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Ancient, powerful, corrupt and predatory, the Ophidians are the spawn of an
era of violence and darkness. Th is people, so old it has forgotten its origins,
has survived the passage of time thanks to brute force and treacherousness.
Coiled patiently in the ruins of its own civilization, it has been awaiting the
rise of Darkness, the Age of the Rag’narok.
Today the time has come. Its curses are powerful and its slaves are many and
obedient. Th e Ophidian people are ready for the fi nal battle and are certain
to win it.

== Chronology ==

*Age of the Gods Creation of the Ophidians .
*255 The Ophidians leave Aarklash.
*1 001 The Ophidians are back.
*1 004 The Ophidians invade the archipelago of the Fang of Fire.

== History ==

Many eons ago, the dragongod
Vortiris spawned a species
in his likeness: the Ophidians.
Making the other gods jealous,
Vortiris was imprisoned.
His children then set out to free
him.
Being a vigorous people, the
Ophidians soon established their
hegemony over their continent, Belgorn.
Yet they clashed with the Ishim Empire
that came from the Syharhalna by sea. A
thousand years of war ensued, but neither
of the two peoples were clearly victorious.
While other peoples appeared on Aarklash, the Ophidians
felt the call of their lost god ringing across the Elemental
realms. At the height of its power the Ophidian civilization
suddenly disappeared, entirely emigrating through magical
portals.
Before the Rag’narok, the Ophidians made their way back to
Aarklash. Th ey have gained enough power and knowledge to
fascinate any servant of Darkness. Th e Empire of the Syharhalna
has off ered its assistance in exchange for knowledge. Using
Syhar ships, the Ophidians invaded the archipelago of the
Fangs of Fire, one of their former colonies. Th ey enslaved all the
pirates sailing the area. Comfortably nestled in their fortresses,
they are now launching attacks towards the continent.

http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/744505SERPENT.png

== Ragn'arok ==
Ophidians believe that Creation experiences several stages
of development. For each new stage, the prior stage needs to
be discarded, the same way a snake will shed its skin once it
has become too tight. Th e Rag’narok is one of these molting
periods. Creation is convulsing to shake off the weaker peoples
and the archaic beliefs as it is about to enter a new age;
an era of wisdom and knowledge. Th e Ophidians are there
to guide the lesser beings of Creation towards this new stage.
As for those who do not understand Syhe the need for change,or even worse, those who contest the obvious superiority
of Ophidians over puny mammals, their fate is already
sealed. Th ey shall be choked in the darkness of their own
ignorance.
Yet, most of the Ophidian army does not fi ght to defend
this ideal. Ophidian slaves, whose minds have been broken
by drugs and curses, fi ght without asking any questions.
Th ey blindly obey their masters. Th e more
autonomous servants, such as the apostates
of Darkness, are animated by a hunger
for power and a disturbing taste for
death. Th ey fi ght because they know of the
rewards. Th erefore, they fi ght as blindly as
the slaves do. Only the Ophidians themselves
are aware of the causes and consequences
of the struggle ahead. Th ey become
involved only when they have to, and
it clearly repulses them: all these creatures
and their puny civilizations disgust them.
Having to mingle the dry perfection of
scales and the sweet Ophidian power with
the greasy ichors of lowly hairy mammals
certainly does not delight them. Other
species are animals that need to be broken
to make sure they do not soil Creation.

== Army ==

Th e Ophidians have created an army that
relies heavily on its hierarchy. Th is army
is composed of troops whose survival instincts
have been erased, fi ghters that can
be killed to protect their masters. Just above them are found the allies or those servants who are capable of
initiative in the more unexpected situations. Finally, the whole
is topped by the Ophidians themselves.
Th e best example of the slaves are the syhes. Dominated
through magic and torture, they are soulless bodyguards, whose
purpose is to die for their master. Th ey are bound by shackles of
absolute servitude; servitude in war, as human shields, servitude
in peace, as sadistic entertainment for their masters
Th e apostates of Darkness have rejected their former causes,
no matter which ones they were. Subtle Ophidian corruption
has convinced them of the absurdity of their old beliefs.
Th e vortirans often lead the Serpent companies. Th ese gigantic
and immortal Ophidians are exceptionally strong and
quick. Perfectly ambidextrous, vortirans generally wield two
gigantic poisoned daggers.