The Rodan-Morton are a large, reptilian race that makes its home in the Lost Lands (or, in their tongue, Lotem Fohenius) of Langar. They usually stand at around 20 feet tall. The largest ever recorded was about 36 feet tall. They have impressively long natural lifespans. They got their names from a tribe of smaller lizardmen who once shared the island with them. Believing the much larger reptilians were born from a god of rock and stone, the smaller lizardmen gave them a name which translates to 'Mountain Movers'.
Biography[]
The Rodan-Mortan are a primal species. They live by dominating those weaker than them. This reflects onto their way of life. The smartest and strongest of the tribe usually ends up ruling. It is rare for a chief to have only one of these traits. They are extremely territorial and are slow to trust and quick to lose trust. They are born without names and, for many, die without one. They gain their name through their first great feat. For some, it would be hunting a large prey by themselves. For other's, it would be taking on a higher ranking warrior and winning.
The Rodan-Mortan are extremely territorial and are quick to attack. Unfortunately for any settlers, this is something that is quick to learn. Throughout the world, very few know of the existence of the Rodan-Mortan and even fewer know a fair amount of information. This is mainly due to the fact that the enormous lizardmen are extremely ruthless when repelling 'invaders'. Those who do know of the Rodan-Mortan's existence only refer to them as 'dinosaur-like beasts that make the Lost Land uninhabitable for civilization.'
Physical Discription[]
The Rodan-Mortan are enormous by all standards. There are very few creatures in Langar that can match them in size. Their scales are normally a dark greenish or brown color. The most common color is a murky green. Most have a row of small spikes that travel from the base of the skull to the mid-end of their tail. These spikes aren't sharp and are made of cartilage. They serve little purpose to the Rodan-Mortan. They are equipped with 4 claws on each hand that resemble lightly turned hooks. They have the sharpness of a sword and are just as durable, if not more so. Their teeth, while not as long as their claws, are similar in their sharpness and strength. Their arms are quite long compared to their legs. The only thing longer than there arms is their tail.
Their scales are one of the greatest prizes for an armorsmith. They are incredibly durable and can usually take a dozen or so slashes from a sword without taking much damage. However, not all of a Rodan-Mortan's scales are so strong. Their belly scales, arm scales, leg scales, neck scales, and face scales are much stronger than the scales on their backs. Many believe that this is mainly due to the fact that, unlike other reptilians, the Rodan-Morton have no need to defend their backs in a fight since they tower over almost anything else. Those seeking riches attempt to raid their graveyards in hope of getting their hands on a tooth, claw, or a few scales. Unfortunately, this usually ends with the Rodan-Mortan's guards having a snack before a meal.
The physical difference between the male and female of the species is obvious. Females are usually smaller, less muscular, are usually docile, and tend to be only slightly hunched over. Males are more hunched over than the females and more aggressive. The rest of their bodies remain the same. Both female and male Rodan-Mortan have long arms, sharp teeth and claws, long tails, and a very big stomach.
Weapons, Armor, Abilities, and Fighting Style[]
Due to their size, the Rodan-Mortan cannot use standard weapons and armor. Instead, during their young years, the warriors-in-training are sent into the wilds with nothing but a hammer and chisel to make their own weapons using the island as their forge. Most often, the trainee's use a young tree as their base and create hammers, war picks, and maces out of stone and vines. In rare cases, some have made an axe or a sword. Designs are carved into the wood with the hammer and chisel.
The armor used by the Rodan-Mortan is made of several layers of fur which is hunted in main island. The thickest part of their armor is on their backs and the back of their necks since they don't need much armor on their fronts.
The Rodan-Mortan, despite being rumored to have descended from the powerful dragons, cannot use magic. They are, however, naturally resistant to most magic. Due to their reptilian birth, ice magic works incredibly well against them. Unfortunately, if it was that easy to kill them, the species would have been hunted out long ago. The Rodan-Mortan have one last trump card: the ability to breath fire. It is this trait that make those who fight against them believe that the Rodan-Mortan are descendants of dragons.
Their fighting style is a simple one. Run up to the one(s) attacking and smash them to bits. Most of the time, this is easily done. On rare occasions, their flames help them obtain victory. However, they tend not to rely to heavily on their fire breath.
Traditions[]
The Rodan-Mortan are a primal tribe. They believe in gods that are unknown to the rest of the world. They preform rituals for all sorts of things, including a good harvest, breeding, and fighting. These rituals most often contain 2 or more sacrifices, depending on the god they are praying to. Praying is often led by a shaman, a former warrior or chieftain that has lived to their elder years and are to weak to fight. The shaman are well guarded and are often used as guidance for the current chieftain. If anyone, be it a farmer or chieftain, attacks a shaman, the rest of the tribe retaliates with extreme brutality. After the attacker is killed, his/her body is offered up to the gods as a tribute. Once the tribute ritual is complete, the corpses is butchered and shared among the tribe.
There are several days that are considered sacred to the Rodan-Mortan. The beginning of seasons is a main one and is often celebrated. These celebrations are often full of sex, food, and their own brew of alcohol. A healthy birth is also something that is celebrated and is only celebrated when the egg hatches. The mother and father of the offspring each offer their blood, mixed inside a cup. The child is than bathed in the blood. This is believed to ensure a healthy life and many future offspring as well as acting as a connection to the ancestors. There is also a week, towards the end of the year, where the Rodan-Mortan smoke a special herb that induces euphoria. Of course, the month before is spent growing and harvesting food.
However, the most impressive tradition would have to be the Youl'N Teid. This only happens every few hundred years. To keep from overpopulating this island, the Rodan-Mortan split into two groups and preform a civil war. It is a war with no rules. The two sides try to be as equal as possible. If one side has more members, they must offer a skilled warrior to the other side to balance it out. If one side realizes they will lose, they can offer their lives. After being killed, the living and the shaman pray to the gods to accept the souls of the fallen. Once the prayer is finished, the dead Rodan-Mortan are cut apart as carefully as possible, cooked, and served to the ones who remain alive.