Goloma
Golomas are peculiar many-eyed humanoids native to the Mwangi Expanse that possess a strong psychological disposition to fear and paranoia. Their strange physiology and penchant for adopting intimidating personas to protect themselves often puts them at odds with other peoples, who are often unnerved or disconcerted by their presence. Yet the sheer number of eyes they possess, from the eight that protrude out of their mask-like faceplate or the thousands that peer out from the mane growing from the backs of their heads, has given them a distinct talent for wide-scale observations and visual calculus.1
Appearance
Comparable in size and anatomy to humans, golomas are digitigrade and possess rough skin that can be colored from warm brown to ebony, or gray to white for the sickly or those with albinism. A layer of chitin covers their fingers and feet. Their head and mouth are equine in shape, with their face characterized by an oblong wedge made of smooth chitin that looks similar to a wooden mask. A set of eight, shining, gelatinous eyes run along the length of this mask, arranged length-wise at four to a side. A mane of black hair grows from the nape and the back of a goloma's head, which is filled with thousands of minuscule eyes that writhe and gleam while looking around.1
Adventurers
Golomas hail from societies that strive to be self-sufficient to maintain their seclusion, and usually have backgrounds in hunting, laboring, farming, or creating art. Those that venture from their homes to keep lookout are often scouts or acolytes for their communities. Their unique mindsets set them apart from other humanoids, which can draw them to serving more unusual deities that would not otherwise find worshippers among more mundane societies. The sheer speed of their perceptiveness and their hypervigilance makes them excellent investigators, druids, or clerics.1
Ecology
Golomas are almost never seen outside of the Mwangi Expanse, and their elusive nature has prevented most from gaining a better understanding of their particular biology. They see themselves as prey, with all that possess two eyes considered to be natural predators of their kind. Their innumerable eyes are capable of processing a large amount of visual information at an alarming speed—however, this comes at a cost to their ability to identify specific visual details, which may cause them difficulty in distinguishing friend from foe. Their psychology is heavily based on reactive instinct, which is honed both by their societies' values and their own natural state of paranoia. Some golomas are capable of developing the chitin on their hands further, which can form into claws for self defense.1
Habitat and society
The Mwangi Expanse is home to all known goloma enclaves, which take advantage of the noisy low-light environment within jungles to conceal their presence. Some enclaves are found in hills and mountains for this same reason, nestled in the natural shelter they provide. The vast majority of golomas are found in the Screaming Jungle, which places them in proximity to treat with the citizens of Osibu. Others still journey to the Magaambya university in Nantambu if they are willing to brave their uneasiness to pursue a magical education.1
Several groups of golomas are believed to have migrated to southern Garund, with others even said to have ventured to other continents. The Mwangi golomas have no way to substantiate the existence of these relatives, having lost all track of their whereabouts long ago.1
Religious practices in goloma societies center primarily around Kalekot, a deity who exemplifies fearful vigilance as a means of protection. The golomas see Kalekot as a divine guardian for their people, but do not necessarily trust him. Mazludeh and Grandmother Spider are also venerated by golomas, who are drawn to the virtues of community that they represent.1
Golomas do not share their true name outside of their own kind, as there are several traditional tales that warn them against revealing such information. They struggle to pronounce soft syllables, and often feature hard consonants and individual vowel enunciation in their names and languages. They instead adopt another name when interacting with other communities, using sounds or words that are intended to be intimidating or cause strong reactions in the language they borrow these names from. Golomas have their own language, which is also called Goloma.1
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 . “People of the Mwangi” in The Mwangi Expanse, 114–117. Paizo Inc., 2021