Many of House Orogoth's Netherese servants succumb to the Serpent Curse, a magical malady that transforms humans into a snakelike race known as ophidians, and are driven into the hills to the west. »
A band of ophidians stumbles across the ruins of an ancient sarrukh city, hidden beneath what is now the western end of the Forest of Wyrms. During their explorations, the ophidians discover the Naja Fountain, an ancient sarrukh artifact guarded by a powerful ha-naga named Terpenzi. Claiming to be the prophet of the World Serpent, Terpenzi proclaims himself King of Najara and begins a decades-long campaign to subjugate the scattered tribes of ophidians. »
The ophidians of Najara summon the Hss'tafi tribe of yuan-ti from the southern jungles of Chult to increase their strength against the rising power of the Netherese survivor states. The yuan-ti establish themselves as Najara's ruling caste. »
Terpenzi assembles a great army of ophidians commanded by yuan-ti to attack the growing might of Ebenfar. The armies of Ebenfar destroy the city of SS'thar'tiss'ssun, cloak its ruins in powerful warding spells, and scatter the serpentfolk of Najara. Terpenzi leads its remaining armies into battle with the Shadowking, but is destroyed. The battlefield becomes known as the Fields of the Dead. »
Human Varae-worshippers from the Shining Plains come north in search of the lost city of Ss'thar'tiss'ssun. They discover an artifact created by House Orogoth that transforms them all into ophidians. »