During the early years of the Age of Creation Asmodeus proposed a bet to the god Thoth. Asmodeus challenged them to uplift a species of creatures on Zumarud, so that they would exemplify Thoth’s divine ideals (knowledge, wisdom and innovation). If Thoth succeeded, Asmodeus would give him a fraction of his immense power. If Thoth failed, Asmodeus would claim his divine soul. Thoth declined, having seen the savage beasts of the land, believing none capable of exemplifying their domain. Asmodeus, seemingly enraged, left Thoth alone in the jungles. Later that night, Thoth was walking upon the riverbank where he happened upon a magnificent crimson serpent, secretly Asmodeus in disguise. The creature turned and called out to Thoth, speaking with a graceful tongue. Thoth, surprised by the apparent intelligence of the serpent, replied in kind. They spoke all night of all manner of intellectual pursuits. The serpent also told Thoth of his many younger siblings who, though not as smart as he, had immense potential. As dawn broke, Thoth raced to find Asmodeus. The deal was signed, with the condition that Thoth had one year to produce a civilized and cultured race.
Thoth went to work on awakening the snakes of Zumarud, calling the new race Yuan-ti. Though the yuan-ti were indeed cunning they were also brutal and solitary in nature, resistant to cooperation. As the year came to a close the Yuan-ti were still uncivilized and Asmodeus claimed the naïve Thoth’s soul.
The Yuan-ti were abandoned and began to devolve without the guiding hand of a deity. It was around this time Zosimos the Green arrived on Zumarud. Zosimos, enchanted by the fledgling serpent folk, claimed them as his own and led them to immense heights and a tragic end.