They are the creatures of myth and legend. The earliest civilizations -- the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Indians, Aztecs, Mayans and a thousand others -- knew them by many names. Names that even today inspire both fascination and dread in the hearts of men. They are the snake women, creatures of unearthly beauty who tempt men to their doom beneath the waves, yet who also offer wisdom, wealth and incredible erotic experiences to those that they deem worthy of such things.
Serpent women -- who seem to be far more easily encountered than their male counterparts -- can be both beautiful and deadly. Some can be quite receptive towards advances by human males, if perhaps a little bemused or curious. Indeed, the author can cite numerous personal experiences to this effect. Others, however, continue to hold themselves aloof from all warm-blooded races. A few can even be downright malicious, using their charms to wantonly manipulate and kill male suitors. For this reason, readers are urged to use their judgment in any given encounter.
Adventurers seeking to make love to snake women must go ever further into the wilderness to find them, for they are an elusive race and the steady advance of man's civilization has pushed them further and further from known lands. Still, they might yet be found in the most distant corners of the globe, such as in the Amazon rainforest, the Congo, and the jungles of India and Southeast Asia. Like their cold-blooded relatives, the snake people prefer a warm tropical climate. They thrive in the jungles and swamps around the equator.
However, unlike normal reptiles, the serpent people are as intelligent as man (if not more intelligent than him) and they possess their own civilization and culture. Some few serpent folk still can be found amongst the cities of man, though this is increasing rare these days. Still others prefer to dwell in cities of their own kind, some few of which are still known to exist in India, Arabia, Egypt and other portions of the Orient. Wise adventurers should show the utmost caution and deference around such sites, as the serpent folk rightly regard most mortals as unwanted interlopers at best.
Furthermore, many races of serpent people exhibit a strange, almost supernatural affinity for water. The most aloof of their race are said to reside beneath rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide, where they can safely resist unwanted incursions from land-dwelling races. Once again, adventurers should be aware that an angry serpent woman could easily drown a mortal with no effort on her part. Most often, those dwelling in freshwater are receptive to mortal contact, while those who dwell in salt water tend to be hostile. Exceptions are known to exist, however.
The various races of serpent people are easily recognizable in their true form, as they generally appear as idealized human specimens, gradually shifting into the body of an immense serpent below the waist. Given their choice of habitat, and the occasional mixing of blood with local humans (and other intelligent races like elves, orcs, fae, etc), most lineages of serpent people exhibit healthy, dark colored skin ranging in tone from olive to dark brown, and they tend towards classical aquiline features. Dark hair, dark eyes, and graceful build are all very common features amongst their kind.
Despite their seemingly unusual appearance, serpent people are very quick and graceful as a whole. Their powerful, snake-like trunks are able to carry them over land at speeds comparable to humans, and given their affinities they tend to be even faster in the water. These powerful muscles make their coils incredibly powerful. They can support themselves in the trees, like serpents, or constrict prey. Many mortal lovers have found that serpent women are quite skilled in this art, with a few unfortunates winding up blissfully a asphyxiating in their lover's coils. There are far worse ways to go.
In terms of material culture, the snake people range from the tribal level to the very advanced. Serpent women in particular are fond of jewelry and silks, as well as tattooing, hennaing, piercing, scarification and other forms of body art, which they use to enhance their natural charms. The serpent races do not hold vanity to be a sin, and it is quite common for the women to leave their breasts exposed or to flirt playfully. Sexual congress is regarded as an interesting diversion, and many can be quite frank about their previous partners.