Slithzerikai

*Race by phear*

Slithzerikai

Short Description: Slithzerikai, or Sliths, are a strong and intelligent race of lizard-people. They originated in a series of caves below Oldenland, only recently appearing on the surface.
--Slithzerikai are reptiles with humanoid characteristics. They have five clawed fingers on each hand and five clawed toes on each foot. They have scaly skin and their eyes are usually colored red (although some have blue eyes.) All sliths have a tail for balance.
--As reptiles, the sliths are cold-blooded creatures and therefore require much warmth to live. In cold environments, they slow down severely. They become more susceptible to illness when cold, and may even go into a torpor.
--Sliths have their own language, similar to that of other lizards, but can also speak Imperial Standard with drawn out S's, sometimes adding them to the end of singular nouns.
--Female Sliths are sometimes difficult to distinguish from other non-warrior Sliths (most males tend to become warriors for their tribe, though some tend to remain at home and assist in the affairs of everyday life. These male Sliths do not fully use their physical abilities and are smaller like the females). Females are not forbidden to become warriors, they are just less affective due to their smaller size. Other females practice magic with success. Females themselves are not restricted in freedom, though the breeders and caretakers are.
--Both genders keep their reproductive organs either retracted or concealed. Their mating is similar to that of humans, though it is not recommended to attempt to "crossbreed", as their mating involves much biting and their size may injure or kill their non-Slith mate. Claiming a female mate involves battling other males until they submit dishonorably or are killed.
--Sliths, like all reptiles, are egg-laying creatures, tending to have three to four eggs in a nest. Eggs are laid two weeks after mating. Incubation takes a year. Sliths are born ready to hunt, learning to walk on their arms and legs first, on their hind legs after they have killed their own prey.
--A Slith tribe is divided simply into a few groups: warriors, caretakers (male and female Sliths that do the domestic work of the tribe), truthsayers (the preachers of the tribe, as almost all Sliths are religious), and the ur-Slith (the alphamale of the tribe, the most physically adapt, has free reign over any unclaimed female in the tribe). Sliths that practice magic often exile themselves from their culture to submerge themselves in their studies.

Life Range: Sliths have a life expectancy notably beyond human standards — 200 years or more would be a reasonable estimate. It has been suggested that, like dragons, they never cease to grow; however, their growth rate slows down once they reach about two meters, and only a few live long enough to grow to enormous sizes.

Color: All Sliths are green in color, with minor variations in shading. Cave Sliths have darker scales than surface Sliths.

Traits: In combat, the great advantage of the Sliths is their great size and strength. Their tough skin provides them with natural armor against enemy blades. Only a very strong (or very foolish) human would dare to take on a slith in hand-to-hand combat alone.
Their weapon of choice is a gigantic two-tined iron spear about two meters long, refered to as a "Slith spear", that requires enormous strength to wield. Slith spears are most efficient in Slith hands, allowing their physical advantages to really come into their own.
As a whole, the Slithzerikai are extremely intelligent, and they have a great talent for magic. However, intelligence can vary greatly from slith to slith, and a large minority of sliths are raised as utter simpletons.

Common rivals: Some Cave Sliths tend to worship demons and practice dark arts. Though wars are an alien concept to them, there are often times raids between the normal Sliths and the Dark Sliths. There is no conflict between Cave and Surface Slithzerikai. Humans are often times intimidated by Sliths due to their large size. Some fights have broken out between human settlements and surfaced Sliths. This paranoia is justified, however, as a band of surfaced Dark Sliths have been raiding human settlements.

Estimated population: Less than 2000 above ground, over a million below ground.

Pictures:
Average Slith


Warrior Cave Slith


Caretaker Slith or Unarmored Female Warrior


Ur-Slith


Slith Spear

The one on the far right being the common Slith spear, the others are modified versions. Not all Sliths use Slith spears, though most do. Sliths have been known to use other weapons such as swords, maces, clubs, and occasionally a bow. Sliths cannot use crossbows unless they are specially designed for their large fingers and claws.

Some Sliths may be friendly or hostile, depending on their religion and past experiences with humans. Sliths only hunt to feed, and will only hunt a sentient species if no other food is available. A few surface Sliths have blended with human civilization, most of them taking up jobs as blacksmiths. A Slith smithy serves as a meeting place for other Sliths, a place of warmth and safety for them. Sliths are very community-oriented, and can rarely survive alone.

Note: Slith names always have an S in them, sometimes just being differently toned hisses. They do not have a last name, but use the name of their tribe instead.
For example: Sss-Thoss of Hearthhh