Page 58 - Serpent Kingdoms

SARRUKH

importance. The sarrukh withdrew within the walls of their pal- leadership body of each empire was called the Sh’arrim and con-
aces and never emerged without heavy protection. sisted of fi ve to eight sarrukh drawn from the great clans. This
Despite the fall of Isstosseffi fi l, Mhairshaulk, and Okoth, group elected an emperor, called a kudzar, from its membership.
the attitude of the sarrukh has changed very little. They have The Sh’sarrim from the three great empires occasionally came
an interest in knowing what is happening in the world, but they together in Okoth to form a council called the Kazim, but that
still choose to remain separate from it. Rather than go out and body had authority over the entire race only when a unanimous
explore, they send out their yuan-ti servants or small groups of vote could be achieved.
nagas to learn what they can and report back to them. The khuzdar provided spiritual, strategic, and social leader-
Preserving each and every living sarrukh is now the most ship for the rest of the sarrukh. The two most famous khuzdars
important consideration for the race. Because none are expend- were Ghiz’kith, founder of Mhairshaulk, and Pil’it’ith, the albino
able, sending one out into humanoid society is always a critical sarrukh who drove Ghiz’kith from Okoth. Pil’it’ith ruled Okoth
decision, even if there is much to be gained by doing so. In the until its fall, then used powerful magic to prolong his life into
past, a few sarrukh have used magic to take human form and the modern day. (Pil’it’ith remains the leader of the Okothian
infi ltrate the leadership structures of human societies, posing as sarrukh, but he no longer wields any authority over the sarrukh
advisors or other important offi cials. in Serpentes or Anauroch.)
Sarrukh law, which was administered by judges known as
Sarrukh Society kleigmasters, was strict but fl exible. Penalties were stiff, and the
burden of proof fell to the accused rather than the prosecutors.
At its height, sarrukh civilization was as grand as that of The sarrukh disliked jailing citizens, so the preferred methods
any humanoid empire that has risen since. The arts fl our- of punishment were death for more serious crimes and disfi g-
ished, and anything was available in the great markets of the urement for minor ones. Incarceration occurred only when the
sarrukh empires. leaders felt that the offender had something important to con-
tribute to the realm, despite his crime.
Relationships Penalties were assigned on a case-by case basis for greater
fl exibility, but the system became corrupt over the years. The
Sarrukh form lasting friendships unmarred by the petty jeal- same crime might result in death for one defendant and only
ousies and bickering that mark many of their servitor races. disfi gurement for the next. In any case, even the highest-ranking
They take mates for life and treat other sarrukh with respect. kleigmaster could be bribed into setting free the worst-offending
In the days of the empire, one or two sarrukh constitutes a defendant if enough money changed hands.
household, but circumstances have since forced many to live in
communal groups. Slavery

Life Cycle The sarrukh began keeping slaves even before they had any
dealings with other species. Enslaving their own kind was
Sarrukh hatch from eggs that are protected and tended by both viewed as right and proper, as long as the slaves received
parents until they hatch. A sarrukh can live up to a thousand proper care and fair treatment. Sarrukh slaves lived in their
years, or much longer if it undergoes periods of hibernation. masters’ homes, received good food, and were not overworked.
This deathlike sleep, which can last for years at a time, preserves Occasionally they were sold or traded from one sarrukh to
the sarrukh’s body and temporarily eliminates its need for food, another, but for the most part, slaves remained with the same
water, and other valuable resources. family for life. When a slave became too old to work, he
Beyond these facts, little is known about the life cycle of might be freed, or assigned to rear the master’s young, or be
these creatures. Few creatures living today have had occasion to sacrifi ced to the World Serpent, according to his own wishes
study the race up close, and the sarrukh, for their part, aren’t and his past performance.
willing to share their secrets with “lesser beings.” Thus, they Upon discovering the other progenitor races, the sarrukh
have remained godlike in their obscurity. quickly realized that such creatures would make passable ser-
vitors and enslaved them. Since the sarrukh felt little social
Organization responsibility for creatures of other races, nonsarrukh slaves
were not treated nearly as well as sarrukh slaves. A Scaleless
While the three great empires thrived, the sarrukh were orga- One might be starved for days at a time and then beaten for her
nized into several great clans that lived in relative peace with inability to work. In the early days of the sarrukh expansion,
one another. The clans that commanded the most troops and Scaleless Ones were not even viewed as worthy sacrifi ces for the
held the most political power (by virtue of either wealth or World Serpent. This abysmally low status meant that they could
social standing) made up the leadership structure. The acting be killed with impunity and eaten by their masters.

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