Lamia
The serpentine predators with bodies of half-snake and half-female
All female race
Base Racial Traits
Ability Score Modifiers: (+2 Dexterity, +4 Charisma, -2 Wisdom): Lamia are incredibly powerful existences, and are naturally Nimble and Highly Charismatic, but they are not very wise. Size: Lamia are large sized creatures, and gain all the benefits and drawbacks from being such. Lamia gain no additional bonuses to ability scores due to their size. All ability score bonuses are factored into the race. Type: Lamia are Monstrous Humanoids with the reptilian subtype. Speed: Lamia have a base land speed of 30ft. Vision: Due to their nature as Monstrous Humanoids, Lamia gain sixty feet of darkvision. Languages: Lamia start play speaking both Common and Draconic. A lamia with high Intelligence may select one of the following languages as a bonus language: (Necril, Goblin, Orc, Aquan, Aklo, Celestial, Halfling and Gnome) Advanced Charisma: Lamia are incredibly charismatic and easily able to persuade others, and gain a racial +2 to charisma. Swallow Whole: Lamia are natural predators, and are terrifyingly potent eaters. They are treated as having the 'Swallow Whole(Ex)' universal monster rule. The damage for Swallow Whole begins at 4d8 acid damage per round, and increases by 1d8 for every 4 HD they have. Expanding Jaws: Lamia ignore the normal restrictions to swallow an opponent, and may swallow creatures up to their size, but take a -10 penalty to their combat maneuver check to swallow them. Swallowing Bite: Lamia have powerful jaws that are designed to let them gulp down prey as fast as possible. Lamia gain a bite attack at 1d8 base damage. If the bite is successful, as a free action the Lamia may make an immediate attempt to swallow the target so long as they are one size smaller than them as per the Swallow Whole monster rules. Tail Attack: Lamia have thick, powerful prehensile tails, and have a tail attack that does 1d8 base damage, for a large sized creature. This counts as a secondary natural attack. Constrict: Lamia are born with the ability and power to use their massive tails to crush the life from their foes. They gain the 'Constrict' universal monster rule at the damage their tail attack deals, plus relevant modifiers. Alluring Beauty: Lamia, despite their ferocious and sometimes savage natures, are creatures who possess a great deal of natural beauty none can deny. Lamia gain a racial +1 to the DC's of all charm and compulsion spells they cast. Natural Predators: Lamia are natural-born hunters and are raised and trained from birth in the ways of hunting and tracking. Thanks to this and their highly refined noses, they gain scent out to 60ft and a racial +2 on all survival and stealth skill checks. Weapon Proficiency: Lamia are proficient with Shortspears, Longspears, Spears, Javelins, Halberds, and treat any weapon with the word 'Lamia' in its name as a martial weapon.
Race Flavor:
An all-female race, the Lamia have yet to truly adapt to the modern world. Many of them still retain their beastly, predatory instincts, remnants of a bygone age where only the fittest and most cruel and cunning could ever hope to survive...as such, as a species they still traditionally relish devouring live prey, hunting their targets and toying with them, and breaking them in the painful ways possible, though their otherworldly beauty also makes them superb diplomats, social workers, and public speakers….a profession which more than one Lamia has been known to pursue. More than twice the size of a normal human, twice as tough and four times as beautiful, their beauty and strength is the stuff of myths and legends among the world’s populations, their supernatural beauty belied only by the viciousness and sadism in which they kill, torture, and eat those they hunt for both reproduction and food. While many have calmed from such barbaric heights somewhat to live among the civilized races as Senators, Noblewomen, Business Owners, and countless other professions in an effort to leave their fearsome days behind them, they are still feared in hushed circles and whispered voices as brutes and sirens, for their taste for live flesh has not quite abated in many of them. Most Lamia either make their home in the Inhuman Coalition, the only civilized country that will accept them and their man eating habits despite their pleas that they wish to enter society, as well as the great southern desert, where the lawlessness there lets them become bandits and tyrants, ruling over small bandit groups and small villages and the kobolds, goblins, and other monstrous races that live there.Basic Information
Anatomy
Lamia have two arms and no legs, instead having thick muscular tails that are often as thick as a normal sized human and allow them normal locomotion. They also have several sets of redundant organs and even a second nervous system within their bodies, which makes them even harder to kill than normal by allowing them to continue life when other creatures would have long ago died.
Their jaws were specially formed through evolution and are capable of unhinging and expanding to enormous sizes to allow them to swallow massive prey, where they will promptly be swallowed and sent down their throats into one of several awaiting stomachs that Lamia are known to possess, which allow them to devour countless prey before becoming truly 'full'. Those swallowed by them are condemned to a grisly fate in their stomachs, as Lamia often keep their meals 'simmering' inside them for days on end to provide continuous nourishment and effective feeding...thus dooming those swallowed to being slowly and painfully digested over the course of days as they are passed from one stomach to the next, sliding deeper into the body of their devourer and kept paralyzed by powerful enzymes to ensure the remain helpless the entire time.
Once their prey is digested, Lamia can, thanks to their unique stomachs and digestive system, channel the organic slurry leftover from their meals into their own bodies and use it for countless purposes from healing wounds and even filling out their own bodies to become even more beautiful or increasing the potency of their pheromones.
Biological Traits
Lamia are exclusively female, and possess bodies that are unilaterally incredibly beautiful by nearly all definitions of the word. Their bodies are muscular but supple, fair-toned and beautiful, and uniquely their bodies contain several unique glands that allowed them to produce pheromones that often exuded from their skin and pores during times of stress, high physical activity, intense situations or rarely at will by those who learn to control such a power. While not nearly as potent as the Pheremones of their Ancestors, These pheromones wrap those near them in a sweet scent and lower their guard to allow the Lamia to devour them more easily. These Pheremones lack much of the overwhelming power they had in the days of their ancestors, but the Lamia of today have learned to use their Pheremones to full effect to help them subtly control and influence the minds of those around them.
Lamia have bodies that are toned and fit on average, with slender feminine frames belied by well-defined muscle on their stomachs and arms. They have hair that is often long and flowing, and tends to be colored incredibly bright colors such as golden and yellow. Their human halves are also often well-proportioned and curvy, and are rarely ugly, misshapen, or childlike, as they have evolved as a race to lure their prey in with their looks as much as they can with their immense hunting prowess.
Their tails are often as thick as a fully grown adult human, and are often likened to solid bands of muscle covered by scales. Their tails are incredibly long and prehensile, allowing Lamia to wrap around their prey and slowly strangle the life out of them or break them in to soften them up for digestion...their scales are commonly red and other base colors such as yellow, green, and blue, but are often red or red-adjacent colors...rarely, white or blacks scaled Lamia are born, which are seen as omens for either great fortune or great misfortune.
Finally, the potency and "type" of a lamia's pheromones are also a variability between different tribes and even different individual Lamia. The pheromones exuded by the special glands inside their bodies can come in a myriad of different types, each with its own unique scent, look, or effect. Primarily, each lamia or tribe can be said to be distinguishable somewhat by the scent of their pheromones...at least, to other smell-sensitive beings. While often subtle, the pheromones a Lamia emits mark her uniquely and often mark her as a member of her tribe, as well as being a telltale sign of her mood, as a Lamia's pheromones become thicker and more powerful when their mood becomes more extreme, either good or bad.
Their Pheremones are often invisible to the naked eye even when a Lamia's mood swings, but can come in a variety of subtle scents...some of flowers, nature, food, and other pleasing aromas while others still can be chokingly intense and unpleasant with smells of blood, musk, decay, or similar scents. Despite this, only the most keen nose will be capable of picking out these scents among those races not keenly in tune with scent, and even then they are subtle most of the time...only when a Lamia gets truly moody does her Pheremones begin to become chokingly intense...yet, as these Pheremones are how Lamia interact with each other and are a key factor in their hierarchical society, letting them sense one another's mood and power innately and allowing quick establishment of dominance or quickly giving both parties an idea of how the other is feeling.
Genetics and Reproduction
Lamia, being an all-female species, require other species to reproduce through sexual reproduction, at which point they carry their young inside of their massive tails for safekeeping for a period of 5-7 months and eventually gave birth to their children similar to Humans.
To this end, Lamia have historically garnered partners to reproduce with through physical assault and violence, capturing travelers, passers-by, and warriors of all kinds where they would then drag them back to their lairs and engage in brutal, bloody trysts until their prey was used up and expended...at which point they would toss them away and go out in search of new prey. However, in recent years as they have begun to integrate into society, this process has changed somewhat from a brutal and violent capture and tryst to a more civilized but still predatory ritual.
Growth Rate & Stages
A Lamia child, once born, grows to maturity in a scant ten or twelve years, reaching full maturity no later than age 12, and entering adolescence no later than 7. When born, Lamia children are as large as a fully grown adult human and longer than a human is tall...and over the course of their journey into adulthood each Lamia child is taught how to hunt, how to live, and the value of beauty and power. Once a Lamia hits maturity they are fully grown and highly capable predators, as for most Lamia the right of passage into adulthood is to capture and consume a live creature, preferably a sentient humanoid trained in the art of combat.
Because of this, all Lamia are highly developed hunters, predators, and members of their society in very short order once they become adults.
Ecology and Habitats
Lamia are cold-blooded creatures, and naturally prefer hotter climates, though they may be found anywhere that is at least temperate or moderately warm. True to fashion, when a Lamia tribe moves into an area they often reach the role of "Apex Predator" within the local ecosystem in incredibly short order, reaching the top of the food chain and establishing their dominance over all nearby tribes, peoples, and beasts. They range about their area freely, hunting and eating at their whims without particular regard for the balance of the environment they are disrupting, though some understand on a basic level that consuming everything in a given area means no more food, and thus learn to moderate themselves.
If left unchecked, Lamia will turn the area around their village or town into their own personal playground and will often conquer nearby races and tribes as consorts and food, bringing them back to their village to use as they please...indeed, if they are allowed to freely dominate their homes Lamia often take steps to ensure any threats to them are sent into extinction in very short order, or at the least rendered harmless to them. It is not altogether uncommon for a Lamia village to complete wipe an area clean of all beasts, animals, and other creatures due to over-consumption.
In the case where another force comparable to them exists in the area and proves too tough to subjugate or break, Lamia do prove capable and willing to make peace and agreements with others, though such things are often tense, fragile, and more often than not short-lived pacts of mutual non-interference rather than long lasting agreements of peace.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lamia are technically omnivores, but they almost exclusively prefer to dine on meat...specifically, they prefer to eat their food while it still squirms, preferring to swallow their meals whole so they can feel their struggle subside as they slowly dissolve them in their stomachs. Being predators through and through, Lamia prefer their meals whole to satisfy their urges as natural-born predators...for to them, taking their meals this way symbolizes that the hunt has ended, and that they successfully overcame their foe.
Their preference for live prey is as much psychological to Lamia as it is a physical need, and while they obviously derive plentiful nutrition from the prey they swallow and slowly melt away, they also derive the same satisfaction a hunter gets when they finally capture their prey. To them, it is nearly an addictive feeling and one they seldom care to give up, though more civilized Lamia make efforts to curb or outright quell these needs to fit in with societies.
Biological Cycle
As time passes, Lamia become slower and less physically capable until finally, at extreme old age they become barely able to overpower and digest their prey...their skin wrinkles, their hair turns white and falls out, and they are often killed and consumed by other Lamia so that their bodies may be put to use for the next generation.
This practice of continuing the cycle by consuming the elderly and infirm has diminished somewhat in recent, more civilized years, where the Elder Lamia who have grown too infirm to effectively hunt or support the tribe are allowed to live out their twilight years in peace.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Lamia have a fierce pack culture and lineage, and possess closely knit bonds that tie each member to one another and drive them to fury or hatred should one of their pack-mates die in battle. Often, kills made by a member of a Lamia pack/tribe will provide the food for the rest of their pack or at the very least, themselves. Each Lamia pack is led by a prominent Lamia Chieftain that wields a ceremonial halberd which is often passed from one leader or chieftain to another upon her death, to denote her status. The primary and often only way for a Lamia to become Chieftain of her pack is to challenge the current Chieftain to a Mortal Duel, which results in the victor claiming the title after executing the other...thereafter, the Chieftain generally rules her pack like her own empire. Alternatively, contests of beauty are sometimes held when the challenging Lamia demands for it, or when the current Chieftain is disfigured or scarred in some way that cannot be remedied somehow. To the Lamia, the Chieftain of their pack exemplifies ALL of their virtues, not just their martial ones, and thus is required to be beautiful and wise as well as powerful. However, the definition of "beauty" a chieftain must adhere to can vary somewhat between different Lamia packs.
The Lamia social structure is strictly Matriarchal, and though they themselves have no males among their number it is not uncommon for males of varying species to be present in most Lamia Villages and to live alongside many packs whether as slaves, workers, treasured consorts, allies, or otherwise. Rank within this social hierarchy is measured by success both on and off the battlefield or the hunt, which gives Lamia the opportunity to advance up through their pack through feats which are not necessarily feats of battle or hunting prowess, such as achieving great beauty or bringing a particular great alliance or technology to the pack.
Lamia, given their combative, aggressive, and predatory nature, rarely form cohesive and unified governments. Instead, Lamia society can be viewed as an extension to their simple pack structure, but with a number of different levels:
Alpha Tribes: The Political Body of the Lamia, which are comprised of smaller Master Packs. Lead by Alpha Lamia. Master Packs: More combat oriented groups. Master Packs are comprised of many smaller packs. Packs: Packs range in size and importance, and are generally led by low-ranking Lamia and more important packs led by more powerful Chieftains with experienced bodyguards.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Lamia scales are not as widely coveted as the Skin or Pelt of a Dai-Yukai nor as much as the mythical Dragon skin, their scales are nonetheless said to have inherited a fragment of their Draconic parent's legendary durability...and as such, they are often hunted in less civilized areas for their scales. In more civilized areas, Lamia often scrap off unused scales and sell them for profit.
Through a process unique to their culture that is not well understood by the outside world, Lamia pheromones can be distilled and bottled through unknown alchemical processes into perfumes, which are often quite pleasing to the senses and are highly sought after commodities...and sometimes, more powerful Lamia can distill their pheromones into perfumes that carry magical properties which make their products all the more highly sought after.
Facial characteristics
Lamia have slender and serpentine features, with long tongues and jawlines. Their faces are generally human in appearance, though rare Lamia can sometimes have half-human upper torsos.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Lamia can be found almost anywhere on Ea, with the sole exception of cold or frigid climates. They can be found in the hottest deserts, grasslands, mountain peaks, and caverns deep, and are widespread and numerous.
Average Intelligence
Lamia, thanks to their Draconic Ancestry, possess a great amount of raw intelligence as well as a predatory cunning and almost animal instincts that serve them incredibly well in their lives. Often, many outsiders who believe them to be wise and cunning predators are surprised when the Lamia they find prove to be even smarter than they.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Thanks to their Draconic heritage, Lamia can see excellently in the dark, and their serpentine eyes allow them to see almost perfectly in conditions of low light.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Lamia names are beautiful and elegant, yet strong and powerful, like a mirror reflection of the race itself. Typically, they are greek, roman, or Mediterranean in nature and linguistic style, with '-ae', '-ai or -ia', '-xa', 'ii', '-one(pronounced ‘oh-nee’)', and with 's' sounds and syllables being common as well. As there are no Male lamia, all names are female-styled.
Female: Syrixa, Callephae, Persephone, Euryale, Stheno, Philosa, Uralai, Casthisis, Hysiphia, Paphymes, Quelaxis, Haesephis, Rosalii, Miia, etc…
Beauty Ideals
Lamia as a people find beauty in ample curves, large bellies, large chests, bodies with a perfect mixture of muscle and fat, and an absence of blemish, scar, or bruise upon their skin or scales. To have so much muscle mass that one's body swells and becomes freakish or even to have enough that one's body becomes "too muscular" is seen as undesirable and as proof that the given Lamia focuses too much on martial or physical pursuits and not enough time on herself.
They see large bellies and chests as proof of a given Lamia's past meals and conquests, as a large belly means a recent conquest, and other areas such as their chest or tails or arms that are large or well-developed are seen as a sign that they have no only been eating well, but have been putting the nutrients from their prey to excellent use. A well-rounded Lamia and even, depending on the pack, a slightly large Lamia is seen as beautiful, and while it is incredibly difficult for Lamia to become overweight due to their massively hyperactive metabolisms, such Lamia are often heralded as beautiful as well.
They see scars, bruises, and any blemishes upon their skin as ugly and the opposite of beauty, and often take measures to correct any such damage done to them after a melee or fight in order to stay beautiful. However, having one's skinned covered in blood or similar proofs of combat isn't particularly reviled, and in some tribes is seen as proof of a successful hunt.
Lamia also greatly treasure the health of their tails, and a well-kept tail that is shiny, clean, healthy, and with neither cut nor damage is considered a sign of great beauty.
Often, Lamia also enjoy accentuating their beauty with jewelry, trinkets, and adornments of all kinds so long as they are valuable and/or shiny, and often decorate their tails and humanoid halves in equal splendor.
Gender Ideals
As they only have one gender, Lamia only have one 'gender ideal'.
To them, the ideal Lamia is one that is not only an incredibly talented huntress, a beautiful woman, incredibly wise, or a talented devourer of prey, but one who contains some or much of all of those elements. A Lamia who is beautiful, strong, and wise is treasured and consider closer to the "Ideal Lamia" than a Lamia who is a perfect warrior without compare but lacks wisdom or beauty.
Likewise, showing compassion towards one's prey is seen as something that strays from the Lamia "ideal", though this particular ideal is on the decline in recent year with the acceptance of Lamia into societies and civilized lands. It is now not uncommon for Lamia to give a twisted form of "Compassion" towards their prey by making their deaths quick or to keep them unconscious during the digestion, though most Lamia have yet to truly abandon the notion of consuming live prey to begin with.
Courtship Ideals
Generally, Traditional Lamia courtship involves the brutal capture or abduction of an unwilling target found traveling, in a nearby settlement, or the subjugation of a warrior sent to kill them...once their target is secured, Lamia will return to their pack with their prize and take their right as the conqueror as is custom for most Lamia packs and use their target for bloody and violent trysts until all their primal urges are satisfied, at which time the target will either be allowed to live in the village as a consort or slave or will be devoured by his captor once she is satisfied.
Because of this, Traditional Lamia relationships were and sometimes still are bloody, short, and violent things that rarely had much depth to them and lasted only so long as their prey remained alive and able-bodied. However, in recent years as they have entered civilized lands, Lamia have slowly begun to develop surprisingly deep courtship rituals.
True to their nature as predators, Lamia who prefer more civilized relationships or who prefer to simply court their prey rather than hunt them will court their prey aggressively and dominantly, always attempting to establish themselves as the Alpha and winning over their target by getting them to fall for them through feats of prowess or through their sheer beauty.
Because of these highly aggressive courtships, Lamia will often not stop until their target has been wooed and fallen for their aggressive and predatory charm...and often, the simple fact that their prey is already in a relationship serves no barrier to a Lamia in pursuit of her prey...as such, it is not uncommon for a Lamia who is wooing a particular target to break up existing relationships with predatory glee by proving themselves better for the target of their affections than their partner or significant other. Though this naturally causes some friction, their innate beauty and power means any scuffle that happen as a result of this are likely to end in the Lamia digesting the former significant other and supplanting them in a new relationship. However, in the rare cases where the significant other of their target proves themselves the equal or the better of the Lamia, they will begrudgingly accept their prey as being "spoken for"...though, some incredibly territorial Lamia refuse to accept this and only become even more set on "conquering" their prey because of this.
These civilized Lamia think of these aggressive courtships as a new, exciting "hunt" and often enjoy the courtship of their target as they would any other hunt, with the ultimate goal being the "conquest" of the target of their affections...however, their aggression sometimes means that they end up "brainwashing" or "forcing" their target into accepting their affections, as after repeated aggressive attempts at courtship and seduction a target can either mistake their anger and pain for pleasure and begin to enjoy the Lamia's affections, or simply resign themselves to their fate out of the sheer stubbornness of their suitor.
Though some think negatively of them for this aggression, these Civilized Lamia are said to be surprisingly masterful courtiers and lovers, and do so with the expertise of a master hunter and predator intent on winning over her prey.
Relationship Ideals
Traditional Lamia relationships are things of sudden and violent passion, lasting for short periods of time but often being incredibly eventful and full of raw emotion as the Lamia satisfy all the urges and desires they possible could have in as short and as enjoyable a period as possible on their partner or capture target.
Often, these traditional relationships rarely lasted longer than one or two sessions, as the Lamia were wont to consume or abandon their partner in pursuit of more base pleasures and trysts...their relationships were often impersonal, and rare was the Lamia who took on a long-term consort or developed feelings for their partner in any meaningful way.
However, in the modern day the Lamia that have begun to integrate into society have a more nuanced ideal relationship than their traditional fellows. These modern Lamia, once they have conquered their target and entered into a relationship with them after a long and satisfying courtship, are fiercely protecting of their partner and often treat them as "theirs".
The modern ideal of a Lamia relationship is one that can stand the test of time, and one where both partner stay immensely loyal and protective of one another...and in a unique blend of ancient and modern Lamia customs, these ideal modern relationships involve Lamia accruing a vast harem of lovers they have each courted long and passionately, engaging in these polygamous relationships freely...though unlike their more traditional fellows, these modern Lamia treasure and love each member of their harem individually, and protect and care for each just as passionately and with the same dedication as they would give to one lover. In this way, modern Lamia often maintain large polygamous relationships with many creatures, seeing them all as "theirs", but give each a truly deep level of passion and love...this polygamy is also the result of these Lamia believing that their love is a thing that should be given freely and is too vast to truly be contained or satisfied with one person. Despite this ideal, there are some rare Lamia who have become so adapted to their newfound civilized homes that they instead take only one lover and happily engage in Monogamous relationships, though this is somewhat rare.
These Relationships are deeply passionate, and these Lamia often strive to always make their lovers or partners feel "special" and "treasured", even if all the world shuns them...and in a way, these Lamia do see their partners as their "treasures", albeit ones to be loved, treasured, kept safe, and ones to be loyal to no matter what.
Average Technological Level
Though ancient Lamia attained a level of technology similar to High Humanity which included spaceflight, genetics, chemistry, teleportation, lasers, electricity and more, the Lamia of the modern day exist in a simple state, with the more Traditional tribes possessing simplistic and tribal technologies(Metal and Leather working, farming, cooking, etc.), more modern Lamia adopt the technological level of the society that accepts them.
Common Etiquette Rules
When interacting with other Lamia, Lamia observe a strict system of etiquette that demands those of higher rank be given deference and respect at all times until such a time when the ranks change. Higher ranking Lamia within one's pack are to be given respect, obeyed without question, and be given deference...though, one must always stay wary of weakness and for any opportunities to challenge them and take their rank.
To other non-Lamia, Lamia often interact with them only so much as necessary, giving them a modicum and measure of respect if they are strong enough to warrant it, or otherwise giving them close to none if they surmise they could be easily captured and digested. Towards these "morsels" and towards those seen as food, Lamia offer less respect than they offer towards even insects, treated these creatures as little more than lumps of meat and putting up with them only as long as is required or necessary.
To this end, notably beautiful creatures are also given a large measure of respect and are often given the courtesy of talk and speech where others would be attacked on sight.
Those who live alongside the Lamia in their villages are given some measure of respect if they deserve it, but are otherwise expected to be quiet and accept the rule or judgements of their Lamia lords.
If they adopt the ways of civilization, Lamia sometimes have a rough time adopting to the etiquette of their new home but can somewhat easily adapt to these new laws and rules by likening their pack structure to the laws they now must follow, and can make sense of things if they assume everyone is to be treated as part of their pack unless they break a law.
Common Dress Code
Lamia dress sparsely but modestly, partly because they believe in wearing clothing and items that accentuate the natural beauty of one's body, skin, and natural traits rather than cover them up but also out of a small sense of vanity which keeps them from keeping their "beautiful bodies" too covered.
They greatly enjoy jewelry and gemstones most of all for decoration, but will settle for most shiny or valuable trinkets when they are all that is available.
Though they have little sense of modesty and believe that one's body is not a thing to hide to shy away from, they do recognize that not only do other creatures treasure modesty, but also the simple fact that modesty is important to civilized creatures, thus they cover themselves.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Lamia tradition is a long-storied thing, and of the many customs they have chief most among them is the ritual of each Chieftain of a Lamia pack carrying a ritualistic and ceremonial halberd that is passed down from each Chieftain before her upon their deaths. In this way, each Chieftain carries the will of all those who came before her and represents the history of the Pack.
Besides this, a common Lamia tradition is one that says that the cooking and proper preparation of meals and food is a holy thing, and one that imbues the dish with a small portion of she who cooks it, thus giving the dish meaning and purpose. Because of this, Lamia generally take their daily meals raw or as natural as possible, seeing the cooking of meals as a special thing done only on special occasions...besides, they believe that by "cooking" a prey they would otherwise swallow whole is to give them more meaning and worth than they should be afforded.
As a result, Lamia that enter civilized societies are often excellent cooks and sometimes become chefs, seeing selling their cooking as creating special moments for others to enjoy.
A very common tradition that has lasted even after they make the transition to civilization is one that sees a Lamia pack(or their friends, family, and romantic partners if they live in a civilized area) gather together once a month on average to celebrate the continue existence of their pack, of themselves, and of the continued success of the hunt. These great feasts are held in regular intervals and are sometimes held at other times when great moments, auspicious events, or promising future things come to light that would demand a celebration, or would herald a big change or transition for the tribe, such as the rise of a new Chieftain. These feasts are massive, extensive, and are one of the rare occasions where all inhabitants of a Lamia village, even non-Lamia, are allowed to partake and revel. The chieftain and high ranking Lamia eat first and have first pick of the meat, and a strict order must often be observed at such feasts, but they nonetheless provide a Lamia pack the opportunity to gather together and rejoice over life, love, and prosperity. During these times, it is common for Lamia to recount the history of their Pack in the form of long elaborate tales, past conquests, and all past achievements of the Pack of note.
Common Taboos
To Lamia, there are a select few things that are truly off-limits to them, but those that they do classify as taboo are odd things, and things most other consider strange.
For example, it is considered Taboo in Lamia culture for a Lamia who has captured and swallowed a meal to keep it alive for more than three nights...doing so is seen as vainglory and is seen as sign of a Lamia who revels in her own accomplishments overmuch.
It is similarly taboo to willingly peel off or damage one's own scales, and even more taboo to sell them for any reason. Even if one's scales fall off naturally, selling them is seen as being unnecessarily greedy and disrespectful to one's heritage and ancestry.
History
Though their ancestors are said to have once conquered most of the known world of Ea, the Lamia of the modern are but a pale reflection of what they once were in many ways. In ancient times their ancestors were unified and whole, and the pack system of the modern Lamia was instead a single, unified whole ruled by a single queen. They were mighty, and strong, and their empire was said to span so far and so vast that there is no race alive today that was not at one point enslaved or dined upon by the ancient Lamia...so strong were they, they were said to have beat back the ancient High Humans and humiliated them several times over despite their overwhelming might. In time, after their ancestors pushed the High Humans off of the surface and back to the skies in their floating cities, they were said to have completely ran wild on the surface, conquering and devouring all they pleased as none remained who could possible stand against them.
In time, their empire grew and expanded until the fabled Lamia Queen ruled a mighty empire that spanned thousands of miles and had made slaves and food of almost every race on the surface...this is the time the Lamia consider to be their golden age, when their kind flourished and dominated all life, making massive leaps in technology and culture that quickly catapulted them to become one of the most advanced races of the ancient world...so strong was their old empire that they matched the High Humans in power and even learned how to strike them inside their cities...and became the only race ever to conquer the High Human empire and make them vassals.
Soon, as the time went on, the ancient Lamia grew even stronger...and it was not until they challenged the ancient dragons and lost did they finally begin to experience failure. With their ancient queen defeated, the ancient Lamia fell to infighting and chaos and soon were all but exterminated by nearly all the surface races...so fearful of the Lamia were they, that they forcefully devolved them and broke them apart into what would one day become the modern day Lamia.
As the now devolved Lamia formed packs and continued to in-fight and struggle against a world that now despised them and hunted them at every turn, they quickly developed the modern-day pack structure and became the Lamia of today, beautiful huntresses that relish catching their prey and swallowing them whole.
Once the pack system solidified and they reclaimed a fragment of their former selves, the new Lamia society was largely barbaric and decentralized for eons, with the Lamia packs wandering freely across the western and eastern continents as wandering barbaric tribes...even as other races left barbarity and madness behind them, Lamia stubbornly remained in the past and clung to their old, barbaric ways. It was only when an up and coming Vampire Lord named Holdur began to unify the barbaric monstrous tribes of the western continent into a grand Coalition did the Lamia begin to finally reclaim the lost glory of their past.
Even now, they are a race struggling with leaving their barbaric ways behind them and learning how to conform to civilized societies.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Lamia have a traditionally cruel relationship with other species, and will often exterminate and completely consume a race that proves too weak to resist their advances at best, or enslave and farm a subjugated race for a replenishing stock of food at worst.
Otherwise, Lamia tend to war and fight first and only deign to speak to and negotiate with those they see as beautiful or as strong enough to worthy a negotiation or alliance. To those who prove themselves to a Pack or even for those who are exceptionally useful to a Pack, they will be allowed to live in that Pack's village(s) and coexist with them.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Serpentes sapiens
Lifespan
70 years
Conservation Status
Lamia, while still quite uncivilized and barbaric compared to other races of Ea, are not in danger of extinction and do not require protection or conservation.
Average Height
4.6 - 6.6 Meters
Average Weight
1 - 2 Tons
Average Length
3.6 - 5.6 Meters
Average Physique
Lamia, while they lack the incredible muscle mass of the Dai-Yukai or similar races, are nonetheless in possession of a physique that is powerful and has plentiful muscle mass, but one that hides such things beneath smooth, beautiful skin and supple curves. Their bodies are beautiful first and foremost, and to be strong and mighty is a soft undertone to that beauty that only exemplifies it further. Their bodies are curvy, defined by subtly hidden muscle, and their upper female halves are fair-skinned and soft while their lower halves, meeting them at the waist, are muscular tails with enough grip strength to pulverize bone and even stone. They are covered on their lower halves with scales, and sometimes powerful or odd Lamia have scales on their upper halves as well.
Perhaps due to their feminine qualities but also likely related to their serpentine ancestry, Lamia have an incredibly hard time growing hair anywhere except their head, and sometimes unfortunate Lamia find themselves bald and require use of magic to grow hair.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Lamia upper torsos are generally fair-skinned, but can become tanned by extensive sun exposure should they live in arid or desert climates, giving such Lamia dark complexions and skin tones.
Their lower scaly halves are often red and other base colors such as yellow, green, and blue, but are often red or red-adjacent colors...rarely, white or blacks scaled Lamia are born, which are seen as omens for either great fortune or great misfortune.
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