The Deep Ones
Deep Ones have been an important part of the Cthulhu Mythos ever since H.P. Lovecraft introduced them in 1931‘s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.” They are beings of unbridled lust, and their commingling with humanity frequently leads to murder, madness, and an eternity beneath the waves. Given their familiar-yet-twisted appearance and base desires, the Deep Ones have become popular opponents in horror games such as Arkham Horror and Elder Sign.
What Are the Deep Ones?
Deep Ones are a lesser servitor race that dwell in the sea and pursue horrible, alien interests. They have been known to interact with humans, but these dealings always turn sinister thanks to the Deep Ones desire for human sacrifice and mating partners.
A Deep Ones description isn’t for the faint of heart, as the creatures resemble a nightmarish fish that can walk upright. Their bulging eyes never close, and the gills on their necks are constantly palpitating. Their voices have a croaking quality, and their skin takes on a grayish-green sheen (with the exception of their white bellies). They can walk or hop on land, and they may travel on either two or four legs. They are most comfortable in the water, however, where they are capable of swimming with both grace and surprising speed.
Deep Ones Origins
The Deep Ones made their first appearance in “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” a 1931 novella by acclaimed horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. The story is narrated by Robert Olmstead, a young man traveling across New England who takes an interest in the decaying coastal town of Innsmouth due to its unusual architecture.
He notices that most of the town’s residents have a distinctive appearance and gait, something he dubs the “Innsmouth look.” Later, after getting one of the locals drunk, he learns of the Deep Ones and their arrangement with the city elders. He first dismisses it as nonsense, but events later in the evening make him into a believer.
After the death of Lovecraft, the Deep Ones would be used in a number of stories by close friend August Derleth. Nearly half of Derleth’s original Cthulhu Mythos stories would contain the aquatic beings, and he also worked to complete a few unfinished tales from Lovecraft.
Gods of the Deep Ones
When they’re not mating with humans and lurking beneath the waves, Deep Ones spend their time worshipping a trio of dark gods. This unholy trinity is comprised of Father Dagon, Mother Hydra, and the legendary Cthulhu.
Father Dagon and Mother Hydra appear to be Deep Ones who’ve grown to enormous proportions (20 feet tall) over several million years. They are revered for their age and power, but they also act as high priests in the worship of the dread Cthulhu.
The primary deity of the Deep Ones is Cthulhu, the Great Old One who dwells in the sunken city of R’lyeh and waits for the day he will rise to rule the planet. His cult is the most widespread of all the Ancient Ones, and his aquatic tomb makes his especially popular with water-based creatures and humans who live near the sea.
The Innsmouth Look
Deep Ones seem driven by an alien and abominable lust to mate with humans. In “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” this took the form of a deal with residents of the floundering coastal village. The humans would see an increase in fishing and be provided with treasures from the depths of the sea, while the Deep Ones would receive human sacrifice and the ability to mate with surface dwellers.
Once the mating process had occurred, a child would be born with no noticeable difference from any other human. As they aged, however, their hybrid nature would slowly become visible. This is referred to as the “Innsmouth look,” and it usually includes bulging eyes, baldness, shrinking ears, and the development of gills on the neck. The process normally begins when the hybrid is middle-aged, and the inevitable result is that the individual transforms into a Deep One, gains immortality, and goes to live in an underwater city (such as Y’ha-nthlei).
Deep Ones - Arkham Horror
While the Deep Ones aren’t present in the original Arkham Horror set, they are introduced in the Innsmouth Horror expansion. They are considered aquatic monsters, which means they move directly to any investigator who’s unlucky enough to be in a location surrounded by water. Otherwise, they move like any other Arkham Horror monster.
They have a +0 awareness, and their home dimensions include R’lyeh and Lost Carcosa. Their toughness is 2, their horror rating is -2, damage is 2, and combat rating is -1.
Deep One Hybrids are also included in Arkham Horror. They possess no special abilities, but they do move as aquatic monsters. Their damage is 1, their horror rating is -1, and they possess a combat rating of +0. Introduced in the Innsmouth Horror expansion, they have since appeared in a total of four supplements for Arkham Horror.
Deep Ones Miniatures
There are a wide range of Deep Ones miniatures available for purchase. While some of these may be available from your local game or hobby shop, you’ll find an even greater variety if you search online.
A pack containing three Deep Ones miniatures can be purchased on Amazon for $8.75. FRP Games offers the same pack for a comparable price, but they also carry another set featuring Deep Ones is different poses. Some assembly is required, and none of the miniatures come painted.
Fans of HorrorClix can also add Deep Ones to their game. Troll and Toad carried a single Deep Ones figurine for less than 50 cents. Each Deep One for HorrorClix has a different level of skill, including Rookie, Experienced and Veteran.
If you want to add some Deep One Hybrids to your next gaming session, Rat Trap Productions carries two sets of metal miniatures. Each is priced at $16, and you’ll receive four unpainted 28mm metal miniatures.
Deep Ones in Call of Cthulhu
In the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game, the Deep Ones are one of the many alien terrors that investigators will have to contend with. Since their cities are submerged beneath the waves, they are most likely to be encountered in coastal towns such as Innsmouth, Massachusetts. In addition to the menace posed by the Deep Ones, heroic investigators will also have to watch out for their human allies, especially unnatural half-breeds sporting the “Innsmouth look.”
According to the Call of Cthulhu rulebook, Deep Ones can attack with either claw or a hunting spear. Their base chance to hit is only 25%, and either weapon does 1D6 damage (plus their damage bonus, which averages +1D4). The hunting spear functions as an impaling weapon.
Anyone who encounters a Deep One will have to make the customary sanity check, with a success resulting in no loss. Failure, however, will cost the investigator 1D6 points of sanity.
Due to their scaly hide, all Deep Ones have one part of armor. Any Deep Ones with a POW of 14 or greater will also have 1D4 spells at their disposal. Hit points average 13 or 14, so a single Deep One can be brought down easily by a party wielding plenty of firepower. Unfortunately, Deep Ones often travel in groups.