Society of the Serpent

Greyhawk Organization

Society of the Serpent
The symbol of the Society of the Serpent
Type:	Scholarly order
Founded:	-610 CY
Members:	Magi (any race or alignment)
Symbol:	Serpent motif
Headquarters:	Cloud citadel
Allies:	Crescent League (occasionally), Telless ve Turu Decada (occasionally)
Enemies:	Azure Masks, Fratern Milblinnis (pending awareness they exist))

The Society of the Serpent exists for the acquisition and safekeeping of magical knowledge; they are particularly interested in ancient and lost cultures such as the Suloise, the Baklunish Empire, and the City of the Gods. They hope to establish themselves as a secret power across the Flanaess, manipulating it for its own good.

History

Although new members are told that the Society was founded in the Suel Empire around 1500 SD , it was actually founded a little over 1,200 years ago by the half-Suloise, half-Flan archmage Krritarius. While exploring the Flanaess, he came across the symbol of Keraptis in the Rakers. Krritarius researched the serpent motif and decided to use it as the symbol of his society.

Even in those days, the Society of the Serpent was a group that transcended nation and race, establishing a neutral place where Suloise, Baklunish, and Flan could meet and exchange knowledge. After the Twin Cataclysms the Society went underground, fearing the reaction of the common people to the ill that magic had wrought. There they have remained.

Recognition

Members of the Society of the Serpent often intertwine stylized snakes with their own personal sigils, symbols, or initials, which helps members recognize one another. Nonmembers who use the stylized snake motif in an attempt to masquerade as members of the Society often turn up dead.

Headquarters

The Society of the Serpent is based in a cloud citadel floating through the skies above the Oerth. They also have several secret libraries and laboratories throughout the Flanaess, some of them in the Sea of Dust and the Bright Desert.

Their former headquarters, the Tower of Art, was destroyed in the Rain of Colorless Fire. They have vowed to never allow their accumulated knowledge and lore to be trapped in one place ever again.

Relationships

The Society of the Serpent has a rivalry with the Azure Masks, both groups often competing over the same secrets and lore. The Society has on various occasions entered into alliances with the Crescent League and the Telless ve Turu Decada for reasons of their own, although they have no formal ties to those organizations. As of late 591 CY, it knows nothing of the mage-hating Fratern Milblinnis, but will surely turn all its energies into destroying them as soon as it does.

References

Bibliography

• Miller, Andy. "Hidden Agendas." Dragon #256. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.

Zavoda Index Entry

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index page has a list of sources, abbreviations, and a link to the full index.

Society of the Serpent [ORG]
	DRG#256 - 45,46,47,49,50,51

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic	Type	Description	Product	Page/Card/Image
Society of the Serpent	People Group		Oerth Journal #27	16,17,19,22
Society of the Serpent	People Group		Dragon magazine #256	45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51