Lizardfolk - Rak'Ta

You would do well to tread carefully in the swamps, human. Not all of my kin are well fed and wouldn’t find you any less appealing a meal than you would a fat pig - Lizard Folk Shaman

Lizardfolk or Rak’Ta (what they refer to themselves as) are a large seemingly primal race of reptilian humanoids. They have many colors and variations which can help depict heritages and regions. Lizardfolk are carnivorous and dangerous to any humanoid aside from another Lizardfolk. This does not make them evil it is simply just their way of life. “Meat is food and you are meat” is as close to an apology anyone will ever hear.
Lizardfolk are entirely alien in thinking to most races, they care about one aspect and that’s survival. They do not seek progress like many races and they don’t seek to make more defensible kingdoms or communities they band together simply to survive. This doesn’t mean that they are uncaring; neigh they are a tight-knit community. There is a lot to be learned still about the reptilian race and the more I can relay the better relations can be handled with them in the future.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Lizard folk stand at 6 to 7 feet tall and are typically well muscled strong individuals. Resembling a mix between a burly barbarian and a shorter snouted monitor lizard they can be menacing even to the toughest Dwarves. Lizard folk as mentioned come in many colors but most commonly are that of lighter greens, blacks and forest greens. This usually indicates the habitats in which they live for better camouflage. They have large yellow eyes with vertical slits for pupils. Their heads on average resemble a carnivorous monitor with large sharp teeth. Their teeth are typically very clean and white as their diet consists mostly of fresh sanitary meat.

Genetics and Reproduction

There are two kinds of reproduction that occur: general and noble. The general reproduction is with one another whenever is convenient. Lizardfolk often not mate for life and are, thus, monogamous becoming highly offended when their significant other cheats on them. The noble reproduction happens much less frequently and is when the queen/king mates with a lizardfolk, often other higher status lizardfolk such as shamans and other nobles in order to create more noble offspring. 
Their hatchlings are protected and cared for by the community, though still have a tight bond with their families and parents.

Ecology and Habitats

Lizardfolk can be found essentially anywhere around the world with variations in their skin type and color. Some bands have been found in desert communities while others have been found in jungles and swamps while still even others have been found in arctic tundras. Each one with different sociological tendencies amongst their communities and even others.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Lizardfolk while ravenous carnivores are not barbaric in their consumption and acquisition of food. They are excellent and intelligent hunters using well-honed tactics of brute force, stealth and well put together traps to bring as much food to the table as possible. They can survive for 2 to 3 weeks without food but will become slower and more preservative of energy with each day of a missed meal. They do cook and flavor their food typically with plants and other vegetation. It can be said Rak’Ta are some of the best meat cooks in the lands with their technique and spices, although they are not discriminate on the animal it comes from so it’s best not to ask.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

Males and females are very hard to distinguish for most other races. Females are typically more slender in stature and males are slightly wider and taller. Males are typically also more vibrant in color much like their distant lizard relatives. This is useful to lizards for mating practices but to the Lizardfolk this makes hunting skittish prey more difficult as they can stand out in the dense foliage of their environments. For this reason Males tend to be more openly aggressive in hunting and fighting while females with their slightly muted colors are more apt to stealth and subversive tactics on the hunt and in battle.

Scientific Name

Humanoid

Geographic Distribution

• Lizardfolk Lair