Saurians

Though most might believe the saurians are merely legends, boogeymen from scary old stories, there are some that know these servants of the dragons are real. Centuries ago they were created as killers to fight the enemies of the dragons. When the dragons were defeated at the Battle of Farsalon, the saurians followed their masters into exile. There are yet rumors of attacks on the far eastern edges of the Kingdom, and villages found with every inhabitant violently killed, but few who see them return to tell about it. And those who do are rarely believed.

They are a relatively young race, having been brought into being by the dragons shortly before the end of the Dragon Wars. Their culture is new and is not a match, technologically, magically, or in terms of general knowledge, for the other races. The dragons learned their lesson, and have done their best to keep the saurians uneducated and servile. Saurians are warriors, and their culture revolves around fighting and the privileges that come with serving the dragons.

Biology
As a created race, the saurians are designed to meet a number of different needs. Some are thick and muscular, and are designed as shock troops and infantry. Some have a slighter build, and wings that allow them to accompany their dragon masters in the air. Others are small and dark scaled, and were made for sneaking, spying, and quiet murder. These are also trained in magic, or as members of the priesthood that serve the dragons. There are rumors of other, odder variations optimized for other tasks. Records tell of a variety with caustic, acidic blood, and others with stranger traits.

There are a few traits that all saurians share, indications of the lizards that formed the basis of their creation. They are all scaled, though the thickness and the size varies from one type to the other. The infantry saurians have thicker scales that serve as a sort of light, natural armor. The flying saurians have lighter scales that don't impede their flight. The color of the scales will also vary from individual to individual. Brown and green are common among the smaller, sneakier types. The larger shock troops tend toward metallic colors such as copper and bronze. They might have patches of other colors, or patterns on their scales as well.

They have thick, square snouts, with long sharp fangs. Their hands are five fingered, but end in claws rather than fingernails. Flying saurians have talons rather than feet. They all can regenerate lost limbs, though it can take quite a while and the process has some pain involved with it.

The natural life span of a saurian remains a mystery, as does most other aspects of their biology. From stray comments dragon have made on occasion, it is theorized they are bred and raised en mass.

Cities
Saurians may have cities. It is possible they form communities, trade and live with one and other. The truth is, the presence or lack of the trappings of civilization among the saurians remains a mystery to the scholars of Calibran. Explorers that ventured east to where the saurians are believed to have their homes have not returned. The only knowledge the greater kingdom has of the saurians is as killers and ravagers.'''

Religion
It is assumed the saurians share the dragon's religion, and consider them the superior race and true owners of the world.

Language
Saurians have a language of many slithering consonants and long vowels, sounds that are easy to manage with their square snouts and long tongues. It is reasonable to assume some among them speak most of the languages of Calibran, as they would wish to understand their hereditary enemies. The extent to which they speak other languages is an open question. Conversation, up till now, has been limited to that common on the battlefield.

Magic
The existence of saurians trained in magic has been recorded in the histories that acknowledge saurians as being historical fact, rather than myths. Being as they were created by magic, for the purpose of wielding it, they are talented sorcerers. The use of magic comes naturally to them, and they are powerful, able to work the raw stuff of reality.

Despite their natural affinity, the dragons do not want their servants to become too powerful. As a result, their magic lacks the refinement of the elves, or the control of humans. It can sometimes produce unexpected effects.

Major Historical events
Saurians enter recorded history at the Battle of Farsalon, where they were used as a weapon of surprise by the dragons. They appeared suddenly to inflict huge causalities on the allies. When the dragons that fought in that battle had all been killed, the saurian soldiers fled the field. The fought their way east across the countryside, disappearing into the forests beyond the Island of Yls. There have ben sightings and occasional skirmishes since then. By and large, however, the saurians exited history shortly after they entered it.

Zzark the Assassin
If a mortal or saurian poses a threat to the machinations of the dragons, the individual must be eliminated. The dragons wish to maintain the fiction they no longer are active in the world, and so they task certain saurians with eliminating the problem. When a problem is particularly powerful or difficult to catch, the powers that be summon Zzark. This saurian has deep green skin the color of fir needles with patches of brown along his face and neck. He is more intelligent than the average of his kind and is highly proficient in a number of weapons. Trained nearly from birth to track prey, make poisons, and kill without remorse, Zzark is as talented as he is relentless. No matter how far or fast a target flees, Zzark will catch him; no matter how well-hidden the target, he will find him. Obsessively devoted to his work, or “art,” as he terms it, the saurian once spent two years tracking down a noble elf, killing the target in his own realm, which speaks not only of the assassin’s skill, but also of his courage. Zzark feels no fear. He kills without compunction, and is eager to slay the “lesser races” randomly as long as such extermination does not threaten the job at hand.   

Naming Conventions
Coming soon.'''

Notable Skills and Traits
As different types of saurians are bred for specific tasks, their traits can vary widely from one individual to the next.

The large troopers are huge, frequently as large and as strong as minotaurs. They often lack the minotaurs' intelligence and subtlety, and definitely lack their freedom of spirit. Their claws are short, but as good as knives in a close in fight, and it is not unknown for a saurian soldier to tear an opponent's throat out with their fangs.

The great majority of the saurians are the slighter, winged variety. They can act as a soldiers or servants, or workers of one type or another. They have better manual dexterity, and have a tendency to be more intelligent than the soldiers.

The smaller, weaker saurians are the most intelligent. They have a natural affinity for magic, but are not great fighters. Many are also quite good at sneaking around.

Saurians are not technologically advanced. The level of advancement they might have obtained on their own is debatable. However, it is certain it would have been greater than they have done, as the dragons actively keep them backward and uneducated, and so keep them servile. Some high level priests among the saurians, favored by their dragon masters, are better informed. They live in comparative luxury, and are honored almost as much as the dragons.

Cultural notes
Coming soon.