Page 134 - Serpent Kingdoms

REALMS

For centuries, the ruins of Lhesper served as hunting Mintar have rediscovered a means of transforming water nagas
grounds for gnoll warriors, but now they are once again inhab- into banelar nagas, and that the increasing numbers of the
ited. The latest occupants are members of the Coiled Cabal who latter subrace in the Nagawater are the results of such magi-
are searching for the legendary Emeralds of Merrshaulk, a set cal transformations. The other rumor holds that a dark naga
of massive gemstones inscribed with the ancient divine spells named Calliope, consort of Pristoleph the Purple (LE male
of Mhairshaulk. The stones were stolen when the Lapal tribes Chondathan human wizard 12), has hatched a clutch of dark
fi rst fl ed the Lapal Sea to found what would one day become nagas with arms in the depths of the Chondalwood. Her progeny
Lapaliiya. In the waning days of the Empire Plague, they were are said to be growing to maturity even now in the catacombs of
taken to Lhesper for safekeeping, only to be lost when that town Pristal Towers in Innarlith. (In fact, the arms of these nagara
was overrun by gnolls. are Yuan-ti grafts placed on them by Phelriss.)
Whether or not the Coiled Cabal succeeds in locating the
Emeralds of Merrshaulk, the strategic location of this base Peaks of Flame
makes the expense of maintaining it more than worth the
while. Therefore, the yuan-ti have exerted their power over Three volcanic peaks rise from the depths of the Jungles of
the human bandit tribes of the region, forcing them to bring Chult, spewing smoke and ash into the skies. The Peaks of
any human travelers they capture back to ruined Lhesper Flame, as these volcanoes are known, are linked via a network
for sacrifi ce to Sseth or transformation into broodguards or of lava tubes to a region of the Underdark known as the Fire-
tainted ones. lands that lies just below the Jungles of Chult. In the heart of
the Firelands is the Burning Rift, site of many portals to the
Nagalands, The Elemental Plane of Fire.
Azers, hell hounds, fl amesnakes, magmins, salamanders, and
The Nagalands encompass the upper reaches of the Nagafl ow, other fi ery creatures have all migrated to the Firelands via such
the southern half of the Nagawater, the plains of Serpent’s portals and then made their way to the lava-strewn slopes of
Holding, and the Naga Plains. Although the Nagalands lack the Peaks of Flame. Red dragons and pyrohydras are naturally
any sort of formal government, this region is uncontestably the drawn to the range and are commonly encountered here as well.
collective domain of the nagas, and no other realm controls But by far the most numerous inhabitants of both the Peaks of
this region. Flame and the Firelands are tribes of fi renewts and their giant
The Nagafl ow is a long, lazy river that originates in the strider mounts.
heart of the Chondalwood, broadens into a deep, freshwater Morndin Vertesplendarrorn, the Emerald Crater, is the
lake known as the Nagawater upon joining with the Win- shattered remnant of a fourth peak, which lies just north and
tercloak River, then drains into the Vilhon Reach in the west of the three active volcanoes. The wild dwarf tribes of the
shadow of Nimpeth. The southern half of the Nagawater is region make regular pilgrimages to this truncated cone, which
the domain of numerous water nagas and increasing numbers is sacred to Thard Harr. Since its creation in the Year of the
of banelar nagas. The upper reaches of the Nagafl ow are the Quivering Mountains (77 DR), the Emerald Crater has been
spawning grounds for all the naga subraces. In addition, a home to Esmerandanna, an emerald great wyrm known as the
Yuan-ti anathema named Phelriss secretly uses the area as a Resplendent Queen and guardian of the most sacred carvings of
lair. Phelriss is attended by a cult of dark and spirit naga fol- the dur Authalar.
lowers who venerate it as a god. Legend has it that the Peaks of Flame stand over a pair of
Between the Nagafl ow and the River Arran lie the Golden doors leading to the Fugue Plain. When the doom of the world
Plains, named for their tall, golden grasses. These plains are approaches, Dendar the Night Serpent (an elder eternal evil
home to centaurs, the Talu-min tribe of Lion warriors (Cal- that feeds on the unremembered nightmares of all creatures)
ishite humans), and gnolls. The western edge of the Golden will break down these doors and escape into Abeir-Toril. The
Plains, along the eastern shore of the Nagawater, is known as god Ubtao stands guard against that day because if he does not
the Naga Plains. This region is inhabited by guardian nagas defeat her, the Night Serpent will swallow the sun.
who dwell in hollow trees and other hidey-holes, and by spirit
nagas who dwell in subterranean caves exposed by the waters of Slitherswamp, The
the Nagafl ow.
The band of plains between the Nagawater and the Winter- Located deep beneath the city of Waterdeep, the Slitherswamp
wood has been named Serpents’ Holding by the Brada-min tribe is a largely unexplored sublevel between Levels Four and Five
of Lion warriors (Calishite humans) and the inhabitants of the of Undermountain. Halaster stocked the Slitherswamp with
fortifi ed village of Nagarr. Countless varieties of snakes, includ- abductees from Najara in the Year of the Sighing Serpent
ing a spitting snake known as the mlarraun, lair in this hilly, (1289 DR), and it is still populated primarily by dark nagas,
rolling terrain. ophidians, and snakes of all sorts. Contact between the Slith-
Two disconcerting rumors have emerged from the Nagalands erswamp and Najara was not reestablished until the Year of
in recent years. One holds that agents of Teldorn Darkhope of the Serpent (1359 DR), when a dark naga dwelling in Under-

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