Unreviewed Ophissa

[Oxindra]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

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• Intent: To create a new species on the planet of Naboo, to roleplay with the Royal Naboo Republic
• Image Credit: X/X/X/X/X/X
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: Naboo Royal Naboo Republic

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Name: Ophissa
• Designation: Sentient
• Origins: Naboo
• Average Lifespan: 400 years
• Estimated Population: Planetary (A Large Concentration on a single world or system, rarely found off-world),
• Description: A race of tall humanoid serpent beings, the most striking thing about the Ophissa is the snake features that each member of the species has. Each of the eyes are slit and they have pointed fangs within their mouths.

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Breathes: Type1
• Average Height of Adults: 2.5 to 3 meters (Full Height)
• Average Length of Adults: 4 to 5 meters
• Skin color: [ Their commons skin colors. ] Their skin color ranges from white, to green, to olive skinned. Their scale colors are usually green or blue, but many colors can be seen.
• Hair color: [ Their common hair colors, if any. ] Varies but normally they are darker colors
• Distinctions: Despite the serpentine features that the Ophissans have, one of the many defining factors is the actual hair of of the Ophissans. While some may have similar hair to that of humans, other times Ophissans have hair entirely made up of living smaller snakes. These snakes seem to have a connection with its user, obeying its will. Each Ophissan no matter the race has fangs of a snake, able to inject a toxin into someone else's blood if they so choose. Their skin that isn't covered by scales tends to be soft but oily, as a means to perhaps keep in moisture if they find themselves in a dry climate. It's noted that once they reach 80 GSY, they stop showing signs of aging.
• Races:
  
  Medusae: The Ophissans who are humanoid and can walk on two legs, but still poesses alot of serpentine traits, even having patches of scales along their skin.
• Force Sensitivity: All
  Strengths:
  • Natural Venom Production- Ophissans have their own venom glands, allowing them to inject either a deadly poison or a paralyzing agent into their victim's blood stream.
    Agile- Ophissans are an agile species, allowing them to move quickly across a battlefield or environment quickly.
    Low grade pre-cog: Each Ophissan has the innate ability of limtied low grade pre-cog. This comes in handy in combat allowing them to have quicker reflexes when dodging attacks.
    Enhanced Strength: Ophissans are known to be stronger than most humanoids. They are comparable to Kyuzo in strength normally. When constricting an enemy their strength is comparable to that of a Wookie.
    Heightened Senses- Better sense of smell, hearing, eyesight and taste.
  
  Weaknesses:
  Vulnerable to Force Null Fields: Force Null fields cause Ophissans to be slow and sluggish, some even been known to gone insane inside of a Force Null field.
  Dry Climates: Dry climates that have little to no moisture, are not suitable environments for Ophissans. They run the risk of drying out if left in such environments for extended periods of time.
  Sensitive To Rapid Temperature Changes- Rapid temperature changes hot or cold, are not ideal for Ophissans. It takes much longer for their bodies to reach a state of homeostasis than the average humanoid. As such they are slower to adjust to such changes, and require specialized suits to regulate their internal temperatures.
  Sensitive Senses- Their acute senses can be overwhelmed by alot of stimuli.
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    CULTURE
  • Diet: Carnivore
  • Communication: Either speaking in Galactic Basic or in thier native tongue which is a series of hisses
  • Technology level: Galactic Standard
  • Religion/Beliefs: The Great Cosmic Serpent is the primary deity the Ophissans worship. The Ophissans believe that the galaxy was created by the Cosmic Serpent slithering across the cosmos, laying mighty eggs in her wake. Those eggs would hatch to form the stars themselves, and from there smaller eggs were layed to make the planets and moons. Then the Cosmic Serpent rested, wrapping the galaxy in her coil as she watched over it. She watched life develop on each world naturally content.
    
    But then the entity known as the Great Devourer tried to wipe out the galaxy the Cosmic Serpent made. The two great entities did battle against each other, with the Cosmic Serpent emerging victorious driving the Great Devourer back, but she was on the edge of death. In it's last breaths, it created the Ophissans, her children so that a piece of her essence is in the galaxy. So that if the Great Devourer ever returned, the Ophissans would be ready.
  • General behavior:
    
    Family Life: The Ophissans are an all female race, thus they stray from th traditional family structure. Ophissans are organized into Dens usually led by a Den Mother. A Den Mother is usually the Ophissan that laid the eggs that would eventually become members of the Den. Sometimes, a Den Mother is an Ophissan who has agreed to take on cluthces of eggs from other Ophissans who feel they are not ready to be Den Mothers or have no desire too. These are known to be Exalted Dens, led by a Revered Den Mother. Den Mothers are responsible for raising the younglings, providing food for them, as well as clothing them. Sometimes, Dens would have two Den Mothers, usually the Den Mothers being a mated pair.
    
    Procreation: Ophissans by the time they reach 80 GSY, have moved on from the young adult stage and moved into the fully adult stage. In this stage and onward the body has a chance to induce a process similar to Parthenogenesis. A chemical is released that induces this process, maaking the Ophissan behave more protectively of itself, to the point of even having sprouts of violence in an effort to protect itself randomly from everything and everyone. A test can be done to see if the chemical has been released. If so, the Ophissan must return home to make a nest in an area of the Naboo swamps where others are nesting as well. An Ophissan can lay up to 3-6 eggs, with some very rare cases of it being 7 or 8. The eggs themselvess start out small, but then grow larger as time goes on. It usually takes about two years for the embroyos to develop before the eggs hatch and the young are born. During this process its usually left up to the egg-laying Mother to take care of the eggs, with dedicated Egg Tenders also helping out to ensure the Mother's well being. Though despite these efforts, some eggs do just never hatch or turn black. It is a great time of sadness for the egg-laying mother. Such eggs are properly discarded by incinerating them, so their spirits can be set free. With the advantages of space travel, some have elected to hurl their unfortunate eggs into stars.
    
    There have been very are cases of when Parthenogenesis is induced in an Ophissan during this two year period of egg caring. It's believed that the chemical or the gland that produces the chemical self regulates itself to ensure the Ophissan body isn't overly taxed. It is unknown on how the gland determines to start the process of Parthenogenesis in the first place. The Ophissans belive it to be a blessing from the Cosmic Serpent. More rational anthropologists, and other scientists believe its seasonal, most notably happening in Naboo's Spring and Summer time. There is also a chance than an Ophissan will never go through Parthenogenesis in their entire lifespan.
    
    Mating Rituals: When one Ophissa wishes to marry or be bonded to another being, the Ophissa must prove herself to her potential partner. The recipent must then give the proposer a task or a misson. It can range from the simplest of things to the most challenging. One may to simply weave her a basket out of a specific material without any help. Another might suggeest to best her in combat. Whatever the request is, it must be completed. When the agreement is made, the pair must go to a temple to speak to a Priestess, who will write the agreement down, and getting the signatures of both parties. It will be stored away safely. Upon mission success, the written agreement becomes the legal certification of being mated. Upon failure, the agreement is burned.
    
    Bonded mates are marked with a bite on their necks, to show they are taken. Monogamous and Polyamorus relationships are both common in Ophissa society.
    
    Culture: There is four stages to an Ophissan life
    
    0-30 GSY: Formative years, where the Ophissans are considered children and are taught all the fundamentals of their society and life. Alot of primary schooling and hands on education happens in this stage.
    
    30-80 GSY: Young adulthood. Secondary schooling and career training begins here.
    
    80-300 GSY. Fully fledged adulthood. Ophissans at this stage can now freely leave their lands and even the planet if they wish. Many are equipped with the skills of their chosen career path and will continue down it. Some may take their skills and pursue careers out in the galaxy instead. This stage is also the stage where Parthenogenesis happens the most and they stop physically growing and aging at 80 GSY
    
    300-400 GSY: Considered the Matriarchy years. Ophissans in this stage usually return home to begin helping train the next generations. They usually feel content with their lives andd just wish to help educate the young.
    
    Ophissans are a highly religious society, where they believe everything they do is in honor of the Great Serpent and her sacrifice to save the galaxy. This is had led to a holier than though complex, where the Ophissans see themselves as superior not out of racial superiority but purely because they believe they are the direct descendants of the Cosmic Serpent. While in present day, such zealotry and fanatcism isn't has pronounced, it still does shape Ophissan culture. The Ophissans have developed a warrior culture, their soldiers usually always training to be the best incase the Great Devourer came back. Ophissans heavily favor energy bows for their ranged weapon. As for melee, vibro glaives and swords are the preference. Naturally this has made them great huntresses and trackers.
    
    Society: Ophissans are ruled by a council of Oracles, usually Ophissans who spent years developing their pre-cog abilities. Oracles are never voted in instead they are usually the oldest member of the clergy that gets to fill the roll of an Oracle when one passes away. There is a total of seven Oracles on the Council, and they usually spend most of their time in deep meditations. Most of the day to day operations are instead ran by The Gorgon. The Gorgon is a title similar to that of a Queen, though the title isn't hereditary. Instead every 50 years, the title of Gorgon is up for grabs, and 10 champions are selected from the warriors to be contenders for the Gorgon.
    
    The Gorgon must be ready to defend all Ophissans from the Great Devourer. As such there is a three week period known as War Games, where the ten champions compete against each other for the title. They are tested on dueling, military tactics, leadership, ranged weapons, logistics. Everything a monarch should know about warfare. When the Games are done, the public submit votes. The Champion with the most votes, becomes Gorgon for the next 50 years. There is no term limit, but all participants must be at least 80 GSY.
    
    HISTORICAL INFORMATION
  
  
  Evolving on the planet of Naboo, the ancient Ophissans were an aggressive, expansionist race. Their tribal societies often warred with each other, trying to secure more resources or hunting grounds. It wasn't until one tribe used religion, that of the Great Cosmic Serpent, to try and unify all the tribes of the Ophissans. What also really helped that there was the Gungans who kept encroaching on Ophissan claimed lands. Following underneath the religious identiy of the Great Cosmic Serpent, the Ophissan tribes united. They then moved against the Gungans, sparking centuries of conflicts between the two people, primarly over the swamps, water ways, and hunting grounds. It was during this time that the Ophissans also engaged in eating Gungans as a sign of deliacacy and victory.
  
  Even when the first human colonists came down to Naboo, the Ophissans had brief skirmishes with them but primarily left them alone, to focus on the Gungans. The human and gungan wars have also taken up the Gungan's time which then drove them to remain underwater, in places where the Ophissans couldn't reach them without taking heavy losses. As such the Ophissans secured their territory, and began to develop more as a civilization. Limited contact was made with the Nabooians, usually in the forms of agreeements to share the planet. The Ophissans weree even showed how to properly cultivate Shaak, a docile species raised to be slaughtered for their meat. This introduction had reduced the need of hunting, thus allowing the Ophissans to begin to build cities and advance.
  
  Thus the cultural and technological wonders began to trickle to the Ophissans. Skirmishes with the Gungans had continued, tensions between the species always hostile. The Naboo had intervene before mainly to try and keep peace and to get the Ophissans to stop eating the Gungans. There was a tense peace on the planet for years, despite the skirmishes between Gungans and Ophissans. By the time the Trade Federation had invaded Naboo, the Ophissans were utilizing many Galactic Standard technology, mainy in the form of new weapons and animal husbandry practices. They didn't particpate in the liberation of Naboo, actually using the ordeal to secure a bit more Gungan territory. Once the Naboo were back in power, the Ophissans were encouraged to release the recently annexed territory back to the Gungans.
  
  Years passed by with the Ophissans officially not taking part in any major Galactic events. There were a few who left the world to become bounty hunters but many Ophissans remained on Naboo. They spent these years learning more about Galactic Technology, maintaining their borders and of course skirmishing with gungans. Destruction wouldn't come to the Ophissans unttil the year 899 ABY. Netherworld rifts opened up all across Naboo, for the Ophissans, the Great Devourer had come for them. They fought off these entities in their own territories, their warriors dying for the Great Cosmic Serpent. But while the Naboo fled, the Ophissans endured in this darkness. Even after the rifts closed, the Ophissans fought off raiders and pirates who tried to take advantage of the Chaos.
  
  When the Naboo returned and began to rebuild and restored Order, the Ophissans were appreciative. But only year later, a plague struck Naboo. A plague that primarily affected force users. With the Ophissans being all force sensitive, the plague was beyond devasting for them. Hundreds of thousands of their people dying or killing each other, or having to be put down. The current Gorgon then spoke with the Council of Oracles but found that they had all perished from the plague. As such, it was believed that the Gungans had developed a weapon. War was declared as the Ophisans invaded Gungan waters out of revenge. But it was misguided. The Naboo came in to intervene, telling the Ophissans the truth and providing them a cure.
  
  Ashamed, the Ophissans then retreated to rebuild their what was lost. Presently, the Ophissans have elected a new Gorgon, one who promises a more balanced view and that one day hopes to be greater integrated on the planet of Naboo.