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Nearly insane, Blibdoolpoolp is patron of the declining subterranean race of kuo-toa. She hates humanity for the ancient wars that drove her race underground, and is well pleased when her followers sacrifice them to her. She is rumored to know great secrets of ancient magics, but in her insanity, she shares them with no one.

Blibdoolpoolp (PDF Version)
(Sea Mother, the Whip of Whips, the Drowning Goddess)
Intermediate Power of the Elemental Plane of Water, NE(CE)

Portfolio:                 Darkness of the sea depths and underdark, insanity, revenge, paranoia, hidden magic, secrets
Aliases:                     None
Domain Name:           Elemental Plane of Water/the Murky Depths
Superior:                   None
Allies:                       Ilxendren, Piscaethces
Foes:                           Ben-hadar, Callarduran Smoothhands, Darahl Firecloak, Deep Duerra, Deep Sashelas, Demogorgon, Diancastra, Eadro, Eilistraee, Ilsensine, Ghaunadaur, Kiaransalee, Laduguer, Lolth, Maanzecorian, Olhydra, Panzuriel, Persana, Shevarash, Selvetarm, Vhaeraun, Zinzerena, the Morndinsamman, the Seldarine, virtually all human deities
Symbol:                     Lobster head or black pearl
Wor. Align.:              LE, NE, CE

Patron of the ancient kuo-toa, Blibdoolpoolp (blib-DOOLP-oolp or blib-DOOL-poop or BLIB-dool-poop or blib-DOOL-pool-ip) the Sea Mother broods and rages in her palace on the plane of Elemental Water, plotting revenge against those who have done her harm, both real and imagined. She is said to hold much lost knowledge of magic, but shares it with no one; she guards it jealously, believing that virtually everyone wishes to steal it from her. Not entirely mentally stable, she has a tendency towards paranoia and irrational anger against anyone that displeases her.

Said to have once been a bright power of an enlightened race, the Sea Mother has degenerated into a dangerously unstable entity, mirroring the degeneration of the kuo-toa. Legend holds that the kuo-toa once lived around shallow tide pools along beautiful temperate and tropical shores, building large settlements that held vast stores of knowledge, both mundane and arcane. The arrival of humans, elves, dwarves, and other demihuman races put an end to that, as constant warfare for the coastal lands pushed the gogglers deep beneath the waves and the earth. Only underground did they find relative safety, however, as the undersea groups encountered races that already called the plains and trenches home, including races that reminded them of their hated land-based foes, as well as stranger, more powerful creatures such as morkoth and kraken. Eventually even those who fled into the earth found themselves hard-pressed to survive in the face of competition from illithids, drow, beholders, and other underdark races, leaving them as they are today, in slow decline. Just how much of this is true is hotly debated by sages; what is known for certain is that kuo-toa ruins have been found beneath the waves, and goggler architecture places heavy emphasis on shallow pools, which are not found in the sea depths. There is also speculation over a possible relationship between the kuo-toa and locathah, although neither race admits to a relation, with both insisting on being the creation of their respective deities. And, as much as Blibdoolpoolp’s hatred of humans and demihumans is known, it could be as much from her paranoia and instability as a real ancient conflict. This insanity, as much as anything, makes it unlikely the truth will ever be known to mortals.

Still, there are intriguing elements known about the Sea Mother’s past that hint at a more complex history than the legends paint. Her common appearance, for example, as a nude human female with a lobster head and claws seems awfully unusual for a piscine race, especially one that so hates humankind. Some sages speculate that she is an interloper, having usurped or absorbed the true creative power behind the kuo-toa. Expanding upon this is the idea that she was once a demon princess, and having attained godhood, she completely shed her demonic origins by shifting her realm to the Elemental Plane of Water. Another theory holds that she was an archomental, sister to Olhydra and child of the Elder Elemental God; supporters point to some of the strangely humanoid forms of a few archomentals to add credence to the idea. Still others hold that the Sea Mother was once consort to Eadro or Persana, and joined them in crafting their races, but was somehow afflicted by insanity and corrupted their creation into the gogglers. A young protégé of the sage Ronasic of Sigil holds the unusual theory that Blibdoolpoolp was the consort of the lost deity Anguileusis; other sages scoff at this unlikely scenario, and few even believe that Anguileusis ever existed in the first place. Most sages hold that Blibdoolpoolp is truly the original creator of the kuo-toa, ascribing her current form to either a future desire to emulate mankind, or a symptom of her mental instability.

Myths and legends describe Blibdoolpoolp as knowing many ancient arcane secrets about the fundamental makeup of the multiverse. These stories have caused much strife between her and other powers, as well as leading many races to seek for such secrets among her mortal followers. No concrete details of these secrets exist for she shares her knowledge with no one, but there is much speculation that such knowledge can be used to create spells and artifacts of incredible power with little cost. There is some speculation that instead her knowledge is derived from alternate material planes so alien that simply knowing of them has driven the Sea Mother mad. Finally, a handful of sages believe Blibdoolpoolp knows no secrets of magic, and her own belief that she does is a symptom of her madness. Still, when she makes appearances, she displays great magical ability and possesses items of an arcane nature; she wouldn’t be the first deity for whom tall tales have sprung after a display of unexpected potency, however.

Given her unstable mental state and deep paranoia, it should be no surprise that Blibdoolpoolp has few allies. Her closest ally is Ilxendren the Demon Ray, power of the underdark cousins of the ixitxachitl, the ixzan. The similarity of temple construction among the kuo-toa and ixzan has led many sages to speculate that the Sea Mother had something to do with the Demon Ray’s recent appearance, perhaps sponsoring his apotheosis herself. Others speculate that the similar but not quite overlapping habitats of the two races and the inability of ixzan to perform the construction themselves caused the kuo-toa to aid in the early building of their temples, and they have continued to use the architectural designs. These elements have caused many to suspect Blibdoolpoolp had a hand in his apotheosis, although what her reasoning might be is a mystery. Perhaps through the elevation of Ilxendren, or perhaps for another reason, the Sea Mother appears to be on good terms with Piscaethces the Blood Queen of the aboleth. The trio may have formed an alliance of sorts with the intent to conquer all the various underdarks of the multiverse, although only time will tell if the Sea Mother can hold her madness and paranoia at bay well enough for the alliance to hold.

It could be said that the Sea Mother considers every other deity in the multiverse a foe and that wouldn’t be far from the truth. She blames all human deities, even those who have never encountered her or her followers, for the declining fortunes of the kuo-toa, and is not one to listen to reasoned arguments presented by potential allies among that group. She similarly holds a grudge against the deities of the elves, especially Deep Sashelas, for their actions against the ancient surface and underwater populations, and holds more recent animosity towards the underdark powers whose followers press the kuo-toa hard. In particular, she has a strong animosity towards Ilsensine; for what reason is unknown, but there are fragmentary myths that speak of an ancient alliance between the pair. The details are vague, but sages speculate they worked on some great act of magic or knowledge, but had a falling out; it is believed that this ancient event is what led to the great animosity between the pair. Of interesting to note, these animosities don’t always translate to her followers, who often maintain admittedly fragile and shifting alliances with underdark realms of her foes’ followers. Of those powers that share the plane of Elemental Water with her, she is hostile towards all but Istishia, although her relationship with the Water Lord is cool neutrality. She lashes out at the archomentals Ben-hadar and Olhydra whenever she perceives their conflict coming to close to her realm, and this has made her something to fear among the elemental denizens of the plane. Interestingly, Blibdoolpoolp’s hostility towards Eadro and Persana seems to be related to events on the Plane of Water rather than conflicts between followers on the Prime Material, but few specifics are known. Outside of these groups, the Sea Mother has made some individual foes as well; among her most hated of this final assortment of powers is the giantess Diancastra. One of the Wanton Wanderer’s more well-known adventures involved her slipping into the Murky Depths utilizing perfect disguises and great guile to make off with one of Blibdoolpoolp’s minor artifacts, an event the Sea Mother still occasionally lashes out in rage over. It is also said that Darahl Firecloak has discovered some her magical secrets, but uses them with his fire and earth magic, deeply offending the watery Sea Mother. Given her attitude, it is highly likely she will continue to add more deities to her list of foes as their influence expands and encroaches on her areas of concern.

Blibdoolpoolp spends most of her time brooding or raging in her realm on the Elemental Plane of Water, but does send an avatar to ceremonies at her major temples where a great many human or demihuman sacrifices are to be made. Otherwise she tends to ignore the plight of her followers, only making her pleasure and displeasure known capriciously and haphazardly. Despite her lack of mental stability, she is not stupid or reckless, and will give mortals who unexpectedly find themselves in her presence a brief moment to explain themselves and offer suitably valuable tribute.

Blibdoolpoolp’s Avatar (Cleric 34, Mage 28, Fighter 22)
Blibdoolpoolp appears as an enormous nude human female with lobster-clawed forearms, articulated chitinous shoulder coverings, and the head of a lobster. Her human flesh is pale pink, transitioning seamlessly to brownish blue chitin of a lobster. Her eyes are shiny black, like a pair of black pearls. She draws her spells from spheres of all, charm, combat, divination, elemental earth, elemental water, healing, necromantic, summoning, sun, war, and weather, and all schools save that of elemental fire.

AC −2; MV 12, Sw 36; HP 177; THAC0 −2; #AT 2
Dmg 3d6+6 × 2 (claws)
MR 55%; SZ H (15 feet tall)
Str 18/00, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 18
Spells P: 13/11/10/10/9/9/9, W: 6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6/6
Saves PPDM 2; RSW 3; PP 4; BW 4; Sp 4

Special Att/Def: The Sea Mother attacks savagely when angered, using spells and melee attacks almost haphazardly. If she succeeds in striking an opponent of large size or smaller with both of her claws in the same round, she draws the victim towards her eyes; victims are forced to look into her eyes and must make a saving throw vs. spell with a −4 penalty or immediately become insane.

Blibdoolpoolp can summon 2d8 giant lobsters (as giant crayfish, see the Monstrous Manual, p. 50, “Crustacean, Giant”) once per turn; they fight for her fearlessly for 3 turns. She is able to summon 1d4 16 HD water elementals once per day that remain and do her bidding for 4 hours. Control of these elementals cannot be usurped save by a more powerful being from the Elemental Plane of Water. She carries a wand of fear with infinite charges and wears a ring of human influence. Once per day she can cast a symbol of insanity.

Blibdoolpoolp can only be struck by weapons of +1 enchantment or better. She is immune to poison, paralyzation, elemental water spells and effects, and illusion spells below sixth level. She is unaffected by mind-controlling spells and psionics, as well as insanity effects. Any attempt to read her mind with spells or psionics forces the creature attempting it to make a saving throw vs. spell with a −4 penalty to avoid going insane; even if successful they are unable to read anything in her mind. Even the avatars of powers less than greater status can be affected.

Other Manifestations
When Blibdoolpoolp manifests her power to her followers, it is not to aid or protect them. Instead, she manifests her powers to protect her cultic sites from looting and destruction, and preserve her methods of receiving sacrifices. Such manifestations can be tremendously different depending on her mood; she may strike offenders with the equivalent of a call lightning spell, or summon a number of giant lobsters (as giant crayfish, see Monstrous Manual: “Crustacean, Giant”) to defend the location, or she may send 1d4 water elementals or other elemental creatures native to the plane. Finally, and most spectacularly, she can animate any large (10 foot tall or larger) cultic statue as the malachite golems her clergy are known to create.

Blibdoolpoolp is served by aballin, bony fish of all sorts, giant lobsters and giant crustaceans of all sorts, kelpies, marids, revenants, strangleweed, suisseen, water elementals, water elemental vermin (spitters), water fundamentals, water grues (varrdig), water mephits, and water weirds. The Sea Mother does not send omens to her priests, but does occasionally send signs of her pleasure or displeasure, although they are often arbitrary and affected by her mood. She displays her pleasure and displeasure primarily through coloration changes of black pearls and the unusual activity or quietude of giant lobsters, both of which are kept by priests in their temple complexes for just this reason; in addition, she displays her pleasure through the discovery of pearls and shells of all sorts, aquamarine, azurite, and malachite stones, other stones of pale blue and green hues, crushed illithid, human, and demihuman skulls. Her displeasure is further displayed through the sounds of water crashing violently against stones, fish and piscine skulls, smashed crustaceans, and signs of insanity in the offending individual. When feeling intense displeasure at the actions of a particular priest, she sometimes instantly inflicts insanity or death upon the individual.

Malachite Golem: AC −2; MV 9; HD 18; hp 80; THAC0 3; #AT 2; Dmg 2d8/2d8; SA special; SD special; SW special; SZ H (15′ tall); ML Fearless (20); Int Non (0); AL NE; XP 13,000.

Notes: These golems, while normally made of malachite, may be made of azurite, marble, or other similar stone. They must be made in the form of Blibdoolpoolp, a nude female human with the head of a lobster, lobster pincers in place of forelimbs, and articulated shell coverings on her shoulders. Her eyes must be made of black pearls worth at least 1000 gp. Malachite Golems can only be created by priests of Blibdoolpoolp of 10th level or higher, take 12 months to create, require at least 2000 pounds of stone, and cost a total of 150,000 gp (including the cost of the black pearls). The spells involved in the creation are water walk, command, harm, and transmute mud to rock. As some of these spells are unavailable to the Sea Mother’s clergy, they typically must acquire scrolls from other priesthoods.

SA—The malachite golem has a number of spell-like powers it can use, once per round in lieu of a claw attack, at random. Those powers are cause fear, cause serious wounds, continual darkness, frost fingers, and ray of enfeeblement. It can command giant lobsters and water elementals that are in its presence, although it cannot summon them. If both of the golem’s claws strike the same target in combat, the creature is held tight, preventing attacks, raised to the head, and bitten for an additional 2d8 points of damage. If this bite attack succeeds with a natural roll of 19+, the victim is decapitated and slain instantly.

SD—The golem is immune to weapons of less than +2 enchantment and healed fully by the transmute mud to rock spell. It is immune to all spells other than those listed.

SW—If a transmute rock to mud spell is cast upon the malachite golem, it is slowed for 2d6 rounds. A stone to flesh spell negates the golem’s immunity to damaging attacks from spells and weapons for 1 round.

The Church
Clergy:                      Clerics, specialty priests
Clergy’s Align.:      NE, CE
Turn Undead:           C: No, SP: No
Cmnd. Undead:         C: Yes, SP: Yes

All clerics and specialty priests of Blibdoolpoolp receive religion (kuo-toan) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.

The faith of the Sea Mother is nearly forgotten by the common folk of the surface, known mostly to sages and adventurers, and otherwise only remembered in vague myths and legends. Among the races of the Underdark they are quite well known, for they are one of the major races of the deep, although rarely are they the dominant force in a region. Their alliances vary from community to community; for example, one community may be staunch allies of aboleths and foes of drow, while another is cooperative with svirfneblin and drow, but hate duergar. Only in rare circumstances will they be anything but hostile towards illithids, however; in contrast they are almost always on good terms with the ixzan. Despite these varying alliances, places that kuo-toa gather frequently become trading hubs, for there are many objects they desire that they have trouble creating or finding on their own. In this way, they are often regarded as one of the most accommodating of the races that dwell deep beneath the surface.

Temple complexes dedicated to Blibdoolpoolp dominate kuo-toan cities. They are centered on a ziggurat rising around a large pool, on top of which stands a large malachite statue of the Sea Mother, with one claw raised above her head and the other held at a low downward angle. The eyes of the statue are typically made with lustrous black pearls, if possible. The pool surrounding the ziggurat may be square, circular, or ellipsoid, and the edges are stepped to serve as seating during ceremonies. Sometimes surrounding the great pool and ziggurat are buildings that serve as quarters for minor priests, temple slaves, and caretakers, as well as administration buildings, vaults, and buildings of other mundane purposes; some cities have these buildings carved into the rock of the cavern surrounding the pool. In addition, there are shrines for private worship, often separated based on social status. Temple complexes also sometimes feature a U-Scoor-Voolp, or Hall of Hatred, a public worship building decorated with mosaics and sculptures that depict other races abusing or enslaving hapless kuo-toa. Regular sermons are held here by junior priests, filled with invectives against those who have supposedly oppressed and harmed kuo-toa; all of this is designed to ensure the populace is held in tight sway by the priesthood. Surfaces in these temple complexes are frequently covered by aquatic motifs with non-Euclidean geometric designs; it is said that most other races that stare too long at them risk madness. In the distant past, major shrines to the Sea Mother could be found in any kuo-toan town, as well as most villages of significant size. These large shrines typically consisted round or ovaloid chambers with up to a dozen niches holding statues of Blibdoolpoolp; the statues themselves could be almost any size up to man-sized. Such shrines typically held a few additional chambers for administration and attendants’ quarters. Architecture styles at these shrines are varied, but aquatic motifs are common. Due to pressures from other underdark races and the slow decline of their race, few of these shrines are still occupied or maintained by the Sea Mother’s clergy, who often undertake regular and arduous pilgrimages to visit them. Why these shrines aren’t rebuilt closer to the locations kuo-toa have migrated to is a mystery, but sages speculate these major shrines are all built on places of power, or to hide ancient magic. No adventurer or sage has managed to confirm or dispel these theories, however. Regardless, many of these locations have become de facto free trading markets, where traders of different underdark communities meet to trade food, goods, and slaves with those who might not be welcome within their home territories. Small shrines of the Sea Mother are maintained in the private residences of powerful individuals, particularly when they make their abodes in the realms of other races. These shrines feature a cubic stone block with lobster claw or non-Euclidean shell motifs carved into the sides, and atop the block stands a two foot tall representation of the Sea Mother with one arm raised above her head.

Novices in the service of the Sea Mother are called Ool-Bliboolpan (singular: Ool-Bliboolp; the –an suffix indicates a plural), a term that roughly means “Fingerlings of the Holy Mother.” Full priests are known as Ib-Bliboolpan, a term that translates as “Guiding Hands of the Holy Mother.” Specialty priests are known as pincers, or Blib-Gagloorpan (a term that means “Blessed Pincers of the Holy Mother”). The priesthood of Blibdoolpoolp has an extremely rigid hierarchy divided into two branches; the Vi-Plagoopan, or Eyes of the Priest-King, are composed of specialty priest/thieves, and the Ba-Plagoopan, or Pincers of the Priest-King are composed of single-classed specialty priests. Regardless of the branch, the ranks used by the clergy, in ascending order, are Sho-Gulph, Nur-Gulph, Quoop-Gulph, Rril-Gulph, Plar-Gulph, Pulg-Gulph, Roolp-Gulph, Doorp-Gulph, and Ilgoolp-Gulph. High priests of the Ba-Plagoop branch are known as Poloop-Gulph, while high priests of the Vi-Plagoop join the feudal theocratic leadership of kuo-toa society by becoming an Oorg-Poolgoop (priest-duke). Above the Oorg-Poolgoopan are the Ba-Poolgolan, or priest-princes, and finally the Va-Poolgol, or priest-king, who rules not just the priesthood, but a city or nation of kuo-toa. Almost the entirety of Blibdoolpoolp’s priesthood is composed of kuo-toa (99%); individuals of other piscine or aquatic races sometimes find their way to her service (1%), but only in the most extraordinary circumstances are they members of the formal kuo-toan priesthood. On the Elemental Plane of Water, the Sea Mother’s faith is particularly popular among evil water genasi and renegade tritons. Blibdoolpoolp’s priesthood is almost exclusively composed of specialty priests (99%), with 30–70% being specialty priest/thieves in any given community; the remainder are clerics (1%) of races other than kuo-toa. There is little gender equality within the priesthood of the Sea Mother, with males making up the overwhelming majority (85%), and females (15%) restricted to the lower ranks.

Dogma: Survival is a privilege of the mentally and physically fit. Excise the weak, the corrupt, and the mentally deficient in order to achieve communal greatness. Watch the fingerlings and the adults to ensure none are disappointments to great Blibdoolpoolp. The royal blood of the noble priest caste carries with it their right to rule; all kuo-toa are obligated by the Sea Mother to follow and obey the nobility. Atrocities of old were committed by the weak surface dwellers, and usurp the rightful lands of the kuo-toa; capture and sacrifice them in the name of the Sea Mother. In all things, embrace the glory of the Sea Mother, and act in accordance with her wishes and desires; those who do not weaken the very fiber of society and risk corrupting the kuo-toan purity.

Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Blibdoolpoolp fill most major roles of the kuo-toan theocratic society. They serve as leaders, administrators, and judicial officials of their realms, function as diplomats, and often lead major trade expeditions, although normal everyday trade and military matters are handled by other castes within the society. They oversee the culling of small and weak fingerlings (kuo-toan young), and raise and educate them in large communal groups. They produce no goods for their communities, save the unique adhesive substance their people coat their shields with. Finally, they lead their people in frequent ceremonies to invoke the Sea Mother’s blessing over various ventures, and reinforce the dominance of the royal clergy over society as a whole. Such ceremonies always require sacrifices; depending on the needs of the community, these sacrifices may be live sentient creatures, with surface dwellers being preferred, or pearls, shells, and gems of green and blue. Except in the few communities that have allied with nearby illithids, the Sea Mother’s clergy must organize military ventures to attack or repel mind flayers who live in close proximity to kuo-toan communities.

Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: Among the many ceremonies Blibdoolpoolp’s priesthood oversees, the most important are the twice-yearly sacrifices to ensure the Sea Mother’s blessing upon the community’s fertility. These unholy rites require a significant sacrifice of living captives, preferably humans or other surface dwellers, although slaves or captives from other underdark races will suffice if necessary. The size of the sacrifice is dependent on the size of the community and the number of captives, but one sacrifice per one hundred kuo-toa is common. Similar sacrifices are typically made before major military expeditions, as well as in celebration of a successful such venture; surface captives are not as favored for these sacrifices.

Major Centers of Worship: Deep beneath the surface of the western Flanaess on Oerth sits the kuo-toa city of Folassisshuo on an island in the Sunless Sea. Likely the largest single population of gogglers on that world, it is centered upon the ziggurat temple complex known as the Watered Heights of the Sea Mother. This ziggurat is surrounded by a large square pool with stepped sides that can serve as seating for all thirty five thousand adult kuo-toa in the city on special occasions. This city oversees a network of outlying towns and shrines, but has suffered some setbacks in re end years due to the alliance of ghouls and cloakers on one shore of the Sunless Sea.

The Sacred Pool of the Sea Mother is the temple and seat of power in Sloopdilmonpolop, a kuo-toa city of eight thousand adults deep beneath the realm of Tethyr, on Toril. While it once hosted far more gogglers, the city has been in slow decline due to outside pressures and an unusually high incidence of madness among the ruling elite. Despite this, it is still one of the most prominent temples dedicated to the Sea Mother beneath Faerûn.

Beneath the land of Haranshire lies the City of the Glass Pool, centered on the temple called the Dome of the Glass Pool. This city held a number of special enchantments and blessings from the Sea Mother until a group of adventurers threw the populace into chaos by slaying the leaders of the city and many of the elite priests, and destroying the sacred statue of Blibdoolpoolp. The city is rebuilding, but slowly, and it will likely be decades or centuries before it can be considered on par with where it was.

Located within the great Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls, seat of the marid padisha on the Elemental Plane of Water, is the Mosque to Blibdoolpoolp. This building, built of beautiful aquamarine stone with pearls and shells inlaid throughout the structure, is not often visited by the marid residents of the city. It was constructed more as a sign of respect and propitiation of the Sea Mother’s power than an act of true devotion. Still, it has drawn a handful of marids and genasi to her worship, although it is overseen by a dozen kuo-toa priests rather than the local faithful.

Affiliated Orders: Two quasi-religious sects associated with the church of Blibdoolpoolp are virtually ubiquitous in kuo-toan settlements. The first and most important are the Blib-Sanvu, an elite monastic order of celibate kuo-toa who keep watch for signs of violence or insanity among the members of the community, and subdue or slay them. Known to outsiders as monitors, these warriors are all trained in unarmed melee combat, and pride themselves on their uniformity. They contain no spellcasters among their order. Even within the Blib-Sanvu, however, there exists an elite group known as the Gagloor-Sanvu, or “Order of the Claw.” This sect is especially blessed by Blibdoolpoolp, gaining a few unique traits on top of the normal monitor training. First, they are wholly immune to fear of all sorts, although this does not mean they never retreat. Second, they are able to invoke an ability similar to the spell claws of the Sea Mother (see below) once per day, lasting for 1d4+6 rounds. These monitors are not found in ever community; when they are found, they are tasked with addressing insanity among the ruling elite, priest caste, and their fellow monitors.

The second order consists entirely of fighter/thieves, and is known as the Va-Scour, or Whips of the Mother. They operate as enforcers of the theocratic ruling class’s will, and drive the warriors to fight without mercy for the glory of the Sea Mother. They do not lead troops or plan strategies, but ensure the warriors fight to the best of their ability, using violence if necessary. Within their communities, they root out troublemakers and deviants who do not fall under the purview of the monitors.

Priestly Vestments: Blibdoolpoolp’s clergy have no ceremonial garb; instead, they wear badges of office which vary from one community to another. These badges are often pieces of jewelry, such as rings or necklaces, although they may be large or small. Other than the harnesses common to all kuo-toa, there is usually nothing else to distinguish priests from non-priests besides their bearing and presence. Such things are immediately obvious to other kuo-toa, but few outsiders are able to detect these differences without extensive contact with the gogglers. The holy symbol used by the priesthood is a black pearl.

Adventuring Garb: The Sea Mother’s clergy favor the standard equipment used by kuo-toa when engaging in battle or traveling. Higher level priests favor the pincer-staff, a unique weapon to her priesthood. The pincer staff is a five-foot-long polearm topped by a three-foot claw (30 gp, Weight 8 lbs., Size L, Type —, Speed Factor 7, Dmg —). On a successful hit, the claw has closed on the target, making escape impossible unless a successful Bend Bars roll is made. The weapon is only usable on foes between the girth of an elf and a gnoll. There is a 10% chance that both of the victim’s arms are trapped by the claw, and 40% chance that one arm is trapped. If the victim is right-handed, there is a 75% chance that the left arm is pinned, and vice versa. Pinned opponents lose defensive bonuses due to Dexterity and shields, and if the weapon arm is pinned they lose the ability to attack as well as Dexterity bonuses, but retain their shield bonus. Less commonly, Blibdoolpoolp’s priesthood uses the heavy kuo-toan harpoon, although this is usually favored by the warriors in the community. These heavy barbed spears are typically attached to their thrower by a stout cord (20 gp, Weight 8 lbs., Size L, ROF 1/1, Type P, Range 1/2/3, Speed Factor 7, Dmg 2d6/2d6). Upon a successful hit, victims must make a successful saving throw of 13+ on a 1d20 to avoid being snagged by the weapon. Those creatures of Man-sized or smaller who fail the saving throw are jerked off their feet and stunned for 1d4 rounds; they are then typically reeled in and attacked with dagger thrusts until they are dead. Finally, the kuo-toa frequently use a shield made of boiled leather and coated by the unique adhesive substance the priests produce. Any frontal attack against a member of the clergy wielding one of these shields has a 25% chance to get their weapon stuck fast; the weapon can be wrenched loose with a successful Open Doors roll. Once applied, the adhesive loses its potency after 1d4 hours, at which point the weapon can be removed easily.

Specialty Priests (Pincers)
Requirements:          Wisdom 9
Prime Req.:                Wisdom
Alignment:                NE, CE
Weapons:                   Any
Armor:                       Any
Major Spheres:         All, combat, divination, elemental earth, elemental water, sun (reversed)
Minor Spheres:         Charm, healing, necromantic (reversed), war, weather
Magical Items:         Same as clerics
Req. Profs:                Ancient Languages (kuo-toan liturgical tongue)
Bonus Profs:             Modern Languages (choose one from: aboleth, beholder, derro, drowic, duergar, goblin, illithid, ixzan, kobold, orc, svirfneblin, troglodyte, undercommon)

• Pincers must be kuo-toa.
• Pincers may multiclass as pincer/thieves. In order to multiclass, they must have a minimum Dexterity of 14, and are restricted to leather armor or equivalent.
• Pincers, including multiclassed pincer/thieves, must take proficiency in the pincer staff in order to advance past 8th level.
• Pincers may not advance in levels beyond 10 unless they are multiclassed pincer/thieves.
• The liturgical language used by kuo-toan priests is a corruption of the common language of the Elemental Plane of Water. When encountering a creature native to that plane, the priest may make a plea of mercy in the name of Blibdoolpoolp the Sea Mother, and such a creature is 75% likely to refrain from attacking. Should a creature that would otherwise not attack be compelled to do so, such as those summoned or controlled by another spellcaster, a saving throw versus spell must be rolled; should that save be failed, the elemental creature has resisted their control and avoids attacking the kuo-toans within sight.
• Pincers can generate a lightning stroke with one or more other priests. The stroke is two feet wide and hits only one target within 50 feet unless by mischance a second victim gets in the way. The bolt inflicts 6 points of damage per priest, half that if a saving throw vs. spell is successful. The chances of such a stroke occurring is 10% cumulative per caster per round.
• At 2nd level, pincers can cast frost fingers or cause fear (as the 1st-level priest spells) once per day.
• At 4th level, pincers can cast lower water or its reverse raise water (as the 4th-level priest spell) once per day.
• At 7th level, pincers can cast ice storm (as the 4th-level wizard spell) once per day.
• At 10th level, pincers can cast symbol of insanity (as the 7th-level priest spell symbol) once per day.

Blibdoolpoolpite Spells
In addition to the spells listed below, priests of the Sea Mother can cast the 1st-level priest spell frost fingers, detailed in Faiths and Avatars in the entry for Auril.

1st Level
Water Devil (Pr 1; Conjuration/Summoning)
Sphere:                    Elemental Water, Summoning
Range:                     30 yds.
Components:           V, S
Duration:                 2 rds./level
Casting Time:          2 rds.
Area of Effect:         Creates 1 dust devil
Saving Throw:        None

This spell enables a priest to conjure up a weak water elemental—a water devil of AC 4, 2 HD, MV 180 feet per round over both solid surfaces and liquids, one attack for 1d4 points of damage—that can be hit by normal weapons. The water devil appears as a small waterspout one foot in diameter at its base, five feet tall, and three to four feel across at the top. It moves as directed by the priest, but dissipates if it is ever separated from the caster by more than 30 yards. As a creature of water, it can instantly extinguish any torches, small campfires, lanterns, and small open flames of nonmagical origin. Unlike the dust devil, a water devil is unable to hold gases and gaseous creatures at bay, but it can hold creatures composed of water at bay in a similar manner, although it is unable to damage such a creature unless it can be hit by nonmagical weapons. If it skims across a large nonmagical open flame, of a campfire size or larger, it will create a cloud of non-scalding steam in a 10-foot cloud centered on itself; it is not damaged by contact with such a fire. The cloud obscures normal vision, and creatures caught within are blinded while inside and for one round after they emerge. A spellcaster caught in the water devil or its steam cloud while casting must make a saving throw vs. spell to maintain concentration, or the spell is ruined. Any creature native to the elemental plane of Water—even another water devil—can disperse a water devil with a single hit.

3rd Level
Pincers of the Mother (Pr 3; Alteration)
Sphere:                    Combat
Range:                     0
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 1d4 rds. + 1 rd./level
Casting Time:          6
Area of Effect:         The caster
Saving Throw:        None

When this spell is cast, the priest’s hands and forearms become large, chitinous lobster-like claws. For the duration, they can strike in melee with both of these claws in each round for 2d6+4 points of damage each. The caster is unable to use these claws to do more than grasp large objects clumsily; for the purposes of lifting and holding, they have an equivalent of 18/76 Strength. The caster gains no attack bonuses from this improved Strength, but their attacks utilize their natural Strength bonuses for attacking purposes. While their forearms are transformed, they receive no damage bonuses for their own Strength score.

The spell can be ended at any time at will, and the caster’s limbs instantly revert back to normal. The reversion banishes any damage done to the limbs, wiping out both hit point damage, any mutilations, or even magical withering. The claws are also immune to any magic that transforms physical shape. In other words, if a foe polymorphed the caster into a frog, the frog would retain the two mighty lobster claws—or if the caster employed shape change to lake another form, the lobster claws would remain.

The material component for this spell is a pair of desiccated lobster or crayfish claws of any size.

Summon Giant Lobsters (Pr 3; Conjuration/Summoning)
Sphere:                    Combat
Range:                     10 yds.
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 3 rds./level
Casting Time:          6
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        None

Within one round of casting this spell, the priest magically conjures 1d3 giant lobsters from Blibdoolpoolp’s realm on the Elemental Plane of Water. The giant lobsters appear in an area within spell range, as desired by the caster. They attack as directed by the caster, and need not check morale. The lobsters vanish when slain, or when the spell duration expires. The statistics for giant lobsters match giant crayfish, see Monstrous Manual, page 50: “Crustacean, Giant.”

The material component for this spell is a small piece of raw fish in a small mesh container; the container can be made of wire, wood, wicker, or similar substances.

Giant Lobster: AC 4; MV 6, Sw 12; HD 4+4; THAC0 15; #AT 2; Dmg 2d6/2d6; SD Surprise penalty of −2; SZ L (8′ long); ML fearless (20); Int Non- (0); AL N; XP 175.

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