Fresh-Water Deep One, Lesser Independent Race
We have heard of them as the Green-Clawed Monster of Evansville, the Thetis Lake Monster of British Columbia, and the Loveland Frogman. Every major river and lake in the world is home to at least one these deep-ones, adapted to life in the fresh-waters. They love solitary lives, having little contact each other, building no great cities, worshipping the Great Uk’tena alone. They are highly aggressive, and unlike their sea-dwelling cousins, they have no interactions with humanity, save to hunt us as food, or forcing themselves on an unwilling human to propogate their species.
Fresh-Water Deep Ones are smaller than their cousins, streamlined and thin, yet muscular. They have their appearance of catfish, laking the scales of other deep ones, replaced with smooth but slimy skin. Like catfish, fresh-water deep ones sport long, tentacle-like whiskers. Each fresh-water deep one sports spines along their backs and elbows; these spines pack a powerful toxin. Like their cousins, their lives are effectively immortal, and beautifully cruel.
The Fresh-Water Deep Ones worship Great Uk’tena, the Horned Serpent, an avatar of Dagon.
Special Attacks and Effects:
Drowning: In the water, a fresh-water deep one prefers to sneak-up on its prey, attacking from below. The deep-one will grab its victim’s appendage, and attempt to pull them under, holding them until they drown.
Spines: The spines of a deep-one’s back and elbows and deliver a powerful poison; the deep one can attempt to stick it’s prey with these spines; anyone grappling with the deep one also risks being stuck and poisoned.
Fresh-Water Deep Ones
char – rolls – avg.
STR – 3d6+3 – 13
CON – 3d6 – 11
SIZ – 3d6+3 – 13
INT – 2d6 – 7
POW – 3d6 – 11
DEX – 3d6 – 11
Mov 8/10 swimming – HP 12
Damage Bonus: 0
Weapons: Claws 30%, 1d6 + db
Spines 25%, 1d4 + poison, POT 7 (causes severe swelling and nausea)
Armor: 1-point of thick skin and fat.
Spells: A fresh-water deep one with POW 14 or higher knows 1d4 spells
Sanity Loss: 0/1d6 to see a fresh-water deep one.
Bruce is a sociology student and co-host of The Crypt Keepers podcast
