Ophican

"I dated an ophican once, and I just don't get how they evolved. My boyfriend was mostly humanoid save for the horns and wings, but then I saw his family album and his grandpa was a big lizard head."

A sentient race native to Ophica that can alternate between a humanoid and dragon form at will. By evolving to have an innate ability to shapeshift, ophicans have adapted to their hellish homeland by disguising their monstrous forms with a more humanoid shape, allowing them ease of access in small spaces or a way to hide from larger hunters. Unlike most dragons or giant, bipedal lizards, Ophicans are able to speak to others regardless of their current form.
Despite being native to Ophica, almost all remnants of a culture are lost or broken. Ruins of what appear to be the remains of an unknown civilization are scattered across the continent. However, some aspects still live on in the form of stories pass down by older generations. Most ophicans typically live in harmony with humans, helping them survive one way or another.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ophicans are known to have had a very strange evolutionary pattern compared to other sentient races. When first encountered, an ophican's humanoid form appeared as a bipedal lizardman with few "human" qualities. As time passed, the newer generations began to control their shapeshifting much better, with their body becoming more humanlike but still rather alien. For example, many ophican bodies had a skin color that reflected their scales, so it would not be out of the question to see a purple-skinned man with horns and wings at the local market. In modern times, ophicans have more or less perfected imitating the look of a human, but do not currently know of a way to hide their horns or wings.
An ophican's humanoid form adopts characteristics from whatever their true form was. For example, a modern ophican will appear as a human with horns, a set of large wings, and possibly some scales.

Genetics and Reproduction

Ophicans lay eggs to produce offspring, with the eggs commonly being about the size of a car or carriage. They must give birth in their dragon/reptilian form, as it is impossible for them to properly release the egg while in human form. Once the mother gives birth, the egg must be kept in a warm environment (although there have been reports of ophican eggs hatching in cold lands) and will hatch in approximately 1-2 months.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ophicans begin their existence as a large egg that hatches after one to two months. Upon hatching, they appear to be a small, scaleless dragon with wings (if the parents have them). It is common for ophicans at this life stage to be unable to control their shapeshifting properly, resulting in nightmarish, grotesque forms that they try to pass off as their disguise.
After one year, the child will begin to develop scales and have a more controlled, yet still very flawed grasp of their shapeshifting. If the child has wings, they will begin to see more use and control as well. From here, their humanoid form will age much like a human does until the age of 14, where they will have free reign to control how they want it to look from now on. Their dragon form, however, is much more unpredictable in growth pattern, with dragons being highly varied in size. However, it is to be noted that an ophican's dragon form will not grow past 52 feet in height. Pure dragons, on the other hand, can be even more unpredictably massive.

Ecology and Habitats

Ophicans are native to the continent of Ophica and are able to live in most of its lands. While they can occasionally be found roaming other parts of the world, it is uncommon to see them settle in other lands. Despite this, you will almost never find them in cold, snowy territories unless it is home to a large mountain range.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While ophicans are omnivorous, they greatly prefer a carnivorous diet. Just about any beast will be considered edible to them. They are not even adverse to cannibalism, but only on the condition that the dead ophican was considered a bad person to the other. Food is food.

Biological Cycle

Ophicans shed their scales or skin at least once per season. The shed material is somewhat valuable and can be used for clothing, accessories, and even armor. Armor and weapons aside, many ophicans find this notion rather disgusting, but if they can make money off their own shed skin, it's worth it.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Ophica

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ophicans have very keen eyesight, especially at night, but are noted to have a strangely weak sense of taste. Any amateur chef that can toast bread and call it fine dining can offer it to an ophican and they will declare it delicious. Spread something on the toast and they will assume it is something everyone treasures. Much like actual reptiles, ophicans have an acute sense of smell and can detect various scents in the air with their tongue.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Although any sign of an ophican exclusive nation seems to have been destroyed long ago, it can be argued that the entire continent of Ophica counts as their land, with the exception of Milinea, as they view ophicans as demons.

Beauty Ideals

Although how they see other races beauty-wise depends on the individual, many ophicans base attraction on their dragon forms and how their horns or crests appear.

Average Technological Level

Ophicans, much like the rest of Ophica that isn't comprised of the citizens of Milinea, have a rather poor level of technology, not that they need or want most of it. Ever since Ophica was discovered by other continents, Dark Elf technology became commonplace as they would fly to Dokkalfheim and obtain compact travel supplies.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Draconic, Euneti

Common Taboos

Touching or defacing an ophican's horns in some matter is considered an extreme offense. Breaking and collecting them from a dead body is seen as a cruel action, being comparable to collecting human heads and mounting them upon a wall.

Common Myths and Legends

Although many aspects of what is assumed to be ancient ophican civilization has been destroyed, many myths live on in the form of stories passed down through generations. Many of them tell of old heroes and the mysterious wildlife of their continent, but most notably, most of these stories seem to revolve around the idea that the entire continent of Ophica was once a living, breathing monster of a titan before something shattered or weakened its core. Many researchers have tried to look into the Colossal's Heart in the center of the continent, but due to the many dangers of the land, almost no actual evidence of these myths being true have been acquired.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Ophicans are delighted to be around humans as they were the first sentient race to reach out to them in both Ophica and other countries. However, the humans of Milinea have decisively strained relationships with the ophican race as a whole, as the nation has used propaganda to brand them as demons.
Of course, the Milinean citizens are they only ones that buy this.

Lifespan

427 Years

Average Height

30-50 feet in dragon form, human form varies

Average Weight

Impossible to consistently measure

Average Length

Impossible to consistently measure

Average Physique

Ophican physique tends to vary as they can alter how their "default" human form looks. Their dragon form tends to be well-built and filled with enough strength to lift heavy objects effortlessly. This strength extends to their human form, even if it is concealed. It does still look silly seeing a child lift a truck without the use of magic.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Ophicans come in different colors, all of which have the option of reflecting on their human form. During the early Umbral cycle, it was common to see an ophican with unusual skin tones in their human form, such as orange or purple, if their dragon form had that color as well.