Lizardfolk

Choosen by Nature

Lizardfolk are reptilian humanoids that make their homes in swamps, jungles, and wetlands. Lizardfolk consider themselves to be the first sentient race on Thinia and take pride in the belief that they were not created by the gods but through a long process of natural selection. Lizardfolk sometimes refer to themselves as nature's choosen people and believe they are naturally more survivable than other humanoid races.
Lizardfolk value their community whether that comes in the form of family or tribe. It is common for Lizardfolk to be unflinchingly loyal to those they have formed a bond with. This bond is usually only formed with other Lizardfolk, but it can be forged with other humanoids. Lizardfolk also tend to favor smaller communities where the individuals share closer bonds with one another. This preference combined with their fierce loyalty has often prevented Lizardfolk from unifying to form continent spanning kingdoms or empires. The Lizardfolk did ally with the Yuan-Ti at one time, but this alliance ended in disaster when legions of Lizardfolk were turned into Yuan-Ti Broodguards and forced to serve their serpentine masters.
Lizardfolk have the following features;

• Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increase by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
• Age: Lizardfolk reach maturity around age 14 and rarely live longer than 60 years.
• Size: Lizardfolk are a little bulkier and taller than humans, and their colorful frills make them appear even larger. Your size is Medium.
• Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
• Bite: Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
[li[Cunning Artisan: As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan's tools, such as leatherworker's tools.
• Hold Breath: You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.
• Hunter's Lore: You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.
• Natural Armor: You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
• Hungry Jaws: In battle, you can throw yourself into a vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Lizardfolk can be found across Thinia. They mostly make their homes in wetlands or temperate jungles. Lizardfolk have integrated into other societies in Thinia, but even when they do, they prefer to form small enclaves within other humanoid communities.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Lizardfolk have only their given name. They do not have family names due to a cultural belief that every individual must earn their place in the world and cannot rely on their family name. Notable Lizardfolk may recieve an honorific or title to distinguish them from other similarly named Lizardfolk. For example, a Lizardfolk Warlord may be known as Rhashk the Conqueror or Sorsu the Bloody.
Lizardfolk names can be found at the following link; Lizardfolk Names

Average Technological Level

Lizardfolk tend to produce crafts that are primitive but effective. Lizardfolk detest waste and thus many of their tools are made from the bones of game they hunt or slain enemies. Similarly items without practical use are seen as a different kind of waste. As such, art that does not serve some other purpose is rare amongst the Lizardfolk. An artistically inclined Lizardfolk may place an intricate and colorful design on a shield, but this is used as much to distract enemies as it is meant to be an artistic piece.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Lizardfolk speak a dialect of Draconic in their own communities. Linguists have not been able to determine how or when Lizardfolk learned base Draconic and then altered it to their own specific dialect. Some Lizardfolk say that the Dragons actually stole the language from the Lizardfolk and that "formal Draconic" is the derivative language. This language tie between Dragons and Lizardfolk leads some naturalists to question the claim that Lizardfolk evolved from other lifeforms independent of intervention by the gods.

Common Etiquette Rules

Lizardfolk tend to be direct. They do not like to speak with a lot of words or fluff because this is another form of waste. This can sometimes be seen as rude or inconsiderate, but that is rarely the intention of the speaker. When a Lizardfolk is trying to offend someone they will often resort to colorful insults aimed at telling the target of the insult why they are weak, unfit, or burdensome.

Common Dress Code

Lizardfolk will often walk amongst themselves without clothing. However, when they are amongst other ancestries they tend to wear colorful tunics and skirts. These pieces are often made from weaving grasses together, but many Lizardfolk have become fond of softer textiles, particularly silk. When given a choice many Lizardfolk will select clothes that are the same color as their scales, but that vary in shade or pattern. For many this is seen as a more natural option when wearing clothes as it can sometimes appear like the Lizardfolk are not wearing clothes at all.

Common Myths and Legends

The Lizardfolk believe that they were not created by the gods but instead came to be through natural selection or evolution. They believe that nature, which contains all things, including the gods, selected them to be what they are. Because nature includes all things, it is also greater than all things. And because the Lizardfolk were selected by nature, they believe themselves to be special and in many cases superior to other humanoid ancestries.
Due to their beliefs surrounding their origins, religion is not prevalent amongst the Lizardfolk. Most spiritual leaders are druids or wardens that draw their power from the primal energies of nature. When there are clerics or paladins among the Lizardfolk, they tend to devote themselves to a god of nature such as Sylvanus or take oathes to protect nature.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Lizardfolk have a cultural disdain for Tortles. The Lizardfolk believe Tortles are a mistaken deviation from the superior Lizardfolk form. This prejudice is often exacerbated when Tortle communities push against Lizardfolk communities. This disdain ranges from relatively minor rude comments to outward hostility.
Lizardfolk also have a deep hatred of the snakemen known as Yuan-Ti. This hatred arose from a time when the Yuan-Ti allied with the Lizardfolk in order to make a land for reptilian humanoids. The alliance was successful in capturing much of Totecum, the southern lands between Hartha and the Capsan Heartlands, but the Yuan-Ti betrayed their Lizardfolk allies. through the use of many dark rituals, legions of Lizardfolk were twisted and turned into Yuan-Ti Broodguards and forced to serve the Yuan-Ti. Word of the betrayal spread across Thinia and since then Yuan-Ti have been despised by Lizardfolk.
Lizardfolk have no strong feelings toward other ancesties, but generally prefer to live in communities with other Lizardfolk. Because of this it is rare to find a large community of Lizardfolk within diverse metropolitan areas. Instead the largest Lizardfolk communities exist in somewhat inhospitable wetlands and swamps and are almost uniformly comprised of Lizardfolk.

Lifespan

60 years, maturity is reached at 14.

Average Height

6'00-7'00"

Average Weight

175-250 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Lizardfolk come in a vast array of colors and tones. While green is the most common scale color for Lizardfolk there are a vast array of scale tones including black, white, red, purple, blue, and yellow, among others.