Sahuagin
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, the sahuagin are a fish-like monstrous humanoid
species that live in oceans, seas, underground lakes, and underwater caves. Sahuagin speak their native tongue ("Sahuagin"). With higher intelligence scores, they can also speak two bonus languages, usually Common and Aquan.
Sahuagin is pronounced sah-HWAH-gin. There are said to be two other ways of pronouncing Sahuaginhttp://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142329𢯹: "Sah-hoo-ah-gin" and "sah-ha-gwin". The "G" is never pronounced as a "J".
. Marsh claims that an episode of the Justice League
cartoon was the original inspiration for the creatures.
by Dave Arneson
. Here, they are known as the "Devil Men of the Deep", voracious creatures that are a constant threat to humans.
The sahuagin appeared in the first set of Monster Cards in 1982.
Three related adventures which formed an underwater campaign set in the town of Saltmarsh that utilized the Sahuagin heavily. These modules were U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1982), U2 Danger at Dunwater
(1982), and U3 The Final Enemy
(1983).
The shark-kin were presented as a playable class in PC3 The Sea People
, in "The Sea People's Book" (1990).
The book The Sea Devils (1997), along with the accompanying article in Dragon
#239, "Sneaky Sea Devils", and the Monstrous Arcana module series that accompanies it, greatly develops the sahuagin further.
An article in Dragon #250 (August 1998), "Heroes of the Sea", presented the sahuagin as a player-character race.
The appearance of the Sahuagin has changed somewhat since its inception in 1975. Originally the Sahuagin frame was more like that of the aquatic elf not possessing a tail and having a similar skeletal structure to humans. This early interpretation of the Sahuagin is apparent in sources like the first edition Monster Manual (page 84), various images throughout the AD&D Module U3: The Final Enemy, "Monster Cards" illustrated by Erol Otus and in the sculptures of early lead miniatures from several companies. With the advent of AD&D second edition and such products as The Sea Devils, the Sahuagin changed its appearance greatly. Newer artwork now depicts the sea devils with long finned tails and a skeletal structure more fish-like (long slender webbed fingers and toes, and a large dorsal fin) and much less humanoid. The exact origins and reasons for this inconsistency is unclear but it may have its origins in the Sahuagin's swimming speed and artist's concerns with producing a viable creature to fit the swimming speed of its RPG game stats.
society. It is claimed that the Aztecs were part of the inspiration for these creatures.http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142329&142329
Sahuagin are the natural enemies of aquatic elves
. The two cannot coexist peacefully: wars between them are prolonged, bloody affairs that sometimes interfere with shipping and maritime trade. Sahuagin have an only slightly less vehement hatred for tritons
. Precisely why the two races hate each other so much is unknown, but what is known that the presence of an aquatic elf community within several miles of a sahuagin community occasionally causes some sahuagin to be born as malenti; mutants who resemble aquatic elves.
They also hate the Kuo-toa
, another fish-like race, though the two races have been known to ally.
Multiple births are frequent among them. Sahuagin deal very harshly with offspring who are not robust or aggressive enough—they are eliminated by compulsory fighting to the death between young sahuagin. Sahuagin seem fixated on all aspects of consumption, and are eager to weed out anything they see as weak or unworthy to compete for resources. Savage fighters, sahuagin ask for and give no quarter. When swimming, a sahuagin is able to tear with its sharp feet, using them as weapons. About half of any group of sahuagin are also armed with nets. Since there are many illustrations of sahuagin wielding spears, these would seem to also be favored weapons.
, the lawful evil god of sharks, as their patron deity and the father of their race. They also perceive him as the ultimate adjudicator and incarnation of punishment, officiating over an endless struggle between mythic figures. These figures are the hunter "He Who Eats" and the hated "It That Is Eaten", with the struggle between them reflected in every aspect of life. Because of this, sharks are seen as holy creatures to them, and dolphins are hated for their friendship with aquatic elves. The Sahuagin make regular, living sacrifices to Sekolah by feeding the sacrificed being to the sharks that follow every sahuagin priest. In the first edition of the Monster Manual mention of being "devil worshipers" is likewise made on page 84. This also suggests there may be fiendish cults that venerate other diabolical gods not yet known.
, sahuagin are known to inhabit the Azure Sea, and once threatened the Keoish coastal town of Saltmarsh in the 570's CY. The sahuagin laid siege to a lair of lizardfolk
and drove them out of their home. The sahuagin converted this lair into a base of operations from which to launch an attack on Saltmarsh. The buildup of sahuagin forces caused an alliance to be formed between the citizens of Saltmarsh, an aquatic elf tribe (the Manan), a tribe of mermen, a tribe of locathah, and the original lizardfolk who were driven from their home.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the sahuagin are a fish-like monstrous humanoid
Monstrous humanoid (Dungeons & Dragons)
Monstrous humanoids are a "creature type" in the 3rd and 3.5 editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Monstrous humanoids are differentiated from humanoids by their monstrous or animalistic features, and not all are technically "humanoid" in body form...
species that live in oceans, seas, underground lakes, and underwater caves. Sahuagin speak their native tongue ("Sahuagin"). With higher intelligence scores, they can also speak two bonus languages, usually Common and Aquan.
Sahuagin is pronounced sah-HWAH-gin. There are said to be two other ways of pronouncing Sahuaginhttp://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142329𢯹: "Sah-hoo-ah-gin" and "sah-ha-gwin". The "G" is never pronounced as a "J".
Publication history
Sahuagin were created by Steve Marsh, a gamer who invented many of the game's early aquatic monsters (Gygax 1977, p. 4.) before becoming an employee of TSRTSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
. Marsh claims that an episode of the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
cartoon was the original inspiration for the creatures.
Dungeons & Dragons (1974–76)
The first published version of the sahuagin appeared in the 1975 Dungeons & Dragons supplement, BlackmoorBlackmoor (supplement)
Blackmoor is a supplementary rulebook for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game written by Dave Arneson...
by Dave Arneson
Dave Arneson
David Lance "Dave" Arneson was an American game designer best known for co-developing the first published role-playing game , Dungeons & Dragons, with Gary Gygax, in the early 1970s...
. Here, they are known as the "Devil Men of the Deep", voracious creatures that are a constant threat to humans.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977–1988)
The sahuagin appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), where they are described as "seadevils" that dwell in warm salt water depths, and are predatory in the extreme and kill for sport and pleasure as well as food.The sahuagin appeared in the first set of Monster Cards in 1982.
Three related adventures which formed an underwater campaign set in the town of Saltmarsh that utilized the Sahuagin heavily. These modules were U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (1982), U2 Danger at Dunwater
Danger at Dunwater
Danger at Dunwater is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, written by Dave J. Browne with Don Turnbull The module was first published by TSR, Inc...
(1982), and U3 The Final Enemy
The Final Enemy
The Final Enemy is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game written by Dave Browne with Don Turnbull set in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting.-Plot summary:...
(1983).
Dungeons & Dragons (1977–99)
This edition of the D&D game introduced the shark-kin in AC9 Creature Catalogue (1986), which was reprinted in DMR2 Creature Catalog (1993).The shark-kin were presented as a playable class in PC3 The Sea People
The Sea People
The Sea People is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:The Sea People is a "Creature Crucible" supplement and campaign setting that describes the lands on the bottom of the Sea of Dread and the beings that dwell there. The supplement includes rules for player...
, in "The Sea People's Book" (1990).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989–1999)
The sahuagin appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).The book The Sea Devils (1997), along with the accompanying article in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#239, "Sneaky Sea Devils", and the Monstrous Arcana module series that accompanies it, greatly develops the sahuagin further.
An article in Dragon #250 (August 1998), "Heroes of the Sea", presented the sahuagin as a player-character race.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000–2002)
The sahuagin appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003–07)
The sahuagin appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008–)
The sahuagin appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008).Description
Sahuagin are usually green skinned, darker on the back and lighter on the belly. Many have dark stripes, bands, or spots, but these tend to fade with age. An adult male Sahuagin stands roughly 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighs about 200 pounds (91 kg). Sahuagin are highly fish-like, with webbed feet and hands, gills, and a finned tail. There is additional webbing down the back, at the elbows and, notably, also where human ears would be. One in 216 specimens are a mutation with four usable arms instead of two. These four-armed mutations are usually black, fading to gray in color.The appearance of the Sahuagin has changed somewhat since its inception in 1975. Originally the Sahuagin frame was more like that of the aquatic elf not possessing a tail and having a similar skeletal structure to humans. This early interpretation of the Sahuagin is apparent in sources like the first edition Monster Manual (page 84), various images throughout the AD&D Module U3: The Final Enemy, "Monster Cards" illustrated by Erol Otus and in the sculptures of early lead miniatures from several companies. With the advent of AD&D second edition and such products as The Sea Devils, the Sahuagin changed its appearance greatly. Newer artwork now depicts the sea devils with long finned tails and a skeletal structure more fish-like (long slender webbed fingers and toes, and a large dorsal fin) and much less humanoid. The exact origins and reasons for this inconsistency is unclear but it may have its origins in the Sahuagin's swimming speed and artist's concerns with producing a viable creature to fit the swimming speed of its RPG game stats.
Society
Sahuagin society closely resembles some aspects of AztecAztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
society. It is claimed that the Aztecs were part of the inspiration for these creatures.http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=142329&142329
Sahuagin are the natural enemies of aquatic elves
Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
. The two cannot coexist peacefully: wars between them are prolonged, bloody affairs that sometimes interfere with shipping and maritime trade. Sahuagin have an only slightly less vehement hatred for tritons
Triton (Dungeons & Dragons)
Tritons are a fictional species in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:The tritons were introduced to the Dungeons & Dragons game in its first supplement, Greyhawk , and also appeared in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement.The triton appeared in the first edition of...
. Precisely why the two races hate each other so much is unknown, but what is known that the presence of an aquatic elf community within several miles of a sahuagin community occasionally causes some sahuagin to be born as malenti; mutants who resemble aquatic elves.
They also hate the Kuo-toa
Kuo-toa
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the kuo-toa are fish-like monstrous humanoids that dwell in the Underdark, and in the sea.-Publication history:...
, another fish-like race, though the two races have been known to ally.
Multiple births are frequent among them. Sahuagin deal very harshly with offspring who are not robust or aggressive enough—they are eliminated by compulsory fighting to the death between young sahuagin. Sahuagin seem fixated on all aspects of consumption, and are eager to weed out anything they see as weak or unworthy to compete for resources. Savage fighters, sahuagin ask for and give no quarter. When swimming, a sahuagin is able to tear with its sharp feet, using them as weapons. About half of any group of sahuagin are also armed with nets. Since there are many illustrations of sahuagin wielding spears, these would seem to also be favored weapons.
Religion
Sahuagin worship SekolahSekolah
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Sekolah is a powerful devil and the primary deity worshipped by the sahuagin race. His sacred animal is the shark...
, the lawful evil god of sharks, as their patron deity and the father of their race. They also perceive him as the ultimate adjudicator and incarnation of punishment, officiating over an endless struggle between mythic figures. These figures are the hunter "He Who Eats" and the hated "It That Is Eaten", with the struggle between them reflected in every aspect of life. Because of this, sharks are seen as holy creatures to them, and dolphins are hated for their friendship with aquatic elves. The Sahuagin make regular, living sacrifices to Sekolah by feeding the sacrificed being to the sharks that follow every sahuagin priest. In the first edition of the Monster Manual mention of being "devil worshipers" is likewise made on page 84. This also suggests there may be fiendish cults that venerate other diabolical gods not yet known.
Sahuagin in Greyhawk
In the World of Greyhawk campaign settingCampaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
, sahuagin are known to inhabit the Azure Sea, and once threatened the Keoish coastal town of Saltmarsh in the 570's CY. The sahuagin laid siege to a lair of lizardfolk
Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk are a fictional humanoid species in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:...
and drove them out of their home. The sahuagin converted this lair into a base of operations from which to launch an attack on Saltmarsh. The buildup of sahuagin forces caused an alliance to be formed between the citizens of Saltmarsh, an aquatic elf tribe (the Manan), a tribe of mermen, a tribe of locathah, and the original lizardfolk who were driven from their home.
Further reading
- Marsh, Steve. (2005). Sahuagin!, retrieved June 11, 2006.
- Schend, Steven E.Steven SchendSteven E. Schend is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR throughout the 1990s.-Biography:Steven Schend was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1967...
Sea of Fallen Stars (TSR, 1999).
- Williams, SkipSkip WilliamsRalph Williams, almost always referred to as Skip Williams, is an American game designer. He is married to Penny Williams, who is also involved with the games industry...
. "Sage Advice". DragonDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#248 (TSR, June 1998).