Pufferfish

Pufferfish, also known as blowfish and globefish, were a species of fish found in the Realms.^[1][2][3]

Description[]

These creatures were covered in spines^[2] and, when threatened, they would inflate their bodies, making them difficult to catch. Most species also contained a potent toxin.^[4]

Species[]

Fugu[]

Fugu was the Kozakuran term for a species of pufferfish endemic to the waters around Kozakura, with tiger fugu a notable variety. Its lethal toxin was concentrated within its liver.^[3]

Giant Puffer[]

An uncommon species of overly large pufferfish that was endemic to Chult. They could be readily identified from their elaborate patterns. Despite their size, their toxin was no more potent than the average pufferfish. Fishers could catch them by accident while using leatherjackets as bait and, owing to their size, spines, and toxicity, would throw them back, even cut their lines to be rid of them.^[4]

Striped Puffer[]

A species of pufferfish endemic to the lakes and weed beds of Chult, recognized by its distinctive stripes. They fed primarily upon snails and leatherjackets and were sometimes used in the preparation of poisons. They were as toxic as any other pufferfish species and hence were never consumed.^[4]

Ecology[]

Diet[]

The diet of these fish included coral and shellfish.^[5]

Habitats[]

These creatures could be found in the Chultan Peninsula,^[1] in the waters around Kozakura,^[3] in the Sea of Fallen Stars,^[2] and the Akanamere.^[6]

Usage[]

Merfolk were known to fashion pufferfish quills into bolts.^[7] The Poisoned Quill, a tribe of them in the Sea of Fallen Stars, carried around pouches full of such quills.^[2]

Owing to their toxicity, pufferfish were almost never eaten.^[4] Nevertheless, some folk would eat them anyway. The fish was long considered a delicacy in the island nation of Kozakura—in ancient times they developed techniques to safely prepare fugu so that only a small amount of its toxin remained, making an eater's mouth slightly numb and give them the thrill of danger, but any more was certain death. They would even eat it raw. However, these techniques were a closely guarded secret amongst trained chefs. Throughout the history of Kozakura, scores of people died each year from eating fugu prepared by chefs untrained in the necessary techniques.^[3] Similarly, blowfish casserole was a dangerous dish from the city-state of Sumbria of the Blade Kingdoms.^[6]

History[]

The first emperor of Kozakura and founder of the Akimatsu dynasty, the semi-legendary Akimatsu Mori, was one such person who nearly died from improperly prepared fugu. The newly ascended Emperor Mori decided to stay at the Nami No Hana inn on the night following the battle of Kyoki^[3] in the Kozakuran Year 1 (−73 DR).^[8] However, the master chef there was brother to a slain soldier of the army defeated at Kyoki and wanted revenge. The chef prepared the first emperor's celebratory dinner—the house specialty, raw tiger fugu and daikon (radish) sculpted to resemble a flying crane—with the poisonous fugu liver mixed in with the radish sauce on the crane's crest. But an apprentice chef at the inn, Sumitomo Tomy, oticed something wrong with the dish as it was served, rushed past the guards, and managed to intervene before Mori could consume it. The would-be poisoner was invited to dine with the emperor, and forced to eat his own cooking.^[3] 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. On the anniversary of the event, Mori dined on properly prepared fugu made by Tomy.^[9]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

External Links[]

• Pufferfish article at Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  

References[]