Page 135 - Serpent Kingdoms

REALMS

mountain discovered a portal. This particular portal linked with them. They swiftly attack any other creature that passes
the Slitherswamp with an area of rolling grasslands in the through the portal, but they try to take captives rather than
shadow of the Serpent Hills some 3 miles west of what is now kill intruders outright, so that Zstulkk can interrogate the
Ithkyxan’s Lair (see Najara, above). prisoners at his leisure.
More than half of the Slitherswamp’s inhabitants vanished A carved snake’s head juts out above the temple doorway, and
via a second portal during Halaster’s Higharvestide in the Year its ruby eyes serve as a scrying mechanism for Zstulkk Ssarmn.
of the Gauntlet (1369 DR). This group is now imprisoned in A mirror hanging on the wall of his sleeping chamber in the
the depths of the Nameless Dungeon in the High Forest, and mansion above constantly shows what the snake’s gemstone eyes
no contact has been made to date. can “see.” In this way, he keeps track of all visitors approaching
the temple via the portal.
Skullport Although his origins and original tribe are unknown,
Zstulkk Ssarmn is an important fi gure in Skullport’s thriv-
The Port of Shadows is a teeming hive of evil that lies deep ing slave trade and a founding member of the Iron Ring—a
beneath Waterdeep, on Level Three of Undermountain. In the consortium of slavers that keeps the slave business running
wretched heart of this subterranean city’s mercantile district, in the city. The abomination has only recently completed his
among the stone columns of the lower Trade Lanes, a magnifi - temple to Sseth, and he is now working hard to increase the
cent structure stands out among the nearby homes and taverns. numbers of yuan-ti in his employ. Zstulkk encourages his
Its walls are carved with images of serpents and scales, and two underlings to operate vigorous breeding programs and keeps
powerfully muscled, snake-tailed Yuan-ti (CE male halfblood the resulting eggs safe in the subterranean temple. He also
yuan-ti fi ghter 4) stand guard at its gates. Called the Snake Pit accepts new recruits from the Chultan Peninsula, Najara, and
by its wary neighbors, this imposing edifi ce is the residence of Hlondeth, but he does not allow any Yuan-ti to remain in the
Zstulkk Ssarmn (see page 142), a prominent slaver of the Iron city without joining his organization and swearing loyalty to
Ring consortium. him. So far, the only Yuan-ti to escape from under his thumb
Disturbing sounds emanate from within the structure at all is his own nephew and sworn enemy, Nhyris D’Hothek (see
hours, and odd, spicy odors leech through its walls. A company page 143), who sometimes frequents the cellars of the Dizzy
of pureblood and halfblood yuan-ti is always on hand to deal Drake tavern to plot his revenge. Zstulkk dreams of bringing Illustration by Joel Thomas
with intruders, along with a host of charmed Large constrictors, all of Skullport under Yuan-ti domination and converting the
monitor lizards, Large vipers, and other reptiles that patrol the city into a serpentine city-state, with himself as priest-king. In
interior corridors. The fl oors are dotted with concealed pits fi lled such a manner, he hopes to found not only a city but also a
with vipers, and hidden chutes that lead directly to a temple of great tribe of his own.
Sseth below the structure. In addition to the yuan-ti who travel to Skullport via the
In the heart of Zstulkk’s mansion, a coiled ramp leads down portal, Zstulkk Ssarmn happily welcomes pureblood and tainted
into the stone below. At its bottom lies a cavern lit with lurid one spies from Chult who arrive via merchant ships operated
red fl ame. Magic heats pools of water and causes small geysers by the Rundeen. Zstulkk commands legions of spies through-
to erupt around the cavern fl oor, making the air steamy. The out Skullport and even in Waterdeep because he has come to
resulting atmosphere is reminiscent of the southern jungles, realize that information is truly the most valuable commodity
though no trees or ferns grow this far underground. From the in Skullport.
cavern fl oor, a small step pyramid rises like a coiled serpent, its Skullport lies along the subterranean river Sargauth. Over
stone walls carved with more reptilian imagery. At this temple, the centuries, several portals large enough for entire ships to
Zstulkk Ssarmn leads his Yuan-ti brood in worship of Sseth pass through have been built in the cavern walls along this
(now Set), preaching that the Great Snake will lead his people waterway. One such portal, about 400 feet east of Skull Island,
back to the power they held during the height of Mhairshaulk is only faintly visible as a scratched outline in the stone. (A suc-
and Serpentes. cessful DC 30 Spot check enables a character to notice it from a
This cavern is the terminus of the skull-shaped portal in ship’s deck. A character actively scanning for it can fi nd it with
the tail of the Great Petrifi ed Serpent that lies in the Serpent a successful DC 20 Search check.) Triggering the portal requires
Hills. Travelers emerge from thin air right in front of the no special key—just extraordinary confi dence on the part of
entrance to the temple—and right under the watchful eyes the ship’s pilot, since the vessel must be steered bow-fi rst into
of two halfblood guards. The guards greet Yuan-ti visitors the wall. When the bowsprit makes contact with the portal, the
from the Serpent Hills formally and invite them to refresh vessel and all its contents are transported instantly to the middle
themselves in the warm pools until Zstulkk Ssarmn can meet of the Lapal Sea.

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