ZEHIR
Zehir the Cloaked Serpent. One of the Diabolical Ones and even part of the Primordial Green, the patron goddess of the Yuan-Ti and snakes, the goddess of murder, assassins, poison, darkness and snakes.
Her methods are aggressive, yet subtle. She likes her wishes to be carried out quietly, but boldly and does not forgive failure, though those who continue to please her can expect to be richly rewarded.
Church of Zehir
Across Aetheus, humans, elves, dwarves and the other humanoid races rarely worship her. Even creatures considered evil - orcs, goblins, etc. - distrust and despise the Serpent Queen. Most intelligent creatures avoid even speaking her name.
Zehir is worshipped by many death and sex cults, but also by individuals who work as poisoners, alchemists, executioners, prostitutes and assassins. Many traders and merchants pray to her to recieve her vile blessing in the hopes to gain power and wealth through her dark methods.
Amongst serpentine creatures such as the Yuan-Ti and medusa, and some Lizardfolk, Zehir represents the One True God. These creatures believe all other deities are merely pretenders, and they reserve their devotion and worship strictly for her. For most Yuan-Ti, even mention of Zehirs name brings a sort of spiritual ecstasy. Their dedication to the Snake Queen is just as zealous, if not moreso, as any priest of any other god.
Temples and Priests
Outside of Yuan-Ti strongholds, temples devoted to Zehir are forbidden by many races. Along similar lines, worship of the Serpent Queen is often punished by imprisonment or banishment. Given such attitudes, the majority of Zehir's temples are in secret locations such as forgotten ruins, deep caves and abandoned sewers. Her priests and followers strive to keep their faith hidden to the outside world.
Within the lnads of the Yuan-Ti, Zehir's temples are enormous and magnificent structures constructed of handsome marble, soaring architecture, and awe-inspiring extravagence. Snakes of all sizes slither through the temple, free to roam whenever they choose.
Zehir's clerics are called Venomers. And high ranking clerics are referred to as "Ophidions". In a society of snake men, being low was considered a positive attribute. The unholy gesture of Zehir is the sign of fangs.
Zehir's followers regularly poison themselves with snake venom to get visions from their deity. They also believe that she is the ultimate incarnation of beauty and that there is no desire that she could not fulfill. This leads many to idealize her to the point of fanatacism in the race for her affection.
Realm
Zehir has her realm was the Sea of Poison, within Carceri, where she resides of the Palace of Poison Tears.
Holy Books and Codes
The Ophidian Chronicles: The original canon for Zehir's faith was written on vellum fashioned of human flesh. Amongst the Yuan-Ti, the chronicles are often copied word-for-word precisely from the original down through the millenia. Every mark, every mistake, every stain is faithfully copied from the original, always transcribed onto the skin of some humanoid race. Outside of Yuan-Ti domains, the Chronicles are scribed by hand into book form on vellum or similar material.
There remains precious little information regarding the contents of the Ophidian Chronicles. A few sages believe the work contains a lengthy history of the serpentine races, followed by a manifesto about how serpents shall rule the world. These sages argue that the chronicles are a clear road map for Zehir's schemes against other races.
Servants of the Serpent Queen hunt down and murder any non-believer in possession of the book or scrolls, making ongoing study difficult at best.
Tenets of Faith
Hide under the cloak of night that your deeds might be kept in secret. The followers of Szarhora follow the demands of their goddess, and most of her schemes are shrouded in secrecy. Szarhora calls on her priests to keep their activities hidden, to keep the faith’s enemies confused and uncertain.
Kill in Szarhora's name and offer each murder as a sacrifice. Any creature outside of Szarhora's faith is, by definition, an enemy. In the eyes of the goddess, enemies deserve death (usually preceded by pain and suffering). Her priests seek out sacrifices on as regular a basis as possible, with all victims fed indirectly to the goddess, often by being thrown in a snake pit or killed with slow-acting poison.
Delight in poison, and surround yourself with snakes. These two elements are central to Szarhora's faith, and most rituals dedicated in her name involve both. Before they become full-fledged priests, acolytes must consume poison in Szarhora's name. If the acolyte dies, he was too weak to serve the Serpent Queen. If the acolyte lives, he has proven his worth to become a priest.
Serpents of all sizes and kinds are crucial to Szarhora's rituals. As a rule, most humanoids are uncomfortable around snakes, an instinct granted by the gods to warn about the dangers of trusting serpents.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
For the most part, Zehir remains poorly misunderstood, especially by humanoids. Sages and theologians have investigated and debated Zehir endlessly, but with few solid conclusions. She apparently stands in opposition to the other gods, but not directly or obviously. She enjoys no allies amongst the deities, but no god seems to view her as an enemy worth the effort. The Serpent Queen despises the other gods, but she seems to have little interest in striking against them, or interfering with their schemes.
Whereas most gods maintain much of their attention on the Astral Sea, or perhaps the Elemental Chaos, Zehir focuses her energies exclusviely on Aetheus, with special dedication to Yuan-Ti and similar races. Her cultists speak of the day when snakes shall rule the world and all creatures shall serve the Serpent Queen (whether as slaves or food remains uncertain).
Personal History
The Dragonborn of Venarion believe that Zehir had part in Asgorath's death during the age before ages. Those who believe the myth, say that Zehir wanted to control the Dragon domain that was Asgorath's portfolio. It is said that she seduced him and became his consort for a while, until she betrayed him to a Primordial, who killed him. Her plan failed when the gods Venarion and Sincainea rose up from the Dragon's god's corpse, and claimed Asgorath's power over dragonkind.
Many centuries later her plan of achieving the Dragon domain finally came to fruition, when she was able to convert a whole flight of Dragonborn to her faith and subsequently kill and absorb their now forgotten dragon deity. This makes her one of the few non-dragon gods.
