Lamia
Lamia, sometimes called Serpentfolk, are a rare species of snake-like humanoids with a connection to the Cult of the Serpent, devotees of the Dark Deity Apophis. Lamia can be born naturally, but they can also appear as a mutation of another species.
The Lamia are mutants, a people who have modified their their own bodies in such a way, they created a new species. The first Lamia were devotes of the dark serpent God, Apophis, first appearing as early as the Silver Age, they believed that the form of the serpent was the ultimate state of being, and in order to achieve this perfect form, one in the image of their God, the ancestors of the Lamia began experiment on themselves with dark magic. With the aid of Apophis itself, the Lamia began to develop macabre rituals of transformation to alter their very being, eventually transforming themselves into horrifying serpent hybrids.
At first the transformations were only minor at first, granting the first Lamia minor serpentine traits, but as the decades and centuries passed, their rituals only became more powerful and more effective, eventually rewriting the devotes biology in such a way they created an entirely new species of people.
In the Modern Era, most Lamia are born as offspring of Lamia parents, but the practice of serpentine transformation is still alive and practiced among the followers of the Cult of the Serpent. Lamia now use their dark rituals to further transform themselves into even more grotesque serpentine forms, and some rumours suggest they even subject unwilling captives to their rituals, transforming them into mindless, monstrous slaves.
Because of their history of violence, xenophobia, slavery and devotion to the Dark Deity, Apophis, Lamia are widely hated and feared across Exorsia, leading to them being mistrusted, hunted and even killed on sight. Those that still survive can be found banished to the dark corners of Exorsia, or nameless islands within the Kuai Archipelago, where their hidden cults continue their macabre rituals in devotion to their dark lord.
The Cult of the Serpent
A large majority of theLamia population are followers of the Cult of the Serpent, devotes of the Dark Deity of Destruction, Chaos and Serpents, Apophis.
While it was believed that a large number of Apophis' cultists were killed during the Exorsian Civil Wars, as well as the Fall of Arcanum, evidence of groups of these cultists can be found across Exorsia, commonly living in hiding. There are even records of large, more developed, Lamia cults located upon the more remote islands of the Kuai Archipelago, who have built a civilisation for themselves, as well as large temples to their dark God.
Lamia cults are know to be evil and destructive, heeding the call of their dark God. They believe that all other beings and lesser, filth to be purified or perfected, and therefore are deserving of death or enslavement. It is said that slaves captured by Lamia are eventually transformed into mindless monstrous servants known as Wretched.
The Lamia cults are also known to perform Demonic rituals, and consort with Demons. One of the Cults primary languages is Abyssal, which is predominately used among the Cult's priesthood, as well as for religious rites and rituals. But the more common and colloquial language used by Lamia is Draconic, despite the fact that they have no biological relation to Dragons or Dragonkin. The reason for this remains a mystery.
The Lamia strive to free their God Apophis from its prison, bringing forth the fall of the Gods and creating a utopia for serpent-kind.
Serpentine Transformation
The Cult of the Serpent believe that the form of the serpent is the ultimate state of being, as it is the appearance of their God Apophis. To achieve their envisioned perfection, the Lamia are known to perform macabre rituals to transform their followers into more serpentine forms, with 5 stages of transformation.
While Lamia Acolytes and Half-Blood are generally classed as Mortals, as many of them still have their Souls intact, Pure-Bloods, Wretched and Ascended seem to lose their Mortality after undergoing the transformation ritual. It is speculated that their Souls are either consumed to fuel the transformation Magic, or consumed by Apophis itself.
While some Lamia are born with higher levels of transformation, generally the more important your position within the Cult, and the more devoted you were to Apophis, the higher stage of transformation you are rewarded, with the highest level of transformation, the Ascended, saved for only the chosen of Apophis.
The Lamia are categorised into five sub-groups depending on how far they are along in the transformation.
Acolytes
Lamia Acolytes, sometimes called Tainted, are the most humanoid of the Lamia, with only minor serpent-like traits. They are usually the lowest ranking members of the Cult of the Serpent, usually performing the Cult's menial labour.
Acolytes tend to resemble their origin species, usually Human, but with certain snake-like qualities, like serpentine eyes, patches of colourful or patterned scales across their bodies, clawed fingers, sharp fangs, and forked tongues. Acolytes also usually possessed innate, serpentine Magic, like the ability to spray venom, talk to or control snakes, and even charm and enchant people.
Due to their humanoid appearance, Acolytes are the best at disguising themselves, and blending in while outside of their Cult settings. This makes them excellent spies for the Cult, or it could even make it easier for a Lamia to escape the Cult and forge a life for themselves in the outside world.
Wretched
Lamia Wretched, sometimes called Broodguard, were mindless monstrous creatures who were completely subservient to the Lamia. Wretched are believed to be created exclusively from captures slaves or traitors, and are not a usual stage of Lamia transformation.
Wretched are animalistic and have lost much of their humanoid intelligence, they are commonly used as guards, hunting animals or to perform difficult labour.
Wretched have also lost almost all of their humanoid appearance, and instead resemble quadrupedal lizards, hairless, with slick, scaley skin, long tails, serpentine eyes, clawed feet, forked tongues, and sharp teeth.
Half-Bloods
Lamia Half-Bloods, sometimes called Malisons, are the most variable of Lamia, having an equal mix of both humanoid and snake like features. Half-Bloods are usually soldiers and up-and-coming priests within the Cult.
Half-Bloods are usually the same size as, and have many of the same traits as the Acolytes, but with larger patches of scaley skin across their bodies, mixing with that of their humanoid skin. More significantly, Half-Bloods have serpentine body parts, replacing that of their humanoid ones. Some have snake-like heads, but with humanoid bodies, some retain their humanoid head and torso, but have a serpentine lower body instead of legs, and others are largely humanoid but with multiple tentacle-like serpentine arms.
These additional serpentine limbs gave Half-Blood a variety of different abilities, like a venomous bite, the ability to spit venom, or the ability to constrict and crush their enemies with their tails. Many Lamia Half-Bloods were also able to shapeshift, transforming into large, Human-sized snakes.
Pure-Bloods
Lamia Pure-Bloods, sometimes called Abominations, are usually the highest ranking Lamia, unless a Ascended is present. Pure-Bloods are a stage of transformation reserved only for the most elite warriors of the most devoted of the priesthood of Apophis.
Pure-Bloods resemble massive serpents, standing almost twice the size of a Human, with little to no humanoid traits remaining beside their torsos and arms. Pure-Bloods are a combination of all the different types of Half-Bloods, their bodies are covered in scales, they have a powerful tail instead of legs, and their head was completely serpentine, sometimes hooded. Some even had multiple tentacle-like serpentine arms.
Pure-Bloods had all the traits and abilities of the different types of Half-Bloods, and were also able to shapeshift, transforming into massive, Horse-sized snakes.
Ascended
The Lamia Ascended, sometimes called Anathemas, are an almost mythological stage of Lamia transformation, reserved only for the most devote followers of Apophis, and created through a powerful and difficult ritual that only the worthy survive.
The Lamia Ascended were said to be the closest in appearance to Apophis itself, huge and powerful monstrous serpents, possessing all the traits and abilities of a Pure-Blood, along with superior strength, increased size and even more powerful innate Magic. Some Ascended are even recorded as having numerous, smaller serpentine heads instead of one, making them an imposing and terrifying sight.
Some scholars have speculated that the Ascended are an exclusive stage of transformation reserved for the Divine Champions of Apophis, while others have theorised that the Ascended are created though a magical fusion of the draconic Wyrm and a Lamia Pure-Blood.
Appearance
Lamia have a different appearance depending on what stage of transformation they are at. Even if they are capable of growing hair, many Lamia prefer to be bald as hair is a Mammalian trait, not a Reptilian one.
Acolytes. Acolytes tend to resemble their origin species, usually Human, but with certain snake-like qualities, like serpentine eyes, patches of colourful or patterned scales across their bodies, clawed fingers, sharp fangs, and forked tongues.
Wretched. Wretched resemble quadrupedal lizards, hairless, with slick, scaley skin, long tails, serpentine eyes, clawed feet, forked tongues, and sharp teeth. Male and female Wretched look almost identical.
Half-Bloods. Half-Bloods are usually the same size as, and have many of the same traits as the Acolytes, but with larger patches of scaley skin across their bodies, mixing with that of their humanoid skin. More significantly, Half-Bloods have serpentine body parts, replacing that of their humanoid ones. Some have snake-like heads, but with humanoid bodies, some retain their humanoid head and torso, but have a serpentine lower body instead of legs, and others are largely humanoid but with multiple tentacle-like serpentine arms.
Pure-Bloods. Pure-Bloods resemble massive serpents, standing almost twice the size of a Human, with little to no humanoid traits remaining beside their torsos and arms. Pure-Bloods are a combination of all the different types of Half-Bloods, their bodies are covered in scales, they have a powerful tail instead of legs, and their head was completely serpentine, sometimes hooded. Some even had multiple tentacle-like serpentine arms. Male and female Pure-Bloods look almost identical.
Ascended. Ascended resembled larger and more powerful Pure-Bloods. Some have also been recorded having numerous, smaller serpentine heads instead of one. Male and female Ascended look almost identical.
Maturity
Lamia mature around the same rate as their origin species, usually reaching adulthood by the age of 18.
A Lamia's lifespan is believed to be different depending on what stage of transformation they are at. Acolytes and Half-Bloods are believed to only live for as long as their origin species, if not slightly extended by a few decades, with Pure-Bloods and the Ascended probably being immortal. Wretched on the other hand seem to die within 15 to 20 years after being created.
Reproduction
Lamia hatch from eggs. A Female Lamia can produce a clutch of one egg. This egg must be kept warm for 7 to 9 months before it hatches.
All different sub-groups of Lamia can reproduce together, excluding the Wretched, who are always infertile. Acolytes are also believed to also be able to reproduce with other species of similar ancestry to their origin species, with their offspring either being a Lamia or the species of the other parent. This is usually dependant on which parent births the offspring.
A Lamia offspring are usually born as Acolytes, but some can also be born as Half-Bloods. No records of natural Pure-Blood or Ascended exist.
Varies (See Sub-Groups)
Diet
Carnivore
Native Language
Draconic
Patron Deity
Apophis - He Who Devours
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