Lizardfolk
Basic Information
Anatomy
Humanoid
Biological Traits
Perhaps one of the most "alien" of the humanoid races, lizardfolk are a unique race that crops up from time to time in the world. Unkown, and yet not entirely mysterious, these strange humanoids make their homes in more warmer areas (though it has been observed some can live in colder enviorments, however they tend to wear very heavy clothing in those areas). They are covered in tough scales, possess a tail, and have many strange adaptions of their race. They are also suprsingly adept swimmers, and the average time a lizardfolk can hold their breath is around 15 minutes straight. The race also has a tendency to sometimes have unique adaptions for those born, some being able to shoot boiling blood from their eye (similar to some lizards) and some possess rib like protrusions that allow them to glide upon these leathery wings. Another curious detail is their astounding ability of regeneration, able to regrow entire severed limbs provided they have a safe and warm enviorment to rest in for a time. These strange adaptions mean that lizardfolk are perhaps the most wildly varied race in the world, and its not uncommon to see lizardfolk from two diffrent regions look almost unrecognisable from the other.
Genetics and Reproduction
Lizardfolk reproduce sexually, with the females laying cluthes of 3-14 eggs about a month. The eggs hatch after 2 months, in which time female lizardfolk tend to take turns incubating said eggs. However despite this fast rate of birth, it is slowed by the lizardfolk haivng heat cycles, and so outside of these cycles most matings will not procude any viable offspring.
Growth Rate & Stages
Lizardfolk mature at around 7 years of age
Ecology and Habitats
Lizardfolk are a unique species of mortal indeed, being ectothermic (or cold-blodded) in nature. This means that they tend to struggle in colder enviorments, and prefer areas that are warmer to help them feel more comfortable.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lizardfolk are able to consume vegetation and meat, but seem to prefer meat whenever they can.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Lizardfolk possess a snout that houses their vicious teeth,able to lock to keep prey from escaping. Many possess small horns growing at various plaes of their head, and their eyes are piercing and reptillian. While not able to grow hair, they are able to grow either crests of manes. Some crests are more like potrusions resembling horns or perhaps some characteristics similar to some "dinosaurs". Manes and the feathers they can grow and tend to style can be nearly every color one can imagine, though dyeing them is also a popular choice. Some lizardfolk have been known to possess "whisker" like things hanging near their mouths known as barbels. These typically can be styled to immitate facial hair to some degree.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Due to their prefrence for warmer climates, they are mostly concentrated in swampland or forested areas. The largest single area to find many of them living is in the Maztl Kingdom, where they have been since the beggining of that ancient kingdom.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Lizardfolk names are generally harsh sounding with often harder to pronounce elements, but some guttural or melodic elements are present in some names as well. Their names can famously also be either short or exceddingly long. They also regurarly have "last names" that denote a discriptive of their physical apperance.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Lizardfolk speak in their native tongue of Kel
When lizardfolk speak different languages other then their own, they have a very distinct speach pattern. Lizardfolk rarely use metaphors, their speech is almost always literal. Lizardfolk use active verbs to describe the world. A lizardfolk in cold weather might say, "This wind brings cold" rather than "I feel cold." Lizardfolk tend to define things in terms of actions, rather than effects
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Lizardfolk culture is perhaps some of the most straight forward of any race in the world. Thre culture is primarily based around survival, the great stories of ancestors, hunting, mating, and defending their clans/tribes. That is not to say they have no culture whatsoever, as art and philosophy can indeed be found in many tribes, but its just that lizardfolk tend to place greater emphasis on survivng in the harsh forests than most other races. Living something akin to a stone age existance, some foolish scholars have claimed that the lizardfolk brain is too underdeveloped to comprehend more "civilized" concepts. The fact many lizardfolk live in cities disproves this quite easily. Rather they seem to prefer to live far more simple, dangerous, rugged existances out in the wilds because it is how their ancestors and gods once lived. If their gods did it, it must be good right?
While they live a primitive existance, they are also surprisngly advanced. One example of this is they sometimes make runic suits of armor made of reinforced stone. This all encompassing rune armor enhances the wearers abilities remarkably, and turn them into a hulking juggernaut of sorts. Much of theri other armor is made of bone or light metal working, but the runes are always present even if they are merely decorative. This runic crafting is unique to the lizardfolk, and so far none have been able to replicate it, not even the dwarves. Due to their toughned scales, they typically wear less clothing than other races, but have recognized that the soft folk seem to get antsy when they run around naked. Lizardfolk magic is also surprisngly advanced despite apperances. At first glance, it appears very shamanistic, but many wizards have quickly recognized remarkably advanced schools of thought and philosophy within their understanding of magic. Perhaps most curiously, lizardfolk also have a far more relaxed relationship with their gods, and this relaxed nature is returned in kind by their gods. While they do have priests and clerics, the gods are merely another facet of life to the lizardfolk rather than an all encompassing overbeing to appease and worship.
History
Lizardfolk, or Kelwala as they refer to themselves, are a strange and ancient race indeed. Their origins are not well understood, but it is known that they are perhaps one of the oldest races in the world. While many believe them to be a very distant offshoot of some draconic origin, there is more evidence pointing to them being partially related to elves. The reasons for this are theorized to be perhaps of the fey like nature of where the elves came from influenced local reptiallian animals, or maybe even the other way around. Maybe lizardfok came first before the elves? None can say, but the Lizardfolk believe that their god, Tiebtounnis, was born as the first of their kind. He would survive the harsh lands, and eventually find an elven maiden to mate with and sire the rest of his species. The first generation of children became the rest of the gods, and the next after would over time lose more and more divine blood until they were a mortal race like the rest of the world. These divine beings are believed to have ascended into the heavenly marshes, and famously interact little with their followers outside of bestowing powers.
Regardless of the truth of this claim, the Lizardfolk have existed for a long time in the mortal realm. They primarily can be found in tribes isolated in marshlands or forests, but overtime large numbers of lizardfolk also have begun intergrating into cities, despite the initial awkwardness of learning an entirely alien culture to them. Just like their ancestors before them, they continue to survive and hunt as they always have, prefering to be quick and efficent in most things. There is one curious and perhaps alarming rumor that there exists some connection between the mythical and long dead beings of the Ishtar Empire. While no concrete evidence has come to the fore of this connection, whispers exist that it may indeed be real. If true, perhaps the lizardfolk are the inheritors of the once global spanning Ishtar Empire?
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Lizardfolk are known to be standoffish and careful around others, but this is less from hatred and more due to the way their race began in its early years. Even in the cities, lizardfolk can often be seen as slightly paranoid due to their instincts always being on. They are always thinking about their safety and how to get food and shelter for the night. However, even if this nature may seem brutish to some, in truth they are remarkably social if a little blunt once one gets to know them. They also have a fondness of drinking and eating, and this is why lizardfolk can qutie commonly be found in taverns or in places near the more "run down" of cities. If encountering a lizardfolk tribe in the wild, while they will be very on edge of travelers, and often have simply resorted to killing percieved intruders on sight, they can be reasoned with and even traded with.
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
around 80 years
Average Height
around 6 feet tall
Average Physique
Typically bulkier and taller then a human
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Lizardfolk come in shades of green, grey and blue.
