Lizardfolk

The Lizardfolk are an ancient, savage, astute race of cold-blooded, reptilian humanoids that were at one time the oldest civilization of Cyril. Alien, enigmatic, and without mercy, the Lizardmen were there when it all began and will be there when the world draws its last dying breath, never tiring nor relenting until order is finally restored to this uncaring, chaotic world. Such is what they were made to do, for they are the ancient servants of Uszara, the one true conquerer's of this very world.

Lizardfolk move through the societies of other humanoids with the steely reserve of born predators. They have a well-deserved reputation as outstanding rangers and unsentimental fighters. Though lizardfolk have adapted to many different environments, many of them still prefer to remain near bodies of water, using their ability to hold their breath to their advantage. As a result, lizardfolk usually prefer equipment that is not easily damaged by moisture, eschewing leather and metal for gear made of stone, ivory, glass, and bone.

## You Might...

* Demonstrate extreme patience, even when pressured to act.
* Hold your people’s history in high regard and look to the past for solutions to present problems.
* Strive to adapt perfectly to your environment while also keeping your culture and traditions intact.

## Others Probably...

* Assume you are beholden to tradition and have ancient knowledge.
* See you as cold-blooded and callous due to your subdued physical reactions.
* Respect your impressive strength and your knowledge of natural areas.

## Physical Description

Lizardfolk vary depending on their environment, but share toothy snouts and long and powerful tails. Those from temperate or desert regions tend toward gray, green, or brown scales that aid in camouflage, while those from tropical climes are brightly colored. Many sport dorsal spikes or garish neck frills that hint at their clan lineage. Lizardfolk reach physical adulthood at age 15 and live up to 120 years. The average lizardfolk stands 6 to 7 feet tall, but grows throughout their lifetime, gaining strength and size with age.

## Society

Known among themselves as iruxi, lizardfolk are raised communally from the moment they break from their shells. They have an oral tradition stretching back thousands of years, brought to life through epic poems, evocative carvings, and ancestral rites performed among fields of fossilized bone. Lizardfolk are passionate astrologers with one eye on the future. If they seem slow to act, it is because their long history has taught them the value of patience.

The simple villages most outsiders associate with iruxi are the homes of migrants in outlying regions. True iruxi settlements are often overlooked, as they are partially or mostly submerged in water. These glass and stone complexes bear the mark of every generation of lizardfolk that lived within them, and lizardfolk bones often adorn the walls, as many lizardfolk believe these remains can be animated by ancestral spirits when the residents are in danger.

## Alignment and Religion

Most iruxi are unconcerned with heavy questions of morality and are therefore usually neutral in alignment. Adventuring iruxi who leave their people to travel might have any number of reasons for doing so and can be of any alignment. Iruxi religion plays a large role in their culture, but it is heavily practical, blending animism and ancestor worship with druidic rites. Of the gods, only Uszara is commonly revered and Drakkar while not revered is ever present in the back of many lizardfolk's minds, but lizardfolk may call upon other powers devoted to ancient wyrms, astrology, nature, rivers, and might of arms.

## Adventurers

Some background options are particularly suitable for lizardfolk. Wilderness or martial backgrounds like the animal whisperer, hunter, scout, or warrior are ideal. Living at the margins of human civilization means an iruxi might have grown up as a hardy street urchin, traveled as a nomad or sailor, or found work as a laborer or gladiator. Lizardfolk's ties to the wilderness make them excellent rangers or druids. Their outstanding strength serves them well if they select the barbarian, fighter, or monk classes, though they can also strike from stealth as a rogue. Iruxi also have a strong oral tradition kept alive by lizardfolk bards and sorcerers.

## Names

Lizardfolk names come from their ancient language and tend to be traditional. Names are typically chosen by the clan’s astrologer in accordance to omens and which star signs are ascendant when an iruxi egg hatches, though occasionally an iruxi’s parents may name a hatchling for an ancestor or a beloved historical hero.

### Sample Names

Arasheg, Barashk, Essaru, Enshuk, Gishkim, Hazi, Inishish, Kutak, Nasha, Shulkuru, Tizkar, Utakish, Zelkekek

## Other Information

### Iruxi Ancestors

Ancestor worship is central to iruxi spiritual life. Lizardfolk keep their elders' physical remains close, incorporating them into the architecture of their settlements. The bones of deceased iruxi shore up protective walls and fill great vaulting ossuaries. Preserved and suffused with ritual veneration, these bones become magical reservoirs of power. It's rumored that in times of great need, iruxi ancestors will reanimate their bones and fight for their descendants.