One of H. P. Lovecraft's great concepts was of an alien entity he referred to as "Great Cthulhu". He referred to this creature as being a monstrous bat-winged humanoid figure with huge claws on its hands and feet and an octopus-like head with many tenacles. This being had come from the stars long before mankind was born and ruled over earth at the head of a sect of nasty alien critters called "The Great Old Ones." For some reason, Cthulhu is now sleeping/dead, deep in a vault in the sunken city of R'lyeh somewhere in the South Seas. From time to time, however, he is able to exert his will over psychically sensitive human beings, and there are cults that worship him, waiting until the "Stars Are Right". When that happens, R'lyeh will rise, Cthulhu will waken and emerge, and it'll pretty much be over for humanity
