Page 39 - Serpent Kingdoms

LIZARDS

Most fi renewts choose the path of the fi ghter, but a few of sports a colorful, fl aring crest that is unique in color and shape.
the bravest and healthiest become clerics. Its long powerful tail is used for balance rather than combat.
Khaasta statistics appear in the Fiend Folio.
Relations with Other Races
Racial History
Firenewts view other creatures as little more than food, and
they are notoriously sadistic and cruel. Firenewt war parties Sometime in the distant past, the demon prince Demogorgon
frequently ambush travelers and disable enemy mounts to slow created the khaastas as servitors—specifi cally, to serve as war-
and confuse their foes, then mount a surprise attack. After win- riors in his armies. As the demon lord’s power increased, scores
ning the battle, fi renewts often prolong the thrill of the hunt of demons joined his army, and the best and brightest of them
by of allowing some of their captives to escape, then tracking quickly rose to leadership positions. These demonic generals
them down and recapturing them. The fi renewts’ mounts play found the khaastas diffi cult to command, and in many cases,
a key role in such recaptures, since giant striders can track prey not as effective in battle as true demons. When they complained
by scent and identify places where their quarry has been for up to Demogorgon, he pondered the khaastas’ thousands of years
to three days after it has left. of loyal service and, in a brief moment of generosity, decided
to free them.
Firenewt Equipment The khaastas wasted no time establishing alliances with
other demonic powers. They offered to help defend the domains
Regardless of their location in Faerûn, most fi renewt tribes keep of several demon lords in return for permission to hunt there,
fl ightless birds known as giant striders (Monsters of Faerûn, page and most of those they approached found wisdom in such an
51) that serve as their mounts. Giant strider eggs are hatched at arrangement. Such deals forged close relationships between the
the same locations as the fi renewt young, although they require demons and the khaastas, and eventually both sides agreed to
even more heat than the fi renewt eggs. Upon hatching, each help one another in case of attack. Over time, the khaastas
giant strider bonds with a fi renewt, becoming its mount and became particularly friendly with Sess’innek, a demon lord who
friend until death. The fi renewt in turn raises and trains the sought the mantle of divinity.
creature and takes full responsibility for its welfare. The giant When the sarrukh who survived the fall of the Okothian
strider continues to serve its master even after death, providing Empire sought allies in the Abyss, their eyes fell upon the
food, bones from which tools can be fashioned, and hide for khaastas. Erroneously assuming that these creatures were
leathermaking. no more powerful than the lizardfolk they had created in
Faerûn, the sarrukh immediately tried to enslave them.
Khaastas Not only did their efforts fail, but the attempt offended the
khaastas to such a degree that they immediately declared war
Sometimes mistaken for powerful lizardfolk, khaastas are extra- on the sarrukh.
planar creatures native to the Abyss. On their home plane and The sarrukh called on what few reinforcements they could
the Barrens of Doom and Despair (where many have migrated), muster from Faerûn, including an army of lizardfolk led by
khaastas are mercenaries and fi ghters who impose their will on yuan-ti masters, and war was joined. Not understanding that
others by force of arms. In Abeir-Toril, however, they take a the Okothian sarrukh were actually refugees from Faerûn, the
much more cautious approach, staying on the outskirts of so- khaastas hatched a plan to corrupt what they believed to be their
ciety and interacting with the natives only when they need to enemies’ base of power in that world. They petitioned Sess’innek
acquire specifi c information. for aid, and he sent demons to take control of the lizardfolk
tribes throughout Faerûn that the khaastas believed were sup-
Overview porting the sarrukh invasion. Though this demonic incursion
had no effect on the war between the sarrukh and the khaastas,
The khaastas are nomadic creatures by nature. Like many of the the demons did stay long enough to breed extensively with the
other lizard races, they were bred for war and have an unusual lizardfolk, giving rise to the half-fi endish lizardfolk known as
talent for waging it. When not doing battle with their own en- the lizard kings (see Lizard Kings, below).
emies, they are happy to fi ght on behalf of anyone else willing The war dragged on for centuries, often spilling out into
to hire their services. some of the outlying planes. Although it had long since become
a war of attrition for both sides, momentum fi nally built in
Description favor of the khaastas under a ruler called Maadar’il. A brilliant
tactician whose family had been slaughtered by the sarrukh,
Though physically similar to a lizardfolk, a khaasta appears con- Maadar’il proved himself capable of uniting several khaasta
siderably more imposing. Its scales are small, and each individual factions against the sarrukh. At last, he led his forces to victory,

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