Plot Heavy Patrons – Snakes

Dungeons & Dragons, 4^th Edition loves patrons. Not only are they built right into the mechanics of the Warlock, but there is also a great deal of fluff devoted to gods and primal powers. In this article, we’ll present three patrons to use in your campaign, with motivations for players and greater complexity for DMs.

Jazirian

The Lawful Good god of Community, Peace and Learning is worshipped almost exclusively among the Couatl. Wise and contemplative, this god rarely acts, preferring to examine any action or event with deep reflection, which can often take years. When granting an audience, he usually appears as a rainbow colored Coutal, spinning slowly in a circle, tail in mouth.

Jazirian is primarily concerned with how those who revere peace and community respond to adversity. Those who do not know adversity cannot truly be said to defend peace, and are not worth his time.

Twist: Jazirian is the center of a vast intelligence network of Couatl, keeping tabs on the chaos of the world, as well as the actions of the other serpent powers. It’s said that once certain foreseen events transpire, Jazirian will send his followers throughout the world to warn of the impending end of the world.

Nehebkau

This giant, two-headed snake is the primary guardian of the underworld. He is sometimes worshipped as a god in his own right, and patron of intelligence, protection, and the dead. He is sometimes linked with the Sun God, taking the place of protector while the sun god rests at night.

Nehebkau is primarily concerned with the proper passage of the dead. He is an enemy of not just necromancers and undead, but also opposed to those who cheat death through means that are generally not frowned upon, like Raise Dead.

Twist: Nehebkau also doubles as a god of seduction. In this form he often known as Ka, and is depicted as a muscular man of differing races, with unblinking eyes. While acting as Ka, other creatures are tasked with his responsibilities as guardian.

The World Serpent

This primal spirit is one of the oldest and most powerful spirits of the material plane. He is worshipped in many aspects. Some see the world serpent as a spirit of knowledge, especially secrets lost to the ages. Others revere the world serpent as a patron of travel, his great body coiling around the earth as a series of fey lines that can be tapped.

The World Serpent is primarily concerned that the earth not be defiled by outside powers. He is increasingly concerned about the influence of the gods, but as they generally stay in their own domains this is comparatively minor. Of more concern are the demons, devils and primordials which seem (to a being so ageless) to be tirelessly assaulting the material plane with goals of conquest or destruction.

Twist: The World Serpent’s massive form divides his attention more than many other spirits. His enemies sometimes use this to trick the World Serpent, whispering secrets to the being that are only half true. As long as the World Serpent discovers a problem originating from an other-worldly entity, it usually doesn’t care how or why that power got there.