The Slayer's Guide to Yuan-Ti ebook
The Yuan-Ti are often portrayed as sadistic, malevolent creatures intent on dominating the world at all costs. The very image of the scaly, humanoid reptiles with venomous fangs and wicked, yellow eyes fills most people with dread. For Game Masters, this makes them the ideal antagonists: Alien in both appearance and motivation, they can easily, and with little explanation, be dropped into any campaign or adventure as the fiendish masterminds behind virtually every conflict the characters run up against. Unfortunately, this also tends to make them borderline caricatures of evil, their wickedness resembling nothing so much as the machinations of the moustache-twirling, dastardly villains of yore.
The Yuan-Ti are often portrayed as sadistic, malevolent creatures intent on dominating the world at all costs. The very image of the scaly, humanoid reptiles with venomous fangs and wicked, yellow eyes fills most people with dread. For Game Masters, this makes them the ideal antagonists: Alien in both appearance and motivation, they can easily, and with little explanation, be dropped into any campaign or adventure as the fiendish masterminds behind virtually every conflict the characters run up against. Unfortunately, this also tends to make them borderline caricatures of evil, their wickedness resembling nothing so much as the machinations of the moustache-twirling, dastardly villains of yore.
Casting the serpent people in such a superficial, one-dimensional light does a tremendous disservice to them and their timeworn culture, though. They are a society of long standing tradition, placing as much value in erudition as other cultures might place in martial prowess. Coming originally, as they do, from the Middle Kingdom, their society is feudalistic by nature, ruled over by a supreme monarch—an Emperor or Empress—and administered by faceless hordes of bureaucrats, scholars and imperial clansmen. Unlike the Middle Kingdom, this ruler is not considered the son or daughter of Heaven but is instead descended from a very real ancestor in their distant past. The Heavens and Hells of the human world abandoned them, and so they literally become their own gods, who are just as multi-faceted, complicated and inscrutable. Inevitably, this stirs up a moral whirlwind that would destroy those with less resilience. Yet, despite the chaos and spiritual ambiguity plaguing their peoples, the Yuan-Ti manage to not only thrive, but to create order and structure from all this. Art and literature are held in the highest esteem. Well-educated scholars come from all walks of life, regardless of breed, birth rank or social standing. And the arcane arts, despite being monopolized by the Ministry of Rituals, make the Yuan-Ti into some of the most formidable spellcasters ever known.
However, sinister times have recently fallen on the Yuan-Ti. Hei-An Da-Di, the dark lord of the north, makes his presence felt more than ever before. The Empress Wu, temperamental and unpredictable, continues to ignore the council of her advisors and sends legions of her elite soldiers out into the world to panic and terrorize the human kingdoms she so desperately hates. Meanwhile, two factions have arisen out of the shadows, one embittered by the stagnation of their culture, and the other unwilling to change in the slightest in order to save it. Both war over the ideals that will dictate the future course of Yuan-Ti history.
Player Characters will discover a wealth of possibility hidden within the vast empire of the Yuan-Ti. For the inquisitive, there is a new culture to study; for the diplomatically savvy there are new alliances and treaties to be negotiated; and for the bloodthirsty, there are new foes aplenty to kill. The Yuan-Ti are not born evil, but enough evil permeates their culture that characters may be busy for years to come just trying to eradicate it. And, maybe, they might make a difference.
Mongoose Publishing is completely dedicated to your total satisfaction. If you have any suggestions or comments please email us at sales@mongoosepublishing.com.
Making A Purchase
Making a purchase could not be easier. Just browse our catalogue, and click on any items that you wish to buy and put them into the shopping cart. After you have finished your selection, click on 'Order' and you will be asked for a few details that we need to be able to satisfy the order.
We accept credit and debit card payment, as well as PayPal. If you are shopping from anywhere outside the US or UK, place your order and your credit card company will convert the transaction to your own currency. We accept all major credit cards.
Shipping And Handling
Shipping is currently charged at a flat rate of $8 for customers in the US or £4 for customers in the UK, or $18/£8 for orders anywhere else in the world.
Domestic orders with a regular street address will usually be sent out via the post office.
Orders over £100 to UK addresses or $150 to US addresses will be free of postage charges. This includes military BFPO/AFPO addresses.
Delivery Schedule
We will process your order right away. We aim to turnaround orders within one working day, but please allow 14 days for delivery if you are overseas.
Returns Policy
If you are not completely satisfied with your order, we guarantee to exchange any goods or refund your money, for whatever reason. We guarantee all of our products.
Before returning unsatisfactory goods please contact us.
PLEASE NOTE: Mongoose Publishing is not responsible for costs incurred in supplying or returning correctly supplied and undamaged goods. We recommend that returned items are sent by Recorded Delivery. In the case of wrongly supplied or damaged goods we will refund your postage costs.
Mongoose Publishing reserves the right to alter or amend the specifications and/or prices of the products offered for sale, or withdraw them completely without prior notice.
Our Guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights.
Credit Card Security
We know of no documented cases of credit card fraud using our shopping system over the Internet. All credit card numbers are encrypted in the software when the order is placed using 128 bit encryption. They are not held in clear text on any web site.
Guarantee
We like our customers to be pleased with their purchases, and will replace or exchange any item with which you are not fully satisfied within a period of 30 days as long as the item is returned to us in saleable condition.
Reaching Us
If you need to reach us, please email us on sales@mongoosepublishing.com, or write to us at Mongoose Publishing, 52-54 Cricklade Road, Swindon, Wilts, SN2 8AF, United Kingdom.
Privacy Policy
Mongoose Publishing does not disclose buyers information to third parties. Cookies are used on this shopping site, but only to keep track of the contents of your shopping cart once you have selected an item.