Claw (kuo-toa)

The Claw was a male half-fiend kuo-toa and the leader of a small sect of kuo-toa in the Shrine of the Claw on the Lake of Shadows.

Description
Unlike others of his kind, the Claw's teeth protruded from his mouth and his eyes glowed with an unearthly radiance. A row of sharp spines ran down the length of his back, giving the Claw an altogether fearsome appearance.

Personality
The Claw was a hateful and boastful creature that could not abide air-breathers or surface-dwellers. The few times he would deign to converse would be to preach death to his opponents or brag of his might. A discerning and patient combatant, however, the Claw would try to lead foes into open water where he could outmaneuver them or call upon his fiendish kraken ally.

Abilities
Trained in the arts of an assassin, the Claw could administer lethal and precise strikes against unprepared enemies. Adept with either the pincer staff of the kuo-toa or a stealthy dagger, the Claw was agile and canny enough to mix and match his fighting style to prey on an opponent's weaknesses.

Furthermore, the Claw was a devotee of Umberlee and could call upon divine magic skilfully enough to silence other casters or create rolling banks of fog. He also had limited control over water elementals.

Due to his demonic heritage, the Claw was notably tougher and more powerful than others of his kind. He could even bring forth dark powers such as desecrate and unholy blight and was resistant to acid, cold and fire.

Possessions
Like other kuo-toa whips, the Claw was versed in, and carried, a pincer staff. He also had an assassin's dagger and carried potions of invisibility, which could both be employed to get close to an enemy.

Furthermore, the Claw had collected a large quantity of offerings from his followers at the Shrine of the Claw, including thousands of coins, a Cil lyre, a lyre of building, and a few wizard spells.

Relationships
The Claw was considered the intermediary between the kuo-toa of the Lake of Shadows and the fiendish kraken that controlled the Lake. This position earned him the devotion of the kuo-toa and he was considered the leader of the Shrine of the Claw. This enabled him to incite the kuo-toa into raids against the nearby stone giants.

History
Born from the union between his kuo-toa mother and hezrou father, his unusual heritage made him an appropriate candidate as the liaison between the fiendish kraken and the kuo-toa in the Lake of Shadows.

By 1372 DR, the Claw had begun inciting his kuo-toa followers to attack the nearby stone giant tribe on the shore of the Lake of Shadows.

Appearances

 * City of the Spider Queen