D&D General Lovecraft by any other name would smell as sweet...

[jgsugden]

In the world of D&D we see a lot of elements inspired by love craft. For example, when I think of Tharizdun, I think of Azathoth. We have Dagon and Cthulhu both making actual appearances.

What elements in D&D, especially ones that have made their way into 5E, do you think were either based upon or highly inspired by Lovecraft (the wider mythos, not just the works of HP Lovecraft himself)?

 

[Doug McCrae]

Lovecraft's influence on 5e, which was intended to be supplemental to this post by @pemerton.

EDIT: I'd add that D&D's human-looking, comprehensible gods who are worthy of worship are another non-Lovecraftian element, along with Good vs Evil, zero to hero, etc.

 

[jayoungr]

It's harder these days to find fantasy that isn't full of Lovecraft. For whatever reason, his work is very pervasive.

 

[ChaosOS]

Eberron as a D&D world builds and expands upon the mythos in 5e by adding the Daelkyr and placing significant unique emphasis upon aberrations in its lore.

 

[dave2008]

In the world of D&D we see a lot of elements inspired by love craft. For example, when I think of Tharizdun, I think of Azathoth. We have Dagon and Cthulhu both making actual appearances.

What elements in D&D, especially ones that have made their way into 5E, do you think were either based upon or highly inspired by Lovecraft (the wider mythos, not just the works of HP Lovecraft himself)?

Interesting, I don't think of Tharizdun as a lovecraftian cosmic horror at all and especially not like Azathoth. That being said, most things aberrant and far realm related remind me of Cthulhu Mythos inspired.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

The aboleth I think is the big one, even moreso than say the Mind Flayer. I mean, this screams lovecraft;

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Lovecraft's influence on 5e, which was intended to be supplemental to this post by @pemerton.

EDIT: I'd add that D&D's human-looking, comprehensible gods who are worthy of worship are another non-Lovecraftian element, along with Good vs Evil, zero to hero, etc.

You do find elements like that in some of Lovecraft's stories, particularly the Randolph Carter tales. But ultimately gods and heroes are just as powerless as regular humans in the face of cosmic horrors.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I actually think "cosmic horror" would exist without Lovecraft. he is just the person most famous for writing about it.

Consider, for example, how Wells describes his Martians in War of the Worlds.

 

[Stormonu]

A few things...

Kuo-Toa (and to some degree Sahaugin) are essentially Deep Ones (even Blipdoolpoolp sounds like something Lovecraft would make)
Aboleths and Scum, as mentioned above
Gibbering Mouthers are lesser shoggoth
Evard's Black Tentacles may be a manifestation of Shub-Niggurath
Ghouls are arguably from "Pickman's Model"
Grells and Gricks strike me as Lovecraftian
Yochlols are slime-coated Elder things
Yaun-ti are essentially worshippers of Yig


Heck, Beholders have a Lovecraft feel to them.

And then there are mind flayers...