Saurial

Saurials were a rare breed of scalykind - specifically a "sauroid" race not native to Toril. Several sub-races existed, though only four could be found on Toril itself. Unlike reptiles, saurials were not cold-blooded creatures.

Description
Saurials were a species of intelligent bi-pedal humanoids. They descended from dinosaur-like creatures of an unknown crystal sphere.

On Toril, only four types of saurials exited: Bladebacks, Finheads, Flyers, and Hornheads. All for names were given to them by the natives of the Realms. The names in the saurials' native tongue were a combination of noises, chirps, and scents, unreplicable by other mammalian humanoids.

Sub-species

 * Bladeback
 * Finhead
 * Flyer
 * Hornhead

Magic
Their homeworld had magic, both arcane and divine in nature. Their natural attributes aided them in their pursuit of the Art and the Power.

Culture
Most saurials were spiritual and worshiped either Finder, Chauntea, Tymora, or Tyr. Finder was their patron deity and the rescuer of their species, while the other three reflect aspects of their ancestral gods.

Saurial sub-species treated each other with equality and respect, using the natural talents of each group to maximum their shared accomplishments. Because none of the different sub-races of saurials could interbreed, most households were homogeneous.

Mates and siblings shared much stronger bonds than other humanoids, protecting each other from harm whenever possible. They easily made friends and only rarely enemies, though if there was obvious danger, they were quick to respond.

Language
Saurials spoke draconic, but their voices were naturally pitched too high for most humanoids to hear. They punctuated their speech with scents that defined emotions. Other creatures could interpret some of the common, stronger scents to understand the mood of a saurial. The scent of brimstone meant confusion, the aroma of roses meant sadness, lemons meant pleasure or joy, baked bread meant anger, violets meant danger or fear, honeysuckle meant tenderness, wood smoke meant devotion or piety, tar meant victory and the smell of ham meant nervousness or worry.

Dragons and some fey could hear saurial voices, although the fey didn't necessarily understand draconic, and could understand the emotions associated with the scents created by the saurial race.

Ecology
After 1358 DR, saurials settled in the Lost Vale, also known as Tarkhaldale, in Desertsmouth Mountains. The saurials did not venture far from their home in the early years after forming their new home, but that changed with years passing and their numbers growing.

History
The first saurial to be brought to Toril was the paladin Dragonbait in 1357 DR by Phalse as part of the process to create Alias. The god of rot Moander was part of the alliance of dark powers that joined together to create their perfect construct weapon. After Moander's avatar was destroyed by Alias, Dragonbait, and their friends, the god of rot used the last of his divine powers in the Realms to track Dragonbait's origins.

This led to the saurial community Dragonbbait was from to be brought to Toril by Moander in 1358 DR, to a place called the Lost Vale, a hidden locale near the Dalelands. The god of rot and decay corrupted the saurials with the Seed of Moander that enslaved them, forcing them to destroy life in the area, including their own eggs, in an effort to build Moander's power in the Realms to its past levels. The god used Dragonbait's old lover named Coral as the main pawn, the Mouth of Moander. The plan failed when Finder Wyvernspur, Dragonbait, and Alias defeated Moander, freeing the saurials from their slavery. Coral, unfortunately, was completely rotted from the inside by the god's corrupting vines and was freed from her torturous existence by Dragonbait. The surviving Saurials, with Elminster's aid, decided to build a life for themselves on Toril, restoring what Moander had forced them to destroy and the Lost Vale was turned into a permanent settlement as a result.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards • Spellfire: Master the Magic
 * Comics
 * Converging Lines • The Great Game • Fools Rush In
 * Novels
 * Azure Bonds • Song of the Saurials • Masquerades
 * Video Games
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds (game) • Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor • Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms