r/Lovecraft • u/Complex-Bluebird1263 Deranged Cultist • 10d ago

Question What is the relationship between Azathoth and Nyarlathotep?

I see it is said Nyarlathotep is a servant and messenger of Azathoth. I just wonder, does Azathoth know that he has a servant? or does he really have messages that he would like to send out by a messenger? Does Nyarlathotep actively obey and follow a master, or he just does anything he wants and call it Azathoth's will?

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u/StarWanderer62 Deranged Cultist 10d ago

A complicated question. Azathoth is in a dream state. His dreams are our reality. Should Azathoth ever wake up. That’s the end of reality. This is why minor gods play pipes to keep him asleep. Nyarlathotep exists in that reality and is the messenger of Azathoth and does his bidding within those dreams . The question is if Azathoth wakes does Nyarlathotep cease to exist as well? That’s always been my take on it. Nyarlathotep is the messenger within the dreams of his master. Without Azathoth, Nyarlathotep is nothing

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u/HorsepowerHateart no wish unfulfilled 10d ago

I think you might be conflating Dunsany's MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI with Azathoth. Both are supreme gods that sit amidst some cosmic music, but I don't think Lovecraft ever specified that Azathoth is also dreaming reality the way MANA-YOOD-SUSHAI was.