The ruined city, originally seat of the The Yuan-Ti civilization living on Zumarud.
Seeded
Recursion, oroborus, time loop, shedding of skin, evolution, cycles
Defences
Accessible only by narrow bridges, able to be destroyed at a moment’s notice, forcing would-be invaders to march through a swamp and scale hundreds of feet of sheer stone towers. Complicated and seemingly maze-like inner structure within, defended and patrolled by yuan-ti and their enslaved monstrosities.
Infrastructure
Multi-towered nest with a complex web of bridges between. During its peak, the main city structure was held aloft by powerful magical artifacts that prevented it from sinking into the swamp below.
Guilds
The Orobite culture was driven by the desire for perfection of their race (caused, unbeknownst to them, by a race-wide wish for acceptance by their abandonment of their progenitor god). Early on in their development they divided their efforts into the following Ordos. The lines between each ordo blurred and sharpened throughout their history.
Ordo Artifex - Construction of magic items, tech, and weapons
Ordo Chimer - capturing creatures (wahashan’s, tabaxi, orcs, beasts) fusing together and with yuan-ti to create powerful monsters (sphinx, manticore, etc.)
Ordo Uterum - breeding yuan-ti into other subraces with new abilities
Ordo Mandatum - capturing, controlling demons/fae/elementals to use their power to grant magic through pacts or to fuse/possess yuan-ti
Ordo Caduceus - regeneration, healing, (resurrection?)
Ordo Consilium - decide the greater direction of the whole population.
Ordo Conspicio - spy, infiltrate, trade, and engage with other civilizations
History
Awakened, abandoned, adopted, abominated.
Their defeat in the War of Champions signaled the beginning of their decline. The pressures to triumph caused them to reach too far in their experiments, unleashing untold plagues and horrors. By 2500 the culture of Oroboros was nonexistent. Any surviving yuan-ti were twisted shadows of their former selves.
Industry
Limited trade with the lizards or Wahashan’s, and many other pre-flood civilizations. The Orobites were secretive and mildly xenophobic by nature and many races feared them for their appearance and strange mindset. Still, their drive for progress made it prudent to trade for rare resources and information, and many civs deeply desired their advanced magical creations.
After the flood, the surviving civs were mostly terrified of any outsiders. Additionally, most survivors were weak enough that the pretense of trade was unnecessary, the yuan-ti could take what they wanted.
Architecture
Complex, sometimes claustrophobic, maze-like stone structures, custom built/repurposed depending on their body-form. Homes and other locations were designated by “scent-signs”. The yuan-ti primarily communicated with other yuan-ti by sensing/producing subtle complicated pheromones, only verbalizing when necessary.
Government
Psionic Pit Democracy
Through psionic, ritualistic, democratic debate a significant and random portion of the population writhe together in a trance-like state, melding minds and come to a consensus on the important societal questions. Participating in the ritual is a major step in a yuan-ti’s journey to adulthood.
Ruined
2552