Yuan-ti
Encyclopedia
The yuan-ti are a fictional species of evil snakemen in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons
. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human
cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents. They have formidable psychic abilities.
(1981), and were all later featured in the first edition Monster Manual II (1983).
Yuan-ti history and society were detailed in Dragon
#151 (November 1989), in the "Ecology of the Yuan-Ti", which also introduced the histachii.
The histachii yuan-ti appeared for the Kara-Tur
campaign setting
in the Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix (1990), and is then reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
A psionic variation of the yuan-ti appeared in The Complete Psionics Handbook
(1991).
The broodguard yuan-ti, the human broodguard yuan-ti, the tainted one yuan-ti, and the human tainted one yuan-ti for the Forgotten Realms
setting appeared in Monsters of Faerun. The pureblood yuan-ti and the tainted one yuan-ti were presented as player character races in Races of Faerûn (2003).
The broodguard yuan-ti and the tainted one yuan-ti appeared as templates in Savage Species (2003).
The yuan-ti was detailed again in Dragon #305 (March 2003), in "Venom and Coil: The Secret Life of the Yuan-Ti". The yuan-ti abomination, the yuan-ti halfblood, and the yuan-ti pureblood are presented as player character races in this article.
The yuan-ti anathema appears in the Fiend Folio for this edition (2003).
The broodguard yuan-ti, the human broodguard yuan-ti, the tainted one yuan-ti, and the human tainted one yuan-ti appeared again in Ghostwalk
(2003).
Psionic versions of the yuan-ti abomination, the yuan-ti halfblood, and the yuan-ti pureblood appear in the Expanded Psionics Handbook (2004).
The yuan-ti, broodguard, pureblood yuan-ti, and tainted one were presented as player character races for the Forgotten Realms
setting in Serpent Kingdoms (2004). This book also included the yuan-ti holy guardian and the yuan-ti mageslayer.
The abomination cult leader yuan-ti, the halfblood deceiver yuan-ti, the yuan-ti ignan, and the pureblood slayer yuan-ti appear in Monster Manual IV (2006).
The yuan-ti wretchling for the Eberron
setting appears in Secrets of Xen'drik (2006).
It offers the yuan-ti malison sharp-eye, the yuan-ti malison incanter, the yuan-ti malison disciple of Zehir, the yuan-ti abomination and the yuan-ti anathema.
and as such is not released under its Open Gaming License
.
s or breed
s. The three most prevalent, described in the Third Edition Monster Manual, are as follows:
In addition to the three main breeds, other breeds have been described as well:
ic god Merrshaulk
, is to bring about the ultimate destruction of the world.
In addition, there is a sub-faction of Yuan-ti, the Vanguard of Sertrous (outlined in Elder Evils), who follow the teachings of the ancient obyrinth Sertrous, sometimes known as the first heretic, who wish to assist him in reconquering his layer of the Abyss.
Yuan-ti society as described The Ecology of the Yuan-Ti, Dragon #151, 1989 was divided into the pureblood, halfbreed and abomination castes. The histachii were described as the progenitors of the yuan-ti. It was necessary for the yuan-ti to acquire human captives to turn into histachii, as breeding between any of three yuan-ti castes resulted only in abominations, while histachii could produce purebloods and halfbreeds.
, the Forgotten Realms
, and Greyhawk
.
, with the exception of the shulassakar (see below). If any do, they probably live in warm marshy or forested areas, such as Q’barra and the Shadow Marches.
, since it is their main power base on Eberron. The yuan-ti of Xen’drik create wretchlings, ssvaklors and magebred vipers to guard their strongholds on that continent.
and the Silver Flame. They resemble yuan-ti, but are covered with feathers (and, in some cases, wings), emphasising their connection to the couatl. Pureblood shulassakar are called bloodsworn, halfbloods are called flametouched and abominations are called transcendents. It is unknown if other kinds of shulassakar exist.
, the Creator Races
ruled Toril
. The reptilian
Creator Race, the sauroids, or sarrukh
, were foremost amongst these and built up empires such as Okoth, Isstosseffifil and Mhairshaulk. They bred the first yuan-ti by magically experimenting with and breeding men with snakes. This way they also created nagas
, and through a similar process, lizardmen. The sarrukh eventually fell from power and the resourceful yuan-ti rose up to claim their Creators' power vacuum, even for while sustaining the empire of Mhairshaulk. Of the fragmented World Serpent deity
that the sarrukh had worshipped, the yuan-ti venerated the strongest aspect, a cruel and despotic deity, Merrshaulk, who grew distant and aloof.
As the yuan-ti's power became less visible on Faerûn, and they instead fell to infiltrating human and demihuman society through their organisations (such as the Coiled Cabal and the various tribes and Houses) and long-sighted plots, Merrshaulk had sunk into a slumber, ignoring his followers. Eventually, around the time of the collapse of the human empire of Netheril, Merrshaulk himself was also reborn as a winged yuan-ti avatar
named Sseth, who led the yuan-ti into reclaiming the empire of Mhairshaulk as a new yuan-ti empire—Serpentes—became the yuan-ti's new primary deity. In the end, though, Sseth too sank into somnolence.
At this point some sarrukh, long suffering a heavy war on other planes or sunken in hibernation in their ruins, began to return in some numbers. They crucially needed help from their deity, but Sseth was not answering prayers in his slumber. So for aid in their endeavors some of the sarrukh made a bargain with the Mulhorandi deity Set, that put Sseth into a deeper sleep but allowed Set to assume Sseth's mantle and grant the sauroids their aid. Most yuan-ti do not even know of this transaction, though now that Sseth struggles at his bonds some are being made aware of it.
Famous yuan-ti in the Forgotten Realms include Zstulkk Ssarmn of the ruthless trade and slaving consortium the Iron Ring; his nephew Nhyris D'Hothek, one time possessor of the Crown of Horns
; the Serpent Sibyl, whose body was used as Sseth's avatar during the Time of Troubles
; the ruling House Extaminos family of Hlondeth, and the very powerful Scion, Zelia
, who was featured prominently in the trilogy, "House of Serpents."
of Hepmonaland
, where they dwell in a number of ruined cities. They are said to have been created from the human Olman
s by a snake-headed god named Tlaloc
, whose relationship with Merrshaulk is unknown. Yuan-ti play a significant role in the adventure, Dwellers of the Forbidden City
.
, a Yuan-ti is one of the four creatures the player must recapture to create a cure for a disease that is rampant across the city. They also play a major role in Icewind Dale
, where they are ruled by a marilith named Yxunomei. In Icewind Dale II
they are a late game enemy who have overrun the town of Kuldahar and must be repelled, back through the portal they arrived in, as well as being present in the 'Dragon's Eye' cave system. There is a side quest that involves a yuan-ti researcher who requires help in modifying the histachii transformation to retain his mind so he may examine the yuan-ti at close quarters. Yuan-ti appear as the main villain group in the expansion Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
.
Yuan-ti also make appearances in Baldur's Gate II. The sarrukh
- the creators of the yuan-ti - are also the primary antagonists of Neverwinter Nights
.
Yuan-ti also appear in the Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures Game.
Yuan-ti also have a full region series of sidequests in the Ringing Mountains in Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager
.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. The species comprises a number of castes. In some campaign settings, the yuan-ti are descended from evil human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
cultists who mixed their bloodlines with those of serpents. They have formidable psychic abilities.
Publication history
The yuan-ti were introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The original yuan-ti castes were the abominations, the halfbreeds, and the purebloods, which first appeared in the module Dwellers of the Forbidden CityDwellers of the Forbidden City
Dwellers of the Forbidden City is an adventure module, or pre-packaged adventure booklet, ready for use by Dungeon Masters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(1981), and were all later featured in the first edition Monster Manual II (1983).
Yuan-ti history and society were detailed in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#151 (November 1989), in the "Ecology of the Yuan-Ti", which also introduced the histachii.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The yuan-ti first appear in Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993), along with the abomination yuan-ti, the halfblood yuan-ti, and the pureblood yuan-ti.The histachii yuan-ti appeared for the Kara-Tur
Kara-Tur
Kara-Tur is a fantasy world created by David Cook in the Oriental Adventures rulebook for the First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game in 1986. Kara-Tur's cultures and peoples are fantasy analogues of medieval China, Korea, Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Tibet, and other regions of...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
in the Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix (1990), and is then reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
A psionic variation of the yuan-ti appeared in The Complete Psionics Handbook
The Complete Psionics Handbook
The Complete Psionics Handbook is a supplemental rulebook for the 2nd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1991 by TSR Inc. It contains a variety of information useful to playing psionic characters in the game....
(1991).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
The yuan-ti appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000), including the abomination yuan-ti, the halfblood yuan-ti, and the pureblood yuan-ti.The broodguard yuan-ti, the human broodguard yuan-ti, the tainted one yuan-ti, and the human tainted one yuan-ti for the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting appeared in Monsters of Faerun. The pureblood yuan-ti and the tainted one yuan-ti were presented as player character races in Races of Faerûn (2003).
The broodguard yuan-ti and the tainted one yuan-ti appeared as templates in Savage Species (2003).
The yuan-ti was detailed again in Dragon #305 (March 2003), in "Venom and Coil: The Secret Life of the Yuan-Ti". The yuan-ti abomination, the yuan-ti halfblood, and the yuan-ti pureblood are presented as player character races in this article.
The yuan-ti anathema appears in the Fiend Folio for this edition (2003).
The broodguard yuan-ti, the human broodguard yuan-ti, the tainted one yuan-ti, and the human tainted one yuan-ti appeared again in Ghostwalk
Ghostwalk
Ghostwalk is a book that introduced a campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game, similar to Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance...
(2003).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The yuan-ti appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003), including the same variations from the previous Monster Manual.Psionic versions of the yuan-ti abomination, the yuan-ti halfblood, and the yuan-ti pureblood appear in the Expanded Psionics Handbook (2004).
The yuan-ti, broodguard, pureblood yuan-ti, and tainted one were presented as player character races for the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting in Serpent Kingdoms (2004). This book also included the yuan-ti holy guardian and the yuan-ti mageslayer.
The abomination cult leader yuan-ti, the halfblood deceiver yuan-ti, the yuan-ti ignan, and the pureblood slayer yuan-ti appear in Monster Manual IV (2006).
The yuan-ti wretchling for the Eberron
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
setting appears in Secrets of Xen'drik (2006).
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The fourth edition Monster Manual mentions three types of yuan-ti, offering a total of five creatures.It offers the yuan-ti malison sharp-eye, the yuan-ti malison incanter, the yuan-ti malison disciple of Zehir, the yuan-ti abomination and the yuan-ti anathema.
Licensing
The yuan-ti are considered "product identity" by Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
and as such is not released under its Open Gaming License
Open Gaming License
The Open Game License may be used by game developers to grant permission to modify, copy, and redistribute some of the content designed for their games, notably game mechanics.-Language of the licence:The OGL describes two forms of content:...
.
Yuan-ti breeds
The yuan-ti come in several distinct casteCaste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
s or breed
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
s. The three most prevalent, described in the Third Edition Monster Manual, are as follows:
- Purebloods appear mostly human, with minor reptilian features, such as slitted eyes, a forked tongue, or patches of scales on their skin. They serve as diplomats and infiltrators, pretending to be human.
- Halfbloods are humanoid in shape but have a wide variety of noticeable serpentine features, such as a snakelike tail in place of legs, a complete covering of scales, a hood like a cobraCobraCobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
, a snake's head, or snakes in place of arms. Halfbloods serve as warriors and temple assistants.
- Abominations are almost completely snakelike, with only a few human features, such as arms or a humanoid head. They are the most venerated within the yuan-ti society, serving as clericsCleric (Dungeons & Dragons)The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...
and in other roles of power.
In addition to the three main breeds, other breeds have been described as well:
- Tainted ones are human agents of the yuan-ti who have willingly undergone a ritual of transformation to make themselves yuan-ti, gaining a venomous bite and slight psionic ability. They retain their human appearance but often develop reptilian mannerisms, such as frequently licking their lips or drawing out sibilant sounds as they speak. They first appeared in Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of FaerûnFaerûnFaerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
.
- Broodguards, also known as histachii, are humans who have undergone the ritual of transformation but have been found unworthy, degenerating into hairless, near-mindless reptilian monsters. The yuan-ti employ these wretches as watchers over egg-broods and other demeaning tasks. They first appeared as the histachii in Dragon MagazineDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#151 ("The Ecology of the Yuan-ti" by David Wellham, 1989).
- Holy guardians are a rare breed specifically bred as temple guards; they are also sent on missions to obtain needed goods for abomination priests. Holy guardians are naturally servile and follow their superiors without question. They uniformly have a serpentile tail in place of legs and a snakelike head. They first appeared in Serpent Kingdoms.
- Mageslayers, another rare type of yuan-ti, are bred for the special purpose of battling or hunting down human magic-users, and most of their abilities are magical rather than psionic. Mageslayers have a humanlike head but a snakelike tail instead of legs. They first appeared in Serpent Kingdoms.
- Anathemas are by far the most powerful and loathsome of yuan-ti, worshiped as divine incarnations of Merrshaulk. They are truly bizarre in appearance, with a body made of hundreds of snakes entwined together to hold up a gargantuan snake head. An anathema's power dwarfs even that of an abomination, but since they represent such unfettered chaos, they are usually found away from yuan-ti cities, establishing cults that worship Merrshaulk through them. They make a common practice of graftingGraftingGrafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation...
yuan-ti body parts onto humans and other races for use as personal servants. Anathemas are extremely rare, however, and only a handful are likely to exist on any world. They first appeared in the Third Edition version of the Fiend Folio.
- Ignans are another rare subspecies of yuan-ti that dwell in hotter climes of the world, including in volcanoes and on the Elemental Plane of Fire. Ignas are similar to yuan-ti halfbloods, except they are slightly more powerful due to some of the fire spells they wield. Ignans were first described in Monster Manual IV.
- Wretchlings are pathetic creatures created out of humans and used as guards and expendable shock troops by the yuan-ti. They are unintelligent and wander throughout the jungles of Xen'drikXen'drikXen'drik is a fictional continent in the Eberron campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is a jungle continent of vast size and varying climate that lies to the south of Khorvaire. Xen'drik's coastline has been mapped, but its interior remains largely unexplored,...
. Wretchlings have no memory of their former human lives and have a savage desire to kill, though they lack the intellect for complex strategies unless carefully instructed by their masters. Wretchlings look like scaly humans with fangs, reptilian eyes and patchy hair. They first appeared in Secrets of Xen'drik.
Society
The goal of the Yuan-ti, as dictated by their demonDemon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
ic god Merrshaulk
Merrshaulk
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Merrshaulk is the yuan-ti deity of poison and somnolence. "Merrshaulk" is likely a dwarven rendering of his name; the yuan-ti pronounce the name more like "Mi-Shao-Shur," although they view it as too holy to pronounce around outsiders...
, is to bring about the ultimate destruction of the world.
In addition, there is a sub-faction of Yuan-ti, the Vanguard of Sertrous (outlined in Elder Evils), who follow the teachings of the ancient obyrinth Sertrous, sometimes known as the first heretic, who wish to assist him in reconquering his layer of the Abyss.
Yuan-ti society as described The Ecology of the Yuan-Ti, Dragon #151, 1989 was divided into the pureblood, halfbreed and abomination castes. The histachii were described as the progenitors of the yuan-ti. It was necessary for the yuan-ti to acquire human captives to turn into histachii, as breeding between any of three yuan-ti castes resulted only in abominations, while histachii could produce purebloods and halfbreeds.
Associated creatures
There are several reptiloid creatures closely associated with the yuan-ti that are not yuan-ti themselves:- Extaminaars are the result of interbreeding between yuan-ti and humans and have so far only been seen in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten RealmsThe Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting. They came to be after human cultists of the snake-goddess Varae began consorting with yuan-ti in the region surrounding the city of Hlondeth. Members of the leaders of the two groups, the yuan-ti of House SeSehen and the humans of House Extaminos, intermarried, producing more yuan-ti, who quickly came to dominate House Extaminos and Hlondeth itself. To create a corps of loyal troops, as well as to ease relations with their human subjects and serve as the house's public face, the Extaminos yuan-ti created the extaminaars, a new race blending human and yuan-ti abilities. Extaminaars are born resembling scaled, armless human babies with undefined facial features, but grow to resemble thin, pale humans with straight black hair and brownish spots on their neck and back. Extaminaars outside Hlondeth serve as diplomats, spies, and interrogators for their yuan-ti creators. They excel at stealth and deception and often form cells to undermine governments and organizations antipathetic to their masters. Rogue extaminaars are often found as crime bosses and information brokers. Only the second generation of Hlondeth extaminaars has come to maturity, and other yuan-ti houses are starting to create extaminaars of their own. Extaminaars first appeared in the Forgotten Realms sourcebook Champions of RuinChampions of RuinChampions of Ruin is a hardcover accessory for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:Champions of Ruin is an expansion to detail the role of evil in the Forgotten Realms setting.-Publication history:...
.
- Ti-khana are reptiles, such as snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, lizardLizardLizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s, and dinosaurDinosaurDinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, that have been altered by the yuan-ti. Ti-khana are far more intelligent than the creatures from which they are created, and possess both the psionic abilities and cruel disposition of their yuan-ti creators. They appear more snakelike than their mundane ancestors, appearing somewhat elongated, with venomous fangs. The ti-khana first appeared in the Third Edition version of the Fiend Folio, with a ti-khana deinonychusDeinonychusDeinonychus was a genus of carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur. There is one described species, Deinonychus antirrhopus. This 3.4 meter long dinosaur lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million years ago . Fossils have been recovered from the U.S...
showcased as an example. Ti-khana elasmosaurs are also mentioned fleetingly in Serpent Kingdoms.
- OphidianOphidianAn ophidian is a snake-like spirit from Middle-Eastern mythology. Ophidians were said to come to a person as they woke up and steal their memories, especially the memories of what had happened to them while they were in the world ruled by Morpheus....
s are an unrelated race of serpent-people who are nonetheless commonly associated with the yuan-ti. In the Forgotten RealmsForgotten RealmsThe Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting, the ophidians are said to be snake-worshiping human cultists who discovered a powerful yuan-ti relic that transformed them into degenerate reptilian humanoids. Ophidians are not very intelligent, and are easily impressed by shows of power by yuan-ti, evil nagasNaga (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, nagas comprise a variety of similar species of intelligent aberrations with widely differing abilities and alignments. Nagas appear as large snake like creatures with humanoid heads. They often range widely in coloring and scale patterns, but are all...
, and dragonsDragon (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...
, whom they frequently serve as willing slaves. Their most potent weapon is their venom, which can change humans into degenerate ophidians. Most ophidians worship their yuan-ti masters as gods.
- Histachii are savage creatures who were once human prisoners, but were transformed into reptillian-humanoids by their yuan-ti captors via the drinking of a potion of yuan-ti venom mixed with other ingredients. The resulting savage and mindless creature serves no purpose other than as fodder for the yuan-ti; to run headlong into opposing foes, to guard the brood chambers, to tear apart any non reptillian creature they see. Those too old or stupid to be of any use, or those too powerful for the yuan-ti to control, are left on the surface to rot and die.
- Ssvaklors are a type of serpentine dragon created by yuan-ti using special rituals on a dragon egg, typically that of a black dragon. Ssvaklors are less intelligent than even humans and, like true dragons (a group of which they are not a part), have a breath weapon: a cone of poisonous gas. They are typically green and black in colour. Greater ssvaklors also exist, though they are simply a more powerful version of the "standard" ssvaklor with the ability to spit globs of poison to their foes. Like yuan-ti, ssvaklors' serpentine nature makes them natural swimmers. They are normally met in the company of yuan-ti and are often used as guardians by them. Ssvaklors first appeared in the Monster Manual III.
Yuan-ti in various campaign settings
Yuan-ti appear in several Dungeons & Dragons settings, notably EberronEberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
, the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
, and Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
.
Yuan-ti in Eberron
While the yuan-ti do not feature as prominently in Eberron as in some other settings, they still have some significance and influence, especially in Xen’drik. Yuan-ti in Eberron worship the Devourer.Yuan-ti in Khorvaire
No yuan-ti are known to live in KhorvaireKhorvaire
Khorvaire is fictional continent in universe of Eberron, a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.The material plane of Eberron contains four major continents, of which Khorvaire is arguably the most well-documented in the various sourcebooks. The others are Argonnessen ,...
, with the exception of the shulassakar (see below). If any do, they probably live in warm marshy or forested areas, such as Q’barra and the Shadow Marches.
Yuan-ti in Xen’drik
The yuan-ti have many forest and underground bases in Xen'drikXen'drik
Xen'drik is a fictional continent in the Eberron campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is a jungle continent of vast size and varying climate that lies to the south of Khorvaire. Xen'drik's coastline has been mapped, but its interior remains largely unexplored,...
, since it is their main power base on Eberron. The yuan-ti of Xen’drik create wretchlings, ssvaklors and magebred vipers to guard their strongholds on that continent.
Yuan-ti in Argonnessen
After fleeing from the Inspired in Sarlona, many yuan-ti settled in Argonnessen, with the approval of some dragons. It was this union that gave rise to the ssvaklors. After a while, the yuan-ti were banished to Xen’drik, where they became evil and corrupt.Yuan-ti in Sarlona
The yuan-ti native to Sarlona fled before the Inspired, sailing to the other three continents. Whether or not there are still yuan-ti in Sarlona is unknown.Shulassakar
The shulassakar, or feathered serpents, are a race of lawful good-aligned yuan-ti native to the ruins of Krezent in the Talenta Plains. The shulassakar revere the couatlCouatl
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the couatl is a large serpentine creature, and in 3rd edition is considered a native outsider.-Publication history:...
and the Silver Flame. They resemble yuan-ti, but are covered with feathers (and, in some cases, wings), emphasising their connection to the couatl. Pureblood shulassakar are called bloodsworn, halfbloods are called flametouched and abominations are called transcendents. It is unknown if other kinds of shulassakar exist.
Notable yuan-ti in Eberron
The shulassakar transcendent paladin Sesstaria wanders Xen’drik, seeking out and killing yuan-ti, considering it her holy mission.Yuan-ti in the Forgotten Realms
Long before humans dominated the continent of FaerûnFaerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
, the Creator Races
Creator Races
In the fictional Forgotten Realms setting, the intelligent species are classified into groups known as "races", which, in this context, generally refers to an intelligent species, such as humanity, elves or goblins...
ruled Toril
Abeir-Toril
Abeir-Toril is the name of the fictional planet that makes up the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.The name is archaic, meaning "cradle of life." It...
. The reptilian
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
Creator Race, the sauroids, or sarrukh
Sarrukh
Within the Forgotten Realms setting of the game Dungeons & Dragons, the sarrukh are a race of reptilian humanoids. They are one of the five progenitor races, or Creator Races, of Faerûn. Eons prior to the current storyline of Dungeons & Dragons, they built and maintained empires across most of the...
, were foremost amongst these and built up empires such as Okoth, Isstosseffifil and Mhairshaulk. They bred the first yuan-ti by magically experimenting with and breeding men with snakes. This way they also created nagas
Naga (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, nagas comprise a variety of similar species of intelligent aberrations with widely differing abilities and alignments. Nagas appear as large snake like creatures with humanoid heads. They often range widely in coloring and scale patterns, but are all...
, and through a similar process, lizardmen. The sarrukh eventually fell from power and the resourceful yuan-ti rose up to claim their Creators' power vacuum, even for while sustaining the empire of Mhairshaulk. Of the fragmented World Serpent deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
that the sarrukh had worshipped, the yuan-ti venerated the strongest aspect, a cruel and despotic deity, Merrshaulk, who grew distant and aloof.
As the yuan-ti's power became less visible on Faerûn, and they instead fell to infiltrating human and demihuman society through their organisations (such as the Coiled Cabal and the various tribes and Houses) and long-sighted plots, Merrshaulk had sunk into a slumber, ignoring his followers. Eventually, around the time of the collapse of the human empire of Netheril, Merrshaulk himself was also reborn as a winged yuan-ti avatar
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
named Sseth, who led the yuan-ti into reclaiming the empire of Mhairshaulk as a new yuan-ti empire—Serpentes—became the yuan-ti's new primary deity. In the end, though, Sseth too sank into somnolence.
At this point some sarrukh, long suffering a heavy war on other planes or sunken in hibernation in their ruins, began to return in some numbers. They crucially needed help from their deity, but Sseth was not answering prayers in his slumber. So for aid in their endeavors some of the sarrukh made a bargain with the Mulhorandi deity Set, that put Sseth into a deeper sleep but allowed Set to assume Sseth's mantle and grant the sauroids their aid. Most yuan-ti do not even know of this transaction, though now that Sseth struggles at his bonds some are being made aware of it.
Famous yuan-ti in the Forgotten Realms include Zstulkk Ssarmn of the ruthless trade and slaving consortium the Iron Ring; his nephew Nhyris D'Hothek, one time possessor of the Crown of Horns
Crown of Horns
The Crown of Horns is a fictional evil, intelligent artifact of great power from the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
; the Serpent Sibyl, whose body was used as Sseth's avatar during the Time of Troubles
Time of Troubles (Forgotten Realms)
The Time of Troubles, also known as the Arrival, Godswar, and Avatar Crisis, is a fictional time period in the chronology of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game...
; the ruling House Extaminos family of Hlondeth, and the very powerful Scion, Zelia
Zelia
Zelia is a genus of flies in the family Tachinidae....
, who was featured prominently in the trilogy, "House of Serpents."
Yuan-ti in Greyhawk
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, the yuan-ti are found mainly on the continentContinent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
of Hepmonaland
Hepmonaland
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the continent of Hepmonaland is Southeast of the Flanaess. Hepmonaland was created as a in-game region where the Aztec culture is dominant and dinosaurs are very common monsters.Hepmonaland is the Suel and...
, where they dwell in a number of ruined cities. They are said to have been created from the human Olman
Olman
The Olman are a fictional race of humans in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. They inhabit the southern fringes of the Flanaess and are primarily a tribal people, though in the past they commanded a great empire...
s by a snake-headed god named Tlaloc
Tlaloc
Tlaloc was an important deity in Aztec religion, a god of rain, fertility, and water. He was a beneficent god who gave life and sustenance, but he was also feared for his ability to send hail, thunder and lightning, and for being the lord of the powerful element of water. In Aztec iconography he...
, whose relationship with Merrshaulk is unknown. Yuan-ti play a significant role in the adventure, Dwellers of the Forbidden City
Dwellers of the Forbidden City
Dwellers of the Forbidden City is an adventure module, or pre-packaged adventure booklet, ready for use by Dungeon Masters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
.
Other media
Yuan-ti play significant roles in various Dungeons & Dragons computer games. In Neverwinter NightsNeverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights , produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames , is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial...
, a Yuan-ti is one of the four creatures the player must recapture to create a cure for a disease that is rampant across the city. They also play a major role in Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
, where they are ruled by a marilith named Yxunomei. In Icewind Dale II
Icewind Dale II
Icewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region...
they are a late game enemy who have overrun the town of Kuldahar and must be repelled, back through the portal they arrived in, as well as being present in the 'Dragon's Eye' cave system. There is a side quest that involves a yuan-ti researcher who requires help in modifying the histachii transformation to retain his mind so he may examine the yuan-ti at close quarters. Yuan-ti appear as the main villain group in the expansion Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir is an expansion pack for the computer role-playing game Neverwinter Nights 2, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It was released in late 2008 in North America, Europe, and Australia...
.
Yuan-ti also make appearances in Baldur's Gate II. The sarrukh
Sarrukh
Within the Forgotten Realms setting of the game Dungeons & Dragons, the sarrukh are a race of reptilian humanoids. They are one of the five progenitor races, or Creator Races, of Faerûn. Eons prior to the current storyline of Dungeons & Dragons, they built and maintained empires across most of the...
- the creators of the yuan-ti - are also the primary antagonists of Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights , produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames , is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial...
.
Yuan-ti also appear in the Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures Game.
Yuan-ti also have a full region series of sidequests in the Ringing Mountains in Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager
Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager
Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager is a computer role-playing game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. in 1994 for the MS-DOS operating system. It is the sequel to Dark Sun: Shattered Lands. Wake of the Ravager was initially released in two boxed versions: on floppy disk and on...
.
Additional reading
- Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood (TSR, 1999).
- Smedman, Lisa. Trilogy - "The House of Serpents."