Lizard Man

These 6- to 7-foot, 200- to 250-pound reptiles have speckled green, gray or brown scales and stiff 3- to 4-foot tails; the sexes look nearly identical. They wear only bone strings and crude trinkets and speak their own tongue.

They fight as individuals, rushing head-on when evenly matched or stronger, but turning cunning with snares, ambushes and raids when outmatched or at home. Food, fallen foes included, and simple treasure easily distract them, letting some victims escape. Captives become slaves, meals or sacrifices in murky rites.

Every 10 have a patrol leader with 17 hit points and a 50% chance of a 3 HD shaman casting as a 3rd-level priest. A full tribe adds a 6 HD war leader, two 4 HD subleaders and a shaman of 4 or 5 HD (even odds). Two or more tribes together have a 50% chance of a 7 HD shaman and a 10% chance per tribe (cumulative) of a lizard king, who always brings a 7 HD shaman and gathers every tribe's patrol leaders, a tenth of the male warriors, into one fanatical bodyguard.

They inhabit swamps and marshes, and 35% live wholly underwater in air-filled caves. Tribes rarely exceed 150, counting females and hatchlings, and neighbors often form loose pacts against all outsiders, rival lizard men included. Though omnivorous, they favor human flesh, ambushing travelers and hauling dead and living alike home for a grisly feast.

They have few predators and raid any nearby settlement. Their eggs and meat taste bitter and cannot be eaten, but their hide can be made into scale armor (AC 6). They make no art or trade goods.

One tribe in ten is more advanced, building rough huts, carrying shields (AC 4), throwing barbed darts (30-yard range, 1d4) or javelins (1d6) before melee, and swinging clubs that hit like morning stars (2d4). Leaders may wield captured swords and the like. Their chance of a lizard king doubles to 20% per tribe.

Taller and smarter than its kin, a lizard king rules one or more loose tribes, usually with a great trident that deals 3d6+2 in its hands. If its attack roll beats the needed number by 5 or more, it deals double damage, at least 15 points. It demands two humans a week, then demihumans or other humanoids if humans are lacking; failing all of those, two of its bodyguards are killed and eaten.