Oöphoi

Oöphoi (singular: oöphis) are creatures described in the writings of the fantasy and horror author H.P. Lovecraft. They appear in his short story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth."

The oöphoi are described as enormous, greyish-white, barrel-shaped beings that are among the final, degenerate life stages of the Deep Ones. They are largely immobile and spend their lives submerged in subterranean pools within the Deep One city of Y'ha-nthlei, located offshore from Innsmouth.

The oöphoi are the ultimate repository of Deep One knowledge and memory. They are able to communicate telepathically, and through this means, transmit information and instructions to other Deep Ones and to their human hybrid descendants. They essentially serve as living libraries and advisors for their species.

Their existence highlights the horrifying and unnatural life cycle of the Deep Ones and the chilling implications of their interbreeding with humans. The oöphoi represent the final stage of this transformation, a grotesque and immobile form dedicated to preserving the dark legacy of their race.