Sirithai

Sirithai
Basic Information
Alternative name(s)	Children of Shakkan Lizardfolk
Creator deity	Shakkan
Type(s)	Humanoid
Lifespan	400 years
Region(s)	Southern Libaterra (Third Age)
Language(s)	Sirithai, Common
Appearance
Height	Average
Weight	Average
Skin color	From pale to dark
Distinctions	Capable of digging through sand and creating tunnels rapidly, can live without eating for days
Historical Information
Age	First Age Third Age

Sirithai, or lizardfolk, are scaly creatures who have inhabited the Tronin Desert in Southern Libaterra since the Cataclysm and built an underground city named Xibalba there. Although they can be ferocious and bloodthirsty, they also have a code of honour and have recently made contact with other races in Libaterra.

History

Imprisoned

The Sirithai lizardfolk were created by Shakkan, the God of Beasts. They roamed in the Land of the Living in its infancy in the First Age but were sealed away presumably shortly after the War of the Andain. They became dormant, falling into a deep slumber and would remain that way for millennia.

Awakening and Exploration

It wasn't until the Reactor Core Explosion and the magic of the Cataclysm that the Sirithai finally awoke underneath Lutherin in its catacombs. They set out to explore the land, Libaterra, which was unfamiliar to them. Their instincts drove them forward, however, and their leader, Tlatoani Qadohi, led them to a place they felt they could call their home: the Tronin Desert in the south.

The Sirithai populated the desert quickly but came into conflict with the local Sarquil population which had lived in the desert for 1000 years. Both races feared one another, and battles were waged. It wasn't until Sultana Razia al-Saif and her captain Ismail approached the Sirithai that negotiations could begin. Although both races were on edge, Razia and Qadohi eventually manage to figure out terms of coexistence so the Sirithai could leave peacefully in the deep desert while the Sarquil would continue governing their already established towns.

While the majority of the Sirithai ventured south, a group of a few hundred didn't join them. Instead these Sirithai decided to explore other parts of Libaterra and came to realize how much the world had changed while they'd been gone. These rogue Sirithai met with ambitious and shady factions such as the Dwarven Triad and the Union Workers and realized these factions could be of use to them. When the underworld factions got over their initial distrust of the Sirithai and asked them to join them, these wandering Sirithai did so eagerly while hoping to discover the humans' secrets and use them against them.

Escalating Tensions

The fragile peace didn't last long, however, because Razia's sister Adela al-Saif soon seized the throne of the Sarquil capital of Vanna for herself with help from the Clergy of Artemicia and began uniting the Sarquil tribes together into what became known as the Sultanate of Karaganda. The clergy and Adela's expansionistic supporters trespassed on Sirithai lands, which led to conflicts between the two races once more.

Once a decade had passed, the Sirithai and the Sarquil viewed each other as bitter enemies, killing each other on sight, although the Sirithai occasionally captured travellers to be sacrificed in rituals. The Sirithai began fortifying their dwelling grounds in the Bone Wastes, building a large underground city named Xibalba to honour their god Shakkan. The desert became a dangerous place for anyone to cross as the Sitithai were experts at ambushing people who got too close to their lairs.

Mission for God

In 1017 AE the status quo in the Tronin Desert began shaking when the god Shakkan appeared before the Sirithai in Xibalba. This emboldened the persecuted lizardfolk who welcomed the god with open arms after not having seem him since their sealing. Shakkan began making preparations to purge the desert from humans who worshipped Artemicia.

However, the Grand Alliance's strike team led by Axikasha Keiran entered the Sirithai lair to negotiate with them. At first the Sirithai viewed them with hostility but when Shakkan was trapped into a shard of Krystallopyr by a treacherous member of the Alliance, the Sirithai vowed to free their god and make the Artemicians pay. They decided to help the Alliance depose Adela but did so only to put an end to the persecution of their people and to have a ship with which they could populate other suitable lands for their ever-growing numbers.

The Sirithai participated in the Battle of Vanna on the Alliance's side and eventually defeated Adela's forces and freed Shakkan who left the world to recover his strength. Khalid al-Saif was crowned Sultan soon after and promised, with his bride Axikasha Keiran's urging, that from that day onward the Sarquil and Sirithai would put past animosities aside and live as one people in the desert.

Changes in the Desert

The Sarquil and Sirithai celebrated their victory, but the celebration ended abruptly when the Northern Horde arrived and tried to take over Vanna which had been weakened in the war against Adela. The Sirithai provided support to the Alliance and Khalid's forces once again, managing to defend the city for days until the horde finally overwhelmed the defenders.

The demons of the Northern Horde spared most of the survivors and allowed them to leave the desert. The Alliance fled to the Magicracy of Alent in the north while the Sirithai, led by Qadohi, chose to stay behind and wage a guerrilla war against the demonic invaders because they didn't want to lose their home to demons when they'd already successfully defended it against Sarquil earlier. The Sirithai sent an ambassador, Xolkai, with the Alliance so that they could learn more about the present day cultures and societies of Libaterra and figure out their place in this rapidly changing world.

See also

• Races
• Shakkan
• Tronin Desert
• Xibalba