This was that cult, and the prisoners said it had always existed and always would exist, hidden in distant wastes and dark places all over the world until the time when the great priest Cthulhu, from his dark house in the mighty city of R’lyeh under the waters, should rise and bring the earth again beneath his sway.
–H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

The terrors of Shadow over Innsmouth may have temporarily abated, and most of the evidence that links the very origin of humanity with Innsmouth’s degenerate denizens has been destroyed. Still, as 70% of the earth is covered with water, we are far from safe. The incident at Devils’ Reef was just a small part of the greater conspiracy against mankind.

Among the numerous islands of the South Pacific, close to the suspected location of R’lyeh, the dream-callings of Cthulhu seem stronger than anywhere else, and the Deep Ones have been able to carry out their plans relatively undisturbed for millennia. The shadow over innsmouth was never as dark as the Shadow of the Monolith.

A disturbing breed

Isolated from the rest of humanity, a particularly disturbing breed of Deep Ones has taken residence in the South Pacific. They are extremely xenophobic and hesitant to interact with beings other than Deep Ones unless it’s through violence. With the company only of other Deep Ones, however, this extended Family of Fishers (Shadow of the Monolith, 111) can advance terrifying plots quite effectively, especially considering they cost only three to summon from the deep.

While committed alone, or surrounded by other Deep Ones, the Family’s standard Deep One Combat skill is complemented by a Terror icon. Not only does this help in repelling other characters, it also proves very effective at protecting the Family of Fishers from insanity itself, making sure it remains sane long enough to fight its way to success. The Family is playable early in the game, while few other characters can match both terror and double combat, making opposition an exercise in futility. As this degenerate Family pokes its ways into stories unopposed, its Arcane icon readies them for defense.

They are even playable on the first turn when you can reduce their cost with cards like Devil’s Reef (Aspirations of Ascension, 65) and The Cult of Bathos (Into Tartarus, 93). And if your Family of Fishers is forced to work with outsiders, Shadowed Reef (Core Set, 55) helps you recover the Terror icon you’d lose, or you can simply turn their accomplice into another Deep One with Scalethorn Asylum (The Path to Y'ha-nthlei, 109).

Now that the monolith has surfaced and its shadow has fallen across the South Pacific, it’s time for one of players' favorite themes in Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game to shine once more as this new Asylum Pack offers one of the most cost-effective Deep Ones so far.