Lizard men, also known as scalykind or lizardfolk, are a minor[3] spacefaring race from the Spelljammer campaign setting,[4][5][2][1] and can be selected as a player character race.[6]
Overview[]
Groundling lizardfolk are typically savage, semi-aquatic, reptilian humanoids that live through scavenging, raiding, and, in less hostile areas, by fishing and gathering.[1] The first lizardfolk into wildspace were little better than the primitives found on hundreds of planets, and are thought to have been enslaved by humans or mind flayers. However, they proved to be very fertile, and their descendants seemingly benefited from their new environment. They were smarter, faster, and a great deal more adaptable than their forebears. Some speculate that this was in some way in response to their enslavement, but the lizardfolk themselves believe that it was due to their new existence in wildspace, and their close exposure to various suns and other fire worlds.
Spaceborn lizardfolk have developed in terms of civilized behavior and means of communication undreamed of by their groundling cousins. Their society is founded on the principle of bringing more intelligent lizardfolk into the world. To this end they have developed incubator brood ships whose purpose is to bring lizardfolk eggs close to the local sun. The neogi of course captured a number of these ships, seeing them as a prime way of gaining a whole new generation of slaves. As a result lizardfolk ships now go around armed.
Most cities will have an enclave of spacefaring lizardfolk, and relationships may vary from cool to hostile to cooperative. Lizardfolk often serve as adventurers, usually signing on with human ships who have adapted to their voracious appetites, lack of table manners and choice in food. Lizardfolk hate neogi, while viewing most other races with deep suspicion, except for the giff and the dracon. Lizardfolk see the giff as comical and clownish, much as how humans view halflings, while the dracon appear more aloof and old, like how elves appear to humans.[4]
Description[]
Lizardfolk range from 5 to 7 feet tall, and weigh from 200 to 250 pounds. Their skin tones range in color from dark green to gray to brown, and their scales give them a speckled appearance. They have four-fingered hands, and their thick, heavy non-prehensile tails average from 3 to 4 feet long. Males are nearly impossible to distinguish from females without close inspection.[1][6]
Personality[]
Lizardfolk are short-tempered and emotional, but not overly bright. They are well known for their tempers, and seem to find most humanoid species particularly frustrating. Dealing with a lizard man is a constant process of moving fast enough to keep them from getting bored without going so fast that they cannot keep up. Lizardfolk speak their own language, consisting of growling vowels and sharp consonants, where tonal qualities as well as simple sounds convey meaning. They also typically speak the common trade tongue as well as the language of the hurwaeti.[6]
Combat[]
Lizardfolk typically fight as disorganized individuals. If their forces are equal in number or have numerical advantage over their foes, they tend to rely on frontal assaults and massed charges. When outnumbered, overmatched, or on their home ground, however, they become wily and ferocious opponents, favoring traps, sudden ambushes and sudden raids. They occasionally take prisoners as slaves, for food, or to sacrifice in obscure tribal rites.
Lizardfolk typically rely on their naturally thick hides to protect them in combat, amd may also use shields. They usually throw barbed darts or javelins before closing with their opponents. Lizardfolk either attack with melee weapons such as clubs, morningstars or swords, or they can attack with their claws and their thick tails. Lizardfolk can see up to 60 feet in the dark. [6][1]
Society[]
Groundling lizardfolk typically live in swamps, marshes, and similar places, often living entirely below the surface in air-filled caves. It is not uncommon for several tribes in an area to forge an informal alliance against outsiders, including other lizardfolk tribes. Lizardfolk are omnivorous, but are likely to prefer human flesh to other foods. In this regard they have been known to ambush humans, gather up the corpses and capture the survivors, and take the lot back to their lair for a rude and horrid feast.[1]
Similarly, spacefaring lizardfolk prefer to flood the interior spaces of their ships with water to provide a comfortable environment for them and their pets. Many lizardfolk ships carry "crew mascots" in their flooded bulkheads, including schools of fish, such as grouper and sharks, as snacks and a handy way of disposing of unneeded prisoners. Some ships may carry larger creatures, such as octopi, squid, or even eyes of the deep.[7]
Lizard king[]
A lizard king is a lizard man of above average height and intelligence, who leads a lizardfolk tribe. A lizard king often carries a great trident, which it wields with great skill and ferocity, as a symbol of its status. A primitive lizard king usually demands two humans to be sacrificed to it per week, though if no humans are available, other humanoids will do.[1] The more enlightened spacefaring lizard kings usually forego this ritualistic practice, and no longer demand living flesh from their tribes.[8]
Notable Lizardfolk[]
- Arvanon the Lizard Priest was the king-priest who ruled over the lizardfolk tribe onboard the Spelljammer.[9]
- Danij Viper was the Administrating Feeder for the Scavver-Breeders of Oerth in Greyspace.[10]
- Demets the Chosen was Arvanon's heir apparent and representative to the Council on the Spelljammer.[11]
- Frollth was the founder of the Enforcers anti-slavery mercenary company and captain of the angelship, the Enforcer.[12]
- Grilak was first mate and captain of marines onboard the Black Company's flagship, the Grim Reaper.[13]
- Iliphistree was a female shaman and Sszgorl's second-in-command on a bloatfly broodship.[14]
- Retyan was the latest owner of the Seed-Beholder Company based near H'Catha in Realmspace.[15]
- Saakharr was a lizardman warrior and armorer on the Rock of Bral who catered to a non-human clientele.[16]
- The Sacred Son of Ziross[17] was the leader of the Spawn of Ziross, a fanatical sect of lizardfolk dedicated to the deity Ziross.[18]
- Schlith Darkscale was the Director of spelljammer services on Coliar in Realmspace.[19]
- Sszgorl was a war leader in command of a bloatfly broodship.[14]
- Vissq was the sergeant-at-arms on the hammership Barracuda and the personal bodyguard of Tal Gilgalad.[20]
Signature Spelljammers[]
Lizardfolk prefer to use human-designed ships modified for their own use,[4] particularly the Hammership. However, the lizardfolk have begun designing and building their own unique ships, including the Wasp light warship, the Turtle heavy warship and trade vessel, and the Bloatfly incubator broodship.
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
External Links[]
- Lizardfolk article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
- Ssurran article at the Dark Sun Wiki, a wiki for the Dark Sun campaign setting.
- Jarak-sinn article at the Chronicles of Astinus, a wiki for the Dragonlance campaign setting.
- Lizardfolk article at the Eberron Wiki, a wiki for the Eberron campaign setting.
- Lizardfolk article at Greyhawkonline.com, a wiki for the Greyhawk campaign setting.
- Lizard man article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Tim Beach et al, Monstrous Manual, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Lizard Man entry, page 227
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jeff Grubb, The Legend of Spelljammer: The Grand Tour, 1991, (TSR Inc.), The Gardens, pages 6-9
- ↑ Jeff Grubb. AD&D Adventures in Space; Lorebook of the Void, TSR, Inc., 1989, Major and Minor Races side bar (pp.50, 52 and 54)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Jeff Grubb. AD&D Adventures in Space; Lorebook of the Void, TSR, Inc., 1989, Lizard Men section, chapter 3: Spacefarers (pp.57–58)
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, SJR1 Lost Ships, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Slither Around the Sun, Adventures 2: Amid the Stars, pages 13-16
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Curtis M. Scott, CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Lizard Men section, chapter 2: New Spacefaring Races, pages 21-22
- ↑ Jeff Grubb. AD&D Adventures in Space; Lorebook of the Void, TSR, Inc., 1989, Wasp section, chapter 2: Spelljammers (pp.21–22)
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, The Legend of Spelljammer: Captains and Ships, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Personalities of the Spelljammer, page30
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, The Legend of Spelljammer: Captains and Ships, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Personalities of the Spelljammer, pages 29-31
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion: War Captain's Guide, 1992, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Spacefleets of the Void, page 28
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, The Legend of Spelljammer: Captains and Ships, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Personalities of the Spelljammer, pages 39-40
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Spacefaring Companies in the Stars chapter, page 62
- ↑ Nigel Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, Spacefaring Companies chapter, page 76
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ed Greenwood, SJR1 Lost Ships, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Slither Around the Sun, Adventures 2: Amid the Stars, pages 14-15
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Spacefaring Companies in the Stars chapter, page 58
- ↑ Richard Baker, SJR5 Rock of Bral, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Saakharr's Exotic Mails section, pages 74-75
- ↑ Rick Swan, SJQ1 Heart of the Enemy, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Return of the Spawn section, chapter 2: The Golden Warrior, page 29
- ↑ Rick Swan, SJQ1 Heart of the Enemy, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Spawn Assault section, chapter 1: Kora, Iki, and Tolivin, page 18
- ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Important NPCs section, Coliar chapter, pages 15-16
- ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), The Officers section, Flying Colors, pages 7-8