"I have not the faintest clue how you were allowed within these chambers, but know, ye stand on hollowed ground, consecrated in the blood of 10,000 heathens. Their bones lie in the catacombs beneath the temple, and very soon your bones will join them there!"

-High Priestess of the Most Serene Temple, Iskatashar

Serpentine Culture

The Land of the High Grass

North of the mighty hills of Tesiph lays an open valley between the mountains and the sea. There, thick wild grass grows untamed, so unfettered and overgrown that even the horse lords of the Wild Steppes have never successfully tamed it. It is in these grasses that lay Serpentinium. There are many myths of how the serpent people, the Yuan-ti, came into existence, but the Yuan-ti believe they are one of the oldest races in Adra, formed of clay by their patron mistress Mirkatakatar, and given life in the twilight days of Adra. They believe their form to be perfect, and all other forms to be lesser. Among their own kind, they formed strict castes based on how serpent-like a yuan-ti was, since they varied greatly in how snakelike they looked and acted. The most snakelike among them ruled their broods, while the least snakelike became spies, assassins, and merchants. Much like the lizardfolk, they became fearsome hunters, but rather than hunting traditional game, the Serpentines hunted humans and other Kith. In the earlier days of human settlement, these yuan-ti had nearly unfettered hunting grounds over the human lands of Kelior. However, as these settlements developed and evolved into fully-formed civilizations, most Kith would commonly unite together to push the Serpentine raids back into their thrice damned grasslands. Because of this, Serpentinium existed in a constant state of war with the satrapies to its south, particularly Tesiphon which directly bordered it. They would also sometimes venture out north to pray on the Saravoan communities, completely unprepared for their brutal attacks. Eventually, when the Tesiphonian Empire began its current reign, they used their untold strength to subdue the Serpentines, taking their holy city of Seersikar and razing it to the ground. They subdued the Serpentines, and formed them into an official Satrapy of the empire. In the Serpentinium of today, the Yuan-ti must pay harsh tributes of gold to their overlords, must send pure-bloods to serve in Tesiphonian armies, and have had the Tesiphonian style of worship forced upon them. Broken, lying defeated, the yuan-ti seem a threat of yesteryear to the world at large. However, the serpent lords lie in wait, keeping their patience for the moment when they can gain their revenge on the warm-bloods that they so rightly deserve.

          Obviously, there are not many flattering qualities to note about the Serpentine culture, and those that call it theirs. Serpentine culture is built around dominance hierarchies and racial castes. All Serpentines are arranged based on their serpent qualities, with the Abominations taking the top of the pyramid, followed by the half-bloods, and then the pure-bloods. In the rare cases that the Serpentines welcome non-yuan-ti into their midst, these races are most certainly placed at the bottom of the caste. Within each caste, and sometimes between the castes, there is a great deal of violent displays of power, in order for one Serpentine to show their dominance over another. Through the caste and dominance-displays, a strict pecking order from the greatest to the lowest is established, and this order is constantly changing and moving with the seasons. Typically, Serpentines are fairly tribal even among each other, often displaying feelings of distrust or even bigotry towards those from another village or city. However, these feelings are easily thrown aside when in the face of outsiders, particularly warm-blooded outsiders. Serpentines believe that it is their natural right to dominate, control, and consume the warm-blooded races of Adra. Serpentines feel a general hatred towards any non-yuan-ti, though they will sometimes show some modicum of respect to other reptile-like races, such as Kobolds, Dragonborn, Lizardfolk, and Tortles. In their past, they would enslave or more likely eat any warm-bloods that passed through their lands, but today, the Tesiphonians impose strict controls over their settlements, and the Serpentines are punished harshly for any disrespect towards Tesiphonians or humans in general. Serpentines value strength in battle, but more than that cunning in all things. Therefore a fighter who uses their wits will be more highly praised than one who uses brute force. Serpentines also tend to be religious fanatics, wanton to make profane offerings to their slithering demi-goddess, Mirkatakatar. Abroad, they are reviled and feared, and therefore are well-accustomed to blending in when living abroad, rarely revealing their true origins.

          The Serpentine people are most highly concentrated in Serpentinium, the thick grasslands north of Tesiphon, south of the Wild Steppes, west of the Wretched Spine Mountains, and east of the West Glass Sea. Particularly during the current imposing rule of the Tesiphonian Empire over the land, many Serpentines can be found roaming wider Adra in search of opportunities, both legitimate and illicit. The races of the Serpentines are almost exclusively yuan-ti, though the Serpentine culture will occasionally welcome other reptile-like races into their midst. The most popular god among the Serpentines is their patron, Mirkatakatar, though the imposed faith of Dramirus and the other elemental demi-gods has caused some Serpentines to shift their faith moderately. Furthermore, there are many demon cults dedicated to the King of the Abyss among the Serpentines. Serpentines tend to be cunning, deft, and assertive. They also tend to be blasphemous, predatory, and maleficent. The dominant language among the Serpentines is Serpentine.

If you choose the Serpentine Culture, you gain the following:

~Either a +1 to your Charisma score or a +1 to your Dexterity score~

~A -1 to your Wisdom score~

~As a known language, Serpentine~

~A Sub-Discipline in every knowledge skill on checks relating to Serpentine Culture~

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