Lizardfolk

== Overview ==
=== Origin ===
The Lizardfolk were the predominant native race inhabiting Ferra before the arrival of Old Empire. Unlike many of the races in the Old World, the Lizardfolk were a splintered race for as long as their history remembers. As such, there were and are thousands of explanations of how the Lizardfolk came about. Today, the priests and chiefs of the Theocracy of Ngwih believe that the Lizardfolk were not of any divine creation nor even had a single point of origin. Instead they believe that they emerged from the jungles of Ferra by their own might. As such, they see all of Ferra as their own birth right and label every single old world race as an invader to be purged, and on top of that list are the Imperials.
=== Spread ===
The Lizardfolk once spread across almost all the land and oceans of Ferra. Though there were many variations and subspecies, each best suited for their native environment, the lizard folk population was densest in warm and humid climates such as the Suli Forests, falling off in the colder and drier climates. 
Today, while some pockets of Lizardfolk may remain hidden in forests and swamps almost the entirety of the race has been pushed east onto the Deruvou island.
=== Culture ===
Lizardfolk culture was once highly unique and diverse. Before the Imperials arrived, there were great Lizardfolk empires with advanced cultures and religions existing next to seemingly endless Lizardolk tribes, migrating through and existing in tune with the primordial forest dominating most of the continent.
Almost all of this diversity has been lost. Mostly due to the purges and wars of genocide the Imperial Colonies and later Imperial nations undertook. They toppled great empires, slaughtered their population, burned their records and scuttled their holy sites. The as the surviving Lizardfolk were pushed east, they were forced in ever tighter territory, the desperation of the situation ever growing. This desperation and density began to melt what diversity was left into one unified cultural space, one entirely focused on the battle against Imperials.
==== Kurg'rakash ====
This existential battle, Kurg'rakash as the Lizardfolk call it, is the central component of Lizardfolk culture. Whereas Imperials view the conflict with the Lizardfolk as a series of wars and campaigns, the Lizardfolk do not see it as a war or even a series of war. To them, Kurg'rakash is a continuous struggle starting when the first Imperials set foot in Ferra and only ends once the last Imperial has been purged from it.
==== Dra'korin and the Dra'fakar ====
In ancient times, most of the Lizardfolk were dragon worshippers and many empires and kingdoms had a patron dragon either ruling them directly or simply allowing themselves to be worshipped. Wars between Lizardfolk empires would often be decided by a duel between the two patron dragon instead of full scale war. This way the dragon worship was a political, religious and a diplomatic system, called the Dra'korin by the Lizardfolk.
When the Imperials arrived most of the Lizardfolk empires though them to be weak since they didn't seem to have a patron dragon to defend them. At first they were ignored but when they spread further from their landing at Pomariames into the Flarian Plains, and the Suli Forests, the neighbouring Lizardfolk kingdoms and empires attacked the Imperial settlements. This war is called the War of Suli Extermination by imperial scholars and no fewer than 3 ancient dragons patrons were killed during the war. After the death of their dragons the empires quickly surrendered and were slaughtered in their totality by the Imperial armies. Their existence was so utterly destroyed that the names and even their exact locations are not remembered today.
The War of Suli Extermination and other wars like it undermined the Dra'korin. Faith in the dragons slowly started to dwindle. Eventually when the Lizardfolk and their patron dragons were pushed into the western parts of Ferra, in the year 712 AtS the Dra'fakar happened. In the span of only a few months almost all Lizardfolk collectively rose up against the dragons, renouncing the Dra'korin and killing the dragons. It is said that in just one year, the Lizardfolk killed as many dragons during the Dra'fakar as the Imperials did in the preceding 800 years.
==== Lizardfolk Pantheon ====
After the Dra'fakar, for a while the Lizardfolk were without a single pantheon or religion. Some Kingdoms and tribes began to worship spirits or other beast but most remained without a real religion of believe.
As the Kurg'rakash intensified and the situation became more and more dire for the Lizardfolk they began to use their collective believe to elevate someone or something to demi-deity status in the hopes that they could fight the Imperials. While this practise was largely ineffective, it would eventually lead to the formalized under the Theocracy of Ngwih to the practice of forced deification that is now a core component of the Lizardfolk Pantheon.
== Subraces ==
=== Dra'karesh - High Lizardfolk ===
The Dra'karesh or High Lizardfolk are believed to be blessed with draconic blood. They are larger, stronger and more intelligent than the typical Lizardfolk and can rarely be born to any Lizardfolk.
In ancient times, during the Dra'korin, the Dra'karesh were Emperors, Kings, High-Priests and Prophets, usually at the top of their respective societies and viewed as holy almost divine being. After the Dra'fakar, the Dra'karesh lost most of their religious significance but are still seen as the best of the Lizardfolk and still usually find their way to the top of Lizardolk society.
=== Far'krish - Suli Lizardfolk ===
The Far'krish, called Suli Lizardfolk by the Imperials is one of the most common subraces of Lizardolk. It was Far'kish empires that the Imperials first encountered in the Suli Forests, getting their name that way, even though the Far'krish were spread across almost all of Ferra.
The Far'krish, while being slightly weaker than many of their siblings, possessed a greater social capacity and were uniquely well suited for the primordial forests of Ferra. Many of the greatest Lizardfolk empires and kingdoms were founded around a Far'krish core.
=== Gnar'krish - Krakorfolk ===
The Gnar'krish, called Krakorfolk by the Imperials because they resembled the Krakor, a giant crocodilian, native to Fulgium, were much darker than their Far'krish siblings, usually dark green or gray to the point where it almost appeared black. They inhabited the swamps and rivers of Ferra. Adapted for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Though often forming tribes, a few Gnar'kish kingdoms are known to exist, often spanning across a lake or river network.
Gnar'krish culture was often more martial than that of their siblings.
=== Mur'krish - Kobold ===
The Mur'krish, called Kobolds by the Imperials, the ancient Shortfolk work for “Lizard”. This is because the Imperials think that the Mur'krish's shorter statue makes them the short folk of the Lizardfolk.
They appear in all shapes and colours, though they are often more lanky than their siblings and always significantly shorter. They usually live in the hills, mountains, and caves of Ferra. Unlike most of their siblings, many small Mur'krish tribes still exist in Imperial territory, their presence unknown to the surrounding imperials.
==== Mur'krish'kharish - generational worship ====
Mur'krish possess a unique ability called Mur'krish'kharish, that over the span of a few generations makes them inherit certain characteristics of a deity they all worshipped. This process is subtle, and can easily be interrupted if the mur'krishes in a generational line decide to abandon the deity. The characteristics gained from Mur'krish'kharish fade away after a generation or two after that point. The lizardfolk deities tend to come and go before a few generations pass, so this phenomenon is mostly observed in the mainland mur'krish, and is not limited to rogue daemons, but also some imperial gods, which many imperials see as a perversion of the faith.
Mur'krish'kharish characteristics include them gaining fledgling wings and puny dragon's breath ability, or for worshippers of Schoyna their scales turn shiny and beautiful. No matter from which deity they gain their Mur'krish'kharish characteristics, they are still unmistakably mur'krish.
=== Har'krish - Dragonborn ===
The Har'krish, called Dragonborn by the Imperials because of their apparent resemblance to Dragons, are a distinct Lizarfolk race that lives on the Wylder Shores. 
They appear in the colours of the chromatic and metallic dragons and, unlike other Lizardfolk, have wings and some sort of breath attack. Due to the dangerous environment of the Wylder Shores, the Har'krish are bigger, stronger, and tougher than their siblings.
The Har'krish did not mingle much with the other Lizardfolk and, thanks to the dangerous environment they lived in, largely escaped the Kurg'rakash against the Imperials. This way, while the Imperials still despise them as Lizardfolk, most of the Har'krish have a much milder opinion of them compared to their siblings.
The Har'krish organize themselves into clans and subclans and their disputes are usually solved through marriage, debate, compromise, or honour duels.
Category:Race