Avatar

An avatar (: "The Haunter of the Dark") (/ˈævəˌtɑr, ˌævəˈtɑr/; Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr] from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a concept originating in Hinduism. It is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".
Within the Cthulhu Mythos, an avatar generally holds the same meaning. An Elder God, Great Old One, or an Outer God may decide to appear in a physical or spectral manifestation to humans or their inhuman brethren. The reasons for why an otherworldly entity may need to manifest an avatar are varied. Most deities and entities of power in the Cthulhu Mythos do not or cannot exist in mundane, three-dimensional space. Alternatively, they may be otherwise separated by vast distances of space, sequestration in a secret location, or by virtue of living in another universe or dimension. Manifesting an avatar is often the only way such a being can communicate and interact with its worshippers or have physical agency in a particular location.
An avatar is exponentially weaker but requires a considerable effort of will on the part of its deity to manifest. Avatars may be capable of being harmed, killed or confounded by mortals, though to a cosmic entity, such interference is likely less than the buzz of a fly.
==List by deity ==
===Azathoth===
*Abomination from the Vaults (: "A Madness from the Vaults")
*Azana Hatsumi (: D.Y.N. Freaks)
*Xada-Hgla (: Ramsey Campbell, "The Insects from Shaggai")
===Cthugha=== 
*Kathigu-Ra (: "Baggage Check")
*Kuuko (: Haiyore! Nyaruko-san)
*Living Flame of Deepest Black (: "The Secret of Knossos" Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game module "The Secret of Knossos" at RPG.net)
===Cthulhu=== 
*B'Moth (: Bertram Russell, "The Scourge of B'Moth", : "The Guardian of the Book" Henry Hasse)
*Chorazin (: "The Call of Cthulhu", : Cthulhu Now: scenario "Dreams Dark and Deadly")
*Father-of-All-Sharks (: Malleus Monstrorum (2006 edition))
*The Gigantic Horror (: Fate/Zero)
*Kurumi Kuruya (: D.Y.N. Freaks)
*Spot (: Howard Lovecraft series)
===Daoloth===
*Sacred Light (: Bruce Ballon, "The Truth Shall Set You Free")
===Hastur=== 
*Emerald Lama (: Michael Dziesinski, Secrets of Japan (RPG supplement))
*Feaster from Afar (: Joseph Payne Brennan, "The Feaster from Afar")
*Hasuta (: Haiyore! Nyaruko-san)
*King in Yellow (: James Blish, "More Light")
===Ithaqua=== 
*Death-Walker (Joseph Payne Brennan, "Jendick's Swamp")
*Snow-Thing (: "The Snow-Thing")
*The Wendigo (: "Born of the Winds")
===Nyarlathotep===
Often referred to as the God of a Thousand Forms, Nyarlathotep has more known avatars than any other entity in the Mythos. 
*Ahtu (: "Than Curse the Darkness" [David Drake], "Dead of Night (RPG scenario)" [Herber])
*Aku-Shin Kage, the Dark Warlord (: Michael Dziesinski, Secrets of Japan (RPG supplement))
* Apocrates (: Fall of Cthulhu)
*Mr. Arkham (: Fall of Cthulhu)
*Baron Samedi (, : The New Orleans Guidebook (RPG supplement) [Fred Van Lente])
*The Beast (: "The Rats in the Walls")
*Black Buddha (: Secrets of Japan (RPG))
*Black Bull (Steffen Schütte, "Im Zeichen des Stiers")
* Black Demon (: "One In Darkness (RPG scenario)" [Doug Lyons])
* Black Lion (Stanley C. Sargent, "Nyarlatophis, A Fable of Ancient Egypt")
*Black Man (: "The Dreams in the Witch House", : "The Faceless God")
*Black Pharaoh (: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, : Masks of Nyarlathotep (RPG scenario) [Larry DiTillio and Lynn Willis])
*Black Wind (: Masks of Nyarlathotep (RPG scenario) [DiTillio & Willis], Encyclopedia Cthulhiana [Daniel Harms], "The History of Nephren-Ka" [Steven Marc Harris])
*Bloated Woman (: Masks of Nyarlathotep (RPG scenario) [Larry DiTillio and Lynn Willis], Collected Swedish Cults [Anders Fager])
*God of the Bloody Tongue (: Call of Cthulhu 5.5 [Lynn Willis])
*Bye Bye Man
*Clockwork Phantom (: Demonbane)
*Crawling Mist (: Elysia [Brian Lumley])
*Dark Demon (: Robert Bloch, "The Dark Demon")
*Dark One (: "Mr. Skin" [Victor Milán])
*Dweller in Darkness (: "The Dweller in Darkness")
*Effigy of Hate (: "Regiment of Dread (RPG scenario)" [Geoff Gillan])
*Faceless God (: "The Faceless God")
*Father Ny (: Demonbane)
*Floating Horror (: "The Star Pools" [A. A. Attanasio], The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana [Harms])
*Green Man (David Hallett, "Eyes for the Blind")
*Halloween Man
*Haunter of the Dark (: "The Haunter of the Dark", Selected Letters V, : The Clock of Dreams [Brian Lumley], "City beneath the Sands (RPG scenario)" [DiTillio])
*High Priest Not to Be Described / Thing in the Yellow Mask (: "Celephaïs", Fungi from Yuggoth, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kaddath, : Encyclopedia Cthulhiana [Daniel Harms], "In 'Ygiroth" [Walter C. DeBill, Jr.])
*Howler in the Dark (: "The Dweller in Darkness")
*Host (A. A. Attanasio, "The Star Pools")
*Human form (: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath)
*Jack O'Lantern (: W. Haden Blackman, The Field Guide to North American Monsters, : Malleus Monstrorum)
*Johnny Carcosa (: "The Courtyard", Neonomicon, Providence [Alan Moore])
*Kokopelli (Donald R. Burleson, "Kokopelli")
*Kruschtya Equation (: "Nyarlathotep", : Malleus Monstrorum)
*Lrogg (: "The Insects from Shaggai" [Ramsey Campbell], Ye Booke of Monstres (RPG supplement) [Aniolowski])
*Masked Messenger (: Secrets of Kenya (RPG supplement))
*Meikumi Urushibarao (: Makai Shoujo R'lyeh Lulu)
*Messenger of the Old Ones (: "The Willow Platform" [Joseph Payne Brennan])
*Mr. Skin (: "Mr. Skin" [Victor Milán])
*Narukami Chikage (: D.Y.N. Freaks)
*Nya (: Demonbane)
*Nyala (: Demonbane)
*Nyarlatophis (Stanley C. Sargent, "Nyarlatophis, A Fable of Ancient Egypt")
*Nyaruko (: Haiyore! Nyaruko-san)
*Pazzuzu (, : "The Priestess (RPG scenario)" [Ian Winterton])
*Pool of Shadow (John Diaper, Bob Gallagher, Steve Rawling, Ed Wimble, "The Arkham Evil")
*Queen in Red (: The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, : Malleus Monstrorum)
*Randall Flagg (: The Stand, Dark Tower [Stephen King])
*The Royal Pant (: At Your Door (RPG scenario))
*Samael (, : "The Horror at Red Hook", : "What Dark God?" [Brian Lumley])
*Set (, : "The Phoenix on the Sword", : "The Worm of Urakhu" [Richard L. Tierney])
*Shugoran (: "Bells of Horror", : "Black Man with a Horn" [T. E. D. Klein], Escape from Innsmouth [Ross])
*Skeletal Horror (: "Thoth's Dagger (RPG scenario)" [William Hamblin])
*Skinless One (Geoff Gillan, "XV. The Fog Lifts", Horror on the Orient Express)
*Small Crawler (Larry DiTillio and Lynn Willis, : Masks of Nyarlathotep)
*Sphinx (: D.Y.N. Freaks)
*Tezcatlipoca (Sam Johnson, A Resection of Time)
*Tick-Tock Man (Scott David Aniolowski, "I Dream of Wires")
*Vel (: Ultimate Antihero)
*Vitas Varnas, a possible avatar. (: Pax Cthuliana)
*Wailing Writher (: "Nyarlathotep", : Kevin A. Ross, Escape From Innsmouth (RPG scenario))
*White Man (: "The Madness Out of Space" [Peter Cannon])
===Shub-Niggurath===
* Chiyo (: The Elder Sister-like One)
*He Who Walks Behind the Rows (Kevin A. Ross, "Dark Harvest")
*Magna Mater (: Delta Green: Countdown (RPG supplement))
*Keeper of the Moon-Lens (Ramsey Campbell, "The Moon-Lens")
===Our Ladies of Sorrow===
From youngest to eldest: Mater Tenebrarum (Our Lady of Darkness), Mater Suspiriorum (Our Lady of Sighs) and Mater Lachrymarum (Our Lady of Tears) 
*The Graces (: "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow", : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG)) 
**Aglaia (Brightness)
**Euphrosyne (Joyfulness)
**Thalia (Bloom)
*The Parcae (: "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow", : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG), Malleus Monstrorum)
**Nona
**Decima
**Morta
*The Furies (: "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow", The Eumenides [Aeschylus], : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG)) / Erinyes
**Alecto ("the endless" / "the perservering anger")
**Tisiphone ("the retaliator / "blood avenger")
**Megaera ("the envious rager" / "the jealous")
*The Muses (: "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow", : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG)) 
**Calliope ("beautiful face"; epic poetry)
** Erato ("beloved one"; love poetry)
**Urania ("heavenly one"; astronomy)
**Plus Clio (history), Euterpe (lyric poetry), Melpemone (tragedy), Polyhymnia (religious poetry and song), Terpsichore (dance) and Thalia (comedy)
*The Fates / the Moirae (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG)) 
**Clotho
**Lachesis
**Atropos
** Plus, Nemesis and Ilithyia.
*The Gorgons (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG), Malleus Monstrorum) 
**Stheno
**Euryale
**Medusa
*The Fates / the Norns (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG)) who originally were Urdar
**Urd (the past)
**Verdandi (the present)
** Skuld (the future)
*The Graeae / the Grey Ones of Hellas (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG), Hexed)
**Pephredo
**Enyo
**Deino
*The Goddess / Triple Goddess (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG), Malleus Monstrorum)
**Artemis (the virgin or maiden)
**Selene (the mother)
**Hecate (the crone)
* The Three Witches / weird sisters (: The Tragedy of Macbeth [Shakespeare], : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG), Malleus Monstrorum) working under Hecate's rule.
* Hecate (: "The Horror at Red Hook", : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*Lilith (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*La Llorona / the Weeping Woman (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*The Faceless Woman (: "Mujina" [Lafcadio Hearn], : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*The Night Hag / Old Hag / Nightmare / Succubus (: On Diagnosis in Dreams [Galen], : "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*Baba Yaga and her two sisters (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
*Badb who sunder into Morrigan, Nema and Macha / The Morrigan: Ana (the virgin), Babd (the mother) and Macha (the crone)
*Black Annis (: "Our Ladies of Sorrow" (RPG))
===Yibb-Tstll=== 
*The Black (: "The Black Recalled")
===Yidhra===
*Madam Yi (Walter C. DeBill, Jr., "Where Yidhra Walks")
*Y'hath (Walter C. DeBill, Jr., "Where Yidhra Walks")
*Xothra (Walter C. DeBill, Jr., "Predator")
===Yog-Sothoth===
*Aforgomon (: Clark Ashton Smith, "The Chain of Aforgomon")
*Mara/The Dweller on the Threshold (: Zanoni [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], The Secret Doctrine [Blavatsky], Twin Peaks, : Secrets of Japan (RPG supplement) [Michael Dziesinski])
*Tawil at'Umr (: "Through the Gates of the Silver Key")
*Yoguruma Mugen (: D.Y.N. Freaks)
==References==
Category:Avatars
Category:Characters Incorporated From Folklore, Myth & Religion