Reptilians

The [REDACTED], informally known as the **Reptilians**, were a presumably extinct lizard-like race that lived in the Sargist galaxy for [REDACTED] years. They were known for being highly war-like and exhibiting a strict caste system based on species. They were the dominant force in their own region of space until their extermination by the Avians under King Sargon. They are considered extinct although rumors persist of their survival.
Due to limited information on their society, biology, culture, etc., very little is known about them. The following info was primarily uncovered from salvaged data from Avian ships, [REDACTED], and speculation.

## Biology

The Reptilians were quite diverse in terms of morphology but the majority of them, whether vaguely or precisely, resembled anthropomorphic versions of terrestrial reptiles, though there were clear exceptions. One notable example was the Noble caste of Reptilians who, while generally serpentine in appearance, are varied in size, color and even apparent species. There was even a case where the rulers, such as the Serpent King Ophidus, had membranous wings growing from their backs.

## Society

Reptilian society is highly-stratified, ancient and deeply religious with very little deviation over the course of their long history. Curiously, the Reptilian caste system shared many similarities with the Avian and Sargist caste systems from later on. Whether this is mere coincidence or if the Sargists adopted or at least took form this system is a matter of debate.

The Reptilian Caste system was divided into four main castes: Workers, Artisans, Warriors and finally the Nobles. Like the Sargist hierarchy, it was taken up by different species of reptile. In summary, the Worker caste is taken up by the "worldly" species such as turtles and iguanas. The Artisan merchant caste was mainly of more dainty species like geckos, skinks and chameleons. The Warriors, the best-known and most frequently-encountered caste, were made up of more dangerous species such as crocodiles, alligators, monitor lizards, and komodo dragons. The highest caste, the Nobles, are composed entirely of snakes or serpentine beings such as "nagas." This caste is also split into the political aspect called the Kingship and the religious aspect called the Priesthood. However, some from the Noble caste have been known to command the front lines and even engage in battle with the enemy, as proven many times during the Reptilian-Avian War.

## History

### Before the Avian War

Very little is known of Reptilian history before their war against the Sargon-era Avians, and what *is* known about their history is subject to bias and distortion, making historical accuracy tricky and uncertain. What is known is that it has maintained its social caste for thousands of years with few changes and reforms. Sociologists and xenologists from [REDACTED] have hypothesized that like most sapient species they started off as thousands of disparate tribes from multiple species, parallel to the pre-Sargist Avians. One day, either a single tribe or union of tribes, probably one composed of the proto-Serpentines, eventually rose to prominence, conquering and assimilating smaller tribes and incorporating them into their society, eventually forming the Reptilian caste system. But as hypotheses go, there is no direct evidence to confirm this.

By the time Reptilian technology advanced to a level similar to mid-20th century humanity, their homeworld was finally unified under a single world government, whether through conquest or diplomacy. During this era of peace a "golden age" followed, characterized by advances in architecture and culture.

## Rumors

In Sargist society there are many rumors about the Reptilians after their supposed extinction, some of which have leaked their way into human minds. These rumors are widely-varied and often contradictory, but the most prominent ones include a handful of survivors fleeing Sargon's purge to some remote corner of the universe. Among humans, these rumors somewhat revived a bizarre, decades-old conspiracy theory of malevolent, shapeshifting humanoid lizards controlling mankind while posing as world leaders and celebrities.