Yuan-ti

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> *"The Yuan-ti cast off their humanity long ago, and with it, their sanity."*
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> —From MASTERS OF THE FORBIDDEN CITY by Codo Vidak
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Yuan-ti are devious serpent folk devoid of compassion. From remote temples in jungles, swamps, and deserts, the Yuan-ti plot to supplant and dominate all other races and to make themselves gods.

***Forsaken Humanity.*** The Yuan-ti were once humans who thrived in the earliest days of civilization and worshiped serpents as totem animals. They lauded the serpent’s sinuous flexibility, its calculated poise, and its deadly strike. Their advanced philosophy taught the virtue of detachment from emotion and of clear, focused thought.

Yuan-ti culture was among the richest in the mortal world. Their warriors were legendary, their empires always expanding. Yuan-ti temples stood at the centers of ancient metropolises, reaching ever higher in prayer to the gods they longed to emulate. In time, the Serpent Gods heard those prayers, their sibilant voices responding from the Darkness as they told the Yuan-ti what they must do. The Yuan-ti Religion grew more fanatical in its devotion. Cults bound themselves to the worship of the Serpent Gods and imitated their ways, indulging in cannibalism and humanoid sacrifice. Through foul sorcery, the Yuan-ti bred with snakes, utterly sacrificing their humanity to become like the Serpent Gods in form, as well as in thought and emotion.

***Serpent Kings of Fallen Empires.*** The Yuan-ti view their physical transformation as a transcendent moment for their race, allowing them to shed their frail humanity like dead skin. Those that did not transform eventually became Slaves or food for the blessed of the Serpent Gods. The Yuan-ti empires withered or were defeated by those who fought against their cannibalism and slavery, and the serpent folk were left in The Ruins of their great capitals, far removed from other races.

***Cold of Heart.*** Humanoid emotions are foreign to most Yuan-ti, which understand sentiment only as an exploitable weakness. A Yuan-ti views the world and the events of its own life with such extreme pragmatism that it is nearly impossible to manipulate, influence, or control by nonmagical means, even as it seeks to control other creatures through terror, pleasure, and awe.

Yuan-ti know that the world they hope to rule can’t be bound for long by brute force, and that many creatures will refuse to serve. As a result, Yuan-ti first influence other creatures with the promise of Wealth and power. Time and again, humanoid cultures make the fatal mistake of trusting the Yuan-ti. They forget that a Yuan-ti that acts honorably or lends aid in a time of trouble does so only as part of a grander design.

Yuan-ti leaders are cunning and ruthless tacticians who readily sacrifice lesser Yuan-ti if potential victory justifies such losses. They have no sense of honorable Combat and strike first in decisive Ambush if they can.

***False Worship.*** Yuan-ti life revolves around their temples, yet Yuan-ti don’t love the gods they worship. Instead, they see worship as a means to attain power. A Yuan-ti believes an individual who attains enough power can devour and replace one of the Yuan-ti gods. The Yuan-ti strive for ascension and are willing to commit the darkest atrocities to achieve it.

## Yuan-ti Abomination

Monstrous serpents with burly humanoid torsos and arms, abominations form the highest caste of Yuan-ti society, and they most closely resemble the race as the Serpent Gods intended it. They Mastermind elaborate schemes and perform dark rites in the hope of one day ruling the world.

## Yuan-ti Anathema

A Yuan-ti abomination’s quest for godhood might lead it to perform a ritual that, if successful, transforms it into an even greater form: a Yuan-ti anathema. This ritual demands the sacrifice of hundreds of snakes and requires the abomination to bathe in the blood of its enemies. The transformation is quick yet painful.

Not all Yuan-ti are eager to see one of their own become an anathema, since anathemas brutally subjugate their lessers for their own evil ends.

***Not Quite Divine.*** An anathema considers itself a demigod on the path to greater divinity. It demands obeisance from weaker Yuan-ti and uses every resource at its disposal to launch small-scale wars against its neighbors. Each conquest brings new Slaves and sacrifices, as well as glory and riches, that the anathema thinks it needs to achieve true divinity.

An anathema’s most loyal Yuan-ti followers see it as the pinnacle of the serpentine form, an unbelievable improvement on the nearly perfect abomination. Its devoted human followers think of it as “divine flesh in a mortal body,” and Cultists serving an anathema tend to be more bloodthirsty and self-sacrificing in its presence.

***Immortal.*** Anathemas don’t age, allowing them to pursue their goals until the end of days. Truly powerful ones can grow to rule multiple Yuan-ti Cities and bring entire regions, including humanoid realms, under Yuan-ti control.

## Yuan-ti Broodguard

Broodguards are humanoids transformed by Yuan-ti into simple-minded, scaly creatures that do their masters’ bidding. The transformation process warps not only a subject’s body but also its mind, making it instinctively obey any Yuan-ti and filling it with a seething rage that rises at the sight of non-reptilian creatures.

Although broodguards have low Intelligence, they are able to perform simple yet important tasks in the community, such as guarding eggs or patrolling for intruders. The Yuan-ti refer to broodguards as “histachii,” which means “egg-watchers.”

***Human No More.*** Most broodguards are made from human prisoners forced to consume a magical brew that renders them helpless and unable to fight off the inevitable. A human transformed into a broodguard loses all semblance of who it once was, and even its human Origin is barely discernible. A broodguard is hairless and emaciated, with yellow-green, scaly skin. It has beady, bloodshot eyes and a forked tongue, and smells faintly of rotting meat. Broodguards can speak but rarely do so, preferring to use snake-like hisses and guttural noises.

## Making a Broodguard

Yuan-ti create broodguards from captured humanoids. Each subject is fed a Special potion that immediately renders it Incapacitated and transforms it into a broodguard over the next 1d6 + 6 days. A subject forced to imbibe the brew can make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw; on a success, it takes 14 (4d6) poison damage and isn’t otherwise affected.

A spell such as Lesser Restoration or Remove Curse can end the transformation process at any time before it runs its course. After the process is complete, only a wish spell can reverse the effect.

## Yuan-ti Malisons

The various kinds of malisons are imperfect compared to abominations but still a step above humankind in the eyes of the serpent gods. Malisons tend to be receptive to Religion, seeking Insight about how they can improve toward the serpent ideal, and many of them become leaders in the worship of one of the serpent gods.

### **Yuan-ti Malison Variants: Types 4 and 5**

A malison is a yuan-ti that has a blend of human and serpentine features. Three different types of malisons are described in the Monster Manual, and two rarer types are described here. Type 4 and type 5 malisons are the lowest-ranking members of the malison caste, and neither type is venomous in its yuan-ti form.

For a type 4 or type 5 malison, use the yuan-ti malison stat block in the Monster Manual, but replace the Malison Type trait and the monster’s action options with the following:

## Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer

Yuan-ti Malisons who become priestly devotees of a particular god—be it Sseth, Dendar the Night Serpent, or Merrshaulk—often rise through the ranks to become spiritual leaders among the serpent folk. These Priests perform sacrificial rites to appease their vile gods.

Mind whisperers are malison spellcasters that enter into a pact with the serpent god Sseth, the Sibilant Death. They use their Abilities to convert others to their faith, increase their personal power, and befuddle the minds of their enemies.

A mind whisperer is Elusive, manipulative, unpredictable, and willing to cheat or kill comrades and Rivals alike if doing so benefits it. The worshipers of Sseth have their hands in many schemes, often plying the middle ground between two factions, and thus spend a lot of energy making sure neither of their allies learn of their conflicting connections. Even among Yuan-ti, mind whisperers are known for being self-important, sneaky, and prone to flee at the first sign of trouble.

This malison is the type that has a human body and a snake head.

## Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

Yuan-ti Malisons who become priestly devotees of a particular god—be it Sseth, Dendar the Night Serpent, or Merrshaulk—often rise through the ranks to become spiritual leaders among the serpent folk. These Priests perform sacrificial rites to appease their vile gods.

Nightmare speakers are female Yuan-ti malison Priests that make a pact with the Dendar the Night Serpent to feed their deity the fears and nightmares of their victims in exchange for power in the mortal world. The priestesses receive nightmarish visions from Dendar, which they interpret as prophecies, and then use their magic and influence to make these visions come true.

The cruelest of all Yuan-ti, Nightmare speakers revel in torturing prisoners and Slaves, leaving them in a constant state of fear and dread. They prefer to terrify rather than kill their opponents. They manipulate humanoid communities for the purpose of acquiring more victims, and enjoy the company of Undead.

This malison is the type that has a human head and upper body with a serpentine lower body instead of legs.

## Yuan-ti Pit Master

> *I’m the explorer who likes to travel on roads and spend my evenings in cozy inns, not hacking through jungles or trudging across deserts through blinding sand to learn the secrets of the serpent folk. I’ve met a few purebloods and broodguards in my day, but if I had met a Yuan-ti pit Master, I’m quite sure I’d not be here to tell the tale!*
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> —Volo
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> *Ye almost certainly would not.*
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> —Elminster
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Yuan-ti Malisons who become priestly devotees of a particular god—be it Sseth, Dendar the Night Serpent, or Merrshaulk—often rise through the ranks to become spiritual leaders among the serpent folk. These Priests perform sacrificial rites to appease their vile gods.

Pit masters are Yuan-ti malison Priests that have made a pact with the god Merrshaulk and seek to rouse him from his slumber by sacrificing humanoids to him. They are the most traditionalist in attitude among Yuan-ti and believe that they are best equipped to achieve the goals of their people.

Pit masters are deeply involved in the race’s long-term plan to take over humanoid governments, as well as in the ongoing effort to protect their cities from discovery or attacks by hostiles. They oppose reckless behavior and argue for a slow, cautious approach in all matters.

This malison is the type that has a human head and body and snakes for arms.

## Yuan-ti Pureblood

Purebloods form the lowest caste of Yuan-ti society. They closely resemble humans, yet a pureblood can’t pass for human under close scrutiny because there’s always some hint of its true Nature, such as scaly patches of skin, serpentine eyes, pointed teeth, or a forked tongue. Wearing cloaks and cowls, they masquerade as humans and infiltrate civilized lands to gather information, kidnap prisoners for interrogation and sacrifice, and trade with anyone who has something that can further their myriad plots.