Editing Sarrukh (section)

====The Scaled Races====
Part of the reason that nonscaled slaves were treated so poorly was the fact that their masters actually loathed them. They found the Scaleless Ones’ odor offensive, their primitive languages grating on the nerves, and their smooth skins unsettling.

While exploring Faerûn, the sarrukh encountered numerous scaly animals in the wilds, including dinosaurs, snakes, and lizards. Some of these animals were developing along the same lines as the ancestors of the sarrukh had, but they hadn’t evolved to the point of sentience yet. The sarrukh collected thousands of such creatures in hopes of breeding one or more new intelligent races to serve them.

Realizing that breeding programs alone would not be enough, the sarrukh began magical experimentation on the creatures they had collected. They combined a few of their scaly specimens with humans to see whether a single servitor race that was less offensive to them could be formed. Their earliest experiments resulted in badly deformed creatures that didn’t survive long. But through selective breeding and more subtle forms of magical manipulation, the sarrukh finally managed to create viable races that were much more to their liking.

Their first successes were the [[asabi]]s, the [[lizardfolk]], and the [[pterafolk]]. Though not as intelligent as humans, these creatures had the same bipedal form and were relatively easy to manipulate. Once they had reassured themselves as to the loyalty of these races, the sarrukh began handing off fairly easy tasks to them. At first they were trained as personal servants, then as warriors. Finally, entire groups of them were planted in the wilds of Faerûn in the hopes that they would multiply and conquer the surrounding territories.

The next successful experiment produced the [[naga]]s. Though the sarrukh approved of the serpentine form with a humanoid head, the nagas proved difficult to control. Rather than destroy their creations, however, the sarrukh allowed those who posed little threat to remain in their service as guards, explorers, and magical researchers. The rest were freed.

Their final—and perhaps finest—creation was the [[yuan-ti]], developed by the sarrukh of Mhairshaulk. This race represented the first truly successful cross between human and sarrukh, with a touch of serpent thrown in. The yuan-ti came in several different physical forms, depending on the amount of sarrukh blood used. Though not as obedient as the [[lizardfolk]] subraces, the [[yuan-ti]] were more biddable than the [[naga]]s, and highly intelligent besides. Because they greatly enjoyed being in charge of Scaleless Ones, the yuan-ti became the slavemasters, military leaders, and managers of the sarrukh empires.

With so many highly skilled servitors, the sarrukh were no longer forced to find their own food, build their own cities, or even care for their own slaves. The sarrukh of Mhairshaulk slowly withdrew from the cares of the world as they turned over more and more of their responsibilities to the [[yuan-ti]]. For their part, the yuan-ti appreciated the lifestyles that their creators allowed them to h ave, so they remained mostly loyal. A few, however, would periodically withdraw from sarrukh society, strike out on their own, and form their own groups. The sarrukh knew of such defections but ignored them, knowing that yuan-ti who were allowed to leave in peace would go out into the world and create their own societies, which the sarrukh could later call upon for aid.