| Inhabitants of the Nameless City | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Nameless Race Yothic (possibly) | ||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Seal-like or crocodile-like | ||
| Average length | Similar in size to a small man | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Arabian Peninsula | ||
| Habitat | Subterranean | ||
| Locomotion | Crawling | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Cthulhu Mythos | ||
| Created by | H. P. Lovecraft | ||
The Inhabitants of the Nameless City are an unnamed race of crawling reptilian beasts, which were once masters of an advanced and prosperous civilization in the Arabian Peninsula, over ten million years ago.
As the climate changed, the sea level dropped, and their settlements became deserts, these creatures were driven to the underground, where some still remain today; living in phosphorescent chambers underneath the ruins of their former capital, which is now known simply as "the nameless city".
Biology[]
The Inhabitants of the Nameless City are crawling reptiles, about the size of a small man, and their body shape appears to combine aspects of seals and crocodiles. Their forelegs end in delicate paws that are flexible and dexterous, to the point of resembling human hands. Their hind legs haven't been described.
The shape of their cranium is not easily comparable to any other species, but it is known that they have horns, an enlarged forehead, and a mandible similar to that of an alligator. They have no nose to speak of, and their facial features have been variously compared to those of a cat, a bulldog, a satyr, or even a human. Despite their bestial appearance, they're at least as intelligent as mankind. However, they appear to act with violent hostility towards humans.
Although they currently live in subterranean chambers, these beings evolved in the surface, and seem to rely on eyesight as their primary sense, given that they took care to build their chambers out of phosphorescent materials, to make them perpetually well-lit.
Culture and society[]
The Nameless City is located deep in the Arabian desert. Built over ten million years ago, it predates all known human civilizations. No current human myth, no matter how ancient, recalls it as anything more than old ruins. Within its subterranean chambers, however, some of the Inhabitants are still living.
Little is known about the culture of this species, other than that they dress themselves in ornamented robes; have access to precious jewels, glass, and metals; practice mummification; and seem to view humans with great hostility.
Before being driven to the underground, they had splendid cities and gardens. They created murals documenting every aspect of their lives, from mundane activities to religious rituals to battles, but the only thing that they thoroughly do not represent is death; except that which results from war or plagues. If they have funeral practices, these seem to have no place in their art whatsoever. This absence of representation might suggest either a cultural indifference to natural death; or that they are biologically immortal.
Appearances[]
- "The Nameless City", by H. P. Lovecraft (1921)
Notes[]
- It's possible that this might be the same species known as Yothics, whose degenerate descendants gave rise to the Gyaa-Yothn.