My high fantasy story has humanoid lizards in it that are similar to Argonians, Lizardmen among and I'm wondering how I can make them different or unique. My lizardfolk are swamp dwellers and are involved in conflicts with the human population of the swamp, while one member of their race works for the human king of the realm their lands reside in. Can you help me? Thank you.
Hmm, well… They live in a swamp. Make them partially amphibious? Say they lay their young in eggs underwater, which hatch into tadpoles, which eventually grow into land-dwelling lizardfolk. Give them webbed feet for swimming in the swamp and for standing on mushy ground. Make it so the females can become males under certain conditions, if no males are present. Or make the gender of the eggs depend on the temperature they hatch in, like turtles. What implications would that have for their society, if some males or females can change biological sex? Make some of them crocodile or alligator-like. Make them massive, with big teeth. Make them hibernate in the mud, like certain species of crocodiles and amphibians. Make it so they breathe through their skin, like frogs, and need a water source to stay hydrated. Make them like certain species of snakes: They never stop growing, and can reach massive size if they survive long enough. This has problems for their community, because the massive lizardfolk eventually require too much food and too many resources, and so the elderly are kicked out of the village, or killed and consumed by their own people.
@B055man why do they need to be different? The OP seems to work as a story element and it's about what's done with them. IMO giving them an additional head or powers of ventriloquism wouldn't affect their interest value except through the prism of character conflict.
You can make your lizardmen different by making them significant and meaningful to the story, instead of just being an archetypal fantastic race existing simply to give the story more color while the human attractive MCs went on to have conflicts around them. Make them integral to the plot, not just a background inconsequential swamp decoration.
Well, what sets reptiles apart from humans? a) Their class is very old. => So, maybe your lizardfolks achieved intelligence long before humans. What would that imply for their culture today? b) Some reptiles lay eggs, which are incubated outside of the body. => How do your lizardfolks deal with that, culturally? c) Some reptiles are ovoviviparous. d) They are cold-blooded, which means they can move pretty fast if warm, but are slow when cold. They need an external heat source for maximum mobility. => How do your people deal with that? e) Some reptiles can regenerate limbs. => What does that mean for their fighting styles and risk-taking behaviour? f) Some reptiles are closer related to birds than to other reptiles. => What if your lizardfolk are actually "birdosaurians"? You know, covered in colourful dinofuzz and such?
Well, whatever tickles your fancy.... This is a great approach. There are limitless ways to weave them into the story. Just remember that traits do vary greatly within the same species. Making all human woman gracious, mother-like, and soft spoken would seem stereotypical and unrealistic, despite the fact that all of them produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Thus, do try to make the personalities of each individual lizardmen unique.
Different and unique can be a difficult thing as so many variations on lizardmen have been done. Can you theme them in some way? example... The lizardmen of the Warhammer Universe have characteristics of Central American (aztec) tribes. Their names, the jewelry they wear, the weapons they use, buildings they live in etc.. In the David Eddings universe the race of Nissyans, whilst human, take on the traits of snakes, so they are considered sneaky, they use poison, etc.. Can you subspecies your race and give some certain traits unique to certain species of lizard. Maybe some have detachable tails, maybe some can climb walls, some may have beareded chins, others spiny backs. You say they live in swamps? why? are they an undeveloped species who cant move on? or do they prefer swamps? if they prefer swamps do they like living in the muck or do they build sophistcaed structures that make use of the environment whilst still giving them a comparable lifestyle to other species?
Well, lizard people are unique enough without you making them different. I think the harder part is making them seem palatable to human sensibilities. So how does your lizardman live with the human king in a way that doesn't freak his kingdom out?
To answer a few of these. The lizardfolk are split into several groups, there are those that are 6-7 foot tall, hulking humanoids that are very strong warriors, while others are smaller, hunched, digitigrade lizards who are more suited to climbing and sneaking. They also have unique abilities, some can blend into their surroundings, others can regenerate wounds and lost limbs. They all have a similar level of intellect and sentient. They live in the swamplands as the humid temperatures, trees and murky waters suit their bodies. Occasionally border lands around the swamps used to be occupied by them to protect the inner swamp.
The one lizard who is allied with the king doesn't live with him, he lives in the swamp with his brethren. He can blend into his surroundings which allows him to meet with the king without anyone noticing him. Also his alliance with the king is unofficial news but it allows the lizardfolk to rise back to prominence as they try to subjugate the swamp and its human inhabitants.
