Sauromar

A race known for their strength and appearance, the Sauromar or "Reptillians".

## History

Sauromar, often known as ‘Reptilians’ are a race of tribalistic creatures nestled in the depths of the swamp. For centuries the people of Sauromar have dedicated their time to the practice of an unorthodox culture and faith stemming further than any faith yet seen in the far stretches of the mountain pass. They’re often described as horrifically zealtrious and incredibly aggressive toward anyone attempting to argue their faith. It is commonly said that almost all conflicts stemming from the reptiles of the swamp arise from such an action, leading to many a strife. Not that you’d want to face a Sauromar in combat, despite their primitive notion they’re notorious for ripping grown men limb from limb with their bare hands.

## Sauromar

### Average Weight

Male: 280 lbs - 350 lbsFemale: 250 lbs - 320 lbs

### Region of Origin

Swamplands

Sauromar are incredibly large compared to almost all of their racial counterparts, brutishly built with layers of thick muscle over their bones. In order to support their weight their bones are chambered with air sacs which also keep the limbs sturdy when in motion. Their legs are also rather bizarre from an external glance, walking on their toes with their ankles raised off the ground. This bird-like stance gives them an edge in terms of raw speed, easily outclassing a human in a raw sprint. That said, Sauromar are not persistent runners and will quickly tire due to their inability to sweat, easily exhausting themselves if they are not careful. This is somewhat mitigated by the Sauromars' secondary adaptation of cold blood as they can easily reduce their fatigue by resting in the shade. This does whoever comes with a risk that given a cold enough environment (below freezing) A Sauromar will enter a state of comatose. As a species the Sauromar are not exactly dexterous, sporting three digits on all of their limbs with the one facing the interior being the smallest. Each digit is headed by a talon curved slightly inward towards the palm. This allows them better traction on the ground or grip in the canopy, making them some of the most mobile of the swamp born races. Of course, such growth makes it difficult for them to hold and or operate complex machinery which has effectively rendered their adaptability to null, forcing them to use weapons without precise mechanisms or utilize comparatively primitive agricultural tactics to their rivals.

The Sauromar’s signature talking piece is of course its head, sporting a long crocodilian snout with nostrils which face up toward the sky so they can keep most of their bodies underwater. Their eyes face slightly outward giving them a very crude binocular vision with slit pupils to adapt to different light signatures. Like most reptiles they possess an acute sense of smell with a particular notion for blood. Given their semi-aquatic lifestyle this extends to bodies of water too, making it nigh impossible to lose a motivated reptilian on the hunt. Sauromar’s mouths are lined with crocodilian-like teeth, designed to grip and crush whatever is unfortunate enough to get close enough to their maws. While technically omnivorous this is the predominant reason as to why they mostly meat.

Reptilians are marked with rows of spines which run down their back, rising as they rise against the neck. These spines become hyper specialized as they trail to the end of the tail, flattening into a padel of sorts to propel themselves through the bogs of the swamplands. These tails come with the quirk that if they are severed at the middle-most point they will regrow over the course of a month, something a reptilian can do at will if they see it fit.

## Psychology

Sauromar are often branded with the stigma of ‘monster’ by many of the smaller races they coexist with, rumored to be just as evil as paradaemons or other such plights of the world. The truth of the matter is the reptilians are far more nuanced to morality, they’re entirely indifferent to it. A reptilian lacks the psychological ability to feel complex human emotions (**awe, disgust, embarrassment, envy, gratitude, guilt, jealousy, pride, remorse, shame, and worry**.) to a degree that they cannot comprehend them at even their conceptual level. It’s entirely alien to them. Instead Sauromar perceives the world in a much more black and white perspective, good and bad are cut finely and there is no room for exceptions, no grey area. This often makes them incredibly radical to different concepts, one such being their faith. The *Serpent's Will* is so deeply enriched into their culture that the mere criticism of their faith is reason to brutalize anyone who dare speak ill of the snake's gospel. It is for this reason that alliances with the Sauromar prove to be some of the strongest and why war with Sauromar typically lasts forever.

When they are not waging religious war, the Reptilian People can be quite easy going, living a life of docility across the swamplands. They are most often found in various small tribal groups which litter the marshland, living an isolationist life of hunting and gathering. Larger tribes have taken to rearing livestock in the crests of the swamplands where their presence is masked by the canopy though such a place is guarded heavily. Sauromar are content with letting other races move through their territory though they become incredibly agitated if their land is settled upon.

While they are not the brightest race they do attempt to intellectually parlay with their rivals, being surprisingly well-versed in religious theory and their history. Outside of these situations you’d be forgiven for assuming they were nothing more than bipedal lizards, their words almost completely unintelligible to non-reptilians. This is often a detriment to communication with such a race as one wrong word could mean the difference between keeping your head attached to your body.

## Language

Sauromar speak a very ancient tongue indeed, one so old that few outsides of the Sauromar themselves can still understand it let alone speak it. Its most commonly attributed traits include the rolling of the consonant's ‘S’ and ‘R’ in conjunction with spoken word. Dimerian is not conventionally written but is instead depicted with murals which are then narrated by a Sauromar.

Examples:

Hello - “Sut’Sut.”

Hi - “Su.”

Goodbye - “Ce’do.”

How are you? - “Sum’da ou?”

Where are you? - “Rema’da ou?”

What are you? - “Rum’da ou?”

I am… - “Re’a…”

Friend - “Sume’.”

Foe - “Sar’co”

Kill - “Sect.”