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<blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 6956461" data-attributes="member: 4936"><p>Saashala is a yuan-ti pureblood; young and untested. She was trained since hatching to do that which her hideousness marked her as suited to do...infiltrate the meat-races and from within spy on them, destabilize them, prevent them from growing too numerous and strong to delay the rebirth of the Empire To Come. </p><p></p><p>Her problem was not that she was not good at this task. It was, perhaps, that she was too good. Like others of her line, she spent time with slaves...walking among them, learning their language and customs, and above all learning how to use the absurd and primitive emotions they felt to move them as she wished. When new slaves arrived...the captives of the armies from across the sea, Saashala was eager to learn more. These were people, excuse me, <em>meat-things</em> that had not grown up in the shadow of the Serpent Throne. Their culture had developed entirely separately, with no subtle manipulations to keep it weak and pliable. They did not cringe or cower when confronted by the malisons and dread abominations. They spat and struggled and fought.</p><p></p><p>They were interesting.</p><p></p><p>In learning to infiltrate them, Saashala thought she saw something no one else did. Her studies were important, so if she attempted to divert punishments or dangerous work assignments away from them, it was merely to protect assets vital to this research. When called upon to explain herself, this claim was met with a challenge...what research?</p><p></p><p>She presented her idea that the Empire could learn much from these meat-things. That they had build a powerful culture in stark defiance of what was known of how mammal minds worked. Far from being lost to their own passions; too animal to overcome their base instincts, they seemed to have learned how to harness those instincts and use them as a source of inspiration. They were, by and large, exactly as dull and venal and pre-sentient as the Yuan-ti knew them to be...but there were exceptions. Occasionally a mutation would take place, and a mammal with the potential to overcome their flaws would be born. They became great leaders and sages and generals, and led the rest of their prey-herd to a level of organization and advancement that was otherwise inconceivable.</p><p></p><p>Saashala's thesis: If these <em>things</em> can do what they have done with such a gift, <em>imagine</em> what the Serpent Empire could do with it! It could be the final piece necessary to allow the Yuan-ti to rise again!</p><p></p><p>Discord. The thesis was predicated on the premise that the Yuan-ti, who had known great cities while the meat-races still fell from trees and cowered in caves, could <em>learn something</em> from these creatures of more than transient strategic value. It was a transparently incorrect premise. The Yuan-ti predated their civilization (if such it could be called). They had existed in parallel throughout the long years. Therefore there was no learning, no time spent, no advancement or innovation that the meat-prey could conceive of that the Yuan-ti had not had centuries more to consider and develop, and ultimately discard. If the meat-races did it, and the Yuan-ti did not, then it was definitively not fit to do.</p><p></p><p>Discredited, Saashala was forced to release her research subjects back into the slave population, and was placed with other, more conventional subjects to continue her training.</p><p></p><p>Her chance came sooner than expected however.</p><p></p><p>The continued incursions by the invaders were inflicting heavier than anticipated casualties among the janissary legions. Replacing slave stock was becoming more difficult from sheer attrition. The subtler heads in the conclave that advised the Throne were beginning to gain influence, and they counseled presenting the appearance of working 'with' the lesser races of this land. Rather than conquering them and enslaving them, they would be conscripted as 'allies.' The reasoning: The end results would be the same. They would march against the invaders. But without the loss of life, and the investment of time and forces needed to conquer them in the first place.</p><p></p><p>However, a gesture would be needed, it seemed, before the native meat-races would accept such an arrangement. One of the yuan-ti...not a loyal slave...would have to take part in some kind of 'test group' to demonstrate that mutual cooperation was possible.</p><p></p><p>Regrettable, but such things were why purebloods were allowed to exist. And they knew just the one to send...</p><p></p><p>(Sheet isn't 100% done, but it's very close and I wanted to get it online so I could edit it from there)</p><p></p><p>[sblock=Saashala]Saashala</p><p>Neutral Evil(?) Yuan Ti Pureblood Warlock 1</p><p>Background: Criminal - Spy</p><p>- Yuan Ti Spy Contacts</p><p></p><p>Str 8 (0)</p><p>Dex 15 (9)</p><p>Con 12 (4)</p><p>Int 12 (3) </p><p>Wis 10 (2)</p><p>Cha 17 (9) </p><p></p><p>HP 9</p><p>AC 13 (10 + 2 dex + 1 armor)</p><p>Prof Bonus +2</p><p>Init +2</p><p>Exp: 0</p><p></p><p>Race</p><p>-------</p><p>Yuan Ti Pureblood</p><p>- +2 Cha, +1 Int</p><p>- Immune to Poison</p><p>- Magic Resistance (adv on saves vs spells)</p><p>- Animal Friendship (Snakes only; permanent)</p><p>- Poison Spray cantrip (charisma)</p><p></p><p>Class</p><p>-------</p><p>Warlock</p><p>Otherworldly Patron (Great Old One)</p><p>Pact Magic</p><p></p><p>Proficiencies</p><p>--------------</p><p>Weapons: Simple</p><p>Armor: Light</p><p>Tools: Thief's tools, disguise kit</p><p>Saves: Wisdom, Charisma</p><p></p><p>Feats</p><p>------</p><p></p><p></p><p>Skills</p><p>-------</p><p>- Deception +5</p><p>- Investigation +3</p><p>- Persuasion +5</p><p>- Stealth +4</p><p></p><p>Languages</p><p>----------</p><p>Common, Abyssal, Draconic</p><p></p><p>Spellcasting</p><p>Spell attack +5, Difficulty 13</p><p></p><p>Spell Slots:</p><p>1 - 1/1</p><p></p><p>Spells Known </p><p>Cantrips - Eldritch Blast, Friends, Poison Spray</p><p>1 - Armor of Agathys, Arms of Hadar (Str save)</p><p></p><p>Equipment</p><p>-------------</p><p>Cash: 15gp</p><p></p><p>Weapons</p><p>--------</p><p>Simple</p><p>2 Dagger +4, 1d4+2</p><p>Light Crossbow, +4, 1d8+2</p><p></p><p>Eldritch Blast, +5, 1d10</p><p></p><p>Armor</p><p>------</p><p>Leather Armor</p><p></p><p>Gear</p><p>-----</p><p>Scholar Pack</p><p>Orb (arcane focus)</p><p>Forged identity papers</p><p>Thief's Tools[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shayuri, post: 6956461, member: 4936"] Saashala is a yuan-ti pureblood; young and untested. She was trained since hatching to do that which her hideousness marked her as suited to do...infiltrate the meat-races and from within spy on them, destabilize them, prevent them from growing too numerous and strong to delay the rebirth of the Empire To Come. Her problem was not that she was not good at this task. It was, perhaps, that she was too good. Like others of her line, she spent time with slaves...walking among them, learning their language and customs, and above all learning how to use the absurd and primitive emotions they felt to move them as she wished. When new slaves arrived...the captives of the armies from across the sea, Saashala was eager to learn more. These were people, excuse me, [i]meat-things[/i] that had not grown up in the shadow of the Serpent Throne. Their culture had developed entirely separately, with no subtle manipulations to keep it weak and pliable. They did not cringe or cower when confronted by the malisons and dread abominations. They spat and struggled and fought. They were interesting. In learning to infiltrate them, Saashala thought she saw something no one else did. Her studies were important, so if she attempted to divert punishments or dangerous work assignments away from them, it was merely to protect assets vital to this research. When called upon to explain herself, this claim was met with a challenge...what research? She presented her idea that the Empire could learn much from these meat-things. That they had build a powerful culture in stark defiance of what was known of how mammal minds worked. Far from being lost to their own passions; too animal to overcome their base instincts, they seemed to have learned how to harness those instincts and use them as a source of inspiration. They were, by and large, exactly as dull and venal and pre-sentient as the Yuan-ti knew them to be...but there were exceptions. Occasionally a mutation would take place, and a mammal with the potential to overcome their flaws would be born. They became great leaders and sages and generals, and led the rest of their prey-herd to a level of organization and advancement that was otherwise inconceivable. Saashala's thesis: If these [i]things[/i] can do what they have done with such a gift, [i]imagine[/i] what the Serpent Empire could do with it! It could be the final piece necessary to allow the Yuan-ti to rise again! Discord. The thesis was predicated on the premise that the Yuan-ti, who had known great cities while the meat-races still fell from trees and cowered in caves, could [i]learn something[/i] from these creatures of more than transient strategic value. It was a transparently incorrect premise. The Yuan-ti predated their civilization (if such it could be called). They had existed in parallel throughout the long years. Therefore there was no learning, no time spent, no advancement or innovation that the meat-prey could conceive of that the Yuan-ti had not had centuries more to consider and develop, and ultimately discard. If the meat-races did it, and the Yuan-ti did not, then it was definitively not fit to do. Discredited, Saashala was forced to release her research subjects back into the slave population, and was placed with other, more conventional subjects to continue her training. Her chance came sooner than expected however. The continued incursions by the invaders were inflicting heavier than anticipated casualties among the janissary legions. Replacing slave stock was becoming more difficult from sheer attrition. The subtler heads in the conclave that advised the Throne were beginning to gain influence, and they counseled presenting the appearance of working 'with' the lesser races of this land. Rather than conquering them and enslaving them, they would be conscripted as 'allies.' The reasoning: The end results would be the same. They would march against the invaders. But without the loss of life, and the investment of time and forces needed to conquer them in the first place. However, a gesture would be needed, it seemed, before the native meat-races would accept such an arrangement. One of the yuan-ti...not a loyal slave...would have to take part in some kind of 'test group' to demonstrate that mutual cooperation was possible. Regrettable, but such things were why purebloods were allowed to exist. And they knew just the one to send... (Sheet isn't 100% done, but it's very close and I wanted to get it online so I could edit it from there) [sblock=Saashala]Saashala Neutral Evil(?) Yuan Ti Pureblood Warlock 1 Background: Criminal - Spy - Yuan Ti Spy Contacts Str 8 (0) Dex 15 (9) Con 12 (4) Int 12 (3) Wis 10 (2) Cha 17 (9) HP 9 AC 13 (10 + 2 dex + 1 armor) Prof Bonus +2 Init +2 Exp: 0 Race ------- Yuan Ti Pureblood - +2 Cha, +1 Int - Immune to Poison - Magic Resistance (adv on saves vs spells) - Animal Friendship (Snakes only; permanent) - Poison Spray cantrip (charisma) Class ------- Warlock Otherworldly Patron (Great Old One) Pact Magic Proficiencies -------------- Weapons: Simple Armor: Light Tools: Thief's tools, disguise kit Saves: Wisdom, Charisma Feats ------ Skills ------- - Deception +5 - Investigation +3 - Persuasion +5 - Stealth +4 Languages ---------- Common, Abyssal, Draconic Spellcasting Spell attack +5, Difficulty 13 Spell Slots: 1 - 1/1 Spells Known Cantrips - Eldritch Blast, Friends, Poison Spray 1 - Armor of Agathys, Arms of Hadar (Str save) Equipment ------------- Cash: 15gp Weapons -------- Simple 2 Dagger +4, 1d4+2 Light Crossbow, +4, 1d8+2 Eldritch Blast, +5, 1d10 Armor ------ Leather Armor Gear ----- Scholar Pack Orb (arcane focus) Forged identity papers Thief's Tools[/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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