Pufferfish

Pufferfish, also known as blowfish, were a species of fish found in the Realms.

Description
These creatures were covered in spines, which contained a form of toxin. When threatened they would inflate their bodies.

Species

 * Fugu: Otherwise known as globefish, were a species of pufferfish endemic to the waters around Kozakura. Its toxin was confined within its liver. The fish was long considered a delicacy in the island nation &mdash; in ancient times they developed techniques to prepare fugu so that only a small amount of its toxin remained, making an eater's mouth slightly numb, but these were a closely guarded secret.
 * Giant Puffer: An uncommon species of overly large pufferfish that was endemic to Chult. They were easily identified by their elaborate patterns. Despite their size, their toxin was no more potent than the average pufferfish.
 * Striped Puffer: An uncommon species of pufferfish endemic to the lakes and weed beds of Chult. They could inflate themselves to a greater extent than the average pufferfish. They fed primarily upon snails and were sometimes used in the preparation of poisons.

History
Throughout the history of Kozakura, many people died each year from eating fugu prepared by chefs untrained in the necessary techniques. The founder of the Akimatsu dynasty, the semi-legendary Akimatsu Mori, was one such person who nearly died from improperly prepared fugu while dining at Nami No Hana. An apprentice chef at the inn, Sumitomo Tomy, noticed something wrong with the dish and managed to intervene before Mori could consume it. Mori went on to reward Tomy with an inn to call his own, which he named the Doi No Fugu in remembrance of the event.

Habitats
These creatures could be found in the Chultan Peninsula, in the waters around Kozakura, and in the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Usages
Merfolk were known to fashion pufferfish quills into bolts. The Poisoned Quill, a tribe of them in the Sea of Fallen, carried around pouches full of quills.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Queen of the Depths
 * Video Games
 * Board Games
 * Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins
 * Board Games
 * Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins