Lizardfolk

Lizardfolk are one of the most misunderstood races in the world, reviled by other humanoid societies for their practice of cannibalism, their frequent alliances with or subjugation by evil dragons, and their tendency to war over border encroachments and environmental exploitation.

Despite the misunderstandings of outsiders about this race of people, lizardfolk occupy and protect ecological niches which benefit the world at large. When treated fairly and given the means to peaceably integrate with other humanoid societies, they become valued allies and powerful members of standing multicultural armies.

Physical Description: Most lizardfolk resemble iguana-descended humanoids, with thick scales and spines running down the length of their backs and tails. Scale coloration varies from a bright blue to all shades of yellow and green and several hues of dusky brown. Lizardfolk who evolved from other species of lizards also exist; depending on the individual racial traits they possess, a tribe may more closely resemble geckos, chameleons, or monitors, with scale coloration varying correspondingly. Some lizardfolk are also descended in part from true dragons, and typically sport the scale coloration and bone structure of the type of dragon whose genes they inherited. Their average height and weight are only slightly more than that of humans (6 to 7 feet tall, 200 to 250 pounds).

Alignment and Religion: Lizardfolk are highly attuned to nature, and their superstitions reflect this closeness to the environment. Druidic and elemental faiths are the most common religions among lizardfolk tribes, although a tribe may adopt a deity as a result of exposure to another culture or having been conquered by another race. A few lizardfolk tribes, particularly the dragonsired variants, worship dragons as gods made flesh. They appear to be granted spells through their prayers to these living “gods,” but exactly how this happens is largely a mystery. Given their reverence for equilibrium, lizardfolk typically tend toward neutrality on both alignment axes, although their individual tribal cultures and favored deities can swing them toward good or evil quite easily.

Tribes and Families: Lizardfolk tribes consist of anywhere from three to 20 families living and working in concert to ensure their continued survival. For this very reason, cannibalism is not taboo among their kind: the dead are a food source, no different from hunted game or butchered cattle. Hatcheries are a core element of tribal society: every tribe has a dedicated building for laying, storing, and caring for eggs and younglings. Juveniles live in these hatching enclaves for the first year of their lives before returning to their families, protected by the tribe’s strongest warriors and taught to work and contribute from birth. Mothers rotate shifts within the hatching enclave so that the younglings learn to value those who have given them life and acquire a wide range of skills from the tribe’s parental figures.

Government and Leaders: Due to their survivalistic nature, lizardfolk pick their leaders from those most capable of leading them toward prosperity. Typically, tribal leaders include the most powerful warriors, the most fertile females, and the advisors with the most sophisticated understanding of nature and magic. Rarely does a tribe defer to a single leader, unless they have been subjugated by a greater power such as a dragon. Instead, two to five tribal leaders are recognized by the collective community and rule via majority consensus in disputes. Any dispute which cannot be settled peaceably is decided in ritual combat (which is usually not fought to the death).

Love and Mating: Romantic love is a strange concept to lizardfolk; they acknowledge it on some level, but it takes up far less of their socialization process than it does among other humanoid races. Given their species’ narrow focus on reproduction and survival, lizardfolk have no concept of monogamy, and homosexual behavior is extremely rare. However, there is evidence to suggest that protandry and protogyny (the spontaneous changing of biological sex) occurs within stressed lizardfolk populations, which may cause a sudden reversal of an individual’s gender role. Although lizardfolk manipulate the distribution of males and females within their communities by altering the ambient temperature of their hatcheries, sometimes calamity (usually war or plague) befalls a tribe so as to deplete large numbers of one sex. As a result, lizardfolk may spontaneously change sex so as to rebalance the population.

Language and Script: Lizardfolk use the Draconic language for all communication. They arrange stones or hack letters into trees to mark their territory in simple Draconic words, usually no more than four to a sentence.

Writing is otherwise scarce among their people; the oral tradition plays a central role in lizardfolk life, since nights are spent by cookfires reciting tribal histories over meals.

Lizardfolk can learn other languages but speak with sibilant, hissing accents regardless of the tongue in which they are speaking.

Names: Lizardfolk names feature many h, s, and k consonant sounds. They avoid b, m, and p consonant sounds due to the lack of a true bilabial mouth; although these phonetics are absent from the Draconic language for this very reason, lizardfolk can approximate these sounds when speaking other languages.

In personal names, the first spot between two consonants which would normally be joined by a vowel sound is a slurred combination of the consonants, denoted in written Common with an apostrophe. Typically, female names end in vowels, and male names end in consonants. Tribal names are one-word phrases in Draconic, usually ending in i, that translate to a descriptor-noun pairing of either the tribe’s physical appearance or the place where they live. Tribal names are not usually part of a personal introduction, unless the lizardfolk is formally representing her tribe. When a lizardfolk speaks in another language, she translates the pairing literally—so F’haisa, our signature lizardfolk, would introduce herself in Common as F’haisa Yellow Crest if speaking for her tribe.

Male Names: H’serisseth, K’vaal, L’soorh, S’hesh, T’siik.

Female Names: F’haisa, J’haira, N’hannali, T’siika, V’sana.

Tribe Names: Dry Riverbed (Vhitaari), Low Marsh (Tsiikil), Red Talon (Kharusi), Ruined Temple (Ixtupi), Yellow Crest (Dhuuvij).

Lizardfolk Racial Traits

Lizardfolk have the following racial traits.

  • Ability Score Increase. Lizardfolk are used to harsh environments and being exposed to adversity. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
  • Age. Lizardfolk mature more quickly than most humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age rapidly as well, seldom reaching 80 years of age.
  • Alignment. Most lizardfolk are neutral due to their deep conneciton with nature.
  • Size. Lizardfolk tend to be a little taller than humans, standing between 6 and 7 feet tall. You are Medium size.
  • Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  • Lizardfolk Combat Training. You have proficiency with the blowgun, handaxe, javelin, and maul.
  • Languages. You can read, write, and speak Common and Draconic.

Subraces

The two most common types of lizardfolk are the dragonsired and swampkin. Choose one of these subraces.

Dragonsired Lizardfolk

Dragonsired lizardfolk carry a touch of their draconic ancestry within them.

  • Ability Score Increase. Dragonsired lizardfolk exude a dragon’s confidence and power. Increase your Charisma score by 1.
  • Damage Resistance. You gain advantage on saving throws against damage of of a type chosen from the following: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You also have resistance to that same type of damage.
  • Draconic Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for it.

Swampkin Lizardfolk

Born to the marsh, a swampkin lizardfolk is at home in places others would forever avoid.

  • Ability Score Increase. Being observant in harsh and deadly marshes keeps a swampkin lizardfolk alive. You increase your Wisdom by 1.
  • Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to your Constitution score before needing to make Constitution checks.
  • Natural Armor. Your scales protect you against the elements and against attacks. When you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Book of Heroic Races: Player Races 2. © 2017, Jon Brazer Enterprises

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