NationStates Jolt Archive

This has been bugging me for a while. What exactly is Cthulhu Fhtagn?

I don't know, but there's abuilding with cthulhuthemovie.com painted on it by my school. I haven't gone there yet, but someday I will.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn

It's part of a chant to Great Cthulhu. In it's complete form it means "In his sunken city at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu lies dreaming. Often chanted by his worshipers while dancing around an image of him after having given sacrifice to the beasts who serve him in dark, shunned places of this world.

This has been bugging me for a while. What exactly is Cthulhu Fhtagn?
You fail at the Internet.

In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
Wiki Cthulhu.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn

It's part of a chant to Great Cthulhu. In it's complete form it means "In his sunken city at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu lies dreaming. Often chanted by his worshipers while dancing around an image of him after having given sacrifice to the beasts who serve him in dark, shunned places of this world.
You beat me to it, you bastard!!!!
BTW, you can read Call of Cthulhu for free on Wikisource.

In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
Wiki Cthulhu.
My bad, that's the correct translation.

You fail at the Internet.
That's why I'm asking. Now answer me or go away. I'm not in the mood to be insulted today.

Cthulhu. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu)

I'm not in the mood to be insulted today.
I'll insult you if I feel like it.

Now now...

Cthulhu. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu)
So it's a fictional character...what's the big deal about him?

So it's a fictional character...what's the big deal about him?
If I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings... It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind. This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence...

Now do you understand?

So it's a fictional character...what's the big deal about him?
His fictionality is disputed.

by people with overactive imaginations.

Actually he's the central figure in a mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft. Many people consider Lovecraft's stories to be among the best, and certainly most original, in horror literature. He's got a huge cult (hehe) fanbase.

His fictionality is disputed.

by people with overactive imaginations.

Actually he's the central figure in a mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft. Many people consider Lovecraft's stories to be among the best, and certainly most original, in horror literature. He's got a huge cult (hehe) fanbase.
Dude, your supposed to make the "by people with overactive imaginations" white, so he can't see it. Until it's too late.

If I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings... It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind. This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence...

Now do you understand?
You only described him to me, but did not answer my question of why he's so important.

That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange eons even death may die


Cthulhu is a fictional Great Old One, and a creation of author H.P. Lovecraft.

And he's a swell Old One ;)

You only described him to me, but did not answer my question of why he's so important.
That is why you fail at the Internet.

If you want to call him up read the Necronomiconfollow directions wash, rinse, repeat.

You only described him to me, but did not answer my question of why he's so important.

He isn't. Just a fictional myth by H.P. Lovecraft.
As important as Darth Vader or Frodo.
Nerd stuff.

You only described him to me, but did not answer my question of why he's so important.
He's an all-powerful, amoral being. Basically regards humanity as a bug on a windshield.

He isn't. Just a fictional myth by H.P. Lovecraft.
As important as Darth Vader or Frodo.
Nerd stuff.

HUSH. No blasphemy, please.

He isn't. Just a fictional myth by H.P. Lovecraft.
As important as Darth Vader or Frodo.
Nerd stuff.


Nods

That is why you fail at the Internet.
Okay, I failed. What next?

Whatever it is, it sure sounds yummy. :eek:

HUSH. No blasphemy, please.

May Thor hammer thee.

You only described him to me, but did not answer my question of why he's so important.
He's the symbol of the Horror stories written by H. P. Lovecraft and others. In the same way that Mickey Mouse is central to the Disney universe, Great Cthulhu is the center of Lovecrafts horror universe*. 'Course, that wasn't Lovecrafts intention, it's a fan-created phenomenon.

And there is a role-playing game called "Call of Cthulhu" too... That might have something to do with all of this.

* I'm going to R'lyeh for that comparison, aren't I...

Whatever it is, it sure sounds yummy. :eek:
Really? I thought it sounded bad...there's a street in my city called Cthulhu...is that bad?

Ia! Ia!

Read some Lovecraft, then you will wonder no more.

The Complete Works (http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/index.html)

Especially The Call of Cthulhu, The Festival, From Beyond, Pickman's Model, The Shunned House, The Statement of Randolph Carter...

several of which have been made into movies or episodes of creepy tv shows...

DO NOT READ THE NECRONOMICON!

All stories are best read in the dark, in the night, all alone...

Heh, heh, heh...Ia! Ia! Cthulhu fhtagn!

Really? I thought it sounded bad...there's a street in my city called Cthulhu...is that bad?
No, but it is... interesting...

Really? I thought it sounded bad...there's a street in my city called Cthulhu...is that bad?
Nah, that's just cool.

Ia! Ia!



DO NOT READ THE NECRONOMICON!




Why not?

I'm going to R'lyeh for that comparison, aren't I...Tasty you will be.

Okay, I failed. What next?Repeat the following three times: Hastur....

>:-D

This has been bugging me for a while. What exactly is Cthulhu Fhtagn?

'What part of "Ph'nglui mglw'nath Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" don't you understand?'*





* Quite a well known sig on usenet, used by a chap called Christopher Adams.

Tasty you will be.



Yoda?

'What part of "Ph'nglui mglw'nath Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" don't you understand?'*





* Quite a well known sig on usenet, used by a chap called Christopher Adams.
All of it.

He isn't. Just a fictional myth by H.P. Lovecraft.
As important as Darth Vader or Frodo.
Nerd stuff.

The fundamental difference between Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings is that the entities of the Cthulhu mythos quite frankly couldn't give a fuck about humankind. Whereas the others are hung up on notions of good and evil, the denizens of Lovecraft are so different as to be utterly ammoral.

Yoda?Or his evil cousin. You decide.

well this is really damn creepy I just finished "the call of Cthulhu" (how the hell do you pronouce that?)

Or his evil cousin. You decide.

Yoda

YodaYet Yoda if I am, would not I say, "Decide you must"? Ever strangely devolves this thread.

Yet Yoda if I am, would not I say, "Decide you must"? Ever strangely devolves this thread.

Too late to change your mind. You told me to decide. I made like George Bush and was the decider. You are now Yoda. Deal with it.

All of it.

DUDE! Haven't you ever heard of retorical question? :confused:

well this is really damn creepy I just finished "the call of Cthulhu" (how the hell do you pronouce that?)
The pronounciation goes something like Kthoolhoo, compared usually to chinese (Kui Tai Lao Hai), ancient sumerian (Kutulu) and others, like Khadhulu or Khadhulhu etc. In too many forms is the name written for a mere mortal to seek the meanings out. But then again, I wouldn't advice trying to learn the pronounciation. Someone asleep might mind it going wrong. ;)

And of course, to the one who started this debate; why would you want to know that so eagerly?!?!? Don't you know that the more u know the more it hurts?!? :eek:

He's the symbol of the Horror stories written by H. P. Lovecraft and others. In the same way that Mickey Mouse is central to the Disney universe, Great Cthulhu is the center of Lovecrafts horror universe*. 'Course, that wasn't Lovecrafts intention, it's a fan-created phenomenon.

And there is a role-playing game called "Call of Cthulhu" too... That might have something to do with all of this.

* I'm going to R'lyeh for that comparison, aren't I...

Azathoth was actually the centre of the Lovecraft mythos. Cthulhu was not a God per se, just a very powerful, amoral alien species that arrived on earth, and will rise again, presumably to clear off the human infestation, and perhaps to move on to other worlds.

As for the Necronomicon: I've read a piss poor immitation sold as authentic in the new-age section of some bookstores. Of course, buying popular occult books is a very good way to waste your money and support idiots (plus you get to justify the beliefs of the even bigger idiots that actually buy into the BS.) The necronomicon was created by Lovecraft as well. It does not exist.

Cthulhu. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu)

*bows to Wiki*

DUDE! Haven't you ever heard of retorical question? :confused:

What is a rhetorical question?

The pronounciation goes something like Kthoolhoo, compared usually to chinese (Kui Tai Lao Hai), ancient sumerian (Kutulu) and others, like Khadhulu or Khadhulhu etc. In too many forms is the name written for a mere mortal to seek the meanings out. But then again, I wouldn't advice trying to learn the pronounciation. Someone asleep might mind it going wrong. ;)

And of course, to the one who started this debate; why would you want to know that so eagerly?!?!? Don't you know that the more u know the more it hurts?!? :eek:


Thats not what HP Lovecraft said.


The actual sound --- as nearly as human organs could imitate it or human letters record it --- may be taken as something like Khlul'hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutterally and very thickly. The u is about like that in full; and the first syllable is not unlike klul in sound, since the h represents the gutteral thickness. The second syllable is not very well rendered --- the l being unrepresented. (Selected Letters V, pp. 10-11.)

Thats not what HP Lovecraft said.


The actual sound --- as nearly as human organs could imitate it or human letters record it --- may be taken as something like Khlul'hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutterally and very thickly. The u is about like that in full; and the first syllable is not unlike klul in sound, since the h represents the gutteral thickness. The second syllable is not very well rendered --- the l being unrepresented. (Selected Letters V, pp. 10-11.)
He also gave several contradictory pronounciations.

What is a rhetorical question?
I burst out laughing when I read that.

I burst out laughing when I read that.

Thank you. I'm here all week. Is there anybody from the Plateau of Leng in the audience?

What is a rhetorical question?

Who knows? I think it is a term bandied about without meaning.

*bows*

Oh Hail the Great H.P Lovecraft. I have only read 'The Dream Cycle' and out of that my personal favorite is The Dreams in the Witch House.

Which...I might add was made into a one hour movie for MASTERS OF HORROR by Stuart Gordon who has also done, RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, and DAGON.

He also gave several contradictory pronounciations.

Show me.

Thats not what HP Lovecraft said.


The actual sound --- as nearly as human organs could imitate it or human letters record it --- may be taken as something like Khlul'hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutterally and very thickly. The u is about like that in full; and the first syllable is not unlike klul in sound, since the h represents the gutteral thickness. The second syllable is not very well rendered --- the l being unrepresented. (Selected Letters V, pp. 10-11.)
Well that was why I said "something like" and not "exactly" :)

Thank you. I'm here all week. Is there anybody from the Plateau of Leng in the audience?

Sorry. I'm from the mountains of madness, and currently reside in the dreamlands.:p

You fail at the Internet.

Don't worry so do I

Yet Yoda if I am, would not I say, "Decide you must"? Ever strangely devolves this thread.

Yes yes it does......

Too late to change your mind. You told me to decide. I made like George Bush and was the decider. You are now Yoda. Deal with it.

Can i be the evil twin!!!.
1 |/\|4|\|7 70 b3 73|-| 3\/ 1L 7|/\|1|\|

Can i be the evil twin!!!.
1 |/\|4|\|7 70 b3 73|-| 3\/ 1L 7|/\|1|\|

Do you look like Yoda? Would you be willing to smack Skywalker in the back of the head with a big rock?

Do you look like Yoda? Would you be willing to smack Skywalker in the back of the head with a big rock?

I can look like yoda If i want to ...

Oh and Ask me "who is willing to smack Skywalker in the back of the head with a big rock?"
Pick me Pick me PICK ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can i slap him with a fish afterwards?

I can look like yoda If i want to ...

Oh and Ask me "who is willing to smack Skywalker in the back of the head with a big rock?"
Pick me Pick me PICK ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can i slap him with a fish afterwards?

You may be Yoda's evil twin. Congrats

Really? I thought it sounded bad...there's a street in my city called Cthulhu...is that bad?

Where do you live, Innsmouth? :-D

If you don't get that joke, there's an interesting story from HP Lovecraft called "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" which is a good introduction to his style of fantasy/horror.

Enjoy

Also, if you enjoyed that, check out *THIS!*

http://www.logicalcreativity.com/jon/plush/01.html

Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Fhtagn!

Just check out anything written by H.P. Lovecraft. You'll see, then.

Also, if you enjoyed that, check out *THIS!*

http://www.logicalcreativity.com/jon/plush/01.html

Is this story about stuffed animals? :confused:

If you haven't read any Lovecraft I highly recommend it. I'd start with Call of Cthulhu, but my favorite story is "The Colour out of Space". Avoid anything written by August Derleth that is part of the Mythos. Damn August Derleth to hell.

Okay, so I get the Cthulhu part now, but where does the Fhtagn part come from?

You fail at the Internet.
Surely you have a wiki page?

If you haven't read any Lovecraft I highly recommend it. I'd start with Call of Cthulhu, but my favorite story is "The Colour out of Space". Avoid anything written by August Derleth that is part of the Mythos. Damn August Derleth to hell.

Derleth was a hack whos only contribution was the posthumous publication of Lovecrafts work. Even his own stories sucked.

Okay, so I get the Cthulhu part now, but where does the Fhtagn part come from?
it's part of the Chant.

the Cthulu mythos is central in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. (better than Stephen King in my opinion.)

Cthulu is one of the Elder Gods that sleeps in the depths of the ocean. It is prophisied that when he awakens, the world will be destroyed. Note, not if, when.

There is a role playing system out centered around the Cthulu Mythos called "The Call of Cthulu" in which, as Investigators, your job is to delay the awakening of Cthulu by stopping/preventing events that will lead to his rise.

If you really wanna screw up players. when there is a role playing tourney going on. find the group of tables that is playing CoC (Call of Cthulu) and yell out the name Hastur. (in the game, Hastur is one of the lesser Gods. when his name is spoken, there is a 1% chance that he will appear and go on a rampage.) :D

oh and I suggest running after that.... any table that is unlucky enough to fail that role will surely be after you.

it's part of the Chant.

the Cthulu mythos is central in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. (better than Stephen King in my opinion.)

Cthulu is one of the Elder Gods that sleeps in the depths of the ocean. It is prophisied that when he awakens, the world will be destroyed. Note, not if, when.

There is a role playing system out centered around the Cthulu Mythos called "The Call of Cthulu" in which, as Investigators, your job is to delay the awakening of Cthulu by stopping/preventing events that will lead to his rise.

If you really wanna screw up players. when there is a role playing tourney going on. find the group of tables that is playing CoC (Call of Cthulu) and yell out the name Hastur. (in the game, Hastur is one of the lesser Gods. when his name is spoken, there is a 1% chance that he will appear and go on a rampage.) :D

oh and I suggest running after that.... any table that is unlucky enough to fail that role will surely be after you.
That's a pretty slight chance that Hastur would appear. Now if he appeared EVERY time you yelled out his name...

Okay, so I get the Cthulhu part now, but where does the Fhtagn part come from?

Okay, why don't you go back to the first page of this thread where a couple of people gave you the entire quote that includes the word "fhtagn"? You've already been answered. In case you're unclear where fthagn comes into it, it's basically translated into "sleeping" or "dreaming".

While you're at it, you could follow the links to wiki about Cthulhu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu) and do some reading. I think you'll find it will answer a lot of your questions.

The next step, of course, is to join a CoC roleplaying group and get into it properly. Just don't blame us when you drop to 30% San.

http://www.conradhubbard.com/images/foray/yellowsign.gif

There, now we all lose! MUHAHAHAHA!

Okay, I failed. What next?

Next, you might want to learn how to use this (http://www.google.com/) website (it's really quite easy to use - easier than posting here).

Next, you might want to learn how to use this (http://www.google.com/) website (it's really quite easy to use - easier than posting here).
It might be informative, but nowhere near as fun! :D

- Cthulhu makes Gozer look like Little Mary Sunshine.
- Anything that looks like Godzilla wearing an octopus hat shouldn't be hard to find.

Is this story about stuffed animals? :confused:

Plush Cthulhu! The mindbending horrifying god of stuffed animals! :-D

Always thought they were all a little sinister.

Plush Cthulhu! The mindbending horrifying god of stuffed animals! :-D

Always thought they were all a little sinister.

I've got a Summer Fun Cthulhu (http://toychest.diamondcomics.com/toys/08_02/18_summer_fun_cthulhu.htm) sitting around my house somewhere.

Derleth was a hack whos only contribution was the posthumous publication of Lovecrafts work. Even his own stories sucked.

Exactly, I hate everything Derleth did other than his publication of Lovecrafts work. He ruined the Mythos by imposing an order to the various "gods" and creating some good v evil battle that was never supposed to be there. The universe is supposed to be one of mindless, uncaring, indiscriminate hostility where mankind is an accident.

Cthulhu looks like a radioactive lunatic goofballs overdosed on growth hormones emerging from a swampy mudbog with the flying spaghetti monster stuck onto his forehead with super glue.

He isn't. Just a fictional myth by H.P. Lovecraft.
As important as Darth Vader or Frodo.
Nerd stuff.
That's simply not true. He stands as a literary symbol of a nihilistic view of the universe and it's natural laws that sees man's place as an insignificant species who's existence has no meaning and no special sacred status. Frodo was just a midget with fuzzy feet.

He is also the star of an anti-Chick tract:

http://bellend.strtok.net/~tyler/cthulhu/

That's simply not true. He stands as a literary symbol of a nihilistic view of the universe and it's natural laws that sees man's place as an insignificant species who's existence has no meaning and no special sacred status. Frodo was just a midget with fuzzy feet.

It is not true that Cthulhu is a mythical figure invented by the fantasy author H.P. Lovecraft?

It is not true that Cthulhu is a mythical figure invented by the fantasy author H.P. Lovecraft?
No, he is. But he's not a midget with fuzzy feet.
He crazy, main, he cut you!

Cthulhu looks like a radioactive lunatic goofballs overdosed on growth hormones emerging from a swampy mudbog with the flying spaghetti monster stuck onto his forehead with super glue.

Damn right. That's what he looks like. No fuzzy feet. Doesn't make breathing sounds like a steam iron, either.

(in the game, Hastur is one of the lesser Gods. when his name is spoken, there is a 1% chance that he will appear and go on a rampage.) :D

Actually, the whole thing comes from the very first printing of Deities and Demigods from First Edition Dungeons and Dragons. In it, every time you said Hastur's name, there was a 25% cumulative chance that it would appear. Somewhere along the line "HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR" got shortened down to "HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR". CoC does not include this clause. He Who Must Not Be Named is merely a title.

He is also the star of an anti-Chick tract:

http://bellend.strtok.net/~tyler/cthulhu/

ah good, somebody put that back up. for a while it was hard to find - i heard something about a cease and desist letter (i made a personal copy, and have the individual graphic files stored online for internet use, just in case).

...I've been whispering "Hastur" over and over for the past few minutes...
It's not working.

...I've been whispering "Hastur" over and over for the past few minutes...
It's not working.

Well, it worked with Cthulhu. He's now in my bathroom, sobbing and crying, claiming he's just misunderstood. He likes flowers, little bunnies and the Tellytubbies.

Well, it worked with Cthulhu. He's now in my bathroom, sobbing and crying, claiming he's just misunderstood. He likes flowers, little bunnies and the Tellytubbies.
He hates Hello Kitty and cookies, though.

Is there any free resource on the interweb, where I can learn the rules of Call of Cthulhu?

Never mind, I found one. At Chaosium.

ah good, somebody put that back up. for a while it was hard to find - i heard something about a cease and desist letter (i made a personal copy, and have the individual graphic files stored online for internet use, just in case).

Indeed, you can read about it here.

http://www.howardhallis.com/bis/cthulhuchick/

http://www.conradhubbard.com/images/foray/yellowsign.gif

There, now we all lose! MUHAHAHAHA!
:eek:
Gahhhhh!
SAN CHECK!

Actually, the whole thing comes from the very first printing of Deities and Demigods from First Edition Dungeons and Dragons. In it, every time you said Hastur's name, there was a 25% cumulative chance that it would appear. Somewhere along the line "HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR" got shortened down to "HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR". CoC does not include this clause. He Who Must Not Be Named is merely a title.
I bow to the superior wisdome for this subject. :D

He Who Must Not Be Named is merely a title.
But what a great title it is!

(And so much easier to pronounce then, say, Nyarlathotep :p )

a prayer

This has been bugging me for a while. What exactly is Cthulhu Fhtagn?

http://bellend.strtok.net/~tyler/cthulhu/

;) Gotta love it.

:eek:
Gahhhhh!
SAN CHECK!
I thought you failed your san check sometime ago. ;)

No, but it is... interesting...

You wouldn't happen to live in a place called Arkham, would you?

Ia! Ia-R'lyeh! Cthulhu fhtagn! Ia! Ia!

http://bellend.strtok.net/~tyler/cthulhu/

;) Gotta love it.
But... but... I thought the reward was to be eaten last? :confused:

Q) What is Great Cthulhu's position on obvious cult fronts (such as Microsoft, Lego and most gaming companies); will he/she/it treat them as previous administrations have? (i.e. pretend they don't exist or support them/crack down on them) Also and more important will he treat all cultists equally, or give his particular thrill kill cultists preference leaving (for example) shub-niggurath disciples such as Clarence Thomas and Bob Packwood out in the cold?

A) Good question. Within the first 100 days of its reign, the Great Cthulhu pledges to destroy the following cults:

* Disney.
* Mass Media.
* Yuppies.
* Kentucky Fried Chicken.
* People who use the phrase "information superhighway".

Cthulhu cultists will be given the following priveleges:

* They will die last.
From the Cthulhu for president political platform (http://www.cthulhu.org/cthulhu/positions.html)