Lizardmen
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General Info
Lizardmen, also known as Children of the Old Ones, hail from a jungle continent known as Lustria, which gains it's influence from South America with the rainforests, and Lizardman culture which resembles Aztec culture. The three classes of Lizardman are the Slann, the Skink, and the Saurus.
History
Long before the time of the Elves and Dwarves, there were only the Old Ones. What is known of them now is very little, but what we do know is that they came to Earth 15,000 years before the prophecy of Sotek. During this period Elves were still swinging from trees, and it wasn't until the Old Ones jumpstarted the Elves evolution that they learned the ways of masonry and magic. The Old Ones also brought with them the great Slann Mage-Priests that they would use to shape this World to their pleasing. But the Old Ones needed a manual labor force to construct great temples and also defend said temples from potential invaders. The Slann certainly weren't up to the task, so the Old Ones pulled the local crocodiles from the primordial soup and thus the Saurus were born. Then came another problem; these creatures were far too inept to make decisions for themselves. However immense their physical strength and endurance was, their lack of intellect provided a speed bump. The Old Ones needed a group of quick-witted beings to guide these brutes in the right direction. They looked between the nooks and crannies of the vast jungles and discovered the wily newts, and thus the Skinks were born. These much smaller, but also much more intelligent Lizardmen would serve as the social standard of the society. Not only as the architects, but also the political leaders and military commanders. And so it was that the Old Ones had their defenders of this new planet -- free to roam and spread as need be. But not all was well in this new World.
For whatever reason yet to be discovered, a great evil followed the Old Ones to this new found planet. The great power known only as Chaos was unleashed shortly after the Old Ones arrival and a great war ensued. For centuries the war raged until Chaos was finally purged from Lustria, but not before heavy losses were inflicted. All remnants of the Old Ones, as well as the majority of the Slann Mages, were destroyed. With the majority of their temples leveled and no guiding force, the Lizardmen rebuilt as best they could. The Slann continued to shape the lands as the Old Ones had instructed, while the Skinks gathered up the ravaged Lizardman population and continued their expansion. A side effect of spawning pools makes for an extremely slow reproduction rate, and so the Lizardmen went centuries before a reasonable population was once again achieved. With the Old Ones gone, the Lizardmen turned to new entities of inspiration. A cult was formed around a new God, a great serpent known as Sotek. Sotek is said to have come to the Skinks and laid upon them the prophecy of the Horned Rat. This Rat God would journey to Lustria, bringing his plague and disease in an attempt to wipe the slate clean of the Lizardmen. Sotek proclaimed that this war between the Serpent and the Rat would rage for many centuries, and would only end at his arrival to this World. Sotek's coming would signify a brand new age not only for Lizardmen, but the World as well.
Many doubted this new found prophecy, namely the Slann. The Skinks stuck to their guns for many years and remained unfaltered in the eyes of adversity. With almost clock-like precision, Clan Pestilins of the Skaven began digging a network of tunnels under the great temples of Lustria. The prophecy name to full fruition when Clan Pestilins burst from underneath the temples and released their warpstone-fueled concoctions upon the unsuspecting Lizardmen. The Skinks, however, weren't so unsuspecting. However, it was hardly the time to gloat as the sickness was spreading and fast. For centuries the war raged on, and many more Lizardmen were lost in the conflict that came to the known as The Serpent and The Rat. As with the nature of serpents and rats, the usual result was no different. Sotek, as prophecized, released his onslaught of serpentine creatures into the tunnels which the Skaven had made their home. With their ranks thoroughly trounced, Clan Pestilins were left with no choice but to stick their tails between their furry legs and retreat back to Skavenblight. With Lustria once again at peace, there was no doubt anymore as it pertained to Sotek and his power. With faith in the almighty renewed once again, Lizardmen enjoyed a period of spirituality and enlightenment. With this came more Gods and cults that followed them. But never was Sotek forgotten, or his display of great power in driving the vermin from Lustria. Sotek was forever dubbed the Savior of the Lizardmen.
Appearance
Physical
How a Lizardman looks will vary by his class.
Coloration
The color of a Lizardman's hide indicates his position in the society. Most Skink and Saurus are blue-skinned, signifying that they will be another vertebrae in the backbone of Lizardman society, ultimately serving those above them and never achieving higher status than that of a drone.
- White:
This is the color of spirituality and zealousness. Those marked with this color are said to be prophetic and touched by the very hand of Sotek himself. White Lizardmen usually go on to be tribal chieftains, priests, soothsayers, and spreaders of the divine word of Sotek. Think of them as Lizardman evangelists. They have been known to work other Lizardmen into a wild frenzy with their words.
Current White Lizardmen: Mekoot Lo'bo
- Red:
This is the color of battle and ferocity. The Lizardman born with this color already has his destiny laid out before him. He is a soldier - a cold-blooded, merciless killing machine. He is always on the front lines with whatever weapon he can get his scaly hands on. Red Lizardmen have no fear and only have the will to destroy the enemy. They are the chosen warriors of Sotek, protectors of Lustria, and the guardians of the Slann.
Current Red Lizardmen: Darvax
- Blue:
Blue is the color of masonry and stoicalness. Blue Lizardmen are the most common, and serve as the backbone of Lizardman society. Their duty is to protect the sanctity of Lustria, if that means maintaining the society or taking up arms in battle. Typically Blue Lizardmen are the masons of the society, which also makes them the weapon masters. There isn't a single weapon the Blue Lizardmen can't use effectively, making him a valuable asset on the field of battle.
Current Blue Lizardmen: None
- Green:
Green Lizardmen are the more scholarly type, seeking to know everything there is to know about Lizardman society and lore. They are the masters of all things ancient and are privy to all Lizardmen gods, not just Sotek. It is they that relay Slaan messages to the rest of the Lizardmen. Although their interests mainly lie in matters pertaining to lore, they aren't exactly uncommon on the battlefield. While they aren't front line fighters, they are very crafty and quick-witted on the battlefield. They move in and out of lines when using melee weapons and are usually the archers of the society.
Current Green Lizardmen: None
- Black:
Black Lizardmen are warriors under the God of stealth, Huanchi. They are typically the hunters and gatherers of society. They tend to be even more cold-blooded than your standard Lizardman, which is hard to grasp, I know. They are notorious trackers and the same goes for the battelfield. Black Lizardmen never, ever fight on the front lines, and are always looking for an opportunity to catch someone flat-footed and off their guard. No emos allowed.
Currect Black Lizardmen: None
Garb
- Coloration
A Lizardman's color makes up most of his garb. However, they can be liberal with shades of said color. A Blue Lizardman wearing teal is not out of the question. They just tend to keep a general overall theme of their color.
- Headgear
Durags, or some other form of a head wrap or bandanna, are the standard for Lizardman. They are hairless and continue to do so with their headgear. The color of the head wear matches the color of the Lizardman.
- Shirts/Tunics
Lizardmen keep it tight. They show their unsightly bodies for all to see. This goes for Skink and Saurus. Slann tend to do whatever they want in this department because not even the most depraved of lizards wants to see that.
- Pants/Loincloths
The only requirement the Lizardmen hold is just staying with their color. Their baggy pants look good with the overall package. A loin cloth over the pants is optional, but it helps. Painting symbols and Lizardman artwork is encouraged and helps drive the point home that they are indeed whom they claim to be.
- Accessories
This is highly encouraged in Lizardman society. Anything tribal, Mayan, Aztec, lizardly, etc. Many will wear armbands with plumes coming out of them. There is no limit in this area. They may even accessorize to the point of being an inconvenience to themselves.
Physiology
A Lizardmans various strengths and weaknesses will differ between his breed and status within the Lizardman culture.
Reproduction
All Lizardmen, save for Saurus, are born in spawning pools, which only activate once every century or so. One spawning can yield numerous Skink, although there have been exceptions before. Saurus are born of eggs beneath the temples much like their crocodile ancestors. Spawning pools really are a mystery, as they were put on Earth back in the time of the Old Ones, whose history has since been lost. Most yield packs of blue-skinned Skink, however there are instances of spawning pools yielding a very small number of Skink, and sometimes even just one. Usually, a single spawning of a Lizardman means that this particular Lizardman is imbued with great power and intelligence, far more than your average Skink. Single spawnings tend to give birth to the Lizardman Priests that take position as philosophical and spiritual leaders, but most importantly zealots for Sotek. The allegience of a Lizardman is known from the very moment he is spawned.