Quaggoth

"Leave the quaggoths to the wilderness, we shall handle the affairs of state and self-rule," - Kuen Hainaut in a letter to Korda Aribond, 679, 4th Cycle

While many settlements have struggled to survive in the treacherous Underdark, for centuries tribes of quaggoths have prospered and thrived in the region's deepest caverns. Children are trained in how to go toe-to-toe with a hook horror, and tribal leaders wield incredible psionic powers on the battlefield in defense of their community. 
Far from the purview of the Elflands or any surface-level kingdoms, few records exist regarding quaggoth history and their origins. The dark elves of the Verschow are the only kingdom with a capital in the Underdark, but despite this proximity their records on quaggoth history are dismissive and disinterested. 
From what paltry records exist, it can be gleaned that quaggoths settled in the Underdark sometime during the Ostry Apocalypse nearly 4,000 years ago to escape the monstrous deities and aberrations terrorizing the surface world. When The Ageless One banished these deities back to their home planes many aberrations sought shelter in the Underdark, turning quaggoth life into a ceaseless battle for survival against surreal forces. Yet the quaggoths proved resilient, accessing psionic powers from the illithid invaders and pushing back these monstrous forces. 
In the present day quaggoths thrive as the sole residents of the Underdark's most remote regions, but industrialization and ambitious mining operations threaten this prosperity. Many quaggoth tribes find themselves being pushed closer and closer to large settlements, forced to confront industrialists even more ruthless than the Underdark's aberrations.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

• Quaggoths are predominantly found in the Underdark, well-adapted to the unforgiving landscape. A couple of influential tribes can be found in The Verschow region of Rakka, their skill as guides and trackers forcing the dark elf ruling class to tolerate the quaggoth presence. While still eyed with suspicion, several quaggoths have managed to work their way into Verschow society and become allies of the noble houses. 
• Tribes of quaggoths exist beyond the Underdark in the Northern Territories, setting up camps in the impenetrable Ionian Mtns and dense Koulan Forests. These tribes remain neutral in the region's ever-raging wars, but individuals have been known to seek them out for guidance and shamanistic rituals. 
• It is rare to see a quaggoth by themselves, but not unheard of. Leadership disputes or the breaking of sacred tenets can lead to quaggoths being exiled from their communities, forced to make their own way in the world. These individuals tend to live short lives if they stay in the Underdark, leading many to find new groups or causes to join as a means of self-preservation.  

Lifespan

60 yrs.

Proliferation: Rare
Stats/Rules: Homebrew