The Ssek'na of Irideth are a diverse and insidious corruption on the foundation of the world slithering and slinking under the masks of deception and trickery to undermine the civilastions of humanoids and prepare the world for the return of their great goddess, Vraess the World-eater. Here is a look into the social divisions among the ssek'na:

• Ssek'na are divided in two ways. The first is their clan, which determines the ssek'na’s lineage, what physical characteristics they have, and what type of snake they most resemble. A Ssek'na is born into its clan with the exception of the Anhili clan (see below). The twelve clans are:
  1. Atheris (Ah-THEH-rihss, aka the Vipers) – The most numerous clan based on the wide spread pit vipers. The Vipers are possessed of excellent heat vision (variant darkvision) with all abominations and most purebloods and halfbloods possessing it, however their normal sight is often poorer for it. All Atheris ssek'na who have heat vision have heat sensitive pits around their noses. The Vipers have an average build with a triangular shaped head and large fangs that they can fold back into their mouth. Their poison is hemotoxic. They may either have live born young or lay eggs. Their scales tend towards any shade of green from vibrant emeralds to muted yellow-greens and anything in between, though other colors aren’t unheard of. Atheris ssek'na may and often do have different colored patterns on their bodies.
  2. Kistrado (Kiss-TRAH-doh, aka the Copperheads) – The Copperheads are ssek'na marked by their copper-toned heads. They are similar to the Atheris save for this unique marking and the fact that their heat vision isn’t quite as good. They tend to be more level-headed and pragmatic than their Atheris counterparts as well. Many say they were marked with copper heads by the goddess because of this. Nevertheless they are ferocious when roused possessing a highly hemotoxic venom. Kistrado ssek'na always have live births. Their scales are usually muted browns and blacks or other colors which make their copper heads stand out. Most ssek'na who have anything to do with the arcane arts, be it magus hunters or magi themselves, are from the Kistrado clan.
  3. Marodon (MAHR-o-dawn, aka the White Fangs) – The Marodon ssek'na are characterized physically by their mouths which are bone white and their semi-aquatic nature. They tend to live in tribes that reside near larger sources of water where they serve as silent aquatic scouts and sometimes assassains as generally they aren’t seen until they have reared back to strike. The White Fangs have hemotoxic venom and give live birth. Their scales are generally of a color that blends in with the murky waters their prefer.
  4. Crotalis (Cro-TAL-iss, aka the Rattlers) – The Rattlers are so named for good reason. Not only for their tails which when shaken produce an unnerving hissing clatter when they are annoyed, angry, or feel threatened, but because the Rattlers themselves are unnerving. Most ssek'na step careful around the Crotalis due to their easily angered disposition. The Crotalis seem to take slight at the smallest provocation, and when roused to anger their stares and hisses combined with the signature rattle of their tail as a warning can shake their opponents to the core (in game terms similar to frightful presence, but only when they rattle their tails and make a big display of it). Other physical characteristics of the Crotalis are their superb heat vision which is said to possibly rival that of the Atheris in some cases, their triangualar heads, their scale color which is usually muted colors of brown and beige sometimes patterned with diamond or other shapes, and their hemotoxic venom. Crotalis give birth to live young.
  5. Roaspi (Roh-ASS-spy, aka the Swift) – The Swift are renowned and in some cases feared for their speed. They are lithe and supple, slithering through tight spaces with ease and speeding to their destination with an enviable alacrity. The ssek'na have a saying that nothing can outrun a Roaspi in a hurry. For this reason in many cases the Swift serve their tribe as messengers and spies as they and they alone have the speed to deliver the important messages in time. When cornered or forced to fight, a Roaspi is a fearsome opponent who strikes and is gone before the enemy can retaliate. Many ssek'na have won battles through these vicious hit-and-run tactics and the roaspi enjoy being able to strike and retreat, softening up their opponents for the rest of their tribe. Roaspi are characterized by their sleek heads and overall small and light physique built for speed. They generally have scales of a green or black color or any shade thereof of those two colors. Their venom is neurotoxic and they lay eggs.
  6. Naja (NAH-hay, aka the Seers) – Said to be blessed of the goddess with power over life and death, the Seers are believed to have been born and bred for the temple. Most holy guardians come from the Naja clan and all Seers seem to have an inexplicable connection to the temple and to the goddess. The Naja are said to be the first who receive the goddess’ visions and to receive them in greater detail than other ssek'na. They are also able to commune with the goddess to receive brief glimpses of the future possibilities. The naja have a kinship with the Ophagis and the two clans often work well together as the Naja have less inclination towards ruling and the Ophagis have less inclination towards the deeper mysteries of the multiverse. Thus it is not uncommon in the least for a tribe to be ruled by an Ophagis ssek'na with a Naja as their advisor, and the Naja are well suited to this arrangement. Naja are physically characterized by their sleek heads with extendable hoods which flare out when they are angry or feel threatened. They have neurotoxic poison and have learned to psionically alter its make-up to where it can kill or simply incapacitate if the ssek'na so wishes. Naja lay eggs and their scales are of varying often muted nature-oriented colors.
  7. Ophagis (Oh-PHAY-gis *hard g*, aka the Sovereigns) – The Sovereigns were born to be rulers. They are bold, vicious, and carry venom so virulent that many other ssek'na even fear their bite. Ophagis ssek'na are outspoken and can be brash at times. They don’t take well at all to threats or challenges believing that they are the blessed of the goddess to be where they are be it ruling the tribe, ruling the temple, or both, and rightly so by most if not all accounts. Rare is it that a deposed Sovereign will remain alive. They would rather die than be forced into servitude of any kind. They are boastful and arrogant, even when they aren’t at the top. They are similar to the naja in build except that they are noticeably larger than their naja counterparts with sleek generally black scales offset by underbellies in a lighter and contrasting shade that reaches up over the neck and throat and displays in impressive patterns along the extended hood. Their venom is neurotoxic and the most potent of any ssek'na without question. Ophagis ssek'na lay eggs.
  8. Calliophis (Kal-ee-OH-fiss, aka the Decievers) – The Decievers at first glance seem to be wrongly named. They are brightly colored ssek'na who often serve as mediators between tribes due to the fact that it is physically hard if not impossible or them to be missed. However the deception lies in the Decievers’ silver tongues. They are naturally glib and have a finesse unmatched by any other ssek'na. Decievers can start wars or end them with a few well chosen words and any wise ruler of a tribe knows that what Deciever supports their rule can make or break their reign, no matter how loathe they are to admit it openly. There is no question that within the tribes of the ssek'na the Calliophis are the political movers and shakers and well respected as such. But even the Calliophis aren’t infallible or above the rule of the tribe’s shaman, and they too know this. It’s a precarious balance that must be maintained. Calliophis have neurotoxic venom and lay eggs.
  9. Morelia (Moh-REHL-ee-ah, aka the Silent Fists) – If the Ophagis are larger than the Naja, the Morelia are still one of the clans that even the Ophagis have to look up at. They are part of the muscle behind the ssek'na tribes. However, the Silent Fists are so named because of their stoic and silent disposition. They are the quiet, looming shadows who protect the important members of their tribe. Unmovable warriors of great strength. Furthermore, it seems rare that a Morelian ssek'na speaks, but when they do speak, the entire tribe usually listens. They are a clan of few words, but their words generally hold a deep and indrawn wisdom and anyone who takes a Morelian ssek'na for stupid is in for a huge surprise. Morelian ssek'na are marked by their larger size and generally well muscled physique. Despite having fangs they have no venom, but instead are gifted with powerful coils and great strength with which to crush the life from their prey. Morelian ssek'na lay and incubate their eggs. Rarely do Morelians display vivid colors and patterns on their scales. Instead most are a nondescript brown or olive and usually reflect appropriate camouflage for their surroundings.
  10. Candoia (KAN-doy-ah, aka the Brutes) – While the Brutes match the Morelians in size and sheer strength, their disposition is much more brash and savage. Candoians revel in battle, slaughter, and blood. They are barbaric and have fully earned their name. However they too are a valued part of the tribe making up the majority of many tribe’s muscle. Candoians and Morelians, though very similar, tend to not get along well due to their immense differences in thought. The Candoians can’t match the Morelians in intelligence and wisdom, but they make up for it with an almost feral ferocity and an quick temper that often leads to blind rage. The Brutes, like the Morelians, have fangs but no venom instead preferring to squeeze the life from their prey with their bare hands or their coils. Unlike the Morelians, the Candoians give birth to live young. It is not in the least unusual for Candoians to display vibrant colors and scale patterns, though more muted camouflage colours aren’t unknown.
  11. Sucuriju (Soo-kur-EE-jou, aka the Lurkers) – The third powerhouse clan of the ssek'na, the Lurkers are similar to the Candoians and the Morelians in strength, but dwarf even the largest of either clan in size usually. Despite their massive size, the Lurkers actually prefer to ambush their opponents with clever traps and tactics making them fearsome indeed. On top of this, the Sucuriju are semi-aquatic preferring the mires and muck of swamps and bogs for their lairs and delighting in attacking their victims and dragging them beneath the mirey surface to drown and crush them in their powerful coils. Sucuriju ssek'na are generally muddy-toned in shades of green, yellow, and brown, but the rare vibrant scaled Lurker is not unheard of. Sucuriju, like their Morelian and Candoian kin, have no venom but still have a powerful bite and strength enough to crush their opponents into submission. They give birth to live young.
  12. Anhili (Ahn-HEEL-ee, aka the Devourers) – For all their tribes and clan and factions, even the ssek'na have their outcasts. Known as the Anhili or the Devourers, these ssek'na are considered feral and insane despite often showing an alarming intelligence. Why then to the other tribes fear the Anhili so? Because the Anhili feast on other ssek'na. They are cannibals, said to be sent by the goddess to devour the weak. The other fact that makes these serpents so unique among their brethren is that an Anhili is not necessarily born an Anhili. Though many Devourers are in fact born into their clan, those who are driven mad or who aquire a taste for the flesh of serpents are outcast into this clan as well. It is no surprise then that even the mighty Ophagis, the stalwart Aetheris, and the stoic Morelians tread carefully around an Anhili. Despite the danger they seem to present, they are considered a necessary part of many tribes. The Anhili, wretches that they are, cannot simply be cast aside despite how much many ssek'na would wish it. In most cases the Anhili sect of a tribe is likened to a useful if savage pet that must be kept on a leash, and yet the leash holder must be careful lest the pet turn and bite his hand off. Because they can come from any clan, the Anhili have no set appearance in general save for the eldest Anhili, the true bloodline of the clan. Those Anhili who are Devourers by birth and not by choice are generally pale and pallid of scale with a deathly colorless appearance. They are nocturnal becoming wild and aggressive in the darkness of night, but during the day they are docile and almost frighteningly normal some say. The original Anhili have a neurotoxic venom that is specifically designed to affect other ssek'na, paralyzing them while the Anhili feast on their still living flesh. Anhili who are outcasts have the same venom as their parent clan, if any. An interesting note, all of the failed broods of Ssek'na experiments are considered to be a sect of the Anhili clan despite what clan’s venom was used to create the brew for the transformation.

On the other hand, a ssek'na chooses its tribe. A ssek'na’s tribe is chosen on several factors. Many ssek'na are born and grow up in a tribe and thus stay with that tribe as they mature unless their outlook varies greatly from the tribe’s leaders. A ssek'na is said to have the greatest chance for success in the tribe they are born in, so many ssek'na will not leave their tribe without very good reason. On the other hand, there are so many ssek'na it is inevitable that disagreements would arise. When this happens, if there is enough support within the tribe, then the tribe will split and a new tribe will form. In some rare cases this split goes off without dispute, but more often it results in a civil war. The ssek'na believe this is to see if the new tribe is worthy enough to stand on their own. If they can survive the assaults of the parent tribe, then the goddess has shown her favor and they will survive. Should they falter an inch, though, the parent tribe will devour the fledgling tribe and all who defected will either be killed or deformed to be harmless and made to serve as slaves. Abominations that defect and cannot lead their tribe to victory are slain viciously, if not in battle then on an altar to their goddess Vraess. It is rare, but not unheard of, for a fledging tribe to rise up so strongly that it devours its parent tribe, but again this is a rare occurrence indeed.

Most tribes are given a common name that seems to encompass some aspect of how the humanoids view them (i.e. the Emerald Fist is the strong and jaded hand of the goddess against the scaleless, the Ebon Fang is likened to an insidious monster creeping up on the scaleless to bite them unaware, etc etc).

More to come as I think of it

Copyrights: The ssek'na tribal/clan system presented for use here is my intellectual property. Please don't steal.

Notes: This tribal system can be put into place for use on the Yuan-ti featured in Core Rulebook III. For more information, please contact the board admin.