Sseranshi

The Sseranshi ophidians are reptilian humanoids found exclusively in the desert valley of Fygria. They most closely resemble serpents, with adults occasionally sporting cobra-like hoods. Notably among the lizardkin, the children of the Sseranshi are born live instead of hatched in clutches. This gives them a parental sentimentality that closely resembles the warm-blooded humanoids. It is theorized that this is the reason the Sseranshi experience emotions very similar to humans.
The closeness of the Sseranshi to humans often proved to be a curse, as the people spent centuries oppressed by the ancient human empire of Fygria. During this time, the Sseranshi were driven into the northern most mountains, where they established hidden monasteries in the depths of the desert where humans wouldn't dare attack them.
After the fall of Fygria, the Sseranshi retook the valley quickly. And again, it proved to be their downfall, as Fygria fell during the cataclysmic first fall of Ambition. The resulting feedback annihilated the capital city, leaving a dark malice imprinted on the land. The Sseranshi's hatred towards the fallen human empire opened their hearts to the evil influences, eventually leading to their imperial ambitions eastward, where, unknown to them, the Kingdom of Darren was beginning to entertain imperial aspirations of its own.
The initial clashes between the Sseranshi and Darren were bloody and brutal. The Sseranshi warriors quickly gained reputations among the primarily-human ranks of Darren as "horrifying death machines". But, ultimately, the resource-poor desert could not match the sheer numbers Darren could muster, and by the end of the Listless ages, the Sseranshi had been pushed back to their desert monasteries once again.
In the Age of Ascendants, the Sseranshi have reemerged into the world, primarily as messengers of the Ascendant Redemption. They sometimes find work along airship routes, staffing stations in desert environments.