The yuan-ti are a race of snake people descended from an unholy cross-breeding between humans and an ancient reptilian race. They come in three distinctly different forms (pure-bloods, half-bloods and abominations), and they have created two subraces of servitors as well (tainted ones and broodguards). Together, they form a horrific threat to the rest of Faerûn. This section discusses the pure-bloods and tainted ones, the yuan-ti most likely to be found as adventurers or spies in humanoid lands.
Purebloods have some serpentine characteristics, but can generally pass for human. They are the weakest of the true yuan-ti, serving as overseers and taskmasters over the yuan-ti servitors and slaves, as well as spies and assassins. Purebloods have subtle reptilian features, such as snake eyes, forked tongues, pointed teeth, patches of scaly skin and the like. They are human-sized. Purebloods answer to the half-bloods and the abominations, even more powerful creatures whose serpentine features are too pronounced to allow them to infiltrate humanoid society without powerful magic.
Tainted ones are humanoids who have been corrupted by drinking a special yuan-ti elixir. The result is a person who looks almost exactly like his normal self, but whose mind has been twisted to the yuan-ti way. They serve as yuan-ti agents and spies in humanoid lands. Tainted ones sometimes develop distinctive mannerisms such as licking their lips constantly, drawing out their sibilants when speaking, or keeping large serpents as pets.
All of the true yuan-ti subraces can interbreed, although most stick to their own kind. Yuan-ti lay eggs, like reptiles. The hatchlings from these eggs reach adulthood at about 12 years of age. On average, yuan-ti live to be about 80 years old, although some have been known to live over 120 years. Yuan-ti have the same life expectancy and age categories as humans.
History: The true yuan-ti are the proud descendants of interbreeding between humans and the long-lost saurian creator race. They can be found all across Faerûn, although they mostly prefer to keep their existence secret and the locations of their lairs even more so. They have a long, mostly frustrated history of trying to take over various kingdoms in Faerûn, but they have firmly established themselves in several places — the city of Hlondeth in the Vilhon Reach, the land of Tashalar on the Shining Sea, and in the depths of the Black Jungles and Mhair Jungles.
These days, the yuan-ti have decided that if the direct approach does not work, there are still other ways to bring a country to its knees. To that end, they are infiltrating hundreds of agents — mostly tainted ones — into important posts throughout the various nations of Faerûn. These spies are to gather information about potential targets and look for opportunities for the yuan-ti to strike.
Outlook: All yuan-ti — even the servitors — are arrogant, convinced that their race is superior to all others. They believe it is only a matter of time before their machinations allow them to take over the nations of Faerûn from within. While they are not averse to open battle and actually excel at it, they realize that they are greatly outnumbered by their chosen foes, and prefer to use more subtle means to weaken their enemies from within.
From the moment they are hatched, young yuan-ti are led to believe that the world once belonged to their ancestors, the saurians. As such, it rightly belongs to them, and it is only a matter of time before they recover it. This justifies any kind of evil they may do to the peoples of Faerûn. After all, they are not proposing to take over someone else’s country. They simply want back what is rightfully theirs, and they are prepared to go to any lengths to get it.
The yuan-ti spend a great deal of time hiding in the wild, hunting for their food while they wait for their tainted ones to bring them the information they need to be able to plan an attack. For this reason, they often end up as rangers. However, they are devout worshippers of Sseth, the yuan-ti god, so there are a number of clerics within their ranks too.
Most yuan-ti become adventurers because they want to increase their own standing within their communities. Tainted ones, in particular, are often found far from any yuan-ti home, since it is their task to infiltrate humanoid society in preparation for the next attack.
Characters: The favoured class of pure-blood yuan-ti is ranger. The favoured class of servitor yuan-ti is determined
by his or her base race.
Society: The temples of Sseth (a yuan-ti aspect of Set) are the centre of yuan-ti life. Each yuan-ti community has one, and bloody services involving human sacrifice are held regularly.
The yuan-ti tend to build their communities in or beneath ancient ruins. The leaders of the community — the priests of the temple — like to reinforce the connection to their ancient heritage in this way. Other times, the yuan-ti occupy caverns, sewers or catacombs beneath human cities. This positions them closer to the societies that they wish to conquer, and it improves communication with their tainted ones. It also exposes them to greater risk should their presence be discovered, but this is a risk many yuan-ti leaders are willing to shoulder.
Abominations, the most powerful and least humanoid of the race, rule over the yuan-ti. The ruler of the community is always an abomination, often one with a human head. Half-bloods are considered the next most important because they exhibit more snake-like qualities than the pure-bloods. Half-bloods are captains and elite guards. The tainted ones come below the pure-bloods, and the broodguards come last of all. Tainted ones sometimes serve in yuan-ti communities, but they are more often sent into nearby towns and cities as agents. Broodguards get their name from their function in the yuan-ti society. They guard the yuanti brood chambers, in which the yuan-ti females lay and then hatch their eggs. Broodguards also look after the young, making sure they don’t wander off unexpectedly.
Yuan-ti young are trained from a very early age in the use of their special abilities. The most important of these is the ability to change shape into a viper. When young yuan-ti are threatened, they invariably turn into Tiny vipers and slither away through cracks or holes in walls, escaping by going places where their attackers cannot follow. Elderly yuan-ti are respected for their wisdom, the result of long years of experience. Unlike many other evil societies, yuan-ti very rarely turn on an aging leader, instead allowing the elder to pass his final days in somnolence and quiet.
When yuan-ti leave their homes, they usually arrange themselves into war, hunting or spy parties, depending on their need. Purebloods and tainted ones often work alone or in small groups. They sometimes form yuan-ti cells in humanoid cities, meeting in secret to discuss their findings and argue about how to best advance their racial agenda.
Language: True yuan-ti speak Common, Yuan-Ti and the human language of their home region. This affords them a broad range of peoples with whom they can converse. They often learn Abyssal and Draconic as well.
Servitor yuan-ti speak the languages they knew before becoming a servitor. They usually pick up Yuan-Ti as well within a few months of joining the yuan-ti’s service.
All pure-blood yuan-ti are literate, except for barbarians.
All tainted ones are literate, except for barbarians and commoners.
Magic: The yuan-ti have no new spells special to their race. Yuan-ti wizards and sorcerers choose spells from the Illusion and Transmutation schools of magic, as these sorts of magics aid them in their deceptions.
Religion: Yuan-ti worship Sseth, a serpentine deity conquered and consumed by Set, who now grants spells in Sseth’s name. To them, there are no other gods worth consideration. According to yuanti myth, Sseth helped create their race and has been directing them ever since. Given the devoutness of the yuan-ti, it’s clear that Sseth has a strong effect on every aspect of their lives.
Relations: Yuan-ti don’t care for any of the other races. However, they have a special relationship with humans, since they are one of the races from which yuan-ti are descended. Yuan-ti wish to conquer, enslave or assimilate (via their servitor draught) as many humans as possible. In return, humans loathe and fear the yuan-ti.
Equipment: The yuan-ti have no weapons or equipment special to their race. However, they insist on using only tools of masterwork quality. They favour scimitars and bows and employ poisons of all sorts.
Animals and Pets: Yuan-ti have a strong affinity for snakes of all types, especially venomous snakes. Many snakes kept by yuan-ti acquire the fiendish template and grow to frightening proportions, becoming creatures of supernatural evil and cunning. They protect yuan-ti lairs, serve as sacred animals for receiving sacrifices to Sseth, and provide companionship.
Regions: None
Pure-bloods and tainted ones have different racial features, as described below. Abominations, half-bloods and broodguards are not suitable as player character races and so are not described here.
Pure-blood yuan-ti have the following racial traits:
Tainted ones have the following racial traits in addition to the traits of the base creature:
Note: The racial traits for tainted ones differ according to the sources. The Level Adjustment is +2 in the original Races of Faerûn book, but it is changed to +3 in Serpent Kingdoms. The Monster Update puts is back at +2. The 3.5 update doesn’t seem to make the race stronger, so it will be left at +2. The Monster Update also adds Darkvision to the race, but this is not mentioned anywhere else. Finally, the Monsters of Faerûn attributes Mental Resistance to broodguards only, but in Serpent Kingdoms it is given to both tainted ones and broodguards.
Source: Races of Faerûn (Page 151), Monster Manual (Page 262), Serpent Kingdoms (Page 190), Monster Update (Page 7)
Your character can be either male or female.
Every player character starts as an adult. You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character’s race and class (see Table: Starting Ages). Your character’s minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character’s race and class on Table: Starting Ages.
Alternatively, refer to Table: Starting Ages and roll dice to determine how old your character is.
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 years | +1d4 (16—19) years | +1d6 (16—21) years | +2d6 (17—27) years |
1 This category includes barbarians, rogues and sorcerers.
2 This category includes bards, fighters, paladins and rangers.
3 This category includes clerics, druids, monks and wizards.
With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.
| Middle Age1 | Old Age2 | Venerable3 | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 years | 53 years | 70 years | +2d20 years |
1 -1 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
2 -2 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
3 -3 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution; +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
When a character reaches venerable age, the DM secretly rolls his or her maximum age, which is the number from the Venerable column on Table: Aging Effects plus the result of the dice roll indicated on the Maximum Age column on that table, and records the result, which the player does not know. A character who reaches his or her maximum age dies of old age at some time during the following year, as determined by the DM.
The maximum ages are for player characters. Most people in the world at large die from pestilence, accidents, infections or violence before getting to venerable age.
Choose your character’s height and weight from the ranges mentioned in the appropriate race description or from the ranges found on Table: Height and Weight. Think about what your character’s abilities might say about his or her height and weight. A weak but agile character may be thin. A strong and tough character may be tall or just heavy.
Alternatively, roll randomly for your character’s height and weight on Table: Height and Weight. The dice roll given in the Height Modifier column determines the character’s extra height beyond the base height. That same number multiplied by the dice roll or quantity given in the Weight Modifier column determines the character’s extra weight beyond the base weight.
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 4’ 10" | +2d10 (5’ 0"—6’ 6") | 120 lbs. | ×2d4 (124—280 lbs.) |
| Female | 4’ 5" | +2d10 (4’ 7"—6’ 1") | 85 lbs. | ×2d4 (89—245 lbs.) |
Source: Player’s Handbook (Page 109)