Eldritch Abomination/Tabletop Games: Difference between revisions

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[[File:magic_cosmic_horror_5192.jpg|link=Magic: The Gathering|right|Meet the [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=2093 Cosmic Horror].]]
[[File:magic_cosmic_horror_5192.jpg|link=Magic: The Gathering|right|Meet the [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=2093 Cosmic Horror].]]

* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' has whole races of Eldritch Abominations; from 3rd edition onwards, they have been increasingly linked with the Far Realm, [[Eldritch Location|an impossibly vast, incomprehensible place]] far beyond the cosmology of most ''D&D'' settings. A 3.5 sourcebook, ''Lords of Madness'', gave greater detail to the "Aberration" creature type, which is mainly used for such creatures (many of the weirder/most horrible Outsider-type creatures also count).
* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' has whole races of Eldritch Abominations; from 3rd edition onwards, they have been increasingly linked with the Far Realm, [[Eldritch Location|an impossibly vast, incomprehensible place]] far beyond the cosmology of most ''D&D'' settings. A 3.5 sourcebook, ''Lords of Madness'', gave greater detail to the "Aberration" creature type, which is mainly used for such creatures (many of the weirder/most horrible Outsider-type creatures also count).
** One of the various backstories of Asmodeus, the Lord of Nessus and King of Hell, is that he is actually one of these. What others see when dealing with him [[Fighting a Shadow|is actually an advanced illusion]]. Asmodeus' real body is that of a titanic, ''miles long'' serpentine creature who is still injured from being thrown into hell. Because he was some sort of [[Time Abyss|primordial entity who predated the Gods]], and who literally created the Nine Hells when the Gods threw him into them.
** One of the various backstories of Asmodeus, the Lord of Nessus and King of Hell, is that he is actually one of these. What others see when dealing with him [[Fighting a Shadow|is actually an advanced illusion]]. Asmodeus' real body is that of a titanic, ''miles long'' serpentine creature who is still injured from being thrown into hell. Because he was some sort of [[Time Abyss|primordial entity who predated the Gods]], and who literally created the Nine Hells when the Gods threw him into them.
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** ''GURPS'' has a few more from diffetent settings and splatbooks: ''GURPS: Cabal'', with its cosmology based on the qabbalah's Sephirot has the creatures of Qlipoth and its Ur-Lords, ''Creatures of the Night'' has the godlike Betweeners, the force called "[[Dark Is Evil|the darksome]]" which is responsible for the creation of the literal organ-farmer [[Split Personality|Darklings]], and many of the non-undead creatures described, a few licenced settings (like ''Cthulhupunk'' and ''[[War Against the Chtorr]]'') have their own native abominations, and ''Infinite Worlds'', the meta-setting that ties [[The Multiverse]] together, not only makes ''all'' the previous settings inter-accessible, but also has at least one world (Taft-7) where humanity never evolved in the first place because of Great Old One (or similar) influence 50 million years back- and although they're long gone, they left enough "Fun Stuff" behind (and the risk of attracting their attention is great enough) for the agencies overseeing interdimensional travel to quarantine the world from any travel there whatever the reason.
** ''GURPS'' has a few more from diffetent settings and splatbooks: ''GURPS: Cabal'', with its cosmology based on the qabbalah's Sephirot has the creatures of Qlipoth and its Ur-Lords, ''Creatures of the Night'' has the godlike Betweeners, the force called "[[Dark Is Evil|the darksome]]" which is responsible for the creation of the literal organ-farmer [[Split Personality|Darklings]], and many of the non-undead creatures described, a few licenced settings (like ''Cthulhupunk'' and ''[[War Against the Chtorr]]'') have their own native abominations, and ''Infinite Worlds'', the meta-setting that ties [[The Multiverse]] together, not only makes ''all'' the previous settings inter-accessible, but also has at least one world (Taft-7) where humanity never evolved in the first place because of Great Old One (or similar) influence 50 million years back- and although they're long gone, they left enough "Fun Stuff" behind (and the risk of attracting their attention is great enough) for the agencies overseeing interdimensional travel to quarantine the world from any travel there whatever the reason.
* Spoofed in ''[[Pokethulhu]]''. Yes, there are hideous, evil non-Euclidean critters. But you can tame them and use them as [[Mons]] (and they still drive you to insanity).
* Spoofed in ''[[Pokethulhu]]''. Yes, there are hideous, evil non-Euclidean critters. But you can tame them and use them as [[Mons]] (and they still drive you to insanity).
* While [[Humans Are Cthulhu|our nature]] in [[Kult]] allow us to kick most super beings with ease once awakened, the Forgotten Gods are different stories. These beings represent principles incomprehensible to humanity and powerful enough that they do not even care about the plans of the [[God|Demiurge]] or [[Satan|Astaroth]].
* While [[Humans Are Cthulhu|our nature]] in ''[[Kult]]'' allow us to kick most super beings with ease once awakened, the Forgotten Gods are different stories. These beings represent principles incomprehensible to humanity and powerful enough that they do not even care about the plans of the [[God|Demiurge]] or [[Satan|Astaroth]].
* ''[[Cthulhu Tech]]''. An RPG set about 80 years in the future after the Mi-go (or rather, [[Spell My Name with an "S"|Migou]]) have attacked earth and the Great Old Ones are stirring. It combines [[H.P. Lovecraft]] with [[Neon Genesis Evangelion]] of all things (what with the gigantic biological weapons called Engels that pilots mentally sync to and ride in their spines).
* ''[[Cthulhu Tech]]''. An RPG set about 80 years in the future after the Mi-go (or rather, [[Spell My Name with an "S"|Migou]]) have attacked earth and the Great Old Ones are stirring. It combines [[H.P. Lovecraft]] with [[Neon Genesis Evangelion]] of all things (what with the gigantic biological weapons called Engels that pilots mentally sync to and ride in their spines).
** It also throws ''[[Guyver]]'' into the mix, with [[Cosmic Horror]] [[Expy|Expys]] of Guyvers and Zoanoids (you can actually play the former).
** It also throws ''[[Guyver]]'' into the mix, with [[Cosmic Horror]] [[Expy|Expys]] of Guyvers and Zoanoids (you can actually play the former).
* ''Dragon Warriors'' brings us Balor, the god of darkness. Balor is a humanoid being of such immense size and power that he can rampage across the world unstoppably. It's a good thing that he's [[Sealed Evil in a Can|entombed in magical ice]]. His cultists, [[Elemental Powers|the Darkness Elementalists]], are granted some of the best elemental spells.
* ''Dragon Warriors'' brings us Balor, the god of darkness. Balor is a humanoid being of such immense size and power that he can rampage across the world unstoppably. It's a good thing that he's [[Sealed Evil in a Can|entombed in magical ice]]. His cultists, [[Elemental Powers|the Darkness Elementalists]], are granted some of the best elemental spells.
** From the same setting, the ''Blood Sword'' campaign/series reveals there are others, such as a trio of truly hideous demon-things that were worshipped in the [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture|Middle-East equivalent]] before the spread of their [[Crystal Dragon Jesus|Crystal Dragon Islam]], and [[Evil Sorcerer|the Archmagi of Krarth]], whose return from the void between the stars to their ruined fortress of Spyte heralds [[The End of the World as We Know It]]; the battle againt just ''ONE'' is [[Climax Boss|the hardest fight in the series]].
* The ''Blood Sword'' campaign and series, set in the same universe as ''Dragon Warriors'', reveals that there are others, such as a trio of truly hideous demon-things that were worshipped in the [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture|Middle-East equivalent]] before the spread of their [[Crystal Dragon Jesus|Crystal Dragon Islam]], and [[Evil Sorcerer|the Archmagi of Krarth]], whose return from the void between the stars to their ruined fortress of Spyte heralds [[The End of the World as We Know It]]; the battle againt just ''''one''''' Archmagus is [[Climax Boss|the hardest fight in the series]].
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! (Tabletop Game)|Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' [[Trading Card Game]]:
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! (Tabletop Game)|Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' [[Trading Card Game]]:
** The Alien archetype of monsters, the two strongest of which are [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Horror_Gangi%27el "Cosmic Horror Gangi'el"] and [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Fortress_Gol%27gar "Cosmic Fortress Gol'gar"]. Not quite as unspeakably horrible as some other examples, but still pretty terrifyingly-hideous nonetheless.
** The [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Alien Alien] archetype has a handful of examples: [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Horror_Gangi%27el "Cosmic Horror Gangi'el"], [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Fortress_Gol%27gar "Cosmic Fortress Gol'gar"] and [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Slicer_Zer%27oll "Cosmic Slicer Zer'oll"]. "Aliens" themselves mostly avert this - though [[Reptiles Are Abhorrent|classed as Reptile-type]], the ones that aren't reptilian in appearance tend to be more along the lines of [[The Greys]], and neither type tends to reach "eldritch" levels of abominable.
** The [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Worm "Worm"] archetype of [[Light is Not Good|LIGHT attribute]] Reptile-type monster qualifies far more easily. According to [[Yu-Gi-Oh! (Tabletop Game)/Metaplot/Duel Terminal|Duel Terminal material]] and [[All There in the Manual|Master Guide 3]], they came from [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/W_Nebula_Meteorite organic matter clinging to meteorites], and [[Starfish Aliens|mutate to evolve and fit their environment]]; they are actively invasive, and [[Horde of Alien Locusts|consume as much as they can on the planets they come across]]. The Duel Terminal "Worms" are each named for a single letter of the alphabet, and feature appropriately bizarre and grotesque designs, particularly the massive [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Worm_Zero "Worm Zero"].
** The Worm archetype qualifies considering their origins. [[The Ace]] monster Worm Zero is a giant moon size thing that looks like it has multiple heads sprouting out of itself, going by its effects, it can erase monsters by assimilating them, implant some hive mind knowledge into its user, or give birth to a worm.
*** In Duel Terminal storylines, their invasion interrupts a long-standing war between various factions, who are [[Enemy Mine|forced into a truce and alliance]] to take on the otherworldly threat - the [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Ally_of_Justice "Ally of Justice"] is the name of an organization formed from the four most powerful tribes, and is also the name given to the [[Dark Is Not Evil|DARK attribute]] [[Mechanical Lifeforms|Machine-type]] monsters that were developed specifically to counteract them.
** One of Pegasus' signature monsters, [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Relinquished "Relinquished"] and its enhanced Fusion form qualify. Its main gimmick is assimilating an enemy monster into its body, taking on its stats, and using it as a meatshield in the event that it might be destroyed.
** One of Pegasus' signature monsters, [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Relinquished "Relinquished"], definitely qualifies - it also has Fusion forms in [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Thousand-Eyes_Restrict "Thousand-Eyes Restrict"] and [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Millennium-Eyes_Restrict "Millennium-Eyes Restrict"], and a later Link Monster retrain, [https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Relinquished_Anima "Relinquished Anima"]. Its Japanese name is literally "sacrifice", and it and related monsters share the appearance of a... ''thing'' with two arms extending from a ''very vaguely'' humanoid body that has a mask-like "face" and [[Cyclopean Creature|a single eye on a protruding stalk]]. Their main gimmick involves assimilating an enemy monster into its body, taking on its stats, and (minus "Anima") using it as a meatshield - defeating "Relinquished" or "Restrict" in battle simply destroys the equipped monster instead, and in the former case [[Liquid Assets|deals damage to the attacking player as well as the defender]].
** And then there's [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Fusion_Devourer "Fusion Devourer"]. Just look at the face-tipped tentacles.
** [http://yugipedia.com/wiki/Fusion_Devourer "Fusion Devourer"] is a beast with several face-tipped tentacles extending from its head; the faces themselves are contorted in anguish and despair.
* Cthulhu shows up as a monster in the original ''[[Munchkin (game)|Munchkin]]'' game. The Cthulhu stand-alone set and its expansion, ''The Great Cowthulu'', spoof this and add a new dimension to the game in the form of the players being able to become cultists - and if everyone in the game became a cultist, the game was over as Cthulhu won. Also, one of the monsters featured is the very cute Chibithulu.
* Cthulhu shows up as a monster in the original ''[[Munchkin (game)|Munchkin]]'' game. The Cthulhu stand-alone set and its expansion, ''The Great Cowthulu'', spoof this and add a new dimension to the game in the form of the players being able to become cultists - and if everyone in the game became a cultist, the game was over as Cthulhu won. Also, one of the monsters featured is the very cute Chibithulu.
** A second expansion, based on [[The Unspeakable Vault of Doom]], features more examples of these with artwork by the webcomic's artist! [[Catch Phrase|Yum Yum!]]
** A second expansion, based on [[The Unspeakable Vault of Doom]], features more examples of these with artwork by the webcomic's artist! [[Catch Phrase|Yum Yum!]]
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