Page 34 - Serpent Kingdoms

LIZARDS

to govern themselves, considering them trustworthy since they vidual can aspire. Such a death ensures the asabi a place in the
have chosen to remain of their own volition. These asabis main- palace of her gods.
tain a powerful defense against potential intruders. The asabis While asabis delight in warfare, they are not hateful oppo-
of Oreme believe it is their duty to protect the lich kings and go nents. They know that their craft results in their own deaths
to war for them should the need arise. as well as the deaths of their enemies, and they accept this
Other asabis that were once loyal to the sarrukh fl ed un- outcome as part of the natural life cycle. When alliances shift
derground when the three empires were destroyed. The harsh and old enemies become new allies, they greet their former
life there caused disagreements that fragmented the group, and foes with open arms and march into battle side by side. Asabis
eventually several different asabi clans carved out homes within make lifetime enemies only when
the Underdark. Many of those communities thrived, continued allies betray them or when
to multiply, and conquered new territory below ground. Others they are enslaved and
were enslaved under powerful masters or chose to put their forced to serve under a
instinctual aptitude for war to use as mercenaries. brutal master.
Asabi troops have participated in numerous armed confl icts
throughout Faerûn. One notable example occurred in the Year Asabi Society
of the Turret (1360 DR), when the Zhentarim raised an
army in Anauroch that included a large number of asabis. Groups of asabis often settle in small
Their intent was to subjugate the Bedine tribes and seize villages or form large mercenary bands. A
control of the trade routes, but their plan was foiled by community is usually led by a council
a Harper named Lander and a Bedine witch named of elders and a war chief, with
Ruha, who united the Bedine tribes and defeated the both wielding the same amount
Zhentarim Army. of power. The council of elders
Illustration by Rick Sardinha combatants within the
is made up of laborers
representing the non-

group, including the
young, the elderly,
and parents who are
currently raising young.
The war chief rises to power by
forging alliances with the warriors
of the community and then taking com-
mand. Most disagreements that arise between
the two centers of power are settled peacefully.
Should an impasse

Asabi

A large group of
asabis has, until recently, been enslaved by the phaerimms. occur, the issue is brought before the community, which decides
These mindslaves, as they were called, were completely under the the matter by majority vote.
control of their masters, who often sent them against the asabis The asabis of Oreme handle disagreements in a slight ly dif-
loyal to the liches of Oreme. Upon the defeat of the phaerimms ferent way. The sarrukh lich that happens to be awake at the
by the shades of Evereska, thousands of asabis that had once time moderates any disputes that cannot be solved between the
been utterly dominated became free to pursue work as mercenar- council of elders and the war chief. The liches prefer to deal with
ies. For reasons unknown, a large group of them have recently standard asabis rather than the stingtails because the former
banded together and are now trekking toward the frozen sea. tend to be more intelligent.

Outlook RELATIONSHIPS
Stingtails and standard asabis coexist within the same com-
Asabis view warfare as a game, and they delight in slaying enemy munities, although a typical settlement has a larger number
creatures. They understand that death is the eventual outcome of one type than the other. The two subraces are usually free
of a life devoted to warfare, but they believe that dying on the to intermingle and reproduce with one another. Each off-
battlefi eld is the most glorious achievement to which an indi- spring of a mixed pair has an equal chance to be a member of
either subrace.

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