Cormyr and the Dalelands

The Scaled Ones

The Scaled Ones refer to the various deities of the reptilian races of Faerun.

• Essylliss
  
• M'daess
  
• Merrshaulk
  
• Parrafaire
  
• Semuanya
  
• Shekinester
  

Essylliss
The God of Lizardfolk

Demigod
Alignment: Neutral
Symbol: Lizard Head
Portfolio: Lizardfolk
Worshipers: A handfull of Lizardfolk
Favored Weapon: Club

After the creation of the lizardfolk, the World Serpent created an aspect of himself in their image. The god felt the need to give these simple creatures a deity they could call their own, lest they be distracted by the plethora of other deities.

The worship of Essylliss lasted two thousand years after the fall of sarrukh-ruled Mhairshaulk. Ultimately, however, the splintered factions of the lizardfolk began worshiping Semuanya. Today Essylliss is worshiped by a handful of lizardfolk, and barely a trace of him remains.

M'daess
Goddess of Sarrukh

Demigod
Alignment: Neutral Good
Symbol: Cracked egg with snake emerging
Portfolio: Purification, young snakes and serpentfolk
Worshipers: Sarrukh
Favored Weapon: Scythe

The issue of nonsarrukh sacrifices was the first major point of division for the World Serpent. When the sarrukh made the decision that members of their own race were too important to sacrifice to their god, they violated one of the earliest and most fundamental doctrines of their religion. Though the World Serpent agreed in principle that Scaleless Ones made acceptable sacrifices, he couldn't reconcile changing the agreement with the sarrukh. Rather than back down from his demands or force them to hold to the original agreement (and thereby risk their defection to another deity), the World Serpent created an aspect of himself called M'daess, the snake-mother, whose task was to purify the souls of the unclean who were sacrificed in the World Serpent's name, thus making them equivalent to sarrukh souls in the eyes of their god.

Merrshaulk
Aspect of Sseth

Intermediate Deity
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Symbol: Cobra Head
Portfolio: Beasts, predators, somnolence
Worshipers: Yuan-ti outcasts, hunters, asabi of Oreme
Favored Weapon: Longsword

Upon the fragmentation of their primary deity, the sarrukh chose to venerate the aspect embodied by Merrshaulk. This cruel and despotic deity set the sarrukh on the path toward absolute evil. Merrshaulk cared little for the plight of the serpent races, as long as they continued to worship him. He inexplicably sank into a deep slumber that lasted for thousands of years. Ultimately, he was reborn in the form of his avatar Sseth, the deity that the yuan-ti now venerate.

Parrafaire
The Naga Prince, The Prince of Hidden Secrets

Demigod
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Symbol: Male naga head with feathered ears
Portfolio: Guardianship
Worshipers: Nagas
Favored Weapon: Scythe

The Naga Prince is the guardian of magical secrets and hidden places far below the ground. His goal is not to prevent access to such secrets, but to test the wisdom and resourcefulness of those who come seeking them. Parrafaire delights in creating clever traps, decoys, diversions, and mazes, and in offering cryptic clues. His religious teachings are presented in the form of riddles and puzzles to be deciphered by the worshiper.

The Prince of Hidden Secrets has few worshipers and no established church, although almost all nagas pay him at least indirect homage.

Semuanya
The Breeder, The Watcher, The Seeker

Lesser Diety
Alignment: Neutral
Symbol: Lizard egg, single reptile egg
Portfolio: Survival, propagation
Worshipers: Lizardfolk, free ashabi of Anauroch
Favored Weapon: Club

The lizardfolk currently embrace Semuanya, an unfeeling and uncaring fragment of the World Serpent. Semuanya promotes only survival and teaches that any action taken in the pursuit of that goal is acceptable. He dismisses the majority of the struggles that take place in Faerûn, including the plight of his followers, as completely irrelevant. Semuanya has no allies, and his only enemy is the demon lord Sess'innek.

Shekinester
The Five Faced Queen, The Aquirer, The Empowerer, The Seeker, The Weaver, The Preserver

Greater Diety
Alignment: CG (seeker), LE (acquirer), CE (weaver), LG (empowerer), N (preserver)
Symbol: Book (seeker), Coin (aquirer), Mask (weaver), Mirror (empowerer), Grain jar (preserver)
Portfolio: Varies by aspect
Worshipers: Nagas, pterafolk
Favored Weapon: Scythe

Shekinester is a complex, pragmatic goddess with five aspects: the Acquirer (LE), the Empowerer (LG), the Seeker (CG), the Weaver (CE), and the Preserver (N). Each aspect is represented and venerated as a separate goddess.

The Acquirer (Lawful Evil):
This aspect of the goddess represents the urge to control and possess. She is often represented as a harsh-faced, shrewish female naga clinging desperately to her failing youth. As the Acquirer, the Five-Faced Queen seeks to hoard knowledge and wisdom that is in danger of being lost or forgotten.

The Empowerer (Lawful Good):
In her role as guardian of the young and uninitiated, the Empowerer is a bestower of wisdom. Represented with the head of a beautiful young maiden, she is generally viewed as kindly and merciful. As the Empowerer, Shekinester actively seeks opportunities to grant wisdom to those who have not even realized they have need of such. This aspect of her nature can also make her an unwelcome messenger who forces followers into initiations that can cause them "growing pains."

The Seeker (Chaotic Good):
Often represented as a childlike naga, the Seeker is filled with curiosity. This aspect of Shekinester drives the need to explore and study.

The Weaver (Chaotic Evil):
This aspect of the Five-Faced Queen is the principle of active destruction--a crone-faced naga who destroys in order to make room for new life. However, she is also the embodiment of connections, bringing together disparate strands of knowledge to create new understanding. As the Weaver, Shekinester seeks to destroy anyone who enters the lost and decaying places she guards.

The Preserver (Neutral):
Seen as a middle-aged female naga, this aspect of the goddess is the keeper of the flame in the Court of Light and the great maintainer of existence. She also has jurisdiction over the spirits of the dead, greeting them with water, fruit, and bread and protecting them from harm. As the Preserver, Shekinester provides sustenance for mortals threatened by extinction, overwhelming force, or some other terrible threat.