Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk, also known as lizard men, were a race of reptilian humanoids native to Urbûn.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Lizardfolk were semi-aquatic reptilian humanoids. Their skin was covered in scales and varied in color from dark green through to shades of brown and gray. Taller than humans and powerfully built, lizardfolk were often between 6 and 7 feet (1.8–2.1 m) tall and weighed between 200 and 250 pounds (90.7–113 kg). Lizardfolk had non-prehensile muscular tails that grew to three or four feet in length, and these were used for balance. They also had sharp claws and teeth.
Although non-reptilians struggled to tell the difference between males and females, lizardfolk could easily distinguish themselves.
Lizardfolk had to keep their skin relatively moist and needed to wet their bodies regularly if they were in dry climates. For this reason they were particularly fearful of desert landscapes
Growth Rate & Stages
Lizardfolk females laid clutches of eggs, from which their young hatched. The eggs were kept well protected in the tribe's lair. The life of a hatchling was especially hard. Lizardfolk reached maturity within five years of hatching.
As lizardfolk aged, their bodies slowed down. Most lizardfolk over the age of 60 spent their days laying on warm rocks in the sun. Although lizardfolk aged much the same and had a similar lifespan to humans—the oldest reached 80 years of age—it was rare for lizardfolk males to grow old as they usually died in combat long before.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Lizardfolk were omnivorous, but strongly favored meat when they could get it. According to stories, to the lizardfolk, the most delicious meat was humanoid flesh, especially human, but this claim was more-or-less unfounded. However, some tribes did consume captives and enemies slain in battle. but more civilized tribes often resisted this craving. Meanwhile, ritual cannibalism of deceased tribe-members was customary.
Lizardfolk were quick to consume anything that was edible. For this reason, lizardfolk never kept pets.
When hunters brought back prey, adult lizardfolk ate first, taking what they wished. The young were usually left with the scraps, and more often than not subsisted on edible plants foraged from around the tribe's lair
Additional Information
Social Structure
Tribal Structure
Lizardfolk gathered into tribes. A typical tribe might have 150 lizardfolk, with around 50 male, 50 female, and 50 hatchlings, Another might have only 30–60 adults, with half as many hatchlings and one tenth that number in unhatched eggs.
Lizardfolk society was patriarchal and leaders held their positions for their strength and power alone. Although challenges for leadership were rarely made, anyone in the tribe could try and seize power from the leader. This would leave the tribe unorganized and vulnerable until a new leader took charge or the old leader had reasserted their position. Lizardfolk leaders were most often barbarians or even druids. In a tribe, they would be assisted by two lieutenants. Many skilled warriors were fighters and barbarians.
Tribal shamans, meanwhile, were usually clerics who worshiped Semuanya. Shamans rarely served as leaders, and by-and-large only offered advice.
Females in the tribes were responsible for hatching eggs, raising young, and maintaining the camp. All the females in the tribe would work together to raise the young. They monitored their hatchlings closely, as the young were difficult to handle and tended to wander off, away from camp and into the wilderness.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The eggs and skin of lizardfolk were bitter and inedible.
The skin of lizardfolk could be fashioned into armor.
Civilization and Culture
Average Technological Level
Lizardfolk fashioned primitive weaponry and tools from wood, stones, and plants they found in the wetlands. Lizardfolk preferred weapons they could fashion themselves from what was available, and so they tended to be simple and limited in variety. More advanced tribes made use of a wider range of weaponry and shields. Moreover, they would sometimes utilize weapons they found or stole; tribal leaders typically got to use items that had been stolen or bartered from other races. The barbed dart was a weapon unique to the lizardfolk. However, their claws and teeth were often sufficient.
Camps varied in style from tribe to tribe. The simplest were just damp leaves used for bedding, but more developed lizardfolk tribes built crude dwellings.
They did not keep animals as pets or mounts, but rarely a lizardfolk druid might employ their magic to charm a dinosaur and ride it into battle to awesome effect.
History
The lizardfolk themselves has no written history. Lizardfolk themselves believe they were one of the first humanoid races on Aestria. In their story, lizardfolk had dwelled in the swamps since the beginning and that all the civilized races outside had evolved from weak lizardfolk who could not endure their harsh life and left the swamps. Thus, the lizardfolk could look down upon the civilized races as weaklings. Outsiders thought it more likely that lizardfolk were an offshoot of the ancient Creator Race known as the sarrukh, appearing long before any of the interloper races came to Aestria.
Regardless, it was clear that lizardfolk had an unimaginably ancient culture, virtually unchanged over the eons.
In −1732 BC, the Lapal tribes imported large numbers of lizardfolk as slaves from the Great Swamp of Rethild. Many of the lizardfolk escaped into the land that would become Halruaa.
In −189 BC, the armies of Serpentes conquered the Tashalar. The army was made up of lizardfolk and yuan-ti.
In 289 BC, lizardfolk claimed the flooded city of Marsember in Cormyr after King Torst and his brother were slain in the flooding.
In -993 BC, several lizardfolk tribes migrated eastward from Serpent Hills into the newly formed Marsh of Chelimber.
In -1330 BC, the community of Reeshov saw an influx in lizardfolk after the creatures were freed from mind flayer control.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Neighboring lizardfolk tribes would often ally against formidable enemies, even against other hostile lizardfolk tribes.
The relationship of lizardfolk to other races was considered to be mostly that of hunter to prey. Lizardfolk of somewhat more civilized nature understood that other races might know something worth learning, and were ready to parley. Lizardfolk were most likely to negotiate with halflings. Nevertheless, lizardfolk considered themselves stronger and thus better than most other races and therefore thought of themselves as "real people". Lizardfolk referred to most of the civilized races as "softskins".
Lizardfolk rarely interacted with other races as their swampy homelands were home to few other sentient creatures. Their main competitors in the swamps were bullywugs, whom lizardfolk tended to despise. They sometimes allied with locathahs, or choose to serve highly dominant creatures like dragons or nagas.
In places where lizardfolk raiding parties threatened civilization, interracial relations could be particularly bad, In the coastal village of Gaerod Pool the hunting of lizard folk became a sport.
Average Height
6 and 7 feet (1.8–2.1 m)
Average Weight
200 and 250 pounds (90.7–113 kg)
