Lizard Tails

Lizards are an important part of Huxoth culture, typically symbolizing leadership and clarity. They are considered guides and often appear in religious ceremonies. They are also a readily available meat virtually anywhere in the Great Northern Desert and a staple food among the Huxoth.

Three Ways to Eat Lizard

Roasting or Smoked

The most common ways to prepare meat in Huxoth culture are roasting, smoking, and curing it. Do to their small size, lizards are rarely cured, but roasted lizard skewers can be bought from sellers in many larger Huxoth cities, including border cities like Beeg. Outsiders who are uninclined to eat lizard are told it will make them strong.

Lizard Stew

Because they utilize water, soups and stews, especially outside of river towns, are dishes that are usually reserved for important celebrations. In larger cities, lizard is cheaper than some other meats, like gazelle, so a lizard stew may be served by a family wanting to celebrate, but also needing to save money, or it may be served merely because it is popular. Lizard stew, with or without other meats, is a likely dish to be found during birthdays, weddings, travel feasts.

Raw

When eaten raw, usually only lizard tails are eaten. Though some Huxoth prefer raw lizard to cooked, it is most commonly eaten as part of a religious or cultural ceremony, the most well-known of which is Joining the Joyal, in which the eater afterward cares for the lizard whose tail has been cut until it grows a new one.

CW: harm to animals

by Andy Holmes

Though whole lizards are often roasted, and easy to buy as skewers in many Huxoth towns, sometimes the Huxoth choose instead to eat only the lizard tail. This eliminates the need to pick out bones, and also allows the lizard to continue living, and grow a new tail, providing more food in the future. Lizards are usually wild caught, but some Huxoth have started lizard farms, to increase the production of lizard meat. Lizard farms are also a source of lizard eggs, which are also considered a delicacy among the Huxoth.