View source for Kuo-toa

{{Creature
|image=[[Image:Kuo-toa01.jpg|250px]]
|caption=A kuo-toa. Art by Andre Hou.
|name=Kuo-toa
|alignment=Neutral evil (chaotic tendencies)
|type=Monstrous Humanoid
|subtype=Aquatic
|source=''Monster Manual'' (2003).
|first=''[[Shrine of the Kuo-Toa]]''
}}The '''kuo-toa''' are fish-like Monstrous Humanoids that dwell in the [[Underdark]].

==Ecology==
Kuo-toans maintain friendly relations with the [[drow]], their Underdark neighbours. They often raid seaside settlements for human victims. 

===Environment===
Kuo-toa settlements are known to exist in the [[Underdark]], near the [[Vault of the Drow]] beneath the [[Hellfurnaces]], in the settlement of [[Bhal-Hamatugn]] and in the [[Sunless Sea]]. There, they are allied with the [[illithid]]s against the [[White Kingdom]] and their [[cloaker]] allies. They inhabited the city of [[J'bhulgolboth]] beneath [[Narwell]] until its recent destruction.

===Typical physical characteristics===
Kuo-toa have scaly, bipedal bodies with fish-like heads. Average specimens stand five feet tall, and weigh about 160 pounds. Scales are generally silvery-grey, but kuo-toan pigmentation is affected by mood; angry kuo-toans tend to be dark red, while fear transforms a kuo-toan's color to pale-grey or white. The creatures smell strongly of rotten fish.

===Alignment===
Kuo-toa are often neutral evil with chaotic tendencies.

==Society==

===Religion===
Most kuo-toans worship the goddess [[Blibdoolpoolp]], though a few remote tribes worship [[Dagon]].

===Language===
Kuo-toa speak [[Languages|Undercommon]], the subterranean trade language. Additionally, they speak their own arcane tongue, Kuo-Toan. They also have a priestly tongue, a corrupted form of [[Languages|Aquan]], the language used on the [[Elemental Plane of Water]]. 

==History==
In ancient times, the kuo-toa inhabited the shores and islands of the upper world, but as [[human]]ity and those demihumans associated with them grew more numerous and powerful, they were slowly driven to more remote regions, taking refuge in sea caverns and subterranean waters. Some took refuge in the oceans, but these were mostly wiped out by aquatic predators, leaving the subterranean breeds to carry on as the last of their kind, prone to inbreeding and insanity. The word "goggler," once a racial epithet directed at kuo-toa, lost its meaning and became forgotten. The kuo-toa have not forgotten their old enemies, however.

==Creative origins==
The name "kuo-toa" was created by [[Gary Gygax]], co-creator of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. However, the concept is thought to be inspired by the [[Wikipedia:Deep One|Deep Ones]], creatures that appear in H. P. Lovecraft's novella ''The Shadow Over Innsmouth''. Like the kuo-toa, the deep ones are a monstrous marine-dwelling race of fish-headed humanoids, who worship a being called [[Dagon]].

The kuo-toa is considered a "Product Identity" by Wizards of the Coast and as such are not released under its Open Gaming License.[http://www.d20srd.org/faq.htm]

==Publishing history==
The kuo-toa first appeared in dungeon adventures ''[[Shrine of the Kuo-Toa]]'' (1978), and ''[[Vault of the Drow (adventure)|Vault of the Drow]]'' (1978). They made their second edition debut in the ''Monstrous Compendium Volume Two'' (1989), and were reprinted in the ''Monstrous Manual'' (1993).

The first appearance of the kuo-toa in third edition was in the ''Monster Manual'' (2000). The entry was updated for 3.5 in the revised ''Monster Manual'' (2003). They were presented as a player character race for the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting in ''Underdark'' (2003).

The kuo-toa made their fourth edition debut in the ''Monster Manual'' (2008).

==Bibliography==
*[[Wolfgang Baur|Baur, Wolfgang]]. "Kingdom of the Ghouls" ''[[Dungeon]]'' #70. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.

*Cagle, Eric. "The Minions of Darkness." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #300. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.

*[[David "Zeb" Cook|Cook, David]], ''et al.'' ''Monstrous Compendium Volume Two''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.

*[[Bruce R. Cordell|Cordell, Bruce R.]], Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick. ''[[Underdark]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.

*[[Gygax, Gary]]. ''[[Descent into the Depths of the Earth]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981.
:———. ''[[Queen of the Spiders]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1986.
:———. ''[[Shrine of the Kuo-Toa]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1978.

*[[James Jacobs|Jacobs, James]]. "[[Demonomicon]] of [[Iggwilv]]: [[Dagon]]." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #349. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2006.
:———. "Lord of the Scarlet Tide." ''[[Dungeon]]'' #85. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.

*Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and [[James Wyatt]]. ''Monster Manual''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2008.

*[[Erik Mona|Mona, Erik]]. "Ancient History: The Great Embarkation." Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, unpublished. Available online:[http://www.www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=225]

*[[David Noonan|Noonan, David]]. "Zenith Trajectory." ''[[Dungeon]]'' #102. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.

*Stephens, Owen K.C. "By Any Other Name: Races of the [[Underdark]]." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #281. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2001.

*Stewart, Doug, ed. ''Monstrous Manual''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1994.

*Turnbull, Don, ed. ''Fiend Folio''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981.

*[[Tweet, Johnathan]], [[Monte Cook]], and [[Skip Williams]]. ''Player's Handbook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
:———. ''Player's Handbook Core Rulebook I v.3.5''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.


[[Category:Creatures]]{{index}}