Dracoid

Phillip, the Yvel City Fletcher - (*Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos*)

Dracoids are a race of humanoid lizard folk and one of the four Ascendant Races. Once possessing a vast empire that stretched across the Southern Continent, they now roam the Lands as hermits and menial laborers. They are proficient in magic and considered one of the more intelligent races.

Physiology[]

Dragon Motif Dracoid Cemetary — A Dragon motif from the Dracoid Cemetery - (*Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny*)

Dracoids have developed tough skin that provides natural protection, forked tongues, webbed digits, double eyelids and can spit venom. Their relatively small strength and strange bone structure is thought to be a result of amphibious origin. Popular myth holds that the Dracoid race is "half human, half Dragon" although their relationship to humans, if any, is unlikely. Their dragon origins, however, are much more apparent, as dragon motifs are featured prominently in the architecture, art, weapons and armor; and the few living Dragons in the Lands purportedly share a natural affinity for them. Although cold blooded, they have strong emotions, especially towards other members of their race and take responsibility to their kind very seriously, an attitude that is less often seen in their interactions with other races. Despite these physical differences, Dracoids and humans are cross-fertile and known to produce viable offspring. Some Dracoids appear to possess a tail while others do not.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

History[]

Tsarlle — The sinking of Tsar'Ille - (*Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny*)

During the Golden Age, the Ancients lived among the mortals and provided for every need or want. However, this peace came to an end during the War of the Heretics, when the dark god Belial gave powerful Ancient Magic and weapons to the dracoid and instigated a war with native Huline who shared the Southern Continent with them. Using this godly power, they constructed the great capital city of Tsar'Ille and worshipped Belial as their savior, all the while ravaging the Lands. The Council of Ancients took notice, and decreed that Belials actions could not go unpunished and was sentenced to death; a sentence that would be carried about Anu, who would later come to be known as The Draracle.

Stained Glass Dracoid Exodus — A stained-glass depiction of the mass Dracoid exodus - (*Lands of Lore III*)

Upon his deathbed, the last Dracoid Emperor Ak'Salar repented of his evil relationship with the dark God Belial. He commanded extreme measures to erase all traces of the Dracoid nation's guilt. The written records were burned, pictographs were obliterated, and many of the royal court were executed. Finally, the dracoid capital was undermined and made to sink to the bottom of the Bane River. Eventually, those who remained behind mutated into a race of multi-tailed lizard beasts known as the Ssar.

Dracoid Letters — Dracoid lettering found in the ruins of Tsar'Ille - (*Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny*)

Ak'Salar speaking - only known example of the Dracoid's native language

The Dracoid nation collapsed and its society completely disintegrated. They scattered and fled to the other continents, becoming nothing more than hermits, menial laborers, and wanderers, ashamed and embarrassed of their heritage. Despite the mass exodus, the dracoid initially managed to retain their customs and traditions. But over the years, the flame began to die out; only a few retained any memories of their mighty ancestors, others kept their blue-blood lineage a secret, fearful of reprisals. Some of those who traveled to the Northlands eventually chose to settle in the lands of Cimmeria.^[5] The Speaking Stones kept an accurate yet scattered record of these events, while the Dracoid Chronicles became the official account of these times for the other races.^[6]^[7]^[8]