Page 123 - Serpent Kingdoms

REALMS

Without the direct rule of the Father of Chult, a great war The Time of Troubles brought new energy to the serpent-
broke out among the tribes, lasting from the Year of Dripping folk when the avatar of Sseth reappeared briefl y above the
Daggers (–438 DR) to the Year of Unleashed Sorrow (–122 waters of the Lapal Sea just before battling the dinosaur-
DR). During the confl ict, the Eshowe released the Shadow avatar of Ubtao on the eastern edge of the Jungles of Chult.
Giant from the fl oor of the Valley of Lost Honor. After nearly But after the Avatar Crisis, Set and the traitorous Okothian
destroying Mezro and the Tabaxi, the giant (who was called sarrukh bound the Great Serpent in a slumber of endless night-
Eshowdow) turned on the Eshowe and nearly annihilated them. mares. Once again the yuan-ti are actively seeking to subjugate
The remaining tribes (except the Eshowe and the Thinguth) the human realms of the Chultan Peninsula and the Shining
were assimilated into the Tabaxi tribe, whose diverse peoples Sea. At the direction of the Mhairshaulk sarrukh, small bands
became known collectively as Chultans. of serpentfolk have also begun wandering Faerûn in search of
The arrival of the Chultans, who lived free of oppression, clues about the nature of Sseth’s unending slumber and how it
indirectly inspired a revolt among the Lapal tribes that had been might be ended.
serving the yuan-ti as slaves. After centuries of scattered upris-
ings, the Lapaliiyans fi nally escaped in –1732 DR, fl eeing north Plots & Rumors
and east to the lands now claimed by Lapaliiya and Halruaa.
Deprived of their slave race, the yuan-ti were forced to capture Serpentes is in a constant state of fl ux, with its inhabitants vying
tribes of lizardfolk from the Great Swamp of Rethild and bring for power and position.
them back to the shores of the Lapal Sea and the Thingulph. Tribal Warfare: Since the Time of Troubles, the Se’Sehen
In the Year of Netted Dreams (–320 DR), the Hss’tafi tribe tribe has grown signifi cantly in power and infl uence, primarily
of yuan-ti was magically called to the ruins of Ss’thar’tiss’ssun at the expense of the Eselemas and Jennestas tribes. As their
by the ophidians of Najara. The tribe’s disappearance from its growing armies of broodguards attest, the Se’Sehen have been
traditional holdings on the western shores of the Lapal Sea upset readying themselves for a war of conquest, which they believe
the long-standing status quo among the neighboring yuan-ti will begin as soon as Sseth returns to reclaim his empire.
tribes, precipitating two decades of intense warfare amongst The abominations of the other two tribes are all in favor of
the remaining yuan-ti in Mhairshaulk. When civil war threat- taking back Serpentes, but not if doing so means subordinating
ened to destroyed the ranks of his remaining worshipers, the themselves to the Se’Sehen. Rather than initiate a civil war,
long-somnolent Merrshaulk responded by dispatching a winged which they would ultimately lose, agents of both lesser tribes
avatar named Sseth through one of the portals beneath the have begun spreading rumors about lost treasures throughout
Peaks of Flame in the Year of Erupting Crypts (–304 DR). the cities of the South in hopes of drawing human adventurers
Under the guidance of Sseth, the yuan-ti forged the empire into Se’Sehen lands. Through such traitorous acts, they hope
of Serpentes on the ruins of Mhairshaulk. Because the Lapal to weaken the Se’Sehen tribe just enough to raise themselves to
states had been severely weakened by the Empire Plague (–375 prominence before the emperor reclaims his throne. Of course,
DR), the yuan-ti tribes had no trouble conquering all the lands their plan runs the risk of drawing too many Scaleless Ones into
from the Lhairghal to the Peaks of Flame by the Year of the jungles and thus setting back the plans of all the tribes, but
Sunned Serpents (–189 DR). Sseth’s reign as emperor of Ser- for now the treachery continues.
pentes abruptly ended in the Year of Dreams (10 DR), when he
vanished beneath the Peaks of Flame. Some say that his disap- Surkh
pearance resulted from a failed attempt to unleash Dendar the
Night Serpent and thus end the world; others say he withdrew Capitol: Surkh
deliberately to undergo apotheosis. Whatever the reason for his Population: 9,770 (lizardfolk 99.9%, lizard kings 0.1%)
departure, the clergy of Sseth began to venerate their vanished Government: Monarchy
emperor as Merrshaulk reborn. The once-allied tribes of yuan-ti Religions: Semuanya, Tiamat
began to feud over who should succeed their one and only em- Imports: Gladiators, weapons
peror while the empire collapsed around them. Exports: Seafood
In the centuries since the fall of Serpentes, the yuan-ti tribes Alignment: LE, NE
have continued to dominate the Mhair and the Black Jungles,
and to a lesser extent the lands now claimed by Samarach and The City of Lizards lies on the northern shore of the Deep-
Thindol. Nominal rule of the peninsula, however, passed to the wash, in the shadow of the Deepwing Mountains. Although
nation of Tashtan, then to the Shoon Imperium, and then to Surkh maintains cordial relations with the Emerald Enclave,
the individual kingdoms of Lapaliiya, Samarach, the Tashalar, Lachom (an agricultural community between the Deepwash and
and Thindol. Although the yuan-ti have never agreed upon a the Vilhon Reach), Lheshayl, and Nimpeth, it remains largely
new emperor of Serpentes, the tribes have begun to work in isolated from its neighbors. Surkh’s inhabitants make their liv-
concert once again, collectively exerting infl uence over many ings by fi shing in the Deepwash, and they fear only the ancient
of the surrounding states. dragon turtle that dwells in the depths.

122

620_96566_SerpentKin92-135.indd 122 5/12/04, 4:21:46 PM