The librarian, an elderly Rath'ani with a typically generous girth, gruntsunder the weight of a stack of books, as he waddles over to the table. He setsthem down with an "Oof!", then pauses to wipe his brow.

"Well, I hope this will do for starters, to give you an idea about the Nagaiand their Empire in the Savan. I've taken the liberty of sticking marks in ata few articles and chapters of particular note," the raccoon says, smiling."Now then, if you need anything else, I'll be right over there at the desk.Don't try reading them all in one night!"

The Nagai and The Peoples of the Nagai Empire

as reported by Senior Scholar and Record-Keeper Nicolai Ramshackle

… The heart of the Nagai Empire is found in the Province of Nagai, whichcontains the City of Nagai, which, following the same logic, also includes thePalace of Nagai, wherein resides the Emperor Potentate Supreme of all theNagai and those under their dominion.

The Nagai have many races that coexist with them, though not on the same levelof power or prestige by any means, and there are several castes within Nagaisociety itself, divided not only by class and prestige, but by the simpledifferences between the various sub-races – most obviously shown in the greatvariety in the sizes they come in. This ranges from the lowly Garter (only twoor three feet in length) to the mighty Boas (reaching upwards of twenty feet,and, some say, far more than even that).

In the lower strata of Nagai society at large, size counts – as does poison.It is only within the myriad bureaucracies and schools of Nagai where at lastone's actual performance can bring the various sub-species on par with eachother. But let one never forget that, with the Nagai Empire, non-Nagas simplywill not prosper beyond certain points.

There are many races that closely associate with the Nagai, the number of themsuch that it would take a whole book and several arguments to attempt to nameand classify them all. The bulk of them can be referred to by outsiders as"Saurians", though the Nagai themselves do not recognize this term. While theSaurians differ greatly in form and bulk and abilities, they do share in commona certain reptilian appearance, an intolerance of cold temperatures (whichaccounts for their clustering in the Savan), and the laying of young in eggs.

Beyond that point, the Saurians can be divided into categories using terms theNagai have coined themselves, telling the differences primarily by the numberof limbs each sub-type has. (While there have been instances of cross-breedingacross so-called "races" of the Saurians, it is satisfactorily established thatno such compatibility exists across these major categories.)

First are the Nigai, of which the Nagai are the most notable members. Theseare noted for having just two limbs, the Nagai having a serpentine body and twoarms. There are not very many variations on this beyond what would beclassified as "Nagai", though there are a few relatively rare creatures thathave wings, and very clumsy manipulative digits attached to them, or somethingclose to this form.

Second and most common (aside from the Nagai) are the Shigai – those with fourlimbs. Typically, this covers reptiloids with two arms and two legs.

Third are the Rokugai, less common than the Shigai, but still found in largenumbers, being reptiloids with six limbs. There is more variety here, as ofthose limbs, some varieties have four legs and two arms, others have four armsand two legs, some have two legs, two arms and two wings … and othercombinations are found as well.

Fourth are the Kirigai, which are closely associated with the Shigai, andsometimes considered a sub-type of that category (though not geneticallycompatible), since they are possessed with four limbs – two arms and two legs.The difference with the Kirigai is that they have some non-reptilian features,typically sporting partial fur or manes, and sometimes feathers.

The Shigai, non-Nagai Nigai, Rokugai and Kirigai comprise a servant/workerclass in Nagai society, as only the Nagai are capable of holding any title orposition, or of owning property. It should be noted that there are sometimesfound exceptions to these classifications, due to the higher incidence ofmutations found amongst those born on the surface than in Rephidim. Mutantsare typically culled at birth, but sometimes those with noninhibiting andperhaps visually appealing genetic variations are allowed to live, though theyare most often sterile, and tend to have shorter lifespans than most.

Lest this author be accused of oversight, another "race" found in abundance isthat of the Savanites – the spotted felines often mistaken for sapient beings,despite their inability to demonstrate vocalized means of communication.Savanites are commonly used as beasts of buren by the Nagai, and, by allaccepted indications, the Nagai are the first to domesticate them and put themto constructive use. Over time, the Nagai have developed a simple language ofhand signs known as the "Silent Tongue", which they have used for countlessmillenia to communicate simple commands to their servants, though complexconcepts are simply beyond the spotted brutes. Due to the widespreadavailability and use of Savanites in the Empire, well over half of all upper-class Nagas are fluent in the use of this hand-code.

Unfortunately, the Nagai are very species-centric in their treatment of othersapient beings. As stated before, only the Nagai can own property in theEmpire, and this goes for outsiders of all stripes and types. This, of course,limits their favorable relations with civilized countries, since the only non-Saurians to be found there are either temporary visitors or slaves…

A BESTIARY OF THE SAVAN

A collection of articles in the Archives of the Society for the Preservationof Interesting Species

… BROMTHEN FOREST HOG – Bromthen Forest Hogs come from the Savan, and whilethey are named after the territory of Bromthen, are found in a wider expanse,ranging as far as the Xenaen Jungle and the mountainous regions of Kilmanjar.While once fairly rare, and only found in the wild, significant advances inrecent history have been made in the raising of these creatures in captivityfor the purpose of harvesting for meats, as their meat is greatly prized – asis the ivory from their considerably-sized tusks. Nonetheless, they areterrible, ill-tempered beasts, and farmers must be a hardy, patient lot to beable to manage these creatures. They are also noted for their love of thehard-to-find Bromthen Truffle, a sizeable growth that the keen-nosed BromthenForest Hog is capable of sniffing out with remarkable accuracy. Tales havebeen told of Bromthen Forest Hogs being used to sniff out such Truffles, thoughthe validity of such accounts has often been brought into question.

… CHIGAI – Chigai are mythical creatures appearing in legend and in Nagaitheological works, the physical incarnation of malevolent "spirits of theunderworld". In appearance, they resemble Nagai, often in unlikely colors,each possessing a single arm, which is neither right nor left. (The thumb isfixed somewhere in the middle of the base of the palm, giving the hand a talon-like look.) For this reason, it is said that mutants of the Nagai who are bornwith only one useful limb are seen as demonic incarnations, and therefore,alas, meet an early end to their existence…

… CREEN – Creens are small pseudo-reptilian creatures that are serpentine inappearance, having a total of four limbs: two feathered wings (typicallysporting brightly-colored plumage) and two stubby claws used for clutching ontoperches. While some claim that Creens are especially bright, and a fewvarieties can be trained to mimic the speech of certain languages (most often afew simple Nagai phrases), tests have shown them to be not particularlyintelligent. In Nagai culture, however, Creens often figure into mythology,as mischievous "spirits" often take on the forms of these seemingly friendlycreatures in order to take part in all sorts of mysterious schemes.

They are favored pets of the Nagai, though it should be noted that "pets" amongthe Nagai are not viewed in the same way as you, gentle reader, are likely toassume. "Pets" of the Nagai are viewed as simple sources of temporalentertainment, and a convenient snack as soon as they become boring…

… DROKAR – Drokars are four-legged, pseudo-reptilian creatures that vaguelyresemble the "horses" said to exist on certain alien worlds (and reputedlyexisting in small numbers in remote parts of Sinai), with distinctly saurianfeatures. They sport long, thin muzzles with rows of sharp teeth, though theytypically are not respected so much as predators as they are for their swiftspeed on their cloven hooves, and for the beauty of their streamlined designs,bright colors, and feathery manes and tailtufts. Drokars require specialattention outside of the Savan, and require an appreciable amount of food, sothey are presently not found in great abundance outside the Savan, particularlynot in the relatively limited spaces afforded by Rephidim…

… DROMODON – Dromodons are large, four-legged beasts of burden, pseudo-reptilians who are actually warm-blooded, and sport some fur, though they laytheir young in eggs, and display many reptile-like behaviors and features.They are often known for their "humps", capable of storing nutrients and waterin fatty cells for later use, making them ideal beasts for travel acrossparticularly arid portions of the Savan or far western Ashdod, or the Himaat.Some also highly prize them as a source of protein, and various recipesinvolving the greasy Dromodon hump are considered delicacies in manyregions…

… SNAKE – Snakes resemble (usually) smaller versions of Nagas, only withoutarms. Despite the apparent similarity to Nagas, snakes are non-sapientanimals, found all over the surface of Sinai, and examples of every variety canbe found in Nagai…

… SQUIBBIT – Squibbits are slug-like in appearance, somewhat resembling alarge larva, but with an irregular, "humped" look to its length, with agreyish-brown main body, and a bright green "head", wherein are contained allthe vital "organs", primitive as they are. Squibbits have considerableabilities to regenerate large parts of their body mass, and actually reproduceby subdivision. They are used as a foodstuff by the Nagai, thoughtraditionally the rear portion of the squibbit is torn off, leaving the rest toregrow, and this part is eaten, uncooked. Eating a whole squibbit is highlyill advised, not only as wasteful in Nagai thought, but also because the headof a squibbit is mildly poisonous, resulting in a terrible sickness, whethercooked or not. Since the rear portion of a squibbit does not writhe or wriggleas it goes down, and does not have any appreciable texture or surface taste, itis not highly regarded as a Nagai foodstuff, since such things matter greatlyto them, as they do not chew their food but rather swallow it whole…

… THUNDER LIZARD – The Desolate Band is dominated by a wide range of reptilesthat reach enormous sizes, thus earning the name of "Thunder Lizard", thoughthey come much smaller as well. The Thunder Lizards can be found in otherparts of the Savan as well, but the Desolate Band and the swamps and jungles atits fringes are the primary habitat for these beasts…

… YIFFLE – Yiffles are small, blue mammals that bear some remote resemblanceto the Bromthen Forest Hog, and also features of the bizarre alien creaturesknown as "foxes". While some find their appearance endearing, they aretypically not valued as pets, since they are known to have surprisinglydisagreeable temperaments, and great care is required in raising them, sincethey typically crush their own young. (It is highly suspected that they havechanged greatly from whatever wild beast they were domesticated from, giventheir destructive habits.) The behavior of the yiffle when left to its owndevices is particularly disagreeable, and therefore shall not be covered inthis volume, out of the respect of young and impressionable minds.

Yiffles are most prized as a foodstuff of the Nagai, not for any particulartaste – as is their way – but because the texture of their fur and fluffytails is particularly pleasing to Nagas as it goes down, and it is said thatthey digest remarkably pleasantly, without unwanted side-effects. Furthermore,they are notably resilient against diseases and changes in climate, and hence afairly healthy diet for Nagai all over Sinai…

The Strange Wiggler Cult of the Garters (excerpt from a larger text)

as written by the inerrant hand of Lord Titus haut Mikide, world explorer,charitible giver to the Arts, and lover of children and small animals

… which brings me at last to the bizarre Wiggler Cult of the Nagai, foundamong the sub-race known as the Garters. Although you have been toldotherwise, cannibalism does, in fact, exist in the Nagai Empire. I write thisrealizing full well that it may offend many of my esteemed colleagues among theNagai, but we know full well, that even though outlawed, denied, shunned, andgenerally claimed that it has even never happened at all, it is a fact of Nagaisociety in the past and present, though surely not in more enlightened circlessuch as those my colleagues belong to.

I will do nothing to further baseless rumors that the Nagai have a taste forbaby (or full-grown) Skeeks, Skreeks, Lapis or any other sapient race, but ithas come to my attention that in the lower strata of Nagai society, a certainprinciple of "Survival of the Biggest" applies. To anyone familiar with Nagaitheology, as subject to debate as it is, there is some precedent to this.After all, as you may know, the Nagai do not believe in an afterlife, per se,but that they shall each have the honor of being swallowed by the GreatSerpent, doing the "Joyous Wiggle" as they slide down his throat on the way toblissful annihilation and the ceasing of moral suffering. They do not framethis in cannibalistic terms. On a related thought, the philosopher Shraak ofVendiss hypothesized that the generic "Great Serpent", alternately associatedwith the Golden Serpent or the One That Encircles the World actually …

… A relatively recent development in Nagai society makes it clear about thetrue situation of how the smaller Nagai are treated in the lower strata, wherephysical strength is valued over intellectual capability – brawn over brain,as it were. A certain prophet, known only as the Joyous Wiggler, and known tobe a Garter, has attracted a sizeable following among the (admittedly numerous)Garter population of the Savan, reinforcing the message of "blissfulannihilation" and combining it with a curious message of service to one'sspecies, urging his followers to end their own lifes with the "Joyous Wiggle"down the gullets of their larger brethren.

One would suppose this would come to a quick end, but it turns out to besomewhat more complex than that. A Garter's duty, it is said, is to trainhimself up for his ultimate task, to spawn young, to teach the next generation,and then, when he is fully accomplished for his ultimate goal, to go down thethroat, doing the "Joyous Wiggle" out of this life, in preparation for hisultimate annihilation in the very brief next one. Toward this end, the"Wigglers", as they are called, believe that they can train to make theirdemises as wonderful an experience for the consumer as possible, making an artof what might charitably be called a form of "dance" as they are on their wayto, pardon the expression, shedding this mortal coil. Supposedly, they haveactually received considerable feedback from the recipients of this"benevolence", and made a science of it.

Indeed, there are references to possible predecessors of this cult, whichsupport the theory that this is not a recent development at all, but simplythat the "Joyous Wiggler" simply represents a newer trend which has been moreopen in its methods for recruitment – and small wonder, since it would seemthat they would have a high turnaround! I idly note that the Joyous Wiggler'sfollowing may eventually dissipate the longer he remains, since it might painthim as a hypocrite, but it is said that he wants nothing less than to go downthe gullet of the Emperor Potentate Supreme himself. As for the Potenate,while some secretly whisper that he has partaken of such "delicacies", he hasopenly declined the Joyous Wiggler's offer, and reiterates his official stancebanning such practices. (Since the punishment for willfully throwing oneselfdown another's gullet is death, reinforcement is usually a moot point.)

…

Theology of the Nagai Empire

by Nguyen the Penitent, Scribe of the Temple of Rephidim

… The Nagai Empire is often seen either as atheistic or completely pagan,depending upon whom is asked. Neither is really true, though the Nagai do notrevere the First Ones as we do. This is largely because the Nagai do not placemuch value on heritage or family, due to their most common traditions that makethe tracing of family trees impossible without the use of magic, lacking anyorganization of families as we know them…

… The official religion is based around the veneration of a range of GreatSerpents – the Golden Serpent, the Dark Serpent, the Silver Serpent, theSerpent in the Depths of the World, and more – though there is no organizedmethod of paying tribute to these deities, and even their representations aresubject to great variation. Some see the Serpents as giant snakes, whileothers depict them as great Nagas. Many of the ancient texts harkened to forreference only depict the Serpents in the most abstract of symbols (such as aline that spirals in on itself) so this confusion is not unwarranted.

Many Nagas invoke the name of the Great Serpent as if there were only one, notmany. Typically, this Great Serpent is either associated with a single one ofthe Serpents, or else some conglomeration of one or more of them. Since theysee these beings as spirits, either the sense of individuality is malleable(being "aspects" of the same Great Serpent), or else it's simply a matter offraction in Nagai culture.

The typical Naga, it seems, gives lip service to one or more of these deities,but it really has little to no bearing on everyday life or the governance ofthe Empire. Even so, when alternative religions arise, there are stillconflicts, because the Nagai are still quite capable of being opinionated andof clinging to traditions in the face of change. Therefore, religions that donot give glory to a Great Serpent of some sort just are not to be found openlyin the Nagai Empire – Upon inspecting the particulars of the worship of thisGreat Serpent, one may alternately find the worshippers venerating a god orgoddess that bears suspicious resemblance to the primary deity or deities ofother religions on Sinai, but they are transmogrified. Give thanks to theGreat Serpent, without telling exactly which Great Serpent you're worshipping,or what he, she or it even represents, and you offend no one in politeconversation.

Even so, there are some traditions widespread in the Empire that form theclosest thing to the core religions that worship a Great Serpent. Best knownto outsiders would be the concept of the Golden Serpent as the Devourer ofSouls – a particularly dismal view of the afterlife that one would supposeoffers little hope.

There are multiple cults of the Golden Serpent, but for the sake ofconvenience, the largest one will be considered the "Cult of the GoldenSerpent". The main belief is that, upon death, one's soul is devoured by theGreat Serpent, as one does the "Joyous Wiggle" down the great serpent's gullet,on one's way to blissful annihilation. The good and the bad meet the samefate. The only difference is that one's "vibrance of life" somehow affectsone's trip down the throat, giving the Great Serpent greater pleasure with thegreater achievements of one's life. It's all terribly nice for the GreatSerpent, but there is no notion of any sort of reward, nor even a true sense ofgood over evil – but rather achievement over failure.

Therefore, it is not terribly surprising that, even among the faithful, itshould have little bearing on their crawl to the afterlife. The objective isto make it big, live it up, achieve a certain sort of immortality by one'saccomplishments and by earning memorials, and if you have to backstab a bitamongst your rivals to get ahead, then go ahead and do so.

The Nagai have a very high value of independence, and a fairly libertarianculture to certain extents – one extent being that the Imperial Council stillhas a very strong control over the dissemination of information, in theinterests of squelching rumors and disinformation, and providing a centralauthority on gathered knowledge. From the time a Naga is hatched, there is nofamily to raise it. Nagai are simply hatched in large numbers and abandoned tofend for themselves. Most die. The few that survive are considered, in a way,to have proven their superiority over their ill-fated brethren.

Officially, the ideal Naga is one who will lift himself up, with no help fromany other from the very start. But that is impractical. Life is a hardteacher, and while it may teach survival fairly well in the wild, it doesn'tteach the particulars of society. The Schools fill that role. There are nopublic schools. Rather, there are a number of institutions that represent thevarious Schools of Thought – in essence, the embodiment of the Nagaireligions, as they have no churches or temples or such organization, for themost part.

The Schools find their recruits from amongst hatchlings in the streets, and,sometimes after performing some preliminary tests, take them in. It is in thisway that Nagas receive their initial education, and then further testing to seewhether they may be in line with the teachings of the School – and theparticular fields of study it specializes in. If they do not, but still showaptitude, the Schools often trade amongst themselves, even with their rivals.One might be offended at the notion of children being treated like cattle, butconsidering the rumors of what happens to those who fail in their studies, atleast they are fairly motivated to do their best.

The Schools are responsible to a great deal for major trends in Nagai culture.After all, the School putting out the most students indoctrinated with itsbeliefs, and succeeding in putting them in the highest positions will have thebest influence. The Schools survive by the contributions of their alumni, andthere is considerable pride placed upon the accomplishments of their graduates.This is, after all, seen as one's real way to achieve immortality: To makenoteworthy achievements worthy of remembrance long after one's passing.

It also perhaps explains something of the Nagai interest in archaeology. Whilethey do not seek out their personal heritage – as in, trying to find one'strue father and mother – they seem to have great interest in finding theglories of the Nagai Empire of ages past. Unfortunately, it seems that theearly Nagai Empire made extensive use of perishible means of record-keeping … that is, using paper and related media. Therefore, there is considerableincentive to delve into the history of OTHER societies, in order to turn up,indirectly, more clues to the past accomplishments and influences of the Nagai.

…