Yuan-ti

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

Secrets of Xen'drik chapter 5

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

Gallery

External Links

References

  1. Mike Mearls , Jeremy Crawford , Christopher Perkins (2014). Monster Manual (5th Edition) . ( Wizards of the Coast ), pp. 307–310. ISBN 978-0786965614 .
  2. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 .
  7. 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. 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.
  9. 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 .
  10. Keith Baker , Jason Bulmahn , & Amber Scott (2006). Secrets of Xen'drik . ( Wizards of the Coast ), pp. 86–87. ISBN 0-7869-3916-8 .
  11. 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 .
  12. Bill Slavicsek , David Noonan , and Christopher Perkins (2005). Five Nations . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 113. ISBN 0-7869-3690-8 .
  13. Jennifer Clarke Wilkes , Ari Marmell , & C.A. Suleiman (2006). Faiths of Eberron . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. 68. ISBN 0-7869-3934-6 .