The Ophidians were an alien species from the planet Brosain.
Biology[]
The Ophidians are amphibious predators resembling massive, six-hundred-pound frogs. Native to the deserts of Borsain, they are carnivorous hunters that dwell beneath the sands, avoiding the harsh sunlight. They remain underground, surfacing only when groundwater rises—typically during irrigation or rainfall.
Adapted to their arid environment, Ophidians have evolved to retain moisture in their thick, leathery skin, allowing them to survive extended periods without surface exposure. When hunting, they work in coordinated packs, often herding prey into confined areas to overwhelm them.
A particularly gruesome aspect of their life cycle involves reproduction. The Ophidians use the bodies of their victims—living or dead—as organic incubators. Once a body is secured, it is seeded with parasitic embryos. The unborn Ophidians then feed and grow by swimming within the host’s blood, using the corpse as both nourishment and nest.
History[]
The planet Borsain was selected as a candidate for colonization. To prepare the world for terraformation, a penal colony was established, with convicts tasked with irrigating underground water reserves. However, their efforts were violently disrupted by a hostile native species—the Ophidians—amphibian predators that emerged from the depths to attack anyone attempting to tap into the subterranean aquifers.
Twenty-five years later, Trans-Planetary Corp acquired the rights to Borsain, declaring it safe for settlement. A new colony ship was dispatched, led by Professor Lauren Moore, who aimed to deploy an experimental weather-control system known as Cloudburst, designed to bring rainfall to the arid planet.
Unbeknownst to Lauren, her unstable and psychotic ex-husband, Frank Tusk, had been secretly authorized by the corporation to eliminate the remnants of the old penal colony, clearing the way for a fresh start. Frank and his troops seized the terraformation project and brutally massacred the original inhabitants.
When the soldiers attempted to open the sealed wells, they inadvertently unleashed the Ophidians once more. The creatures erupted from the depths, decimating the invading forces. Lauren, forcibly brought to the surface during the upheaval, was rescued by a resourceful local survivor named Arkan.
As the Cloudburst system successfully induced rainfall, it transformed Borsain’s arid terrain into a fertile environment—one in which the Ophidians thrived. Their dominance threatened not only the soldiers but the future of human colonization itself.
In a final act of desperation, Frank ordered an orbital bombardment to eradicate the Ophidians. After landing to assess the results, he was ambushed and killed by the surviving creatures. Amid the chaos, Arkan and Lauren escaped aboard the colony ship.
Realizing the Ophidians’ vulnerability to extreme cold, Lauren reprogrammed the Cloudburst system to generate a winter climate across the planet. The sudden freeze decimated the creatures, offering humanity a second chance at reclaiming Borsain.
Appearances[]
- Cloudburst (2004)