The Selutar Lizard Men of Sarvaelen in Fantasy AGE

The Selutar: Lizard Men of Sarvaelen

The rapacious and violent Selutar are raiders, marauders and destroyers who seek to destroy humanity and indeed all life itself. They are subterranean dwellers in the dark, sometimes labeled troglodytes and beast men, but in fact unrelated to either of those equally dangerous kindred. The Selutar are driven by the worship of the Dark Mother Eshraggol, an immense, bloated dragon goddess, an Old One from before the Fall of Camrinal that is said to have given birth to their fouls species at the dawn of time, and to have forged her children into an army of shadow destined to seek the extermination of man ever since. As with all such chaoskin, the Selutar are defeated only by their own lack of organization and inability to focus on meaningful military structure, preferring instead overwhelming horde tactics.

Because Selutar are most dangerous when their population goes unchecked, regions like Aeronost employ mercenary companies and some dedicated knighthoods (such as the Vigilant Order of the Dragon) to seek out and slaughter Selutar in their subterranean homes whenever possible.

There are rumors of Selutar dwelling in the deep woods and mountains of some regions who have cast off the religious fanaticism of their underground kin. These remote colonies are usually far removed from men, and when found by their zealous kin are usually hunted to destruction. There is a legend about a pious Saint Erasma, a servant of Nevereth who converted the first Selutar to the worship of the goddess and thus explaining the appearance of rare but nonviolent lizard men.

Despite their religious fervor, there are few sorcerers among the Selutar. Most priest do not cast magic, though they still engage in ancient rituals, often at profane sacrificial sites that contain inherent magic which they call upon through grim sacrifice. The occasional true sorcerer among the Selutar usually seeks to follow the goddess as a shaman or cultist, but occasionally such enlightened lizard men break away entirely to pursue greater mysteries, as the acquisition of such power tends to open their minds to a broader perspective on the nature of arcane power in the world.

Selutar Statistics

1 Accuracy

-2 Communication

0 Constitution

2 Dexterity (stealth)

3 Fighting (bludgeoning, bite, spears)

-1 Intelligence

2 Perception (searching, smelling)

2 Strength (swimming)

0 Willpower

Speed  10        Health 30        Defense           12        AR 4 (natural scales)

Weapon (attack/damage)

Spear +5 to hit, 1D6+6 damage

Bite +5 to hit, 1D4+3 damage and target must make a contested Constitution check vs. TN 13 or suffer a painful bacterial infection (see diseased bite, below).

Special Qualities:

Favored stunts: skirmish (1 SP for first 4 yards of movement), lighting attack (2 SPs)

Scaly Hide: selutar lizard men have natural hide armor (4 AR).

Uncanny Sense of Smell: Selutar have an unusually keen sense of smell.

Darkvision: selutar are adapted for total darkness, able to see with low-light vision in pitch black conditions as if it were an overcast day.

Diseased Bite: Selutar have bacteria-filled saliva that is dangerous to those they bite. A bitten target must make a contested Constitution check vs. TN 13 or suffer a painful bacterial infection that stops any regeneration and impairs the sickened individual with a -1 penalty on all ability checks due to fever; effect takes within 1D6 hours of the bite. Each day a new check may be made to recover; each failure increases the penalty by 1. If the penalty reaches -6 the victim dies. Each success reduces the penalty by 1 for every 3 points over the TN rolled. If the target reaches a zero penalty they recover.

Selutar Mages: Selutar who become priests and cultists of Eshraggol are usually female or strong males, and have a 50% chance of developing a chaotic feature (see chart below). Selutar mages usually have an intelligence and willpower of 1 or more, and are trained in the Earth and Water Arcana.

Suggested Chaotic Features of Selutar Mages (2D6): 2-3 regeneration; 4 armored; 5-6 Shadow; 7-8 winged; 9 mighty, 10 multiple limbs, 11 blending 12 roll twice. See FAGE Bestiary for how these qualities work. Multiple limbs may allow more than one attack at GM's discretion. All chaotically marked selutar mages are mutated in unique and often disturbing ways.

Lizard Men in Magic World

When I saw the "crocodilian" entry in Magic World I have a brief moment of hope that it was an entry for lizard men, who outside of the Gloranthan slaarg are seriously neglected in BRP powered systems, despite the fact that they are a great staple of villainy for swords & sorcery campaigns, something BRP-styled systems excel at. My Sarvaellen campaign relies on lizard men as a major humanoid monstrous threat, of course, so naturally it needs them. Like, now...for tonight's game. So here they are:

The Selutar: Lizard Men of Sarvaelen

Sarvaelen is a humanocentric land, dominated by men in a world where no elves, dwarves, halfings or orcs exist…at least, not in a conventional sense. If there are elves in Sarvaelen, they are reclusive and mythical. If there are dwarves, they are deep beneath the earth and kill men on sight. If there are orcs, they are murderous savages in the deeps of the wilderness who slay all that trespass. Beyond this, none can truly say whether such creatures might really exist or not.

Lizard men, however, are a different story. The rapacious and violent Selutar are raiders, marauders and destroyers who seek to destroy humanity and indeed all life itself. They are subterranean dwellers in the dark, sometimes labeled troglodytes and beast men, but in fact unrelated to either of those equally dangerous kindred. The Selutar are driven by the worship of the Dark Mother Eshraggol, an immense, bloated dragon goddess, an Old One from before the Fall of Camrinal that is said to have given birth to their fouls species at the dawn of time, and to have forged her children into an army of shadow destined to seek the extermination of man ever since. As with all such chaoskin, the Selutar are defeated only by their own lack of organization and inability to focus on meaningful military structure, preferring instead overwhelming horde tactics.

Because Selutar are most dangerous when their population goes unchecked, regions like Aeronost employ mercenary companies and some dedicated knighthoods (such as the Vigilant Order of the Dragon) to seek out and slaughter Selutar in their subterranean homes whenever possible.

There are rumors of Selutar dwelling in the deep woods and mountains of some regions who have cast off the religious fanaticism of their underground kin. These remote colonies are usually far removed from men, and when found by their zealous kin are usually hunted to destruction. There is a legend about a pious Saint Erasma, a servant of Nevereth who converted the first Selutar to the worship of the goddess and thus explaining the appearance of rare but nonviolent lizard men.

Despite their religious fervor, there are few sorcerers among the Selutar. Most priest do not cast magic, though they still engage in ancient rituals, often at profane sacrificial sites that contain inherent magic which they call upon through grim sacrifice. The occasional true sorcerer among the Selutar usually seeks to follow the goddess as a shaman or cultist, but occasionally such enlightened lizard men break away entirely to pursue greater mysteries, as the acquisition of such power tends to open their minds to a broader perspective on the nature of arcane power in the world.

Selutar Statistics

STR 4D6; CON 2D6+6; SIZ 3D6+3; INT 2D6+1D4; POW 2D6+1D4; DEX 3D6; APP 2D6; Move 10

Average Statistics:

STR 14; CON 12-13; SIZ 13-14; INT 9-10; POW 9-10; DEX 10-11; APP 7; Move 10; Hit Points 13-14; Damage Bonus (DB) +1D4

Natural Attacks: Bite 35% 1D6+DB and claws 40% 1D4+DB

Attacks: Short  Spear 30% 1D8+1+DB and Medium Shield 30%, HP 12 or Great Axe 30% 3D6+DB

Skills: Climb 45%, Dodge 35%, Hide 35%, Move Quietly 35%, Sense 35%, Track 40%

Special Traits: Selutar have uncanny senses of smell and are adapted for total darkness, able to see with low-light vision in pitch black conditions as if it were an overcast day. Selutar who become priests and cultists of Eshraggol are usually female or strong males, and have a 50% chance of developing a chaotic feature. 

Ages of Lingusia: Skalykind Part I

Source!

 

Terkithyi Crocodile Men                   

   The Terkithyi are brutish scalykind, simple in intellect and crude in form and nature. Terkithyi are fearsome warriors and deadly enemies of most neighbors. Most Terkithyi hail from the Amechian lands, and are known as great foes of the Belladasian city states. Some Terkithyi have been found as far abroad as the Marshes of Mist, Zymhar, and Cretea, and it is said that they are numerous in the Karaktuan lands and beyond.

Appearance and personality: Terkithyi are brutish, primitive, and crude beings, resembling alligator headed and long tailed humanoids of powerful frame and girth. Males stand as high as seven or almost eight feet, but females are rarely taller than six feet. No Terkithyi has ever demonstrated a predilection to civilization, or a desire to embrace it.

Relations: Terkithyi are the enemies of all of their neighbors. The city states and tribes of the Amechian lands war against them, the sorcerous city states of Karaktu enslave them for Mamaluke warriors, and no species anywhere can be said to have safe or even permanent alliances with them, if ever.

Religion: Terkithyi are dedicated to the worship of Baragnagor, the foul progenitor of abominations. They call him, Adzaak and personify him as a great crocodilian being with some humanoid characteristics. They do not identify Baragnagor with the orcish imagery.

Languages: Besides speaking their indigenous tribal tongues, Terkithyi are known to learn Ophidian, Draconic, Goblinoid, or even Abyssal. The tribal spell casters usually know the alternate languages, to aid in trade with what few allies they have.

Names: Most Terkithyi names are hard for humans to pronounce, but approximations include:

Male Names: Zoss, Trizhan, Vurlizzhor, Grizzathax, Abzymhyr.

Female Names: Exzett, Zimmhsah, Vefriex, Missanzadah, Zissen.

Adventurers: Terkithyi often adventure, for reasons related to tribal or personal interest, but it is exceedingly rare to find a Terkithyi who can adventure in civilized lands and get along with others. Some such curiosities might include civilized terkithyi who were enslaved as mamaluke warriors in Argosea and freed for some reason, captive Terkithyi who were raised as children by a non Terkithyi group, loners who were exiled from their community for crimes or due to a peculiarity of birth, and so on.

Terkithyi Adventurers

Average Height: 6'6”-7’6” tall

Average Weight: typically 200-350 lbs

Languages: Lizardman and Middle Tongue. A few Terkithyi learn Draconic or other local Amechian tongues such as Chigros, Belladasian or Hotepsalan.

Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution

Size: Medium

Speed: 30 feet

Vision: lowlight vision

Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Endurance

Natural Claws and Bite: Terkithyi have vicious claws and a wicked bite as natural basic attacks (see below).

Ferocity: Terkithyi are so reptilian in nature that they do not drop from severe injury in combat until death overcomes them; they gain a special racial utility power, below.

Natural Armor: Terkithyi receive a +2 Natural Armor bonus to armor class.

Cold Blooded: Terkithyi are reptiles by nature, and grow sluggish and unresponsive in cold climates. When exposed to winter conditions atypical of their native environment (usually by more than 30 degrees), Terkithyi grant combat advantage to all foes in such environments and suffer an additional -2 penalty to all skill rolls. Such Terkithyi may expend an action point as a free action to overcome these limitations for the duration of an encounter as a free action. A terkithyi in a cold environment for more than 24 hours begins to lose healing surges at the rate of one per day that are not recovered through rest until he spends at least one extended rest in a suitably warm or sunny environment.

Terkithyi Claw Attack – Racial Basic Attack

   You strike your foe with huge barbed claws.

At-Will – Standard – Melee

Target: one adjacent target; Attack: Strength vs. AC; Hit: target takes 1D8+Strength damage.

Special: Terkithyi claws are considered melee weapons for purposes of exploits and powers. A Terkithyi fighting with both claws is considered to have two weapons for purposes of such powers and feats.

Terkithyi Bite Attack – Racial Basic Attack

   Your grapple your foe with your crocodilian maw.

At-Will – Standard – Melee

Target: one adjacent target; Attack: Strength vs. AC; Hit: target takes 1D10+Strength damage.

Special: The Terkithyi bite is considered a melee weapon for purposes of exploits and powers.

Terkithyi Ferocity – Racial Utility Exploit

   What should have been a killing blow sends you in to a mindless rage.

Daily – Instant Reaction – Melee

Trigger: you reach 0 hit points; Effect: You immediately spend a healing surge and regain that many hit points. You drop any held weapons and must shift up to 5 squares to attack the closest enemy with an unarmed basic attack (claw or bite).

Terkithyi Racial Feat:

Savaging Attack

   You can fly in to a rage doing serious damage with both claws and bite.

Prerequisite: Terkithyi lizard man, Strength 13+

Benefit: You gain the following racial attack power. You must be unarmed when using it.

Terkithyi Savaging Attack – Racial Attack

   You savage your foe with claws and bite, as the spirit of your crocodilian ancestors overcomes you.

Encounter – Standard – Melee, Unarmed

Target: one adjacent target; you must be unarmed. Attack: Two attacks both against Strength vs. AC; Hit: target takes 1D8+Strength damage for each hit. If both attacks struck then make a bite attack:  Secondary Attack: Strength vs. AC; Hit: Target is bitten for 1D10+Strength modifier damage and is considered grabbed until the end of the Terkithyi’s next turn.

Haikyndyr Lizard Men             

   The more common lizard like scalykind are found most prominently in the Haikyndyr Alliance throughout the deserts of Galvonar, the deeps of the Underworld, and in the eastern Ny'Koddin Wastes and northern Plains lands.  Much closer to the classic notions of lizard men, Haikyndyr are similar to humanoid versions of classic deserts lizards, gila monsters, and other reptilian kin.

Appearance and personality: Haikyndyr are slim, lithe beings, standing between five and six feet in height (females being shorter) and covered in intricate but protective scales for protection. They often have colorations and patterns that reflect their desert environment and grant them camouflage benefits. Most Haikyndyr are stoic, quiet beings that are meticulous about their daily business and protective of their kin. They are not prone to evil ways, though there is a strong tendency among their kind to follow the path of Set.

Relations: Haikyndyr tribes do not like to interact much with civilized folk, but subterranean variants of the Haikyndyr tend to be more social and politically active in the Underworld communities. In Galvonar, Haikyndyr are a threat, but some nomadic tribes trade with human cities and other nomads in peace. The isolated pockets of Haikyndyr throughout the Middle Kingdoms spend a lot of time trying to remain unseen.

Religion: The Haikyndyr prefer to worship a handful of demiurges which they see as more relevant to their way of life, such as Kinnispar the Desert’s Son and Savroliin, the Ancestral Watcher, but the Setites are strong in recruiting Haikyndyr, and in the distant past, Set was a much more powerful god among them. As such, many young Haikyndyr are seduced in to the Cult of Set.

Languages: Besides speaking their indigenous tribal tongues, Haikyndyr are known to learn Ophidian, Draconic, Goblinoid, Setite, The Southron Tongue of men, and occasionally Celestial or Infernal.

Names: The ophidian nature of their names can be difficult to pronounce among human kind:

Male Names: Hailyndar, Kyddariis, Karukithyak, Vynkaddir, Zypharisk.

Female Names: Shymvysshar, Myzzamir, Ryaddanis, Klyth'heris, Thyllyk.

Adventurers: Haikyndyr are worldly, and understand the need to pay close attention to their more numerous humanoid neighbors, even if they like to remain anonymous or invisible to prying eyes. As such, many Haikyndyr specialize in trade, commerce, diplomacy, and other skill to interact with the greater community on discreet terms. Such kin are likeliest to become adventurers who also seek to benefit their people.

Haikyndyr Adventurers

Average Height: 5'1”-5’6” tall

Average Weight: typically 100-150 lbs

Languages: lizardman and Middle Tongue; some know Draconic

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: lowlight vision

Claws. All Haikyndyr have wicked claws, which grant them a racial basic attack (see below).

Favored Environment. Haikyndyr are desert dwellers and receive some special bonuses when in a desert environment. They gain a +2 to Nature and Stealth checks in such environments and ignore sandy difficult terrain, as their web-splayed feet are exceptionally good at finding footing in sand.

Tail Trip: Haikyndyr are known for using their tails in trip attacks. They gain a racial at-will attack, below:

Haikyndyr Basic Claw Attack – Racial Basic Attack

At-Will – Standard – Melee

Target: one adjacent target; Attack: Strength vs. AC; Hit: target takes 1D6+Strength damage.

Special: Haikyndyr claws are considered melee weapons for purposes of exploits and powers. A Haikyndyr fighting with both claws is considered to have two weapons for purposes of such powers and feats such as twin strike.

Haikyndyr Tail Trip – Racial Basic Attack

At-Will – Standard – Melee

Target: one adjacent target; Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflexes; Hit: target is knocked prone.

All text Copyright 2011 by Nicholas Torbin Bergquist, all rights reserved