Monster: Iaret (Cobra Lord)

Iaret
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4+6**
Move: 150' (50')
climb 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 spit or by weapon
Damage: 2-8 + poison or by weapon
No. Appearing: 1-4 (2-12)
Save As: F6
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: A
Alignment: Any
XP Value: 275

The iaret, or "Cobra Lords", are an ancient race of shapechangers continually fascinated by nobility and secrets, both their own and those of the "young" kingdoms. In their natural shape iaret -- from the waist up -- resemble lithe and lean-muscled humans, though they are fanged, their amber eyes possess a faint inhuman gleam, and their coppery flesh occasionally shows a patch of tiny, jewel-like scales that are marked off by elaborate curling tattoos. From the waist down, however, an iaret has the body of a massive cobra, cloaked in brilliantly coloured shining scales and measuring as much as twenty feet in length. Whether concealing their nature or not, iaret are found scattered throughout the world as sages, duelists, merchant-princes, and rulers of the shadow cultures. Many human sages believe there to be a blood link between the iaret and the kurath, but the Cobra Lords refuse to comment.

In combat an iaret fights with a weapon -- the Cobra Lords prefer ornate polearms, gracefully curved swords and small but powerful bows of ivory and horn -- or by spitting venom. When spitting an iaret may attack up to a range of 40', the venom inflicting 2-8 hit points of damage and causing death if a save vs. poison is failed. An iaret may charm snakes of all kinds at will.

At will, an iaret may take on a fully human shape or dissociate themselves into 4-16 cobras -- all of which share the iaret's self. Even if only a single cobra survives, that snake may begin to devour other serpents until it has consumed twice the iaret's Hit Dice; it has then absorbed enough to regain its proper shape and identity. Fully half of the iaret population may also shift their physical sex as a matter of shapechanging.

For every four iaret there is found a prince of 7 HD; a House of iaret is led by an Empress or Emperor of 10 HD, with the spellcasting of a 5th-level magic-user and the ability to assume the full form of a scintillating giant cobra with a bite attack of 3-12 hit points damage (plus venom) and a breath weapon of caustic, clinging acid available three times daily, with the range of a 5x15x60' cone and inflicting 6-48 hit points of damage.