Pterafolk

When ordinary lizardfolk just won't cut it.

Pterafolk are a race of reptiloid monsters from Dungeons & Dragons. First appearing in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, they are predominantly considered a Forgotten Realms species, and are mostly native to the jungles of Chult.

At a glance, these monsters resemble unusually large and lean lizardfolk, save with short (if not absent) tails, fin-like crests emerging from the backs of their skulls, and elongated, somewhat beak-like muzzles. In fact, they're a species of shapeshifting pterodactyls, capable of swapping between the forms of pteranadons, the near-humanoid form just mentioned, and an "intermediate" form which is still humanoid, but retains the wings by making them functional arms, ala pre-5th edition aarakocra.

Precisely how a creature like this came to exist, nobody knows; some sages suggest they're a primeval form of lizardfolk, whilst adventures instead tend to argue that they are magically evolved pteranodons. In the Forgotten Realms, at least, the adventures are actually closer to the mark: Serpent Kingdoms reveals that they were an experiment by the sarrukh on lizardfolk slaves, although precisely why they were made is lost with their creators.

Pterafolk scales are small, tightly meshed and smooth, like a snake's, and range in color from olive green to forest green to shades of tan. They have large, powerful claws on their fingers and toes, which aid in climbing to their arboreal dens and in combat.

Unlike their lizardfolk relatives, pterafolk are a truly nasty bunch. Their culture is Chaotic Evil in a nutshell, where the strong trample on the weak, and the needs of an individual outweigh the needs of the group. Betrayal and infighting is commonplace, meaning that unless they have a superior leader to keep them in line - such as a naga, whom they tend to worship - they rarely exist in groups larger than 10-30 individuals. Add in a prominent xenophobic streak, and it should be no surprise that pterafolk relish bedevilling, harassing, murdering and even eating other races that happen to be within range of their lairs. Said lairs are usually huts woven from grass and branches, perched high in the canopy, but they can also be found in mountain caves if the conditions are right.

Pterafolk are omnivorous, meaning that although they prefer flesh, they also avidly consume edible plants, roots, flowers and even bark. Ironically, despite being huge assholes who constantly squabble with each other, pterafolk are naturally monogamous, forming life-long pairbonds when they come of age and rearing multiple clutches of eggs together.

Dark Sun must have played host to a population of pterafolk in its distant past, as its native pterrans are clearly a less-malevolent, now-flightless derivation of these strange creatures.

Pterafolk appear in the 2e books "Jungles of Chult" and "Monstrous Compendium Appendix Annual #1" (where they are called pteramen), the 3e books "Monsters of Faerun" and "Serpent Kingdoms", and in the 5th edition adventure "Tomb of Annihilation".

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