Yuan-ti magic question

[Tvtyrant]

In my earlier time traveling thread I mentioned that one of the eras was a monstrous humanoid era that was based around ancient Egypt/Aztecs. I am currently working on the groups within the Yuan-ti's slave based empire, and I want to divide them into three separate groups:
1. A Lawful Evil group that worships lawful evil gods and see Mammon as the center of their pantheon (because he is similar to a Yuan-ti and he grants them powers). This group has the Warlock as its unique spellcaster (along with Clerics).
2. A Neutral Evil group that worships Merrshaulk, but also bind themselves to vestiges, because the vestiges are outside of time and so exist in all times simultaneously. Thus the neutral evil yuan-ti can predict the future to a certain extent by their interactions with the vestiges. They get the Binder as their unique caster.



The question I want to have answered is about the 3rd group, the Chaotic Evil group of the Yuan-ti. They call Mariliths to mate with them, because the result is usually an Anathema. I need a Demon Lord to have them worship, and a unique caster class for them to use (hopefully something divine but arcane works to as long as it has some sort of Demon fluff).

[Urpriest]

I think there's a Marilith Lord called Shakti or something. If you want to go for something more prominent, Demogorgon and Dagon both have snaky themes.

As for something divine, the only divine unique caster (if you mean what I think you do by unique caster) is the Shadowcaster, who might fit. Same book as the Binder.

Edit: Shaktari is the name. Apparently Dragon 359 has some info on her. She used to be imprisoned in the Wells of Darkness, but she got out. So maybe that's another Shadowcaster connection.

[Tvtyrant]

Shaktari is fantastic! Shadowcasters don't feel quite right, lacking a pact feel (which the others have) but I can always refluff that. Thanks!

Are there any other forms of magic that involve making pacts other then Binder and Warlock in 3.5?

[Tokuhara]

Shaktari is fantastic! Shadowcasters don't feel quite right, lacking a pact feel (which the others have) but I can always refluff that. Thanks!

Are there any other forms of magic that involve making pacts other then Binder and Warlock in 3.5?

Well, if the CE Yuan-Ti cultists are into serpent-y fun, I suggest Dagon specifically, and a refluff of Dragonfire Adept. Unique casting, cool abilities, and just plAin cool

[Urpriest]

Well, if the CE Yuan-Ti cultists are into serpent-y fun, I suggest Dagon specifically, and a refluff of Dragonfire Adept. Unique casting, cool abilities, and just plAin cool

So, as Dagonfire Adept?

[Eldan]

Well, between Mariliths and breeding Anathema, they seem the most martial of the factions, as opposed to the lawful evil devil pact faction and the neutral evil divination faction. So you could consider using Incarnum for them, specifically the Totemist. Reflavour some of the claw vestiges as growing additional arms, like a Marilith.

[Tvtyrant]

Hmmm, probably going to go with Dagonfire Adept, because it has similarity's to Warlock, but also major (and as far as I can tell better) differences. Course, it can't get Hellfire, but hey.

Incarnum also looks good, and I am going to have to think on it. I could always make it two different demon cults, one for Dagon (Dagonfire Adepts :P) and one for Shaktari (Incarnum). Both gives them access to Mariliths and their evil breeding program.


The reason I don't want arcane magic is it was destroyed (temporarily) at the end of the first dynasty (the last of the dragonblooded Yuan-ti were killed off) and the end of the second dynasty ended their use of blood magic (mass sacrifices as means of performing epic level spells). So in their era they destroyed/banned all arcane magic and began using purely divine/fiendish magic.

[Thurbane]

In Elder Evils there is also Sertrous, an ex-obyrith lord...

[mabriss lethe]

Bear with me here, I'm brainstorming.

What about psionics for the third group? They've plumbed the depths of madness and depravity, coming back changed and empowered.

What about making the signature abilities of one of the group more martial, perhaps having access to most of the ToB material. Maybe their signature group are fiendishly refluffed Ruby Knight Vindicators, or perhaps swordsages.

Another thought just occured to me. Spellthieves and or Ur-Priests. the third group has a secret. (or possibly a 4th group.) They've managed to keep tiny fragments of the old arcane magic alive (ie the half casting abilities of a spellthief) But that wasn't really enough. just the dregs of the barrel. In order to flourish, they've learned to take power where ever they can find it, from other casters, from other god/demons.

[Tvtyrant]

So have Spellthiefs and psions? Its a good idea, but it worries me that it would start getting too broad. If I put every possible option into the game, it loses the sense that what is there is special. How many secret organizations can one empire have??

I might give them to the Sahuagin, since they are the Yuan-ti's rivals.

[mabriss lethe]

I wasn't saying give the group access to all of those classes/powers. Each idea represent one way that you could adapt things for your game

[Notreallyhere77]

How many secret organizations can one empire have??

A lot. Have you ever played Paranoia? And the Yuan-ti are naturally sneaky and devious.

[Tvtyrant]

A lot. Have you ever played Paranoia? And the Yuan-ti are naturally sneaky and devious.

But realistically only a very few of these would have any real power; if there are 40 nobles then having three groups of 5 is going to tie up half the power structure of the nation. That are going to be thousands of little plots; merchant monopolies and mercenaries trying to force up their wages and slave revolts, but most of the important stuff is going to be up top.

For instance, a group of scholars develop psionic powers by process of elimination. In a few hundred years this will be world changing, but at the moment they have barely gotten to the throwing a rock across the room and taking a nap phase. Pact magic is good for intrigue because it doesn't need a space of time put in where people were doing the experimenting; its designed to be easy to pick up by the fiends that give it to you.

[Notreallyhere77]

True. I was going to add that while you may expose your players to the definite impression of many plots going of at once, it's better to emphasize the ones important to the story.