| “ | From the brook a shape arose Half a man and half a goat. Hoofs it had instead of toes And a beard adorn'd its throat |
„ | |
| ~ HPL: "To Pan" |
Pan is an ancient Greek god often associated with pastoral scenery, music and fertility. He is typically represented as a humanoid figure with the legs and horns of a goat, similar to the mythic fauns. His name is the origin of the word panic.
In the Mythos[]
In ancient times, the god Pan was said to dwell in Mount Maenalus, in Arcadia, and was accompanied by strange creatures named Panisci. (HPL: "The Tree")
In The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen, the titular deity is unseen, but plays a pivotal role by impregnating a woman who took part in a scientific experiment to see beyond the fabric of reality (similar to H. P. Lovecraft's "From Beyond"). This union results in the birth of a deceptively human child named Helen Vaughan, who grows up to commit terrible acts (ADJ: The Great God Pan). In Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror", Henry Armitage mentions Machen's story in connection to the case of Wilbur Whateley.
In the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game by Chaosium, Pan is depicted as an avatar of Shub-Niggurath. (EXP: Malleus Monstrorum)