Yuan-Ti

Basic Information

Anatomy

Yuan-Ti is a broad term for a species of snake people who are able to change their body and shed their skin. In these transformations they may grow additional sets of arms or merge their legs in to one powerful tail, these transformations are infrequent but incredibly taxing on the yuan-ti's body.
Yuan-Ti are able to shift between their originator form and their humanoid form, looking similar to a human with a few key features that differ. Yuan-ti's skin may have sections of scales, their pupils are always slitted and their jaws are able to unhinge much the same as a snake.

Genetics and Reproduction

Females usually lay clutches of eggs, which are stored in a common hatchery, although live births aren’t uncommon. A mating between yuan-ti of different types almost always produces eggs that hatch into yuan-ti of the weaker parent, so most choose partners of the same type in the interest of maintaining the strength of their personal bloodline.

Growth Rate & Stages

A Yuan-ti egg takes 6 months to hatch and a further 3 months until the infant is able to take it's first steps. A Yuan-ti adolescence lasts until they are 12 years of age and become adults by 16, from 16 they will choose a lifes path and continue that pursuit usually until they die, it is common for yuan-ti to morph their body to aid in their given career progression.

Ecology and Habitats

While originally reclusive temple dwellers, Yuan-ti now make their homes in many societies across Ararim. They typically keep to warmer climates and enjoy building fine architecture traditional of the aztecs with many holes that they use to transform into snakes and move quickly from place to place. This works as a natural defense as well as a faster way to travel.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Yuan-Ti exists purely on a fresh kill diet. The ability for them to unhinge their jaw allows them to eat larger kills however it does take them considerable time to digest.
A Yuan-Ti will love a large feast but often after they will sit around and relax to allow their stomach time to digest.
Yuan-ti will excrete bone balls these can range from the size of a golf ball to slightly larger than a softball - while the passing of these is unpleasant it is part of the cycle of their raw diet.

Biological Cycle

Yuan-Ti's lives depend on the number of iterations that they try and go through - each one potentially adding or subtracting years from their existence as it takes it's toll on their body. The tell-tale signs of an elder Yuan-ti is their frame is often smaller and their eyes can go cloudy much the same as humans with degenerative eye diseases.

Behaviour

Given their unsettling past a lot of yuan-ti are reserved of other societies, as other societies are reserved of them.
They enjoy the company of their own kin but given their joy of architecture, construction, and creation they have begun to weave their way into other societies.
Yuan-Ti appreciate others with artistic flare and can be found in arts districts around cities or they'll be in their own settlements which are elaborate and beautiful.
Yuan-Ti often see other civilized cultures as equal and are pleasant towards them.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Yuan-ti like snakes often have slits for nasal passages, their eyes are immediately distinguishable by their slitted pupils, their faces are often gaunt and their mouth extends all the way to the hinge of their jaw line.
Yuan-ti can have hair but not always and some prefer to stay in their morphed form and have a purely serpent head.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Yuan-Ti are naturally cold-blooded and prefer areas that are hot most of the year round. They do not take well to cold climates and will avoid these at all costs.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

In their humanoid form they use senses much the same as humans. The key advantage they have is the ability to detect heat trails tasting the air they are able to discern what is creating heat and in which direction is is traveling, this makes yuan-ti excellent trackers.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Yuan-ti names have meanings that have been passed down through the generations, although spellings and inflections have changed over time.

Some yuan-ti add more sibilants to their birth names to create an exaggerated hissing sound, based on one’s personal preference and whether an individual’s anatomy can more easily pronounce the name in this altered form. An adopted name of this sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Most Yuan-Ti are able to speak Common Tongue and Draconic and many learn the languages that are spoken in their surrounding area.

History

Yuan-ti populated the hottest regions of Ararim and began to construct great ritual buildings. These buildings became temples and ritual sites as their early ancestors believed blood magic was the way to push the limits of their bodies. Blood magic originally required the sacrifice of other sentient creatures, which would usually be other life-forms that also called the surrounding area home. For this reason Yuan-ti were feared for many generations and some still have the same concerns today. In time the Yuan-Ti realised that this blood magic made no difference in the pathway to further structural changes, if anything it added layers of anxiety and stress to the morphling.
Scrapping this allowed for their transition from an outcast society of great builders with bad magic to an enlightened part of Ararim society.
Some tribal Yuan-Ti still practice blood magic but it widely frowned upon.

Scientific Name

Serpens Virinis

Lifespan

95 years

Average Height

1.6m - 2.2m

Average Weight

40kg - 170kg

Average Physique

There is no true average physique for a Yuan-Ti as they will often morph their body to suit their needs.
It is common for them to have slender features and be quite nimble, while builders prefer a larger stronger build.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

A Yuan-ti's humanoid often has tanned skin with scales that match it's morphed or snake-line form. Markings are common either as symbols of their chosen path in life or naturally formed stripes, dots or patterns in line with their birth parents.