Ophidians

Ophidians, also known as the snake people or snake folk, are the remnants of a race which inhabited the world in times long past. These people are descended from the inhabitants of the Ark of the Reasoned, a habitat which protected them through the ravages set upon their race by the gods. In the thousands of years that passed in the Ark they developed a conservative and strictly ordered society. In the years after their release they have settled a series of islands, named New Ophidia, and formed a new society alongside the lizardfolk and grungs.

### Snake Folk

The Ophidians evolved in a time long past, where the primary form of life on the planet was reptilian. These primal roots give the snake folk a keen understanding of reptiles; they prefer to keep cold-blooded pets and to use the few species of ancient reptiles that they preserved in their ark for beasts of burden and transportation. In physical appearance the Ophidians have much in common with snakes, they have a long muscular serpentine tail which makes up over half their mass and meets with a smooth and scaled humanoid torso. Ophidians have two arms ending in four fingered hands and a flat face with no nose, only nostrils. Their eyes are reptilian and see well in the dark, their lipless mouths have quite humanoid teeth, with molars for chewing vegetables, as well as long, folding fangs that can deliver a relatively weak poison. An ophidians’ scales are smooth and shiny, ranging in colours and patterns depending on their lineage, only those descendant from the great god-terrors of the past have their characteristic purple colouration.

### Ordered Society

Living in the sealed environment of the ark for many thousands of years has lead to a society of great discipline, conservation, and community. While their relatively quick reproductive cycle has allowed them to grow to a large population size in the years since the sundering, most ophidians still reside in the crowded cities of New Ophidia, enjoying the sense of community in the teeming masses. Only a very few ophidians, usually considered eccentric or mad, leave the large cities for a life in the wider world. Even most of those that leave Ophidia find themselves in Ophidian enclaves in other cities. It takes a very odd, or motivated, Ophidian to decide to wander the world as an adventurer, and those that do will attach themselves to a group as soon as they can.

Most Ophidians have a healthy respect for law and order, having lived in an environment where individualism could lead to the demise of their entire race. This instinct is not hard-wired, and the years of living in a less critical situation has softened it somewhat. While most will follow the orders of authority, they also ensure that the rules they live under line up with their ideals of a proper society. Even now however it takes a truly egregious violation of morality or common sense for an Ophidian to baulk at an order from proper authority.

### Inventors and Merchants

With the demise of their race brought about by the incautious pursuit of ever more powerful magic, most Ophidians have a healthy distrust of magic. This has spurred the development of technologies to fufil the purposes that could otherwise be accomplished magically, and created an ideology that prises inventiveness above most other qualities. The Ophidians are not against capitalizing on their developments either, and their manufactured goods, devices, and most especially firearms are in high demand throughout the world. Because of this demand there are Ophidian enclaves in many of the major trading cities of the world, where they can supply this demand without having to ship their products across the seas.

### Ophidian Names

Ophidian names are genderless, and consist of a series of shorter names conjoined into a brief history of the individual’s important forebears. Most Ophidians who deal with the other races choose one of these short names, or find a fitting nickname in order to ease conversations, however in conversations with other Ophidians the use of incomplete names can be seen as insulting or patronizing. An important clue to an Ophidian’s social standing is the length of their full name, usually longer is better.

**Ophidian Names.** Sisin’thixir’ossar’isii, Tlax’isin’ritii’olsu’pass’soli, Mirs’qisin, Plin’iisil’liux’tlax’isin’ritii’oton’tlin’quo’jup

## Ophidian Traits

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

**Age.** Ophidians reach maturity quickly, usually around the age of 10, and live as long as humans. The ancient rituals and magic that allowed God-Terrors of old to reach immortality have been lost to time, intentionally.

**Alignment.** Ophidians thrive in ordered societies and are usually either lawful good or lawful neutral. There are generally few evil Ophidians due to their memories of the punishment that befell their evil ancestors.

**Size.** Ophidians are near to Goliath in terms of size and weight, although they can be taller if they extend their tail. Your size is medium.

**Speed.** Your base ‘walking’ speed is 30 feet. In addition, Ophidians’ tails make them strong swimmers, you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

**Darkvision.** Your reptilian eyes are adapted to darkness, you can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

**Magic Resistance.** You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

**Poison Fangs.** You can use your fangs as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit you deal 1d6 poison damage.

**Militia Training.** Every Ophidian learns to help defend the race, you gain proficiency with light armour and firearms.

**Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common, Ophidian, and Draconic.