Enarrh-Khirss

The Khirsine,also known as the Enarrh-Khirss in their native language,are a vicious reptilian race native to the swampy continent of Hlomark. While generally secluded from other races the khirsine have earned themselves a reputation for their practice of dark magics and sacrificial rituals.

Equal parts adaptable and cunning,the savage lizard-folk try to carve their place in the world despite their hardships,without mercy to all and any who oppose them.

Appearance
The khirsine tend to be more physically robust than humans. Their skin is covered in thick scales ranging from a light gray to a darker green that matches most of the surrounding marshlands. Their eyes are vivid shades of silver and orange,the lack of need for blinking arms them with a piercing look.Spikes and horns tend to protrude from various parts of their bodies such as their head and tail and their hands are adorned with sharp,steel-like claws. Notably,their unusually elongated tongues contain a paralyzing enzyme often used in capturing prey.

Due to the dangerous nature of their habitat they have developed a high resistance to most diseases and poisons as well as a high environmental adaptability. As such the khirsine are able to thrive on nearly any climate but rarely choose to do so,preferring their familiar home continent instead.

Reproduction
The khirsine,like other reptiles,reproduce by the laying of eggs. Cont...

Culture
Although the khirsine live in great cities of stone,they have not fully evolved from their ancient tribal society. Each khrisine serves a certain role in their city,with the collective prosperity being the main goal of any city-state which is independent of the others except for their capital which has some control and influence of the smaller cities. These city-states frequently trade with each other but there is little contact other than that until every third year where the <> takes place-a meeting between all respected leaders to discuss the matters of the khirss.

Based on their natural calling which is determined at a young age the lizard-folk are trained to be either craftsmen,traders or warriors. A very select few are chosen to serve as priests and undergo rigorous training in the ways of the <> priests.

Warriors
The warrior caste or enarrh-akher are trained from a young age to be cold and efficient weapons of the khirss. They are of a larger bodytpe,usually with longer claws of fangs which they are taught to use.

Craftsmen
The craftsmen caste or enarrh-ashel are each trained to a specific trade which they master with dedication and years of work. Devoted and practiced they are some of the finest in their respective trades.

Merchants
The merchants and traders of the khrisine are well-versed in the art of speechcraft and the ways of economy. The most skilled of those may serve as ambassadors to the other races although their efficiency is questionable due to the very specific patterns and rituals the khirsine have in their day-to-day lives.

History
Khirsine have little recorded history,while most knowledge comes from the oral recounting of their honored elders or zshar-a-tal in their language.

The lizard folk used to live in small tribes which were often at war with each other and led by a warchief or high priest. Centuries ago a very powerful chieftain managed,through war,to unite all tribes under his banner-together they built the capital city of <>. Despite his greatness at the time even his name was lost to the ages,although several versions of it circulate.

Recent events have caused them to be in turmoil with the other races,most notably the Veskarr which have developed a mutual distaste,if not hatred for them.

Religion
The khirsine are fervent worshipers of their dark god,Yaehrr'ssh. In their worship it is not uncommon to offer sacrifice,be it an animal or even a live humanoid,including one of their own kin.

The methods used in their sacrificial rituals are especially brutal and ensure the victim suffers for long hours. The sacrifice in question flayed alive and left to bleed his life essence for the god to feast upon.Their meat is consumed by attendants and their bones decorate the areas around the sacrificial altars.

Yaehrr'ssh is worshipped as the god of life and death,he alone prevailed over what was the khirsine pantheon which he consumed,absorbing the powers of the former gods. Lavish sacrifices are commonplace to sate the god's desire for blood and ward the people,but he is also worshipped as a giver of life,with small tributes such as fruit or gold offered to his temples.

These brutal practices are condemned by the other sentient races and are one of the main reasons the khirsine are viewed with distrust.