Page 18 - Serpent Kingdoms
P. 18
YUAN-TI
DWELLING DECOR broodguards. See the Racial Traits Table in the Appendix for
In yuan-ti dwellings, mosaics dominated by sinuous curves are the traits of these three subraces.
common, and silken, translucent tapestries are favored by many.
The chambers of the wealthy tend to be dominated by trophies Purebloods
and slither-rubs—decorative sculptures with sharp edges situated
to allow a chipped or dangling scale to be rubbed off with ease. Pureblood travel throughout Faerûn, infi ltrating human
Slitherglows are especially popular with yuan-ti of high social societies everywhere. Most can easily disguise their snakelike
status. These liquid, ever-shifting “paintings” consist of fl at glass features to pass for humans. Typically, purebloods serve as spies
vessels fi lled with many-hued oils that swirl when heated from and agents, carrying out the plots of higher-ranking yuan-ti.
below by small oil-lamp fl ames. A wall-mounted slitherglow may Some, however, are ambitious enough to make their own plans,
be painted with a lone serpent eye on one side, which is revealed and a few even leave their fellow yuan-ti and embrace human
at random times by the shifting swirls of oil. society completely. Such purebloods can make enjoyable player
Vrael olo often cut shallow pools into the fl oors of their characters.
dwellings, or fashion great bowls with slither-ramps ascending
both their inner and outer surfaces. Such vessels are often fi lled Tainted Ones
with scented oils that the yuan-ti can glide through or bask in
to banish the stink of human contact, to keep his scales from and Broodguards
drying or becoming brittle, or simply for the sensual pleasure
Tainted ones are yuan-ti servitors created from humans who
of remaining fully supple. Many yuan-ti like to dream deep
drink a distillation of yuan-ti venom mixed with certain roots
thoughts for hours whilst thus soaking, sometimes enshrouded
and herbs. The recipe for this mixture is a closely guarded secret
in thick clouds of pungent osssra smoke.
that, despite much energetic spying, hasn’t yet spread to every
tribe of the vrael olo.
Yuan-ti Characters
Illustration by Joel Thomas Yuan-ti purebloods are suitable as player characters, as are the make a DC 16 Fortitude saving throw. Success means an imme-
A human who drinks the mixture, willingly or not, must
diate lapse into a coma, followed by death 1 hour later. Failure
yuan-ti creations known as tainted ones and, in some cases,
leaves the imbiber sickened and requires an immediate DC 15
Yuan-ti house interior
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