Lizardfolk

"I heard about lizard men in stories my parents told. They were the stuff of fireside tales."

- Sage of Shadowdale

Lizardfolk, also known as lizard men, were a race of reptilian humanoids native to Toril.

Description
Lizardfolk were semi-aquatic reptilian humanoids. Their skin was covered in scales and varied in color from dark greens through to shades of brown, gray, and black. Lizard folk were often between six and seven feet tall and weighed between 200 and 250 pounds. Lizardfolk had non-prehensile tails that grew to three or four feet in length.

Although non-reptilians struggled to tell the difference between males and females, lizardfolk could easily distinguish themselves. Lizardfolk could hold their breath far longer than humans could and were particularly gifted swimmers.

Lizardfolk were hatched from clutches of eggs. The eggs were well protected and were usually found in swamps. Some lizardfolk laid their eggs in air-filled caves underwater. The eggs and skin of lizard folk were bitter and inedible. Lizardfolk reached maturity within five years of hatching. Although lizardfolk had a similar lifespan to humans, it was rare for lizardfolk to grow old as they usually died in combat. As lizardfolk aged their bodies slowed down. Most lizardfolk over the age of 60 spent their days laying on warm rocks.

Lizardfolk had to keep their skin relatively moist and needed to wet their bodies regularly if they were in dry climates. For this reason they were particularity fearful of desert landscapes. The skin of lizardfolk could be fashioned into armor.

Personality
Lizardfolk had no interest in money or jewels. They valued things based on whether or not it was good to eat. Lizardfolk could often become distracted at the appearance of food, even if they were in combat. To the lizardfolk, the most delicious meat was human flesh but more civilized tribes often resisted this craving. Lizardfolk were quick to consume anything that was edible, for this reason lizardfolk never kept pets.

Most lizardfolk were content to live their lives out in the swamps and marshes where they were born but some wished to learn more about the races that lived outside. Lizardfolk rarely traveled alone. If they left the swamp they would do so in pairs or groups of three. Lizardfolk feared that without another of their own kind with them, they would lose their identity and be seduced by the civilized way of the outside world. Those that ventured into towns or cites were often alarmed, frightened, or offended by the environment.

Combat
Most lizardfolk had little interest in battle tactics. Despite their impressive hunting skills, lizardfolk often relied on strength and weight of numbers in battle. If lizardfolk were being pursued or their camps were in danger, they would lay simple traps.

The weapons that lizardfolk tended to use were simple. Lizardfolk preferred weapons they could fashion themselves, but would sometimed utilize weapons they found or stole. The barbed dart was a weapon unique to the lizardfolk.

Society
Lizardfolk society was made up of tribes. A typical tribe would have 150 lizardfolk: 50 male, 50 female, and 50 hatchlings. Tribes were patriarchal and leaders were chosen for their strength and power alone. Although challenges for leadership were rarely made, anyone in the tribe could try and seize power from the leader. This would leave the tribe unorganized and vulnerable until a new leader took charge or the old leader reaffirmed their position.

Females in the tribes were responsible for hatching eggs, raising young, and maintaining the camp. Camps varied in style from tribe to tribe. The simplest would just be leaves for bedding, but some built crude dwellings. All the females in the tribe would work together to raise the young. The lizardfolk tribes had no farming traditions, so food was acquired through hunting, scavenging or stealing.

Homelands
Lizardfolk could be found anywhere there were warm or temperate marshes and swamps. There were populations of lizardfolk in the Deepwash, the Flooded Forest, the Marsh of Chelimber, the Marsh of Tun, and the Great Swamp of Rethild. Lizardfolk could also be found in the cooler swamps of the Sword Coast like the Lizard Marsh and the swamps at the mouth of the Winding Water.

Culture
When a member of the tribe died, they were consumed by the rest of the tribe in a ceremony. In this way they became part of the tribe both literally and figuratively.

Language
Lizardfolk spoke Draconic and smarter individuals sometimes learned bits of Common. Depending on where they lived, lizardfolk might have learned other languages like Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Orc, or other languages. Most lizardfolk were illiterate.

Religion
Most lizardfolk worshiped Semuanya. This religion was maintained by shamans and clerics. Although they had no shrines or temples, lizardfolk were very proud of their religious traditions and their deity.

Interracial Relations
Lizardfolk rarely interacted with other races as their swampy homelands were home to few other sentient creatures. Their main competitors in the swamps were bullywugs, who lizardfolk tended to despise.

The few times that lizardfolk did interact with neighboring communities was to pillage and hunt. Some of the more civilized tribes were known to trade or learn from other races. Lizardfolk were most likely to negotiate with halflings.

Lizardfolk believed they were one of the first races on Toril and that all the civilized races evolved from weak lizardfolk who'd left the swamps. For this reason, lizardfolk considered themselves better than most other races and considered themselves the "real people" of Faerûn. Lizardfolk referred to most of the civilized races as "softskins".

In places where lizardfolk raiding parties threatened civilization, interracial relations could be particularly bad, In the coastal village of Lathtarl's Lantern the hunting of lizard folk became a sport.

History
It's likely that lizardfolk were an offshoot of the ancient Creator Race known as the sarrukh.

In -1732 DR, the Lapal tribes imported large numbers of lizardfolk as slaves from the Great Swamp of Rethild. Many of the lizardfolk escaped into the land that would become Halruaa.

In -189 DR, the armies of Serpentes conquered the Tashalar. The army was made up of lizardfolk and yuan-ti.

In 289 DR, lizardfolk claimed the flooded city of Marsember in Cormyr after King Torst and his brother were slain in the flooding.

In 993 DR, several lizardfolk tribes migrated eastward from Serpent Hills into the newly formed Marsh of Chelimber.

In 1330 DR, the community of Reeshov saw an influx in lizardfolk after the creatures were freed from mind flayer control.

Notable lizardfolk

 * King Griss'tok: The ruler of Surkh. He was known for only speaking in Draconic.
 * Gathan: Gathan was a lizardfolk chieftain in the Vast Swamp until 1374 DR when he was captured by members of the Church of Shar.
 * Redeye: Chief Redeye was the leader of a band of lizardfolk who lived in the Lizard Marsh in 1372 DR.
 * Ketsarra Shadowscale: Ketsarra was a half–black dragon and half-lizardfolk commander in the Lost Refuge in 1374 DR.
 * Sleyvas: Sleyvas was a lizardfolk shaman who lived in the Marsh of Chelimber.

Appearances

 * Adventures:


 * Video Games:

Gallery

 * Main: Category:Images of lizardfolk