Zan-Noum
The swamp-dwelling lizardfolk known as the Zan-Noum were among my first discoveries when I began my journey as an adventurer. I stumbled upon one of them, wounded and lying in the mud. I helped patch him up and he led me to his tribe as thanks, curious about me and my history. I was shocked he spoke Common, but I later discovered he was a recently branded Traveller who had learned the language fairly quickly. I arrived in the village to the sight of easily half the population clamoring up to look at me, as I was apparently their first encounter with an outsider. I spent a bit of time there after that, learning all I could about their people and culture in a reasonable amount of time, and then I left with the Traveller I had first encountered.Deep within the swamps of Zan-Kaj, in the southern region of the western continent, there lives a number of tribes of a species known as the Zan-Noum. Translated to the common tongue, their name roughly means "Lizard-Man", and this is quite a literal descriptor. Their hard scales, bulky frames, long snouts with sharp teeth, and large tails make their reptilian nature plain for all to see.
From this experience and the company of my newfound reptilian friend, it was clear to me that the Zan-Noum make excellent travel companions. Their quick wits and sharp minds make them a great asset in sticky situations, and their more objective demeanor makes them good compliments to most other humanoids, allowing them to keep a cool head in times of passion and panic. They show no pity for weakness, but no animosity either, and if you can get on their good side, you've made yourself an ally for life.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Zan-Noum are large, reptilian humanoids. They possess strong muscular systems, rough scaly hides, large and powerful tails, honed claws, elongated snouts, and incredibly strong jaws with lines of razor-sharp teeth.
Genetics and Reproduction
Zan-Noum reproduce via internal fertilization, where the male and female will mate, causing the female to eventually lay an egg. It takes about 3 months for an egg to hatch, at which point the child will be raised communally by the tribe as a whole.
Ecology and Habitats
The Zan-Noum make their homes in murky swamps and wetlands, which helps keep their bodies moisturized and their temperature regulated.
Dietary Needs and Habits
They eat primarily fish, which they catch around their tribal homes. They will also eat other kinds of meat if they are available, such as pigs, cows, birds, horses, etc. They bring their food back to their homes and store it in the center of the village. When it is time to feed, the elders will be given their shares first, followed by the greatest hunters, at which point the rest of the day's rations are first come, first served, with care taken to ensure that the children are properly fed.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Male Zan-Noum have longer, wider snouts, whereas females have shorter, rounder snouts. Typical eye colors are red, yellow, green, and females have notably larger eyes than males.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Zan-Noum are native to the southern swamps of the western continent. The ones that travel can be found in many places, but the ones that don't stick to the swamps.
Average Intelligence
In spite of their primitive appearance and tribal lifestyle, the Zan-Noum exhibit surprising intellectual capability. The travelers among them are very quick learners and have gone on to become sophisticated warriors, learned scholars, and even skilled mages, and the tribal warriors can be found to carry weapons of varying sophistication, albeit with less mastery than one formally trained with such arms.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Zan-Noum can sense movement around them when submerged via the vibrations and ripples in the water, and their eyes can see through the water when submerged.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
When a child hatches, it is named by the tribe based on a physical descriptor, such as (translated) "Red Scales", "Green Eyes", "Long Tail", etc. Upon reaching maturity and going through their first hunt as a rite of passage into adulthood, a Zan-Noum is given a new name based on their accomplishments or deeds, hunting style, or behavior, such as "Waits In Green", "Swift", "Head Taker", "Song", etc.
Gender Ideals
There are minimal differences observed in roles between the male and female Zan-Moun, besides the obvious need for the females to lay the eggs.
Courtship Ideals
The Zan-Noum do not court in a traditional sense. In their society, males and females can mate almost arbitrarily, and this action has no further implications or obligations to them, as the children are raised communally by the tribe.
Average Technological Level
The Zan-Noum possess great proficiency with druidic magic, however technologically speaking they are vastly inferior to most civilized societies. Travelers, in contrast, are very quick to pick up on new technologies and techniques.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The language of the lizards, known as Zan-Pal (translated "Lizard-Speak"), is an entirely verbal, primal-sounding tongue involving clicks and hisses in its pronunciations. It has no known writing to speak of, with very few exceptions.
Common Dress Code
The attire of the Zan-Noum is very basic, as they do not require much due to their hard scales. Village elders will wear robes, and chiefs are given symbolic adornments to display their status, but most individuals are content to wear mere loincloths and potentially satchels for practicality purposes.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
When a Zan-Noum decides to leave the tribe in order to journey the world and obtain outside knowledge and experience, they are given a farewell ceremony by the tribe and branded with one of the few written words in their culture: a single rune which means "Traveler". These Travelers are then sent off, and whenever they decide to return, they are presented the five most fertile females in the tribe to pass on their enlightened genes to the tribe, as the Zan-Noum believe that parts of one's experiences are passed on to their offspring.
Common Taboos
The Zan-Noum do not kill without purpose. When a life has been taken, the one responsible must either use the body for food or a trophy, or else give the body a proper burial in order to return them to the earth. To ignore this duty is the highest sin of the Zan-Noum.
Common Myths and Legends
The most prominent legends of the Zan-Noum center around the god Lacert, the Swamp Dweller, and they tell of how he first carved the swamps into being with his great claws and spawned the first of the lizard people.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The Zan-Noum are decidedly neutral towards most humanoids, not quite understanding them, but not necessarily being hostile towards them unprovoked. They view their mammalian peers with passive curiosity and occasional confusion over how they survive without tough scales, and to the less educated among the Zan-Noum, mammals' ability to survive in hot and dry environments such as deserts baffles them.
Scientific Name
Homo Lacerta
Origin/Ancestry
Reptilian
Lifespan
80 - 90 years
Average Height
6 - 7 feet
Average Weight
200 - 300 lbs.
Average Length
Tail length 3 - 4 feet
Average Physique
The average male is very tall, with broad shoulders and strong muscles, while the females are more slender but nonetheless sturdy. Some tribes see girth as a sign of power and status, which does not affect them as negatively as it would affect mammals, so it is not unheard of to see very, very fat Zan-Noum just as formidable as their more toned counterparts, though this particular custom is only exhibited by the males for unknown reasons.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Typical skin colors range from maroon-esque reds to greens to dull blues to shades of brown and grey.
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