Homebrew Zoog Species Details

Duergar, Derro, Kuo-Toa, Gith, Quaggoths, and likely countless other races and creatures, despite their differences, share at least one thing in common; they were once slaves of the Mind Flayers. When their slaves broke away from the Illithid's control, their world-spanning empire was destined to collapse. But one breed of servant never got the opportunity to free themselves, and to this day they are still brainwashed and subservient to their elder-brain overlords; the Zoog.

Underdark Rats.

When the Mind Flayers began expanding their lairs and operations down to the Underdark, they very quickly realized a problem; they had no way of creating lairs large enough to house themselves, conduct their research, or make it habitable for their elder brains. At first the mind flayers were stumped on what to do next, but then one of the elder brains saw a small swarm of rats burrow up through the ground. These were the progenitors of the Zoog, who at first were simply a species of rat who had evolved after countless eons in the Underdark to burrow through stone and dirt. The mind flayers captured dozens upon dozens of these rats and fused them with a small yet potent bit of illithid DNA, creating the Lesser Zoog. These Zoog were more intelligent then their previous forms, but they could still only follow basic commands. Using these rat-aberration hybrids, the mind flayers created lairs and fortified homes to continue their experimentation in private, as well as a place to dwell in case an emergency forced them out of their above-ground kingdoms.

Rat-Flayers.

One elder brain, however, was unsatisfied with the Zoog and their lack of intelligence, inability to follow complex commands, and highly aggressive attitudes towards their thralls. This elder brain, known as the God Brain due to its large size and nearly divine power, took the method of creating the Zoog and added humanoid thralls and other sentient creatures to the mixture to create more powerful servants. From the mixture emerged the Greater Zoog, combining the build of a halfling sized structure, the skin, fur, mouth, and tail of a rat, and the face-tentacles and a little bit of the psionic power of a mind flayer. The Greater Zoog proved to be valuable spies, laborers, and even psionic apprentices, allowing the illithids to know exactly what they're enemies and thralls are doing. When the Illithid Empire had collapsed, the Zoog were still used as spies and scavengers for their elder brain lords. Unfortunately, due to this blend of traits, the Greater Zoog lost their ability to burrow through the ground. Zoog are able to gain sustenance from eating brains, and are indeed healthier with a brain-rich diet, but are able to live off of other food.

Free Zoog.

When an elder brain dies or a Zoog is somehow cut off from the psychic control of the mind flayers, the Zoog [after recovering from the first few waves of confusion and nausea caused by the severance] often establish small clans and villages hidden deep within fungal forests or other places with an abundance of life [so they have a steady access to the brains that they need to survive] and attempt to harvest any resources that could prove useful to them, such as valuable minerals and cast away weapons and armor, and bury them around the place that they live. Zoog without the influence of the mind flayers are often highly xenophobic towards other aberrations, worried that they may lose their freedom all over again, but have been known to assist or at least interact with other creatures. Free Zoog dislike servitude, but will serve if it serves their own interests and gives them a clear advantage. Free Zoog often choose the cleverest Zoog to run the community, but these leaders are voted in by the other Zoog, and can be thrown out in all situations except for emergencies [many egotistical Zoog have attempted to assume life-long powers, and almost all of them were executed the moment that their intentions were discovered].

Lesser Zoog.

The traits here are for Greater Zoog, who are more humanoid in appearance and have the capacity for higher levels of intelligence. Lesser Zoog, however, look like large rats with a mind flayers face attached. Lesser Zoog are often used for constructing underground lairs, while their greater kin decorate it and refine the details. Outside of this job, Lesser Zoog are seen by both Mind Flayers and Greater Zoog as pets and companions [though some Elder Brains see Lesser Zoog pets as a wasteful distraction, but usually still allow them to keep their minions content]. Greater Zoog and Mind Flayers rarely eat Lesser Zoog outside of emergencies, as among them it is similar to eating a distant cousin. Use the statblock of a Cat with an intelligence of 6, telepathy to a range of 60 feet [using the same restrictions as Greater Zoog], a creature type of Aberration, and a burrowing speed of 15 feet.

Zoog Names

Zoog are often given numbers for identification, rather then true names. Zoog of higher importance or Zoog among other races often take names reserved for Mind Flayers. Like their Mind Flayer masters, these names do not have any gender associated with them, as Mind Flayers reproduce through tadpoles rather then... you know. Free Zoog, however, seem to tend towards names that denote their chosen profession or well-known habit. Zoog usually don't have familial or clan names, though they might name which tribe or colony they come from when with a Zoog of the same name. Zoog who are too young to have a profession or habit are referred to as "Zooglets".

Mind Flayer Names: Aurangaul, Cephalossk, Drukt, Drusiss, Lugribossk, Quoor, Ralayan, Sardsult, S’venchen, Tharcereli, Tobulux, Zellix

Free Zoog Names: Alcoholic, Armorer, Hunter, Glutton, Trapper, Leader, Alchemist, Farmer, Scavenger, Sage, Boastful, Filthy

Zoog Traits

HAIL CTHULLU MOTHER FU-

Ability Score Increase

Choose one ability score to increase by +2, and another ability score to increase by +1.

Creature Type

You are an Aberration. Additionally, you are considered a Mind Flayer for any effect or prerequisite that mentions Mind Flayers.

Age

Zoog can be born through a dreaded process that only the elder brains know [typically spending time in a fluid-filled tube], or they can be born between a male and a female Zoog, the latter of whom lays an egg that hatches in 1 to 7 days. Regardless of how they were born, Zoog reach adulthood after just 2 years of growth and live for around 60 years.

Alignment

Most Zoog are Lawful Evil, following the commands of the Mind Flayers almost unthinkingly and possessing a willingness to commit any atrocity to please their Elder Brain leaders. Zoog who break away from Illithid control, however, often tend towards Chaotic alignments, and free Zoog usually don't like directly picking sides unless they get a change to fight their old captors.

Size

Zoog are around the size of gnomes. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your walking speed is 25 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

Darkvision

You have darkvision to a range of 60 feet.

Face-Tentacles

You can use your Face-Tentacles to hold and manipulate tiny objects, though they cannot perform complex tasks or wield weapons apart from blowguns or similar weapons. Your Face-Tentacles cannot activate magic items aside from wands or perform the somatic components for spells.

Laborer

Despite your small size, you were designed to be able to perform hard labor that other races shrink away from. You are treated as two-sizes bigger when determining your the amount of weight you can carry, lift, drag, and push, and you ignore the Heavy property of weapons.

Lesser Psionics

You know the Mage Hand (the hand is invisible) and Eldritch Blast cantrips. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this trait (choose when you select this race).

Additionally, you have Telepathy out to a range of 120 feet, but you can only communicate simple ideas, feelings, emotions, and phrases when using this telepathy. You don't need to share a language to communicate using telepathically, but the target creature must know at least one language.

Sunlight Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Languages

You know Common and Deep Speech.