Guardian naga

Guardian nagas were immortal beings that often protected treasure, magical secrets, items, and lore that would be destructive should they ever fall into the wrong hands.

Description
Like all nagas, guardian nagas had snake-like bodies and human-like faces. They could grow to be in length and weighed up to.

Their scales were of a greenish-gold hue, with a silvery triangular pattern along the back, and tended to shimmer. Their eyes were bright&mdash;hypnotically lit from within. Some had a golden frill that ran the length of their body. Some gave off a scent of sweet flowers.

Personality
Guardian nagas were exceptionally wise, intelligent,  and usually strictly lawful and good aligned,  but they were free-willed creatures and could be of any alignment.

Less noble members of their kind might subjugate creatures, usually a tribe of primitive kobolds, troglodytes, or lizardfolk, to assist them in their pursuits, always believing they were superior to other creatures. They enjoyed spell research and designing strategies to thwart evil plots. They typically gave warning to intruders and only attacked if provoked. When angered, a guardian naga raised its crest.

Combat
If provoked to attack, guardian nagas had a wide range of responses to choose from. They were accomplished spell casters with access to divine magic in addition to being able to deliver poison by either spitting or biting.

History
Nagas were created by a humanoid race sometime in the distant past. When their creators died off or disappeared, the nagas inherited the magic and lore of their absent masters and carried on with mystical research and protection of their secrets.

Society
Nagas in general had an antagonistic relationship with yuan-ti, but if their goals aligned, guardian nagas would sometimes protect yuan-ti temples and treasure hoards.

Homelands
These creatures known to inhabit regions temperate with a temperate climate and were often found living in plains. Some were known to be found within sacred places.

Relationships
They were considered favored monsters of, thus sometimes acting as divine servants of, the demihuman deities Berronar Truesilver, Cyrrollalee, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Moradin, and Yondalla.

Some were known to serve as guardians for lawful good creatures, watching over their treasure or something evil.

Notable Guardian Nagas

 * Maharishi
 * Odelinde: a naga priestess of Shaundakul circa 1369 DR from the ruins of Myth Drannor.
 * Saja N'baza