Earth's core, said to be inimical to the Outer God Ngyr-Korath and its servitor Ymnar.