Poison Dusk

The Poison Dusks were a tribe and small subrace of lizardfolk dwelling in the Vast Swamp of Cormyr.

Description
A poison dusk was a humanoid reptilian, resembling other lizardfolk but much smaller, standing 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 meters) tall and weighing 42–52 pounds (19–23 kilograms), with a lean and wiry frame. Its tail was 2–3 feet (0.6–0.9 meters) long. It had bigger eyes than other lizardfolk did, and these reflected light, indicating their ability to see in limited light. Males had a leathery crest running down the backs of their heads. It had claws and fangs like regular lizardfolk.

Uniquely, the scales of a poison dusk shifted in color for the purposes of camouflage (matching the hue of their surroundings) or to indicate mood.

Abilities
Poison dusks were much like ordinary lizardfolk but smaller and more agile, possessing a lighter scaly hide that protected against blows, an ability to hold their breath for long periods of time, and the same skill in swimming, leaping, and balancing. However, they also had low-light vision and a chameleonic hide that allowed them to blend in with the environment, provided they weren't wearing some all-covering attire.

Having a long tradition of using venoms, Poison Dusks had natural skill in applying poison to their weapons. They typically favored black adder venom, blue whinnis, and a special paralytic poison known only to the lizardfolk and considered sacred to the god Semuanya.

Poison Dusk warriors had more familiarity with using bolas and nets to incapacitate foes.

Personality
Poison Dusks were somewhat smarter and more dedicated compared to most other lizardfolk, and much more cunning. They preferred to avoid physical conflict, instead attacking through indirect means—if opposing a human village, they might poison the water or food supplies rather than attacking openly. However, they were just as dangerous if provoked.

On a male, the crest would rise or lay flat according to their mood. Poison Dusks were apt to laugh if a target was incapacitated by their poison. They usually described as furtive in the demeanor.

Combat
If pressed into a fight, Poison Dusks tried ambushing and setting traps for their opponents. They uses bolas and nets to handicap larger creatures, while archers fired poisoned arrows from shortbows. They also wielded longswords.

Society
The Poison Dusk tribe was somewhat smaller than a typical lizardfolk tribe, numbering around 20 to 40 members, but was organized much the same.

Many Poison Dusks were rangers, thanks to their dedication, and the most capable earned the respect of their kin. Such Poison Dusks became leaders, beginning with squads and patrols and later of the whole community.

The Poison Dusks spoke Draconic, while the smarter ones knew the Common tongue.

History
In the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, the Poison Dusks were one of the Vast Swamp tribes attacked by the Shadowscales. At least three of their number were taken captive and dragged to the Lost Refuge, and then into the Plane of Shadow. Two were transformed into shadowslain and were returned to serve as prison guards at the Lost Refuge. The other, Ghaan, escaped with Kruthaak and Steersissk in the Shadow Swamp but were recaptured by Shadowscales and held in the prisoner pit in the Shadowscale Warren before they would be transformed.

The remaining Poison Dusks allied with other victims of the war, the Sharptooth and Blackscale lizardfolk tribes, under the Sharptooth chief Kessessek. In early Eleint of 1374 DR, a war-party of Sharptooth, Blackscale, and Poison Dusk lizardfolk ventured into Shadowscale territory and laid an ambush at the Skull Staff in efforts to kill their enemies or capture "dream walkers", the mentally dominated victims of the Shadowscales' Sharran allies. In fact, the next group to pass that way were actually adventurers in service to Mystra investigating the Sharrans' activities. This unfortunate misunderstanding was eventually resolved in parlay with Kessessek.

Notable Poison Dusks

 * Ghaan