Yuan-ti are a monstrous race of psionic snake-people.[2][3]
History[]
The yuan-ti are believed to be fallen shulassakar by their feathered kin, though this relation is disputed.[4] Others believe them to be humans warped by magic.[5]
The yuan-ti emerged from Khunan following the mage-wars that began the Sundering, and unified the region into the nation of Syrkarn. The Inspired led an invasion of the nation, and drove most of the yuan-ti out of Sarlona.[5][6]
The fleeing yuan-ti were offered sanctuary by the dragons of Argonnessen.[6] The yuan-ti were eventually driven from the continent after a cult of yuan-ti in the city of Io'vakas uncovered forbidden magic. The dragons destroyed the city, and many surviving yuan-ti fled across the sea for Xen'drik.[7]
Description & Personality[]
The yuan-ti are psionic humanoids with serpentine traits, varying in power and form depending on exact type.[2]
The yuan-ti are thought to be touched by dark forces, and those encountered are generally secretive with a societal tendency towards cruelty.[8]
The yuan-ti of Xen'drik seek to harness the Draconic Prophecy for themselves.[4]
Types[]
Yuan-ti have multiple castes, ranging from snakelike humans to humanoid snakes:
- Pureblood: The purebloods are humanoids with minor serpentine traits and lesser psionic abilities. They can most easily pass as humans among the yuan-ti.[2]
- Halfbloods: The half-bloods are more monstrous and possess greater power, with a snake's head or other unusual traits such as snakes for arms or snake tails in place of legs.[2][3]
- Abominations: Yuan-ti abominations are the lords of the yuan-ti, and are snakelike monsters with two arms and a single tail.[3]
Other, rarer examples exist outside of this strict hierarchy.
- Anathema: Yuan-ti anathema are massive demigods of the yuan-ti. They have multiple snake-heads either as arms, or emerging as a central head.[9]
- Wretchlings: Yuan-ti wretchlings are humans warped into monstrous servants of the yuan-ti cults of Xen'drik.[10]
Lands[]
Two adventurers encounter a snake idol and the yuan-ti themselves in the jungle of Xen'drik.
The yuan-ti were driven from their kingdom of Syrkarn in Sarlona, and then from the interior of Argonnessen. Now the yuan-ti reside in hidden communities in Xen'drik and on the coast of Argonnessen.[4][5][6][11]
Some yuan-ti remain in Khunan ruins of Syrkarn.[5][6] Others hide within Khunan enclaves in Syrkarn and Valenar, while some cabals in Khorvaire will pose as strange religions.[8][12]
Religion[]
The yuan-ti of Io'vakas worshiped the Sovereigns. One sect worshiped the Dragon Gods directly, and pursued forbidden magic, resulting in the city's destruction and their exile.[6]
The yuan-ti cultists of Xen'drik worship the Devourer as a world-consuming serpent, and hold the dream serpents as a sacred animal.[11]
Notable Yuan-ti[]
- Tava Rassa: A yuan-ti anathema worshiped as a god by the yuan-ti and their lizardfolk slaves.[13]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Yuan-ti article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
References[]
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014). Monster Manual (5th Edition). (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 307–310. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual (3.5 edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bruce R. Cordell (April 2004). Expanded Psionics Handbook. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3301-1.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Keith Baker (2004/09/20). Shulassakar: The Feathered Servants. Dragonshards. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/19.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Keith Baker, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Glenn McDonald, and Chris Sims (2007). Secrets of Sarlona. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 90–91, 112–113. ISBN 978-0-7869-4037-0.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Keith Baker, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Nicolas Logue, & Amber Scott (2007). Dragons of Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-4154-5.
- ↑ Andrew Finch, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Chris Perkins (August 2004). Monster Manual III. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 167. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Keith Baker (May 2008). “Expeditionary Dispatches: Dangers of Taer Valaestas” (HTML). Dragon #363 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2010-01-07.
- ↑ Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Matthew Sernett, Chris Thomasson, & James Wyatt (April 2003). Fiend Folio. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 193. ISBN 0-7869-2780-1.
- ↑ Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 86–87. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Keith Baker, Jason Bulmahn, & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8.
- ↑ Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 113. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8.
- ↑ Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Ari Marmell, & C.A. Suleiman (2006). Faiths of Eberron. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 68. ISBN 0-7869-3934-6.