Kuo-toa

Template:Infobox Greyhawk creature 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.

Typical physical characteristics

Kuo-toa have scaly, bipedal bodies with fish-like heads.

Society

Religion

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

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 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.[1]

Publishing history

The kuo-toa first appeared in dungeon modules Shrine of the Kuo-Toa (1978), and Vault of the Drow (1978).

The kuo-toa made their 2nd 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 3rd edition was in the Monster Manual (2000). The entry was updated for 3.5 in the revised Monster Manual (2003).

The kuo-toa was presented as a player character race for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting in Underdark (2003).

The kuo-toa made their 4th edition debut in the Monster Manual (2008).

Bibliography

• Cagle, Eric. "The Minions of Darkness." Dragon #300. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.

• Stephens, Owen K.C. "By Any Other Name: Races of the Underdark." Dragon #281. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2001.