Ophidian

The ophidian race dates back to the beginning of the Fanged Kingdom, roughly 1000 BC and were the ultimate inspiration for the creation of the dragonborn race. The gwerin rulers had uncovered hidden secrets from the aelvar--the techniques and patterns that were used to create humans and orcs. They applied these in lesser ways, breeding in traits of their favored animals, the serpents, into their slave populations of elves and humans. Almost all residents of the Jungle of Fangs descend from these experiments and alterations. The results varied tremendously. Over the 1200 years since then, the various groups have interbred primarily with similar kindreds and have created distinct lineages. The ophidians are one of these. They are the least human, the most altered.

Visually, ophidians are slender, graceful, and slightly shorter than the fang-kin, standing 5'2" on average. Males and females show little sexual dimorphism; secondary sexual characteristics are small. Facial and body hair is minimal on the majority of ophidians. Their eyes show the distinctive vertical-slit irises and most commonly are red or iridescent green. Their hair is more mottled in scale-like patterns than the fang-kin, and tends to be straight or wavy. Scale-like patches of pigmented skin cover parts of their bodies, most commonly the chest and neck and the upper legs.

Different lineages exist, each claiming to trace their heritage to a specific type of snake. Some evidence of this exists--certain groups have an operational venom sac and can inflict a nasty poisoned bite while others cannot.

Culturally, ophidians tended to live on the outskirts of society until the Ophidian Treaty. In Asai'ka, they are considered second-class citizens and discriminated against, while in the Serpent Dominion they have integrated into society pretty well and are common among the priesthood (especially the Temple Dancers). The Sha'slar Autonomous Zone is not home to many, but they are accepted if they are willing to work like anyone else. A few tribes still keep to their old ways in the deep jungle at the southern tip of the jungle, however.

They live throughout the Jungle of Fangs but especially in the Serpent Dominion at the southern end of the region.

The Isal'psa

One side effect of the manipulation imposed on their ancestors is that ophidian children have a significantly increased risk of somatic birth defects, including fused legs, malformed heads, and missing or vestigial arms. When such a child is born, they are traditionally taken to the shamans for "treatment". This treatment involves both rituals and drugs, and results in death or the creation of an isal'psa--a king snake. The malformed body part is transformed into a snake-like appendage--fused legs into a functional snake tail, missing or vestigial arms are replaced by serpentine, fanged appendages, and heads are shaped into a hooded visage resembling that of a cobra. Failures either die outright or become a full hybrid of snake and man, called a kapar'psa (protector snake) for their enhanced protective impulses.

The isal'psa are held in reverence by most ophidians, especially the more tribal ones. Polite fang-kin culture considers them unclean and shuns them, however. Isal'psa are almost uniformly sterile--the drugs and magic involved (along with the body-reshaping) removes their sexual desires and capabilities. Instead, they become emotionally cold and distant, able to lead by pure reason and persuasion. Some develop significant magical powers.