Lizardfolk (Defender, Scout, Stargazer)

Non-human humanoids are a staple of fantasy RPGs. They take many, many forms, though the Lizardfolk are among my favorite. I think it's important to consider how these non-humans affect the world you run in. Even published settings can benefit from considering what it means to have lizard-people living alongside others.

Are lizardfolk less common than humans, or are they the primary people of the world you run in? Do they favor climates that the humans do? Are they similarly xenophobic as we often expect humans to be or are they far more accepting of other ancestries? Consider how these kinds of things may affect your NPCs or the players you have that decide to play as lizardfolk.

The Bestiary presents us with three different lizardfolk variants that are quite versatile: the Defender, the Scout, and the Stargazer. Similar to the other stock-standard ancestries such as the goblins or gnolls, its expected that you would use all three in tandem at relatively low levels to introduce new characters to the world. Each is essentially self-explanatory in its name, a dextrous scout, a tankier defender, and a spellcaster.

Despite the simple presentation, the simple statblocks can allow for you to customize them a bit or shift their numbers pretty easily to adapt for other levels. Consider what other abilities your lizardfolk might have given their favored environment and, by extension, what that means for the society they have built there.

Lastly, remember that the lizardfolk are intelligent and that you should consider this when they aren't strict antagonists to the players. A neutral party that the players interact with can help set the tone for the players in that not every encounter has to be solved with a pointy stick, even if the peoples you're interacting with are a bit... Different.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - The Heart of Darkness

The Hidden City long stood deep within the jungles of the south, its denizens many and all dedicated to a single cause—keeping the dark forces that lie beneath it at bay. For something just as ancient as the lizardfolk dwells below, a malice of old that is still trying to spew forth, something that wishes to be freed from its shackles set in place long ago by reptilian priests—priests who have been laying down their ever-living souls since the dawn of time.

The binds held for millennia, being reinforced and perfected through generations. Alas, the jungles have been invaded, burned and cut down by the younger species who do not understand the importance of the grand canopy. With this, the strength of the lizardmen has waned, as did the restraints holding the evil at bay. It is now only a matter of time before they become undone.

The priests sent out emissaries to all mortal realms in search of aid in this great moment of need, to no avail. Hence, the reptilian warriors prepare for their last stand, as soon hordes of unspeakable horrors shall wash over the world.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Offering Offspring

A Paladin of the Silver Light saved a lizardfolk shaman's life almost 20 years ago. The two have formed a close, brotherly bond since.

When the Paladin's wife gives birth to twin daughters—one of whom has a minor birth defect—the shaman unexpectedly appears.

"It will be a great honour for me to consume your weakling spawn so your bloodline remains untainted and uncompromised" he proclaims.

As disgusted as he is, the paladin wishes to try and refuse his old friend diplomatically, knowing full well just how different the lizardfolk customs are from his own...

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Sin of Kin

In the Burning Sea far to the west, the Kulkarnin live a harsh life in one of the harshest places in the world. Each Kulkarmu—a lizardfolk clan as the humans call them—struggles to pay their war reparations back to the Republic. The bloody war their people waged against the humans still carries many rippling effects over two hundred years later, namely steep dues required of each clan as determined by the amount of destruction their clan caused during the war.

While many take to working the coal mines in the eastern part of the isle, others find more dangerous employment in the massive metropolis of Oasis. The sick fascination humans have for the "warrior's prowess" of the Kulkarnin has led to gladiator pits becoming quite popular in the desert gem. Pitted against one another, the strongest warriors of the once-proud people struggle to win the once yearly championship so that they might pay off their family's debts.

When a knight from the Royal Navy shirks tradition and prejudice by recruiting these warriors instead of allowing their bloodsport to continue in perpetuity, it causes something of a crisis in the underworld. Crimelords, gambling den owners, and other ne'er do wells of all stripes are now looking to deal with the problem quickly so that they may continue to benefit from the status quo.

The knight, on the other hand, could use some help recruiting, as well as dealing with the various problems that come with upsetting the power balance.