Overview
Fenthaza is a yuan-ti nightmare speaker who serves as high priest of the Fane of the Night Serpent and second-in-command to Ras Nsi. She interprets the dream visions of Dendar the Night Serpent and pleases her deity through torture and sacrifice. Despite her outward loyalty, Fenthaza actively plots to overthrow Ras Nsi and seize control of the yuan-ti.
Motivations and Goals
Fenthaza has long resented Ras Nsi for “hanging onto the threads of his humanity.” Her prophetic visions portend ruin at Ras Nsi’s hands and have revealed the existence of the Black Opal Crown, hidden deep within the Tomb of the Nine Gods. She believes this crown is the key to unleashing Dendar the Night Serpent.
Fenthaza is patient and cunning, refusing to move against Ras Nsi unless the odds favor her. She views captured adventurers as potential pawns in her coup, using them to sow chaos while she gathers her forces for an ambush.
Role in the Adventure
Political Intrigue
Fenthaza engages in a power struggle with Ras Nsi throughout the Fane of the Night Serpent. The yuan-ti spymaster Yahru plays both leaders against each other, delivering prisoners to Fenthaza if they behave in a calm, civil manner.
Interactions with Captives
When characters are brought before her, Fenthaza assigns them to work under Overseer Issar (area 19) to determine if they can be trusted. If they perform their labors without incident for one day, she offers them freedom in exchange for overthrowing Ras Nsi. She provides the armory passphrases (“white feather” and “black mask”) and even offers to ritually transform human characters into yuan-ti purebloods to help them get closer to Ras Nsi.
Betrayal
Fenthaza’s alliance with the party is temporary. Once Ras Nsi is defeated, she concludes the characters “have outlived their usefulness” and tries to eliminate them. If they flee, she sends her air elemental to hunt them down. If the coup fails, Fenthaza and her confederates are put to death by Ras Nsi.
Post-Adventure
If Fenthaza survives and Ras Nsi is killed by the party after the death curse ends, she offers a deal: kill Ras Nsi in exchange for freedom and treasure (except the Black Opal Crown, which she demands immediately). She honors this deal if the party defeats Ras Nsi handily, but betrays them if they emerge weakened.
Lair and Resources
Fenthaza lairs in area 5 of the Fane. Her quarters contain:
- A stone urn holding an air elemental that obeys her commands and hunts escaped prisoners
- A chest with 200 gp, a black leather quiver with star map (75 gp), and a ceremonial dagger in gold scabbard (25 gp)
- A ring of keys that unlock prisoner manacles and shackles
- A holy symbol of Dendar the Night Serpent (25 gp)
She is guarded by two type 2 yuan-ti malisons in the corridor outside her quarters, with four yuan-ti broodguards in the adjacent sacrificial chamber (area 6) who respond to threats.
Allies and Resources
- Area 6: Four yuan-ti broodguards who guard the sacrificial chamber where Fenthaza tortures prisoners
- Area 7: Three yuan-ti priests (Arakiti, Kultha, and Nyss) loyal to Fenthaza who commune with Dendar at the oracle pool
- Access to the temple’s transformation ritual, which can convert humans into yuan-ti purebloods
Rituals and Ceremonies
Fenthaza leads depraved rituals every ten days in the fane (area 9), preaching from the north balcony before joining revelers in the blood pool. During these ceremonies, prisoners are sometimes transformed into yuan-ti purebloods or broodguards through bathing with snakes in sacrificial blood while drugged. The transformation causes 1d6 levels of exhaustion and can only be undone by wish or divine intervention.
History
Fenthaza ruled the yuan-ti after their abomination leader died and performed the ritual that transformed Ras Nsi into a malison. Recently, her visions have led her to doubt Ras Nsi’s capabilities, while Ras Nsi has begun ceding power to his champion Sekelok in response.
Game Mechanics
Creature Type: Yuan-ti nightmare speaker (see Appendix D)
Combat Tactics: Fenthaza relies on her guards for protection while releasing her air elemental from its urn. She prefers to incapacitate interlopers and confine them to the prisoner pits (area 8). Particularly troublesome foes are shackled to the altar in area 6 for torture.