Rival Old One

Rival Old Ones was a stretch goal for That Which Sleeps reached during the Kickstarter.

There are three kinds of rivals:

True Old Ones
True Old Ones - these relative peers of yours will compete with you for Agents and Influence in the world. Each will have their own agenda, which may correlate roughly to your own or express their bizarre otherworldly nature. These Old Ones will be investigated much like heroes, and may themselves be confronted by The Chosen One and the Alliance. Perhaps his overwhelming threat will draw you in as a temporary ally of humanity, or you could side with the Old One and bring down the Alliance, before the inevitable betrayal of course.

In the image above we have Enoch, called the Heart of Stone by his followers and The Worm by those who felled him. Thought to be the oldest of all the Old Ones - this primal creature abhors the surface world, dwelling forever in the comforting depths of the earth. His meaningless path through dirt and stone nourished a lifeless planet and gave rise to the creatures that call the dark tunnels home.

Enoch doesn't crave dominion as you do -the clamor of the surface world and its harsh illumination holds no allure for him, but he knows that the surface-dwellers are a threat to him and his children. You may be able to work with Enoch if you forswear the creatures of the Earth, and his careless rumblings will mask your machinations for some time. However, a world collapsed is of no worth to you and he is not a creature of half measures. If the Heroes fail to stop him, you may need to seek his end in the dark depths.

Another rival we know about is The Ascended. What happens when an Old One's power is usurped by a Lesser Evil or equivalent opportunistic devil? Why, he Ascends of course and assumes your mantle of power. Of course, that would probably make him a target to the other wannabe Old Ones out there - I'm sure it would be interesting to simulate this Cycle of Evil...

The Ascended system ties directly into the Rival Old Ones stretch goal, and allows for a new playable Old One 'slot' that can only be filled by a Rival, Those That Remained, or a Lesser Evil. Once this Rival reaches the appropriate apex of power he fills the slot and becomes playable in future games - leading to a far greater variation of playable Old Ones. Be careful though, only one Rival can be Ascended at a time, and many foes wish to usurp your power ...

Other Rival Old Ones include the Elf King, Hastur, and Dagon.

Lesser Evils
Lesser Evils - relics from your time that are loosed again in the world. These take on the role of independent Agents - sometimes working for you, sometimes working against you, and absolutely never to be trusted. They have personality traits and agendas like heroes, but their goals are much more nefarious. You may encounter a Lesser Evil intent on driving a wedge between the Old Ones, or another that wants to usurp your power and become an Old One itself.

The Herun Demon has been wandering following its agenda and come upon a piece of Prophecy (perhaps), so it has returned to The Great Seal hungry for a taste of Ancient Power. With enough power you can gain permanent infiltration, or simply buy the prophecy off of it. Of course, you could always simply let it go.... and dispatch your Agents to bring the creature to task.

Those That Remained
Those That Remained - these are powerful beings who have reigned immortal since you were sealed away. Scenarios will need to be specifically designed with these new government and leader types in order for them to appear, greatly shifting the balance of power on the map. Those That Remained function differently in regards to clues and awareness than other leaders, possibly hiding clues as they emerge in order to make best use of the knowledge of your return. Each was once loyal to a different Old One. Those loyalties may remain strong or their resolve may have softened with untold centuries of ruling as absolute kings.

The Undying had agreed to serve the shadow, and in his shelter the Guildmaster attempted to work a powerful ritual. However we were betrayed, and The Undying imprisoned the Guildmaster. Expect to get a demand for ransom (or have your Agent sacrificed) in the near future - perhaps it is time to put him in his place? Though naturally, a battle between Elder Beings would surely attract unwanted attention.