Of the five Lineages of the Kingdoms, perhaps none is more misunderstood than the Naga. Their serpentine tails, ancient traditions, and mastery of Alchemic Transformation have inspired countless tales of mystery, enchantment, and occasionally rather questionable romance.
Most Naga would prefer that visitors simply treat them like people.
Here are five things worth knowing before making their acquaintance.
1. Naga Are Not Particularly Mysterious
Despite their reputation as enigmatic serpent folk, Naga are no more mysterious than Humans, Goblins, Ogres, or Elves. They have families, professions, hobbies, and the usual assortment of everyday concerns.
A Naga merchant is far more likely to worry about the price of grain than the ancient secrets of the universe.
2. Naga Are Not Trying to Seduce You
The persistent depiction of Naga as irresistible, dangerously seductive serpent people has caused considerable embarrassment over the centuries. Naga courtship is no more exotic than that of any other Lineage, and Naga are perfectly capable of forming ordinary, affectionate relationships without hypnotic gazes, enchanted embraces, or sinister romantic schemes.
If a Naga smiles at you, they are probably being friendly. Please don't make it awkward.
3. Naga Do Not Believe in Astrology
Naga astronomers are renowned throughout the Kingdoms for their precise observations of the heavens. For centuries, they have recorded the movements of the stars, the planets, and the two moons, developing sophisticated mathematical methods to predict celestial events far into the future. This has led outsiders to assume that Naga practice astrology.
They do not.
Naga astronomers have no interest in whether a distant planet will influence your romantic prospects or financial fortunes. Their calculations concern the timing of celestial movements, often over periods spanning centuries.
Why the Naga have built astronomical calendars that measure time in eons remains a subject of speculation.
4. Naga Are Warm-Blooded
Despite their serpentine appearance, Naga are warm-blooded, bear live young, and raise their children much as the other Lineages do. They do not lay eggs, hibernate through the winter, or require a heated rock on which to bask every morning.
Naga parents are particularly weary of questions about their offspring. Asking a Naga mother whether her children have hatched is an excellent way to bring an otherwise pleasant conversation to an abrupt end.
5. Please Don't Mention the Cobbler
"As successful as a cobbler in Naga City" is a familiar joke throughout much of the Kingdoms, describing someone whose chosen activity is spectacularly unsuited to their circumstances. Naga have tails rather than legs and feet, and so understandably have little need for shoes.
However, Naga City is a thriving center of commerce, scholarship, and Alchemical innovation, and its inhabitants find the expression both tiresome and insulting.
For the record, several cobblers operate perfectly successful businesses there, catering to visitors from the other four Lineages. They would appreciate it if everyone stopped asking how business is going.
The Naga are a remarkable people with intellectual traditions stretching back centuries. Visitors who approach them with courtesy and an open mind will find them every bit as welcoming, complicated, and occasionally exasperating as the other peoples of the Kingdoms.
Just remember: don't ask about their eggs, don't mistake astronomy for astrology, and whatever you do, don't assume that a friendly smile is an invitation to romance.
And if you happen to learn what the Naga astronomers are calculating, the rest of the Kingdoms would very much like to know.
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