Kuo-toa
Kuo-toa are a race of warm-blooded fishmen native to the Underdark on Toril. Defined by their mental instability, kuo-toa have the unique ability to collectively imagine creatures and even dieties into existence.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Kuo-Toa society is generally an oppressive feudal theocracy. Each tribe is led by a Vi-poolgol (“priest-king”) and nine Oorg-poolgoopan (“priest-dukes”). Each of these dukes ruled an element of Kuo-Toa society, such as fishing, mining, or trade. Supporting each tribes leaders are the inquisitors and priest servants of the priest-king, who enforce the priest-king’s will through bloodshed, force, and coercion, and the monitors, who serve as the priest-king’s secret police.
As for religion, kuo-toa society often utilizes blood sacrifice and slavery. In fact, kuo-toa often find it hard to imagine a society that doesn’t utilize slavery in some form or another. The strong dominate the weak. Because of this, while the kuo-toa on top are often cruel, capricious tyrants, those at the bottom are cowardly, fearful, and prone to doing whatever they are told when threatened. Kuo-toa don’t have a word for family. The closest is “someone who won’t turn you in once threatened.” It’s a rarely used word.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Eons of mindflayer experimentation and slavery has left its mark on the kuo-toa. To put it simply, they are mad. While this madness often manifests as random babbling, insane personality ticks, or a bent towards suspicion, duplicity, and betrayal, it also warps reality. When enough Kuo-toa believe in something, it becomes real. The gods that freed the Kuo-toa from their mindflayer masters, led by Bildoolpoolp, were created from the race wholecloth, manifestations of their subconscious belief.
These imagined dieties are often summoned to serve as protectors of individual tribes, but if enough kuo-toa believe and support one of these dieties, they can become powerful enough to ascend into true godhood.
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