Sis'thik (Desert Scourge)
by Jamie BatyDMR2 95
Medium Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armour Class: 16 (+5 natural, +1 light wooden shield), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Scimitar +3 melee (1d6 +1) or bite +3 melee (1d3 +1)
Full Attack: Scimitar +3 melee (1d6 +1) and bite -2 melee (1d3 +0) or bite +3 melee (1d3 +1) and 2 claw -2 melee (1d6 +0)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Desert scourge, resistance to fire 5
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -1*, Intimidate +2, Jump 0, Listen +3, Move Silently -1, Spot +3, Survival +2
Feats: Alertness, Power Attack
Environment: Temperate, Warm deserts
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Nest (5-20 plus 1 1st level leader and 1 1st level shaman), Tribe (30-180 plus 4-24 children, 2-8 1st level bodyguards, 1d4 1st-5th level shamans and 1 5th level queen)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: -
In burning deserts live nomadic humanoids called Sis'thik, a proud race of reptilian warriors that fear nothing.
Sis'thik have thick, leathery light tan skin that lets them blend in with the arid terrain. Their nostrils can seal out dust, and transparent eye screens allow them to see in sandstorms.
Sis'thik prey on creatures such as lions, camels, jackals, and wyverns. They savour the taste of dragon flesh (excepting blue dragons), which has resulted in enmity between the two races. These lizard kin also enjoy eating figs, dates, and cacti.
Combat
Female sis'thik use scimitars in combat and sometimes employ shields. These females boast great strength and are fierce warriors. When using a weapon, sis'thik may make a secondary attack with their bite. Males, if forced, attack with claws and bite.
Sis'thik use the desert as their ally when confronting foes, planning ambushes and denying foes water supplies to slowly weaken them before finishing them off.
Sis'thik females are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, as
well as shields.
Desert Scourge (Ex): Sis'thik are well adapted to the desert. They suffer no environmental ill effects or damage (including, but limited to, heat, visibility, and sandstorms) arising from their desert environment.
Resistance to Fire (Ex): A sis'thik has fire resistance of 5.
Skills: *Sis'thik receive a +4 racial bonus to all Hide skill checks while in a desert environment.
Society
Female sis'thik control the tribes and do all the fighting. The males seem slow and stupid, existing only for mating and drudge work. Females do not reproduce often, considering how much other work they have to do. Most lay a clutch of 2d4 eggs every other year.
Each sis'thik tribe follows a queen. The queen is accompanied at all times by 2d4 bodyguards. Each tribe also includes shamans. Some sis'thik tribes breed xytar lizards as mounts; two sis'thik can ride a single xytar. In addition, these lizard-kin have been known to cooperate with blue dragons.
Each sis'thik tribe has its own territory. Any who wish to cross it must debase themselves before the queen and shower the tribe with gifts of wine, food, and metal items. Sis'thik sometimes build shelters of mud brick, usually near oases and other resting places. They do not appreciate others using these structures without permission.
Sis'thik as Characters
A sis'thik's favoured class is fighter. Many female sis'thik are also drawn to the barbarian, rogue and ranger classes. Most male sis'thik do not usually gain any class levels. The sis'thik count some druids and clerics among their number, but the arcane classes are extremely rare. Sis'thik clerics may chose two of the following domains: Fire, Reptile (Scaly kind), Sand, and War.