Leviathan

Leviathan is the name given by some Inuit cultists to a child of Cthulhu: "...the Other Tornasuks left or went to sleep with Him [Cthulhu], except Dagon his servant-creation and Leviathan his son." (: "The Arctic Stone")
It is also one of the primary antagonists of the 2018 computer game version of the Chaosium role-playing game created by Cyanide Studio.
==Description==
The Leviathan is a colossal shark-like or serpentine creature, more than fifty feet in length, that is regarded as an offspring or avatar of Cthulhu — though some sources speculate that it could alternatively be a particularly massive Deep One or Star-Spawn, and others consider it part of an unholy trinity alongside Dagon and Hydra. Its powerful jaws are capable of biting through wood, metal, flesh, and bone with ease, and can gape wide enough to swallow creatures almost as large as a Dark Young whole. Despite being most-proficient at swimming, it is capable of moving on land as well. (: Malleus Monstrorum)
In at least one manifestation, the Leviathan resembles a prehistoric fish with four fins pierced by metallic rings, squid-like tentacles framing its jaws, and a long tail for swimming. It is observed to be two to three times the size of a common whale. It preys upon whales and other large marine animals, but is said to never directly harm humans, instead attempting to psychically corrupt and compel them to worship and unleash its progenitor, Cthulhu. (: Call of Cthulhu)
In an alternative timeline in which magic is commonplace, creatures known as Leviathans have been trained to attack ships during World War Two. Modern Leviathans, at least those employed by the American government, have abdominal pouches filled with bat-winged Night-gaunts, which upon orders will "slash their way free of the monster's belly, launch, and fly to their appointed targets with pitiless accuracy and the speed of a tempest". (: "The Unthinkable")
==Worshipers==
One notable group that pays tribute to the Leviathan is the Inuit tribe that Professor William Channing Webb deemed to be degenerate devil-worshippers. They celebrated infanticide, ritual torture, acts of profanity, and blasphemy to prove their loyalty to their god Cthulhu, his servant-creation Dagon, and the mighty Leviathan. They first learned the English language from whalers that traveled in search of the oils of the Leviathan before they were killed. The tribe was ultimately wiped out by a summoned Daoth-Yhol. (: "The Arctic Stone")
According to the Malleus Monstrorum, the Leviathan is worshiped by various isolated island and coastal communities, such as Polynesia, Hawaii, and coastal regions of the Arctic. In particular, it is the Deep Ones who know rituals on how to keep its destructive behavior in check, as well as how to summon the avatar for their own designs. Once roused, it rampages uncontrollably — accompanied by a coterie of sharks — until its rage is spent or it is slain, sinking ships and devouring any unfortunate enough to encounter it. (: Malleus Monstrorum) 
The Leviathan has been worshiped since at least the 1300s by the indigenous people and settlers living on Darkwater Island. (: Call of Cthulhu)
==History==
The origins of the Leviathan are a mystery, with some sources speculating it is merely a particularly ancient Deep One or Star-Spawn, while others consider it to be a manifestation of Cthulhu embodying the Great Old One's rage and wrath. It is speculated that the Leviathan, or even Cthulhu itself, is responsible for many of mankind's myths involving sea serpents. (: Cthulhu Dark Ages, Malleus Monstrorum)
Since ancient times, the Leviathan has prowled the waters off the coast of Darkwater Island, devouring whales and other large sea creatures. Discovered by the local indigenous people in the 14th century, it corrupted their minds — compelling them to worship it and ultimately sacrifice themselves in the hopes of unleashing Cthulhu. In the 1600s, European settlers led by Reverend John Wyckwood arrived on Darkwater Island and came to worship the Leviathan, ultimately sacrificing themselves as well. In 1847, its physical body was seemingly slain by whalers from the town of Darkwater and dubbed the "Miraculous Catch"; but consuming its flesh cursed the inhabitants of the town, bringing them under its influence and turning them into cultists dedicated to the worship of Cthulhu. In 1924, private investigator Edward Pierce arrived in Darkwater and eventually came across the Leviathan's apparent corpse, freeing it and enabling the star-spawn to escape back into the ocean. (: Call of Cthulhu)
==Trivia==
*According to the Malleus Monstrorum, there is a theory that Ghizguth is an avatar of or has some kinship with Cthulhu or Leviathan.
*According to the Ponape Scripture, the Father-of-All-Sharks is likely the Leviathan of Biblical legends.
==Gallery==
Cthulhu avatars malleus monstrorum.jpg|Leviathan alongside Cthulhu, B'Moth, Chorazin, and Star Spawn, by Loïc Muzy (Malleus Monstrorum)
Leviathan CoC 2018.png|Call of Cthulhu (2018)
Leviathan mural Call of Cthulhu.jpg|Call of Cthulhu (2018)
Call of Cthulhu 2018 - Leviathan eye.jpg|Call of Cthulhu (2018)
Category:Great Old Ones
Category:Characters Incorporated From Folklore, Myth & Religion
Category:Characters Originating From Expanded Mythos Works
Category:Avatars of Cthulhu