Excerpt from 'The Lizardfolk: Our History, People, and Culture' by Zaaxhprei Kr-Lhuxah, written in 1317 PD
Radac
Too young, too simple, sometimes naïve
- Location
- Pentapotamia
- Pronouns
- he/him
FOREWORD FROM ROOIN:
I've noticed that Lizardfolk are a quite popular race in fantasy. I suppose it's due to a desire to include a race that is more 'exotic' than an elf, a dwarf, a gnome, or a halfling that gives us lizardfolk. Some examples of popular lizardfolk are the eponymous race in DnD, the "lizardmen" seen in Warhammer Fantasy, and the Argonians of the Elder Scrolls. Lizardfolk are generally associated with a few traits (the same way dwarves are associated with beer, mining, melee weapons, and Scottish accents) - they're generally jungle or swamp-dwelling, ancient, and tribalistic, with a more complex and even alien sense of morality and society. In addition, lizardfolk are generally Mesoamerican-flavoured, though not copiously - I assume this is because of obvious reasons, that is, the Maya and the Aztecs being the only well-known civilisations to have built cities near jungles. Often, they are associated with dinosaurs.
Now, 'Redossa', as I call it, is a steampunk fantasy world and a somewhat loving tribute to DnD-style fantasy - but not one afraid to shake off the mould! I added in lizardfolk because I've always had an affinity for reptiles (it was birds that scared me as a kid), and wanted to try to make a more unique race of lizardfolk than just the norm, inspired by aspects of lizards' social behaviour and a desire to develop on the archetypal lizard people.
Without further ado, here is an in-universe text written on lizardfolk. Note that the history sections of this text may be somewhat subjective, and based on romanticised accounts rather than facts.
"We, the Lizardfolk, have been subject to a great many lies and foolish assumptions about our kind, or as we call ourselves, the Xuar Kr-Aux - the scaled ones. We have been oft maligned as man-eaters, barbarians, and purely selfish, even amoral. We are denied the dignity of calling ourselves men, and instead equated to savage animals. This is simply untrue.
While at first glance, it may appear that my people are inseparable from the common lizards, this too is untrue. In fact, our ancestors were once powerful beings, akin to the crocodiles of today - you may know them as the Antediluvian Raisuchals - and in our tongue, we call them the Xuar Kr-Kik - the honoured ones. In our tales, there was once a great flood that sank the coasts of the isle of Lyvanis. Then came the Yr-Xala, the Deep Demon, who seduced many of our people, and told them that to survive the flood they must shrink so that they could swim. In truth, they had lied to them, and they were cursed to live as "Xuar Kr-Yr", the Deep Ones, who lived on the coasts and are the smallest of lizardfolk. But Yr-Xala was defeated by the maker, Ya-Mys-Xa, and they moulded their people to the Lizardfolk of today. When the maker was slain by the enemy, their soul laid to rest, and was split into four parts. When we are to make life-changing decisions, we often consult the soul of the Maker. To accomplish goals, we change ourselves drastically with the Maker's aid - we can switch from male to female at ease with their aid, to accomplish the goals of our life. Their four forms - Tse'ex of the Marshes, Ms-kr of the Coast, Le'xul of the Wastes, and An-Xthil of the Lowlands, are scattered across Lyvanis, or as we call it, Xuamal.
In our society, the division of ourselves is primarily geographical. The Xuar-Kr-Yr live on the coasts, the Xuar Kr-Jual in the Ilxud lowlands, the Xuar-Kr-Ik in the mangroves and jungles of the Livran Marshes, and the dry ones, the Xuar Kr-Xh, in the Gray Wastes. Our lord is chosen from one clan when their predecessor dies - their child must prove themselves to be strong, physically and mentally, enough to succeed. Today, some lords have adopted the fashions and styles of the Night Elves, who colonised our land, but we continue to honour this practice. Our 'clans' function differently from those of the outlanders - we do not socialise with our kin, for fear of fomenting rivalry, save for once a year, and though many of us live solitary lives, the Xuar Kr-Xh and the Xuar Kr-Ik live amongst their clans. Our solitary lives are followed in order to prevent the creations of enmities, rather than out of selfishness. To kill one's kin is a crime, especially if without sanction or just cause. We do show some reluctance to trust humans, and elves, but this is not out of bigotry but rather out of fear, as our people were tormented cruelly by them.
Our people tend to live on fish, leaves, and the meat of the smaller creatures on the isle. Cannibalism has almost entirely been an exception, as has the consumption of the meat of sapient creatures. In truth, we eat more plant matter than we do meat.
We have often fomented rebellion against the colonists - and in 1301, we were finally granted our independence. Since then, there has, among scholars, been a fear of our people, for we are in truth, insular. As a scholar and as one of the Scaled Ones, I felt it was my responsibility to correct these misconceptions."
I've noticed that Lizardfolk are a quite popular race in fantasy. I suppose it's due to a desire to include a race that is more 'exotic' than an elf, a dwarf, a gnome, or a halfling that gives us lizardfolk. Some examples of popular lizardfolk are the eponymous race in DnD, the "lizardmen" seen in Warhammer Fantasy, and the Argonians of the Elder Scrolls. Lizardfolk are generally associated with a few traits (the same way dwarves are associated with beer, mining, melee weapons, and Scottish accents) - they're generally jungle or swamp-dwelling, ancient, and tribalistic, with a more complex and even alien sense of morality and society. In addition, lizardfolk are generally Mesoamerican-flavoured, though not copiously - I assume this is because of obvious reasons, that is, the Maya and the Aztecs being the only well-known civilisations to have built cities near jungles. Often, they are associated with dinosaurs.
Now, 'Redossa', as I call it, is a steampunk fantasy world and a somewhat loving tribute to DnD-style fantasy - but not one afraid to shake off the mould! I added in lizardfolk because I've always had an affinity for reptiles (it was birds that scared me as a kid), and wanted to try to make a more unique race of lizardfolk than just the norm, inspired by aspects of lizards' social behaviour and a desire to develop on the archetypal lizard people.
Without further ado, here is an in-universe text written on lizardfolk. Note that the history sections of this text may be somewhat subjective, and based on romanticised accounts rather than facts.
"We, the Lizardfolk, have been subject to a great many lies and foolish assumptions about our kind, or as we call ourselves, the Xuar Kr-Aux - the scaled ones. We have been oft maligned as man-eaters, barbarians, and purely selfish, even amoral. We are denied the dignity of calling ourselves men, and instead equated to savage animals. This is simply untrue.
While at first glance, it may appear that my people are inseparable from the common lizards, this too is untrue. In fact, our ancestors were once powerful beings, akin to the crocodiles of today - you may know them as the Antediluvian Raisuchals - and in our tongue, we call them the Xuar Kr-Kik - the honoured ones. In our tales, there was once a great flood that sank the coasts of the isle of Lyvanis. Then came the Yr-Xala, the Deep Demon, who seduced many of our people, and told them that to survive the flood they must shrink so that they could swim. In truth, they had lied to them, and they were cursed to live as "Xuar Kr-Yr", the Deep Ones, who lived on the coasts and are the smallest of lizardfolk. But Yr-Xala was defeated by the maker, Ya-Mys-Xa, and they moulded their people to the Lizardfolk of today. When the maker was slain by the enemy, their soul laid to rest, and was split into four parts. When we are to make life-changing decisions, we often consult the soul of the Maker. To accomplish goals, we change ourselves drastically with the Maker's aid - we can switch from male to female at ease with their aid, to accomplish the goals of our life. Their four forms - Tse'ex of the Marshes, Ms-kr of the Coast, Le'xul of the Wastes, and An-Xthil of the Lowlands, are scattered across Lyvanis, or as we call it, Xuamal.
In our society, the division of ourselves is primarily geographical. The Xuar-Kr-Yr live on the coasts, the Xuar Kr-Jual in the Ilxud lowlands, the Xuar-Kr-Ik in the mangroves and jungles of the Livran Marshes, and the dry ones, the Xuar Kr-Xh, in the Gray Wastes. Our lord is chosen from one clan when their predecessor dies - their child must prove themselves to be strong, physically and mentally, enough to succeed. Today, some lords have adopted the fashions and styles of the Night Elves, who colonised our land, but we continue to honour this practice. Our 'clans' function differently from those of the outlanders - we do not socialise with our kin, for fear of fomenting rivalry, save for once a year, and though many of us live solitary lives, the Xuar Kr-Xh and the Xuar Kr-Ik live amongst their clans. Our solitary lives are followed in order to prevent the creations of enmities, rather than out of selfishness. To kill one's kin is a crime, especially if without sanction or just cause. We do show some reluctance to trust humans, and elves, but this is not out of bigotry but rather out of fear, as our people were tormented cruelly by them.
Our people tend to live on fish, leaves, and the meat of the smaller creatures on the isle. Cannibalism has almost entirely been an exception, as has the consumption of the meat of sapient creatures. In truth, we eat more plant matter than we do meat.
We have often fomented rebellion against the colonists - and in 1301, we were finally granted our independence. Since then, there has, among scholars, been a fear of our people, for we are in truth, insular. As a scholar and as one of the Scaled Ones, I felt it was my responsibility to correct these misconceptions."