I really need to stop neglecting the Sa’jiir, the lizardfolk of my setting. They are quite important for the setting
Shedding skin is a real issue for the Sa’jiir, but those who migrated south and conquered the lands formerly ruled by catfolk can at least do so in the comfort of bathhouses built specifically for them by their new fluffy subjects.
(Side note, the lizard on the left is female. They are almost identical to males, aside for wider hips and slightly different cololartion) :P
LORE DUMP!
Over 200 years ago the catfolk Empire of Sirath was at the peak of its influence and expansion, controlling a large portion of the Sirath continent (named after the empire). This all ended when the lizardfolk of the Kahelir coalition invaded from the deserts in the north, and started settling into catfolk controlled areas. How the war between the two faction begun is still unclear: The Sa’jiir claim they were given lands to settle by the catfolk, only to be attacked immediately after with no declaration, while the Ajshar catfolk of Sirath claim the lizardfolk simply invaded their borders and started massacring everyone.
As the Sa’jiir conquered more and more lands, the Empire of Sirath found itself unable to match their ferocity in battle. Thus begun a slow decline lasting centuries, ending with the loss of their capital and most of their territories at the hands of new human invaders.
In the newly conquered territories the Sa’jiir became a ruling elite, purging their new lands of all former nobility, royalty and military. The remaining catfolk were forced in a lower position in the social hyerarchy, being forced to serve their new masters. For the most part the Sa’jiir proved to be quite reasonable rulers, avoiding needless cruelty when not necessary, and even adopting many aspects of catfolk culture, such as their alphabet, clothing styles, military tactics and administration.
The Sa’jiir have a much longer lifespan than the Ajshar catfolk (250+ years vs 60-70) but reproduce at a much slower rate, so the fear of being outnumbered by their subject was constant. As such, any act of rebellion or even slight defiance was met with extreme and efficient violence. Some catfolk claim the Sa’jiir even periodically culled large portions of the population in the lands they controlled, in order to maintain their elite status, but this has not yet been confirmed, and it is viewed by many as simple “anti-reptile cat propaganda”.
