Kuo-toa

Basic Information

Anatomy

Kuo-toa are an aquatic humanoid species with a distinctively fish-like body structure. They are generally characterized by their elongated heads and large, gaping mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth, which closely resemble those of an angler fish. However, what sets these creatures apart is their unique sensory appendages, which protrude from their heads and are equipped with bioluminescent features.

Biological Traits

It is said that if a community is threatened by a danger great enough, a kuo-toa can be chosen by Delphinna to become a leviathan. This kuo-toa can grow well beyond its natural size, becoming a giant 20-foot long bestial kuo-toa with an oversized mouth filled with rows of slender, sharp teeth and a long, eel-like tail that answers to the archpriests or priest-king of the community.

Ecology and Habitats

The kuo-toa are an aquatic species that thrive in a variety of underwater environments. They are commonly found in deep ocean trenches, as well as within the world below in its diverse watery environments.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The kuo-toa have a diverse diet that consists of both plant and animal matter. They are known to be omnivorous, and feed on a wide variety of aquatic life such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Additionally, they have an interesting way of cultivating food in the form of underwater gardens. The kuo-toa cultivate a variety of seaweed and other aquatic plants in these gardens, which serve as a reliable food source for them.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The kuo-toa society is hierarchically structured, with the priest-king at the top of the pyramid. It is served by nine archpriests, who each rule a kuo-toa community. The archpriests have devout underlings called whips, whose primary responsibility is to enforce the religious beliefs of the community. The exalted whips are the ones who manage and train the whips and report everything to the archpriest. One or more of these whips are also the archpriest's children, and their primary role in kuo-toan society is to fight to the death to claim the throne when the archpriest dies.
The Kuo-toa society is heavily focused on religion, and the archpriests are surrounded by fanatical devotees of their faith. To ensure that their subjects follow the religious beliefs, the archpriests have the authority to strip the whips of their authority or even their lives if they displease the archpriest. The Eye of Delphinna are the inquisitors who serve the archpriests by sniffing out, torturing, and executing heretics and traitors. They also spy on enemy settlements and eliminate threats to an archpriests domain.
The Kuo-toa grand monitors are the highly disciplined and dangerous martial arts masters that normally train young kuo-toa to become monitors. They can summon and harness water to enhance and supplement their martial arts techniques, making them a formidable force in battle. In addition to their martial arts training, the kuo-toa monitors are also trained to resist psychic attacks and capture or subdue turned or insane kuo-toa.
Kuo-toa lashes are the lower caste priests charged with overseeing rituals and guarding shrines and temples. They have the innate ability to generate electricity, making them a valuable asset to the community.
The kuo-toa warriors are a formidable force in battle, thanks to their exceptional skills in combat. They are known for treating their shields with a sticky goo that effectively catches incoming weapons, making it difficult for their enemies to strike them down. In addition, these skilled warriors are expert harpoon throwers, using their mastery of the weapon to help them hunt and restrain bigger prey or catch intruders who dare to cross their path.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Kuo-toa have sensory appendages that protrude from their heads and are equipped with bioluminescent features. These tendrils help them navigate through the dark environments they inhabit, which are typically completely devoid of light. The bioluminescence of these sensory appendages also plays a significant role in Kuo-toa culture, as they use it for communication and to signal to other members of their community.

Civilization and Culture

Common Dress Code

Kuo-toa warriors avoid wearing armor due to its added weight on their slippery bodies. Instead, they rely on their natural rubbery hides for protection. However, they do enjoy wearing jewelry made from scavenged bones, shells, pearls, gems, and carapace fragments. These items serve both as decorative pieces and symbols of their strength and power within their society. The kuo-toa's jewelry-making skills are highly valued, and they are known to trade their creations with other species beneath the waves and in the world below.

History

According to ancient legends, Delphinna, the god of water, supposedly sent the kuo-toa to live in the dark seas and lakes of the world below. These creatures are known to be intolerant towards daylight. At one point in time, the kuo-toa were captured by the mind flayers, who forced them into slavery. Although the mind flayers unleashed powerful mental forces against them, the kuo-toa managed to endure the oppression for a significant period of time. The mind flayers eventually abandoned them, as they required more pliable minds. Despite their ordeal, the kuo-toa remain devout worshippers of Delphinna, whom they revere above all other gods. Their faith in the Dark Gods is unshaken, and they possess the ability to summon the energy of their collective subconscious. This ability is an after-effect of their prolonged bondage to the mind flayers, and it can cause manifestations of their faith into mutations of their physical form. As such, the kuo-toa continue to evolve and thrive in the dark and mysterious world below.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Some Kuo-toa communities have been known to form alliances with other underwater species, such as merfolk and tritons, in order to defend themselves against common enemies or to gain access to new resources.