The first children of Eraknul, the Khulzalkan were masters of Psychic Magic, and used it to master their environment and quickly culled dangerous beasts and other native tribes under their control. With this mastery of psychic magic they slowly crossed the seas and oceans of the world to establish colonies, trade, and fresh sources of slaves.
Geography
At the time their only real competitors were the dragons who seemed at the time preoccupied with their own domains, and projects leaving the Khulzalkan to build their empire on the backs of psychically enslaved tribesmen. Erecting their massive serpentine monuments, and cities made of serpentstone (a emerald green colored stone that is reactive to psychic magic and abilities, and is mined from deep within the world) in the more heated regions of the world both of the surface and below ground. Rumors persisting of the serpentine creatures even living so far within an inner, other planets, and even upon other planets.
Ancient Society
Their culture is based after a religious hierarchy with those serpentfolk at the top serving as the avatars of the scaly gods themselves. From them come the high priests and other religious clergy. Standing at equal level with some of the high priests are the Magisters. Serpentfolk of great skill and ability they are supposed to be unparalleled by anyone in their fields, and maintain their positions til a better takes their place. While a Magister can master any and multiple fields he can only be Magister of one field at a time. Below the Magisters and high priests, are the entertainers, merchants, craftsmen, and soldiers, and equal level clergy members. Below that are the common citizenry, and below them are criminals and slaves. Anyone could rise up from their previous status in serpentfolk society, as long as one proved him or herself. Criminals were more than often exiled depending on their offense or enslaved. With more severe crimes often punished by death or more severe sentences. Slaves had no room to rise from their bondage being that they were not even serpentfolk, but some were groomed and polished to serve various purposes from bodyguards, messengers, and whatever else their master thought they were worthy of.
Architecture and Technology
Being a race of bipedal serpent men the serpent folk had many of the same needs and amenities that most humanoids had or would need. Their structures were large and almost cave-like on the inside with many dark passages and airways honeycombing them throughout. Most were carved from stone particulary smooth stones like marble, and the strange material known as serpentstone by non-Khulzalkan. The green waxy looking stone had a almost gem-like appearance, and reacted in various ways to psychic spells. Passage ways were often lined with tiles of this stone which were said to keep the serpentfolk within warm and cozy as well as keeping them alerted to the presence of others. The stone was also believed to produce light, and could even be psychically shifted and cleared to make windows and passageways where there were none in the first place. Serpentfolk kept vast pools everywhere in their cities. Most heated by psychic means to provide a humid environment. Slaves were often ushered underground using various service tunnels to traverse the city and to keep out of sight of their reptillian masters.
Their technology was psychic in nature and often relied on the user having psychic power themselves to operate and use them. From serpentstone doors that locked with no keyhole or latch; to stairways and passageways that would fold in on themselves when not in use. More fantastic but less common inventions can be found within serpentfolk ruins from ancient planetariums to fantastic temples dedicated to inhuman gods filled with all sorts of devices meant to mesmerize and attend to the needs of the avatars.
Fall of the Serpentfolk
Serpentfolk Now
With their once great cities in ruin, inhabitant by races once enslaved by them, or utterly destroyed the surviving serpentfolk fell into the wilds or hid in the Underworld. Overtime their advance psychic abilities were replaced by brute strength and cunning savagery. These degenerate serpentfolk now haunt the ruins of their homeland killing intruders who dare disturb the memories of their once great nation. Some serpentfolk escaped the fall of their race and put themselves into long hibernation only emerge centures later to a strange world where the Khulzalkan creep in the shadows and the children of their slaves rule the land. Few in number non-degenerate serpentfolk actively work to rebuild their lost empire or at least attempt to recapture in modern society what power they once had. Often becoming influential in the criminal underworld, various cults, and even serving behind the scenes of puppet officials. Some Serpentfolk have turned to worship of Sashaleithe and see themselves as her personal messengers of her word given that Sashaleithe is a goddess of secrets and magic and her affinity for scalefolk.
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