Lizardfolk

Physical Characteristics and Anatomy

Lizardfolk (singular: lizardman) can be any of four distinct subspecies: green, brown, snakekin, or humekin. Each race has similarities and differences, but all are genetically similar and able to crossbreed. No matter its parentage, a lizardfolk is only one of the four subraces. Lizardfolk are capable of living for over seventy years and are able to mate after 12 years.

In general, lizardfolk are humanoid creatures with scales, fangs, claws and a tail. All lizardfolk possess pits enabling infravision to varying degrees. The females of their species are mostly indistinguishable from the males with one notable exception that is explained below. Green lizardfolk are the tallest of the four subraces, and are much more agile and faster. They have long legs and arms. They are as at home swimming through water or running on land. A series of armor plates run from the top of a green lizardman's head to the base of its tail, which is long and is used to help the lizardman keep its balance. Brown lizardfolk are still taller than most humes, but they are much more powerfully built than green lizardfolk. Their tails are shorter and they are excellent diggers. Like the green, brown lizardfolk possess a series of armor plates protecting their backs. Both green and brown lizardfolk usually adopt a hulking posture and rarely rise up to their full height. In lizardfolk culture, it is considered very threatening when a lizardman rises to its full height and this is usually accompanied with a roar or challenge before battle is joined.

Snakekin are much larger than green and brown lizardfolk, but most of their mass is taken up in their thick, long tail that doubles as their primary form of locomotion. Snakekin lack hind legs, but their arms are long and powerful, and they frequently use them to pull themselves forward when they need to move fast. Snakekin are perfectly comfortable swimming, digging, and climbing, but they do not pride themselves on speed. They can also use their tail to enwrap their enemies. Their heads are rounder and their heat-sensing pits more pronounced than on other lizardfolk. The teeth of a snakekin lizardman are not designed to tear flesh and break bone like the teeth of green and brown lizardfolk, and so they usually are less likely to use biting attacks in battle. When they do bite, snakekin strike quickly at vital spots. Snakekin do not possess a natural venom, but they frequently utilize poisoned weapons. Snakekin lizardfolk sometimes possess forked tongues, but this is not common. Snakekin are the most likely to use handheld weapons in battle.

Humekin are the rarest of the four subspecies, and as their name suggests, very strongly resemble humes. Some are so close as to be able to pass for hume in hume cities. Hair growth is rare, but not unheard of. They are typically hardier than most humes, and their teeth and nails are much stronger. Their pits are located farther down on the neck, and are not as pronounced as other lizardfolk. Humekin may possess vestigial tails or some other telltale sign of their heritage (such as scales). Female humekin possess mammary glands.

Behavior and Diet

Lizardfolk are a very violent race, and this does not vary amongst the subspecies or across tribes. They value combat ability, physical strength, and courage. They are trained in fighting from the day they are born, but only free communities teach more than basic unit tactics. Lizardfolk are a race of highly skilled fighters, but on the battlefield they are rarely cohesive or as effective as they could be.

Lizardfolk are hunters and rarely eat anything other than meat. Occasionally a community may have some animal herds, and this is more common amongst free lizardfolk. They do not eat the meat of other lizardfolk and rarely eat the meat of dinosaurs (about as often as humes eat the meat of apes and other primates), although many people believe that they are cannibalistic due to their relationships with the aviadins.

Lizardfolk communities are highly stratified based on race and location. In most communities, either the green or the brown subspecies of lizardfolk are the highest caste. Communities closer to swamps and water are more likely to have green lizardfolk on top, while communities near desert or plains are more likely to have brown lizardfolk as the highest. Champions are chosen from the highest caste, but other races may challenge for the right--challenging a champion is equivalent to a full revolution. The snakekin lizardfolk are usually the next highest caste, followed by the humekin, and finally any kobolds that make their home in a lizardfolk community. Although kobolds are more of a pest than a race, humekin frequently come into conflict with the smaller creatures. Kobolds frequently outnumber any humekins in a lizardfolk community by over 100 to 1.

Lizardfolk are most commonly born from eggs, and they are born ready to eat meat. Humekin and some snakekin are able to give live birth, and those born in this manner are typically further developed and more self-sufficient than those from eggs. When any of the lizardfolk lay eggs, they contain the eggs inside for 2-3 months before laying. Typically, another 1-2 months pass before the lizardfolk hatches. Very rarely, a female will internalize the entire process and give live birth, but this is believed to be a sign of bad blood, and the female and child are regulated to the humekin caste even if entirely green or brown. Eggs are protected by both mother and father (when the father is known), and kobolds are not even allowed to see lizardfolk eggs--it is believed that their nature is so despicable they would not be able to resist the temptation of cracking open the eggs and eating the unborn. Lizardfolk lay 1-4 eggs.

Lizardfolk are also able to be born from the preserved eggs of saurians through a magickal process known only by the most powerful aviadin shamans.

From birth, lizardfolk are trained in fighting for the next 12-15 years, where upon they must take a mate and have children before the next war. Wars fought by lizardfolk under avish rule end only when they run out of enemies to fight or all lizardfolk of fighting age are dead. Any lizardman that returns alive is branded a coward and is forced to fight on the frontlines of every battle from then on until killed. The adolescent lizardfolk left back in the community provide a hefty deterrent to any that might think to eradicate the lizardfolk. At this point, a revolution may occur and the highest caste may switch between green and brown.

Aviadins control the lizardfolk in a variety of ways. Most lizardfolk communities have at least one teacher of religion. These teachers are lizardfolk that were castrated or spayed at an early age and taught by aviadins. This is yet another reason why lizardfolk associate old age with weakness. These teachers are the only lizardfolk that do not go to war . The aviadins also make sure to always keep the claws of the lizardfolk pointed at one enemy or another, protecting them from both the lizardfolk and their enemies. Aviadin shamans are living gods amongst the lizardfolk, and aviadins and aviadin culture are always heralded while lizardfolk are always put down. Finally, one of the best methods the aviadins have for controlling the lizardfolk is the institution of castes. By preventing any group of lizardfolk from achieving unity and a cultural identity, no real resistance can be mustered against them. Even within a single caste, aviadins make sure that lizardfolk are not overly proud of their accomplishments, forbidding them from even referring to themselves as anything other than "yrisa raa" --literally, "lizard spawn" -- or by the mundane names and labels aviadins created to describe the separate subspecies; labels that had no more thought to them other than an aviadin sorting through lizardfolk saying, "the green one, the brown one, the snake-like one, the hume-like one".  Lizardfolk are even forbidden personal names, although usually nicknames develop.

For lizardfolk free of the aviadins, wars are still common, but rarely do they end with the death of every adult lizardfolk. They cherish their freedom, and are more likely to fight their battles with intelligence and an eye towards the future. "Coward" is still a terrible insult to these lizardfolk, but it is not branded on all survivors.

Language and Communication

Lizardfolk speak their version of Saurian, a tongue passed down to them by the aviadins. Lizardfolk are taught that their pronunciation and dialects of Saurian are crude, but in truth, their dialects are closer to the original Saurian than that of the avish Saurian.

Habitat and Environment

Lizardfolk are most commonly found in swamps, floodplains, rivers, deserts and arid plains, but as a race they can adapt to most situations. Nearly all communities are within a few weeks travel of an avish community, and so are reasonably close to highlands, hills and mountains.

Civilizations and Organizations

Lizardfolk have been oppressed since their creation, and have had few opportunities to develop as a people or a culture. The few lizardfolk communities that do exist value their freedom, but have also formed organizations to help win the freedom of others--both lizardfolk and non-lizardfolk.

Technology

Lizardfolk rarely possess more than stone age technology, but they freely plunder anything they believe useful from the bodies of their dead enemies. Anything worthwhile is usually appropriated by their aviadin masters. Free lizardfolk communities have comparable technology to their neighbors, but focus their sciences towards combat.

Magicks and Abilities

Lizardfolk have prodigious physical abilities and are able to fight effectively with their bare claws and fangs against foes armed with advanced weaponry.

They can hold their breath for an extended amount of time.

Hardy constitution, thick leathery skin, armored plating protecting back of the skull to the tail.

Lizardfolk are also able to utilize ancient Saurian magicks, but this is unknown to any that live within communities ruled by the aviadins. Those unfortunate few that are naturally magickal and cannot help but manifest powers are culled by the aviadins. Free lizardfolk are usually aware of their magickal abilities, but only communities that have been around for several generations have advanced much with the magicks. Saurian magick resembles the magicks of both hume elementalists and of dwarven earth priests, but is wholly internal.

Known and Unknown History

Lizardfolk were created from the preserved eggs found by the aviadins in the ancient citadels of the saurians. Through corrupting the magicks bestowed upon them, aviadins were able to create a race of creatures genetically and magickally similar to the saurians, but whose form suited them and was easier to control. Through brainwashing and constant warfare, the aviadins have been able to keep most lizardfolk from the truth of their heritage.

Beliefs, Legends, and Religion

Lizardfolk are raised from birth to worship the aviadin shamans as their gods, and the aviadins in general as their lords and masters. They live and die to serve the aviadins, and do nothing to change their lot in life other than to learn to kill better.

Even lizardfolk that find their freedom rarely learn of their ancient heritage. They are left believing the avish lie that they were fashioned from mere lizards. These lizardfolk sometimes take to worshipping the deities of other races, but just as often live an atheistic life. They are taught to believe in themselves and their fellow lizardman and to question everything else.

Relations, Alliances, and Vendettas

Lizardfolk tribes nearly always have a strong tie to an aviadin community, and this community usually has several other tribes under their control. Free lizardfolk frequently become nomads, and try to carve out a home without warring against others--realizing that their small tribes stand no chance against established civilizations.

Lizardfolk are generally feared by other races, and many that live near them are unable to forgive the wars that come every decade.

Subraces/Relatives

Saurians

Dinosaurs

Class Tendencies and Racial Specific Classes

All lizardfolk tend towards combat-oriented classes, with green lizardfolk choosing more athletic jobs while brown lizardfolk are more likely to choose classes where they can rely on their greater strength and staying power. Snakekin prefer sneakier jobs and classes, and are more likely to rely on stealth and subterfuge. Finally, humekin, as the weakest of the lizardfolk, are most commonly found utilizing their brainpower. However, when humekin are around other races, they find that they are much stronger and more powerful and so choose jobs similar to what green and brown lizardfolk might.

Notable Creatures

Longtooth

Concept Art