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"

Abhoth (The Source of Uncleanliness) is a fictional entity created by the late American author Clark Ashton Smith for his 1934 short story "The Seven Geases".

When Abhoth first appeared in Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, it was described as an Outer God ^[1], but more recent editions have changed this interpretation to that of a Great Old One ^[2].

Overview[]

Abhoth 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.

Notes[]

Abhoth is also mentioned in Colin Wilson's The Mind Parasites.
Abhoth is one of the Ancient Ones in the "Dunwich Horror" expansion of the Arkham Horror board game.
Abhoth is one of the Ancient Ones in the "Under the Pyramids" expansion of the Eldritch Horror board game.
In Gary Myers's short story "The Snout in the Alcove", Atal goes looking for Abhoth, believing he can gain from him the runes of the Elder Gods in order to prevent the second coming of Nyarlathotep. The story suggests that Abhoth and Ubbo-Sathla might be the same entity.