Lizardmen

"'Mighty natives from the Island of Ogygia. They are masters of the hunt, the apex predators of the jungle. Even the wisest warriors know to be wary of the Lizardmen...'"

Racial Description
The Lizardmen, sometimes known as Reptilians or Lizard-folk, are a savage, intelligent race of cold-blooded, reptilian humanoids that originate from the Island of Ogygia. All pure-bred Lizardmen (Meaning no half-creatures, such as Gorgons and Nagarythe) are coldblooded. They vary in size depending on which clan they hail from, most lizardmen being anywhere from 5 to 8 feet tall. A select few, however, can be even larger. Most of these creatures possess a very acute sense of smell or sight, alongside scaly skin and a strong sense of religious faith and spiritual beliefs. Most lizardmen are narrow-minded and respect only certain traits, such as raw strength or intelligence, depending on the clan they hail from.

Racial Traits
Being Cold-Blooded means that Lizardmen can’t survive well in dramatic change of temperature, being both hot or cold. Their natural susceptibility to the elements limits where they can live in the world - if it’s too cold, they’ll freeze to death. If it’s too hot, they’ll have to find a place to cool down or they’ll roast. Magic involving elements of fire or ice will oftentimes be extremely effective against them, if used properly. Most Lizardmen have heightened senses - depending on the character, it could be their sense of smell, hearing, or sight - and with heightened senses it leaves them vulnerable for a sensory overload. Too much scents or sounds could render them dazed or confused, and sometimes it can even kill them. It all depends on the scenario.



Gender Differences
For the Lizardmen, gender is hard to tell apart. Oftentimes females will have brighter scales or will be slightly larger than their male counterparts. However, female Lizardmen are a rare occurrence - the gender ratio is 7 males to 1 female.

Background
The history of the species can be found inside their ancient temples of gold, located in their capital cities in Ogygia. The history is described through unique hieroglyphic writing and massive murals that reach deep underground, describing hundreds of years of history and warfare that other races are unfamiliar to. There used to be numerous other clans within the borders of Ogygia, however as time went on, they all died out - and only the three current clans remain.

Though it has been a topic of great dispute, the idea that the Lizardmen are the oldest race in Raakash is not completely impossible - as some of the hieroglyphic pieces date hundreds, if not thousands of years in the past, with vivid detail of the world as they saw it. However, the Lizardmen hadn’t evolved technologically as other races had - instead the constant threat of civil war within Ogygia kept the clans fighting for decades on end. Ritual burial sites, located at the heart of the island, contain thousands of bodies from fallen warriors and smaller clans wiped out from constant warfare, sickness or disease, and enslavement.

Governmental Systems
The governments of the Lizardmen have remained the same for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Two of the clans, the Krotek and the Das Sikali, are run and governed by the War Chief and their council of advisors. The third clan, Mazumadi, is a Theocracy - it’s leader, whomever happens to be chosen, is seen as a conduit for interpretation from the gods that they worship. When they die, a new religious leader is selected through a series of rituals and holy rites.

Krotek
Krotek is a clan of barbaric and violent lizardmen, with primarily carnivorous features, from reptiles such as Alligators, Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, and Dragonkin. Their primary export is mercenary soldiers and hunted meats, such as Venison, Rhinoceros, and Hippo. They also supply fearsome reptilian battle mounts, which made the continent of Ogygia famous for its terrifying reptilian monsters, lurking in the jungle within. Their capital is Zehoul.

Mazumadi
Mazumadi is a group of more socially developed lizardmen, with distinctly different animal features. They resemble chameleons, geckos, skinks, and the occasional turtle. Their exports include gold, gemstones, cash crops (Cocoa, Sugar and Coffee) and delicately crafted ceremonial items. They follow ancient gods in a polytheistic religion, worshipping idols of gold. Their capital is Kalino.

Das Sikali
Das Sikali is the smallest of the clans. They resemble a variety of snakes, including half-human hybrids such as Gorgons and Nagarythe. They’re incredibly famous for delicately crafted silks and cloth, as well as jewelry and cash crops. They are the friendliest clan of the three and happen to have a very large trading plaza within their capital, Quotek.