Deep one

Deep one

(Creature)

Type

Monstrous humanoid
(aquatic, deep one)

CR

1

Environment

Any water

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Adjective

Deep one

Images of deep ones

Source: Bestiary 5, pg(s). 68

Ⅰ

Elder deep one

(Creature)

Type

Monstrous humanoid
(aquatic, deep one)

CR

14

Environment

Any water

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Bestiary 5, pg(s). 69

Ⅰ

Elder deep one

(Deity)

Alignment

Chaotic evil

Worshipers

Deep ones

Follower Alignments (1E)

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Domains (1E)

Chaos, Evil, Madness, Water

Favored Weapon

Claw

Symbol

Symbols vary

Source: Bestiary 5, pg(s). 69

A deep one hybrid, the spawn of a deep one and a human.

Deep ones are intelligent ocean-dwelling monstrous humanoids with a fishy, froggy appearance. They regularly mate with surface dwellers, creating societies of hybrids.

Appearance

Deep ones are lumbering humanoids with grey-green, glistening hide and a fishlike maw. Deep ones prefer to fight with their claws. A deep one typically stands about seven feet tall, but its hunched gait and lumbering stance can make it look shorter. An average deep one weighs 300 pounds.

Ecology

Deep ones are equally at home in remote oceanic trenches and in the shallows alike, but prefer to build their cities in vast submerged canyons unusually close to coastlines. This proximity allows deep ones to breed with surface-dwelling humanoids, which they do as a way to spread their blasphemous religion above the waves.

Deep ones can use wands and staves, which are often created by those deep ones that pursue magical study.

Deep ones do not age, are immortal unless killed, and are unaffected by magical ageing. A few deep ones never stop growing over the eons and become known as elder deep ones or, sometimes, deep one elders. Elder deep ones ascend to the status of quasi deities, gaining the ability to grant spells to followers. Many deep one elders claim the names of monsters or gods for their own, with two of the more legendary ones being Mother Hydra and Father Dagon.

Society

Despite no direct connection existing between the demon lord Dagon and Cthulhu or any Great Old Ones, the zealous faith of deep ones is often a combined veneration of Dagon and Great Old Ones, particularly Cthulhu. Deep ones also use "Dagon" as an honorific title for their god-like elders. Dagon considers this an amusing compliment.

On Golarion

Rumours suggest that deep ones inhabit many of Golarion's oceans, especially the Arcadian Ocean. Individuals corrupted by deep ones are most common in remote communities living near the sea, as well as Absalom, Katapesh, and some Chelaxian and Nidalese cities.

External links

• H. P. Lovecraft, The Shadow over Innsmouth, 1936