Since we are talking about while RaL took a snooze, I guess I can give a preview of what I have been up to for the summer (besides trying to get my RP legs back) I said I was going to do it a long time ago, but could never get my thoughts right til now. This is work in progress, and I thought about making this a world plot coming if possible. Let me shut up and give you my imcomplete work. Summary Once descendants of a very ancient civilization, Ophidian have been long forgotten though seclusion from other pendragon and coveted exchanges with the rest of the world among trusted merchants. They were once the snakes of the desert until their exodus after a grave war that nearly wipe them out and have conserved their lifestyle and culture on the continent of (Pending name) that was masked by various magics and one of the natural and most dangerous wonder of the world. Description Not far into their spirit demi-god, Nebet, the ophid adopted into the same features of the snake although early pendragons were their original ancestors. They lost their quadpedal form entirely has a result. Instead, they are suited with a single long appendage ending with a long tail for the lower region of their bodies, however, shape-shifting into biped forms exist within both male and female with a small version of their snake recesses into that of reptilian tail. Their bodies are spent for lives on land where crossing a river are essential to their survival and civilianized life. Their bodies became streamlined. Their muscle size and shape are generally symmetrical proportionate, generally disregarding a basic measure on muscle mass and efficiency in work. This is a common mistake when judging the general physical strength of an Orphid, especially among females…as two individuals would have the same bicep circumference, size and shape, but one individual could lift 500kg more than the other based on its lifestyle. Regardless of this, males have a usual muscular build usually around the shoulder, chest and legs if applicable. Female are sleeker form as typical sex shapes. Their basic figure rarely changes though age other than general growth, regardless of what anaerobic work is preformed. Orphids have no protruding ears or fur, saved for a few rare mixed breeds, but lined with a skin of smooth scales that grows with the body until maturity and constricted from stretching for bulking muscle. Sometimes during adolescence, horned scales would formed around shoulders, neck, or/and tail among males. This occurs as scales peeled by sections around the areas of body spurs (projections of hard, pointed, and curved keratin protruding from the skin) and harden around the base. Their heads are snake-related based in genetics, with a mane of long straight hair along the back of their head and neck. Females sometimes have two or more colors into their hair, either blended or bold highlights by stripes/bands, which is a mark of beauty among them. The eyes are usually bi-colored (rarely gifted have tri-color or multi-color) with analogous hues, which the second color creates a halo around their narrow-slot pupil. Along side their circulatory system, ophidians have a special system takes wastes, toxins, excess materials from the blood and transferring to special glands, which create special concoctions. These one of these known compounds including a waterproof slick that sweats out during excessive swimming. The most well known mixtures are a series of toxins that the Ophid would use for destroying internal parasites that entered their body or an injecting venom defense against enemies, a minor neurotoxin that causes temporary paralysis in the limb where the wound is inflicted by a pair of hypodermic needles that lined themselves with the primary canines. Other evolutionary alterations instead of fangs might involve the needle growing around a talon, usually the index digit, or pair of holes along the upper part of the mouth that sprays a toxin into the opponents’ eyes, blinding them. An Ophid would have only one type of this defense and its only available once every three days, hence why it was a last resort for an ophid. It been known that other various toxins, magical and physical, can been created by this system for an ophid, provided they have special training in toxins and medicines. Reproduction and Social Life Ophidians mate by rite of marriage, usually with the practice of monogamy. An occasional bigamy occurrence is allowed within society, but very few would risk the integrity of the family by bringing a second wife or husband, especially their previous spouse have a personal problems with the new spouse. Polygamy over two or forceful marriages are often frowned upon if not legal, and the offended can leave the marriage without ceremony and usually with the law protecting them from retaliation. Marriages have to be approved by the head or elder within the family, which the potential couples might be tested if the elders are very skeptical about the union, especially if one is an outsider, which are most brutally tested. Tests might be a spiritual counsel with the patron god, mental testing with tricks and puzzles or even combat, in which killing is excusable. The couple usually live as part of the extended family of either wife or husband (depending on the symbols they exchanged in wedlock) as a new branch, with a reserved them a right to take one a vacant apartment section within the one of the family houses, such as the tiakus (family forum) or dormasku (grand house). The eggs are usually leather shelled and required at least 40 days of incubation in an area of heat and light moisture. Eggs are often entrusted in the care of chosen members who operated the hatchery of heated moist sands within an extended family home. Newborns are born within their serpentine form until at least four years of age or when their limbs are strong enough to take on the stressful practice of shape shifting and walking. While nurse feeding is usually the sole responsibility of the mother, hatchings are cared, groomed, protected and taught the basics by all members of the family, usually commune often with their youngling peers when their pool (as they are taught to swim in order to strengthen their limbs and socialize with their generation). Around eight years of age, the nioti/niotie are allowed to take on a tutor or guild of the trade they desired (or chosen by the family). It is not unlikely that younger dragons pick trades that are blessed by their symbol which they received two years before (which will be the main god symbol of the their house), but that doesn’t mean they have to. Fifteen years is the usually the time when the tutor recognizes the student fully knowledge enough to take on his trade in an independent study or as a practitioner if his skill shows promise and gives the student the right to take on a second symbol of the god matching the trade he teaches, if the family symbol hasn’t match it already. Social Structure (Pending) Habitat (Pending) Technology (Pending) Religion All Ophid have worshipped Nebet with henotheism. Despite their knowledge to any if not all of the known gods they might encounter, their fidelity to Nebet is resolute before other deities, but they have a principle to give respect to other gods as its gives respect to Nebet by respecting those that he would consider to be a peer. Nebet is considered to be a principle god of the Ophid and their ways…which has spit into four subforms of worship, based on the remains of his physical body after the mythological battle against Khebet, the destroyer. The common image of Nebet is erected in the form of winged snake, as well as the four symbols that were created by the body parts the god left behind. The Heart… The legend proclaimed that when the talons of the vulture severed the heart of the snake god, the rivet Sei’a had dried up from the source and had forever faded in the history books of the desert. It been told that the incapacitating of that sacred organ had crippled the sacred magical knowledge that once protected the dwellers of the deserts from famine and pestilence though the Enlighten Age. Because of these legends and generations of stories, the heart of Nebet is the symbol of the river, health and agriculture. It is the symbol that farmers adopt much if they expected to be successful in their trade, for its blessings will bring high floods to nourish their farms and even double their crop yield. Healers also adopt this symbol as they practice medicine, both pharmaceutical and arcane. (Special note: Ophids prefer floodplain farming, therefore having their villages and cites adjacent along one of the four main rivers. ) The heart represents the two flows (life or death, heath or sickness, fail or success) that have pumped between the two valves that are interlinked but not combined. Beholders of the symbol acknowledged that fact and respected the two ways of result, and educated themselves into how to make one way flow at a time…life in a crop til harvest before it dies, wellness in the body until death. The Tail... The meaning behind this symbols lies early within legend when Nebet convinced the jackal not to destroy the settlers, based on a deal which the terms are long forgotten. When the snake and jackal were satisfied, they sealed the deal with gesture similar to the present day handshake but since Nebet had no addition limbs to oblige to the jackal’s paws he used his tail inside to seal the deal. The Tail of Nebet was removed from battle and was left in care of his people that preserved it as a symbol of trade and diplomacy. The blessings give its followers the powerful art of persuasion and compromise. People have been known to give in more than they were first in sight of one who is true. Holders on the tail symbol are very convincing traders, but are true to their deals and the respect of the transaction. Lying and oath-breaking are grave sins to Nebet using his tail symbol and once caught will mar them for the rest of their days as their hold of the symbol will be defiled, in which no one will trust the offender or even sell anything to them. Some offenders speak that their symbol became rusted or darken as if the god sent the curse personally. The actual body relic is being displayed and guarded in its temple in Nijet, the water city. The Eye… It was believed that when Nebet lost one of his eyes in his battle against the destroyer, Khebet, he was unable to determine though the lie that the vulture used to give him purchase and gravely wounded the snake god. Since then, the disjoined eye was lifted by the people who desired veracity so much that they will learned the art of deception just so they could easily tell trickery by the way the person moves or speaks. The current rulers, magistrate, and lawyers as their courthouses, forums, valued the eye, and their other law buildings are obigated to have a shrine of Nebet’s eye to obtain its blessing. Its often represents justice, kingdom, politics and wisdom. Worshippers are quite fond to the study of the mind and how it works. The Eye is also worshipped by those who have an extreme interest in magic as its known for its focusing and perspective abilities. This remains is kept in the grand palace in Darkiny, under the watch of its powerful king and family. The Fang… (Processing now) History (Pending...Although I'll tell you that I did want to ingrated their past with that of the Anubi before the plague occured.) Language (Pending yet again) _____________________________________________________________________ Now for the text that I planned for a plot occured on the species I'm working on above. This was a legend about two spirts, blah..that sucked. Just look at it if you liked. (Yes, I do planned make an IC report about it by an excitied historian) (Untitled) I The time when life become a desert… And the desert never was a word. Plains were just bare and unnamed. As spirits found them as places to play alone from the sight of the living. Such was Anu who shattered the bare ground when it burned his feet. Having no work to serve something… The land became a pile of his work and boredom Pile of rock and crystal that cool a bed in the night.. II. Another spirit from ‘something’ dwell the land for a purpose They called him Nehet when they see his trail… Leaving a great wash of crystal blood That lacked the foreboding taste of rock... That the deep abyss gives curse to the mouth Forgotten plants will thrived on these trails But Neheb was a picky worker and hated the heat, One place he would not travel was though the barren… III. Til a night he stroll into the night’s dust, finding it comfortable under its belly.. Never wondering how these pieces came to be til Anu was before him Smashing the rock away… But the spirit stopped and stumped in the dust… Sighing over its own pain in its heart It glanced at its stranger Who called an odd liquid beside him. Nehet offered the liquid to the dark-furred creature and a brotherhood to began… IV Each night met the spirits again… The long creature checked trail Sei’a he made And greet his friend, who he called by name.. By the waters when sky-fire takes it home For Neheb argued with the sky to return it go to his home to fill the trail once again The journey last long though He would only make the trip once And again when ‘everything’ starts anew For he enjoyed the beds of dust And the pointed ear friend that makes them V. The spirits knew not of mortals during those times As none would come to where the two converse Til figures add new steps into the desert Escaping the anger from ‘nothing’ Both spirits knew nothing of these… …called them, “enkebs’ (invaders) and scared them away when the spirits met offered them as tokens to unknown lord in the sky not knowing wrong of doing so til these enkebs bend down to these two. Asking for their favor… The two knew not on helping them Only how to help themselves.. VI Anu knew only to mend the ground into a haven …capture the animals for his substance …defend his friend from danger …called up ‘everything’ when he was in need He gave this to the enkets Nebet only could keep the waters safe for comfort and nourish …recogize the plants that help and harm (unknownst to him, feed) …called up life to smooth a bodily evil (wounds) …ask grace and peace to the sky He gave this to the strangers… Not knowing what their gifts have done Til Nebet returns from his home for forty and four time As he sees Anu watching over his pile The wonders the enkebs created in their land VII Domes of mud and sand rose from Anu’s piles The enkebs dug around Nebet trails into patches Many greens things grow from the black patches The animals that Anu’s played favorably Hung on rods over a heated glare. Anu hung his head in disinterest And Talk to his friend into drive them away Nebet would agreed until he hear a whisper Which no one was present but Anu. The spirit traveled into land of enkebs And found a unique structure in the center of the village Where the enkebs kneel before statues Of the snake and jackal that helped them… Nebet came back to stop his friend vengeful spell That built great billows of sand and wind to destroy And for first time, the friends argued. With later lead to a wager between them was made. VIII The enkebs flourished under faiths of the spirit The spirit in turn, enjoy doing their whims and curses Learn to speak in dreams and in signs. The two found themselves using the enkebs as entertainment The enkebs used the spirits as structure of their lives. As the structures became of stone and great likeness Both entwined into ‘everything’ And ‘everything’ entwined with them The enkebs became no more Those that favored Anu grew pointed ears his honor Their bodies savored to the likeness of their loved one Initiming the jackal in their manners. Those of Nebet grew scales and lost their legs, only to call them back at their whim Became as swift as the river of their lord Tend the sick as they tend river as their kind one Both saw difference but called themselves as one Yet Nebet called his children, Ophid under the flower they offer to him Anu called his as copies (sons) of his name IX The blessing spread along barrens plains As there people moved to flourish But other spirits became jealous Of the two’s growing wealth to the world One was a great tyrant of the sky That once feasted on the rejects of the two spirits But no more enkebs existed… And little food came to feed Khebet from sky Greed and Jealous only brew with the bird That only ‘nothing’ listened to his pleas. And it gave him a plan… Few knew how it became… That the people began to judge difference Of their own cousins and neighbor Agents of the vulture proclaimed one spirit better than the other And all believe and disclaimed the past As the waters came forward from the Siet War brew between their followers And neither knew how it started X. Nebet returned to the dismay To find a bird sneering in delight to his work After the vulture offered to kill his friend and share the wealth Loyalty started first battle that eve Nebet overlooked Khebet in his rage As the vulture begged for mercy then ripped out his kind heart with his talons And dried up the rivers that night… Anu came to see his friend’s return To see only his destruction And bared his fangs for the second battle Khebet made fun on his rage Using the air to his own liking While the people warred over no reason Anu battled for revenge The vulture made his pass at the jackal Ripping away the beads of thirteen While Nebet stuck at the vulture for the last time Anu lashed at Khebet at last Two friends…Two wings… Ripped away the bird into nothing …. …. …. …. …. …. ….. …… ….. …… …. The snake took the left wing of the death carrier …the talons that rip away his heart; the anger of the skies followed ……………. .. .. .. . …. … …………… … …consume the heart that give his remaining fang a touch of death (poison) …………… ……. .. …….. ……… . The jackal took the right wing of the death monger … . ……. .. . .. .. …….. …….. …………….. …consume the blood in his rage, giving insight to life and death …stole the shadow for his liking … .. . . ……...... . .. … . . … .. ….. XI Nebet called his people for a favor To bring four of his remains… Its heart, eye, tail and fang. To his home in the blue. … . …. …. … .. Knowing he would never be able to return to Anu again As he return to his origin, left the four parts behind. The four order that his people preserved him from now on Perished as his friend knew him Abu saw his friend go away with his people In his lips, he pushed away the right wing of Khebet To the blue waters where the trophy swept away A form of a jackal faded at that time As his chain to ‘something’ was gone The beads that scattered became Anu Of the object they touched when they fell. The people sow on the fragments of their followers Becoming the base of their hearts For Anu and Nebet… Living within the blood and belief of the people They once scorn from the land. ____________ How bored you think I was...? ^^
ThatÂ’s really quite kewl, most people donÂ’t seem to bother with folk lore and stuff like that but its really gives the race a interesting feel to them. That and snakes are uber good :D Good stuff.
Yeah don't stop! It sounds pretty cool. Would definately like to get a snake pendragon... especially one with a history with the Anubis ^^
