Article:
D&D 4th ed: My Favorite Snail People.

Another creature feature today, this time I bring you my favorite snail people, the Manu.
I enjoyed using Manu as non-player character clients for a group of mercenary style player characters in a recent plane hopping campaign based out of Sigil (the city of doors, found in the Dungeon Masters Guide II).
The Manu speak very slowly and think things over before responding to any question, a habit which drove one of the player characters to invent a potion which greatly sped up the Manus' metabolism... Snail folk speed potions.
The results, short term, were most satisfactory for all concerned, but after a while, it became clear that the poor Manu had become hopelessly addicted to the stuff, with disastrous consequences!

The Manu.
Originally found in lush forests and overgrown swamps in the Feywild, Manu are a slow, passive and curious folk who have managed to travel widely, despite their relative physical frailty, and can now be found anywhere that is rich in plant life.
Manu communities are small and leave little impact on the natural environment. They live on a wide variety of plant life and fungi, and enjoy an occasional large insect to round out their diet. Minimalist construction using any available materials allows them to blend in; one could walk right through a Manu village and not realize it were anything more than a particularly abundant area of natural forest or swamp land.
While the may seem primitive, the Manu are deep thinkers and have an advanced understanding of nature and alchemy. They produce some of the most potent potions, elixirs, serums and consumable goods one can find, and will trade them freely for worked metal tools and other items that are hard for them to produce for themselves.
While not an aggressive species, the Manu are selfless and fierce defenders of their small communities. Their knowledge of nature crafts and alchemy make them a valuable slave race for those who would use such skill and turn it towards evil ends, so the snail folk have had to learn how to protect themselves.
The Manu are happy to provide shelter, healing services and supplies to travellers, and their very slow, laid back manner, while infuriating in a crisis, is a welcome change for most adventurers, who make a lifestyle out of flirting with disaster.