Pterafolk Pterafolk ( also called " pteramen " or " ptera - men " ) were a race of shape - shifting pteranodon - like humanoid s nearly unique to the jungles of Chult . Description . At first glance , pterafolk in their natural forms looked like tail - less lizardfolk or saurial s , but they were much taller and leaner and had elongated cranial crests like pteranodon s . They had smooth , fine scales , much like those of a snake , that ranged in color from forest - green to light shades of tan . Their arms and legs were thin and long , and their hands and feet bore sharp claws . Abilities . Similar to how a yuan - ti could change its form at will into a snake , the pterafolk could " unfurl " a pair of eight - foot - long , leathery , webbed wings for flying or even take the form of a small pteranodon . They tended to only use such forms when they wanted to fly . Personality . While not all lizardfolk were evil , it was generally agreed that pterafolk were cruel and vicious as a rule . They were highly untrusting of anyone outside their own race . Pterafolk distrusted magic , so spellcasters were very rare among them , and they would usually destroy any magical items they found as spoils . If the tribe was overseen by a spirit naga ( see below ) , it might train up acolytes who could cast divine magic . Pterafolk did not wear clothing , except for belts and bandoliers for carrying small items . If they wore armor or used weapons — often barbed spears — they were custom - made to not interfere with flight . Pterafolk liked to collect things valued by the communities near where they lived . Combat . Pterafolk rarely strategized , but they had certain tactics they used regularly in combat . They used dive - bombing tactics , dropping from altitudes of 100 feet ( 30 meters ) or more to swoop down on their foes and strike with their rear claws , toothed beak , or barbed spears . They preferred circling their opponents and diving upon them in turn such that there would be a constant stream of diving attacks from all directions . Some clans cared little for training and relied only on instinct in battle . Others had a form of organized training that produced fighter s , barbarian s , or ranger s . Society . Pterafolk were sometimes called the " Hidden Folk " along with ophidian s , because they were not well - known and preferred to stay that way . While they were extremely rare outside the Chultan Peninsula , in 1372 DR they made up 4 % of the population of Chult . Their culture was one where the strong trampled on the weak , and the needs of an individual outweighed the needs of the group . Betrayal and infighting were common occurrences . Pterafolk lived either in large tribes or in small bands of between ten and thirty individuals . The smaller groups were disorganized and generally controlled by which ever pterafolk individual was strongest or loudest . Larger tribes had established communities with cultures similar to those of other races living around them . Tribes were subdivided into clans of related individuals . Strangely , these larger tribes were often ruled by a spirit naga , who functioned as chieftain with absolute power and responded to the tribe ' s requests and acted as a judge over their disputes . Pterafolk lived in grass huts built high above the jungle canopy . Each hut housed one to four persons . Pterafolk were enemies of the Tabaxi tribe of human s and the Batiri goblin tribe . Ironically , pterafolk were sometimes preyed upon by actual pteranodons . Life Cycle . Pterafolk ate both meat and vegetables . Their favorite meats were from and — massive prehistoric mammals still roaming in the jungles of Chult — and axebeak s — mammoth flightless birds . They also consumed jungle fruits , roots , bark , and flowers . Pterafolk mated for life . Females laid eggs high on mountain peaks and both parents guarded the eggs . When the young reached adulthood , they would leave the tribe and form smaller bands until they could establish territory or a tribe of their own . It was exceptionally rare for a pterafolk individual to die of old age ; death in battle was expected . Language . Pterafolk , like most reptilian creatures , spoke Draconic . Religion . After the breakup of the World Serpent , most pterafolk took to worshiping Shekinester , the goddess of spirit nagas . They held that the primary forces of nature were chaos and destruction . They followed their deity by bringing about more destruction into the world . History . Sages and scholars of Faerûn believed that lizardfolk evolved from pterafolk . Rumors among adventurers claimed that pterafolk were the result of magical experiments on pteranodons . In fact , neither tale was true ; pterafolk were one of the many creations of the sarrukh of Mhairshaulk and were bred from lizardfolk . The pterafolk gave the sarrukh armies more power , owing to their flight and viciousness , but they were also more difficult to control . After the fall of Mhairshaulk , many of the sarrukh ' s enemies attempted to hunt down and destroy the pterafolk . During the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR , the god Kossuth led a war against the pterafolk after appearing below the Peaks of Flame and choosing a firenewt named Chassan as his avatar . While they usually kept to themselves , in 1363 DR , Kaverin Ebonhand had managed to convince several dozen of them to fight with him in his assault on the holy city of Mezro . They dropped rocks and explosive items upon the city from the air . When Kaverin was slain by the famous Harper Artus Cimber , however , the pterafolk abandoned the fight .