Wallara - Revision history

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2023-06-23T16:13:38Z

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1d4chan>Nubnuber at 17:42, 27 August 2021

2021-08-27T17:42:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:42, 27 August 2021
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	[[File:Wallara.~~gif~~\|thumb\|right]]		[[File:Wallara MCSC.jpg\|thumb\|right]]
	'''Wallara''', also known as ''Chameleon-Men'', are a species of [[Lizardfolk]] native to the Orc's Head Peninsula of the Savage Coast in [[Mystara]], one of the oldest settings of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. One of the oldest races in Mystara, if not the oldest, these seven-foot-tall reptilian humanoids descend from Mystaran dragons, and have become arguably the most obscure of the Mystaran PC races, as playable stats for them only ever appeared in an issue of [[Dragon Magazine]] (where they were just Aboriginal Australians) and in a single obscure [[splatbook]] (where they were literally humanoid chameleons).		'''Wallara''', also known as ''Chameleon-Men'', are a species of [[Lizardfolk]] native to the Orc's Head Peninsula of the Savage Coast in [[Mystara]], one of the oldest settings of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. One of the oldest races in Mystara, if not the oldest, these seven-foot-tall reptilian humanoids descend from Mystaran dragons, and have become arguably the most obscure of the Mystaran PC races, as playable stats for them only ever appeared in an issue of [[Dragon Magazine]] (where they were just Aboriginal Australians) and in a single obscure [[splatbook]] (where they were literally humanoid chameleons).

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	==Culture==		==Culture==
			[[File:Chameleon man MC Mystara.jpg\|thumb\|right]]
	Whilst TSR tended to just rip-off real world cultures and slap them into all of its settings, as [[Greyhawk]] and the [[Forgotten Realms]] will both attest (hello, [[Maztica]], [[Kara-tur]] and [[Al-Qadim]]!), they were particularly prone to doing this for [[Mystara]], due to its strong pulp fantasy influences. For the Wallaras, they decided to basically use the culture of Australian Aborigines wholesale for them.		Whilst TSR tended to just rip-off real world cultures and slap them into all of its settings, as [[Greyhawk]] and the [[Forgotten Realms]] will both attest (hello, [[Maztica]], [[Kara-tur]] and [[Al-Qadim]]!), they were particularly prone to doing this for [[Mystara]], due to its strong pulp fantasy influences. For the Wallaras, they decided to basically use the culture of Australian Aborigines wholesale for them.

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	==Basic D&D Stats==		==Basic D&D Stats==
	~~[[File:Chameleon man MC Mystara.jpg\|thumb\|right]]~~

	Because of how Basic/Expert worked, with race and class being the same thing, Wallaras were presented with two writeups; one for your standard wallara, and one for the wallara medicine man, who was the spellcaster version.		Because of how Basic/Expert worked, with race and class being the same thing, Wallaras were presented with two writeups; one for your standard wallara, and one for the wallara medicine man, who was the spellcaster version.

1d4chan>Nubnuber: /* Basic D&D Stats */

2021-06-20T20:25:31Z

Basic D&D Stats

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:25, 20 June 2021
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	==Basic D&D Stats==		==Basic D&D Stats==
	[[File:~~Mystaran Lizard-kin, Sis'thik and~~ Chameleon ~~Man~~.~~gif~~\|thumb\|right~~\|200px\|The original Wallara is the one on the right.~~]]		[[File:Chameleon man MC Mystara.jpg\|thumb\|right]]

	Because of how Basic/Expert worked, with race and class being the same thing, Wallaras were presented with two writeups; one for your standard wallara, and one for the wallara medicine man, who was the spellcaster version.		Because of how Basic/Expert worked, with race and class being the same thing, Wallaras were presented with two writeups; one for your standard wallara, and one for the wallara medicine man, who was the spellcaster version.

1d4chan>QuietBrowser: /* Biology */

2021-01-26T04:31:36Z

Biology

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:31, 26 January 2021
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	Wallaras can live for up to 250 years. In AD&D, wallaras over the age of 200 develop a minor level of magic resistance, but this is not reflected in their PC stats.		Wallaras can live for up to 250 years. In AD&D, wallaras over the age of 200 develop a minor level of magic resistance, but this is not reflected in their PC stats.

	Initial artwork for wallaras was very unusual; despite their reptilian nature, wallaras were presented as looking extremely close to humans, complete with big heads of bushy hair. Their most visually inhuman trait was their skin, which was a vibrant, chaotic array of streaks of different colors. In hindsight, this... might not have been such a good idea; rather like the infamous [[Kara-Kara\|"Polynesian Orcs"]] from the adventure module "[[Drums on Fire Mountain]]", people complained about its perceived basis in racial caricatures. Even TSR thought that this wasn't one of their better ideas, and officially retconned the wallara's look in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, depicting them as colorfully skinned, tailless lizard-like humanoids, averaging 7 feet in height and with slender, almost gangly builds, sporting small three-clawed feet and dainty, human-like hands, a blunt, expressive reptilian snout for a face, and a short fin-crest running a vertical line down the back of its skull.		Initial artwork for wallaras was very unusual; despite their reptilian nature, wallaras were presented as looking extremely close to humans, complete with big heads of bushy hair. Their most visually inhuman trait was their skin, which was a vibrant, chaotic array of streaks of different colors. In hindsight, this... might not have been such a good idea; rather like the infamous [[Kara-Kara\|"Polynesian Orcs"]] from the adventure module "[[X8: Drums on Fire Mountain]]", people complained about its perceived basis in racial caricatures. Even TSR thought that this wasn't one of their better ideas, and officially retconned the wallara's look in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, depicting them as colorfully skinned, tailless lizard-like humanoids, averaging 7 feet in height and with slender, almost gangly builds, sporting small three-clawed feet and dainty, human-like hands, a blunt, expressive reptilian snout for a face, and a short fin-crest running a vertical line down the back of its skull.

	==Culture==		==Culture==

1d4chan>QuietBrowser: /* Biology */

2021-01-22T06:54:59Z

Biology

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:54, 22 January 2021
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	Wallaras can live for up to 250 years. In AD&D, wallaras over the age of 200 develop a minor level of magic resistance, but this is not reflected in their PC stats.		Wallaras can live for up to 250 years. In AD&D, wallaras over the age of 200 develop a minor level of magic resistance, but this is not reflected in their PC stats.

	Initial artwork for wallaras was very unusual; despite their reptilian nature, wallaras were presented as looking extremely close to humans, complete with big heads of bushy hair. Their most visually inhuman trait was their skin, which was a vibrant, chaotic array of streaks of different colors. In hindsight, this... might not have been such a good idea; rather like the infamous "Polynesian Orcs" from the adventure module "Drums on Fire Mountain", people complained about its perceived basis in racial caricatures. Even TSR thought that this wasn't one of their better ideas, and officially retconned the wallara's look in Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, depicting them as colorfully skinned, tailless lizard-like humanoids, averaging 7 feet in height and with slender, almost gangly builds, sporting small three-clawed feet and dainty, human-like hands, a blunt, expressive reptilian snout for a face, and a short fin-crest running a vertical line down the back of its skull.		Initial artwork for wallaras was very unusual; despite their reptilian nature, wallaras were presented as looking extremely close to humans, complete with big heads of bushy hair. Their most visually inhuman trait was their skin, which was a vibrant, chaotic array of streaks of different colors. In hindsight, this... might not have been such a good idea; rather like the infamous [[Kara-Kara\|"Polynesian Orcs"]] from the adventure module "[[Drums on Fire Mountain]]", people complained about its perceived basis in racial caricatures. Even TSR thought that this wasn't one of their better ideas, and officially retconned the wallara's look in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, depicting them as colorfully skinned, tailless lizard-like humanoids, averaging 7 feet in height and with slender, almost gangly builds, sporting small three-clawed feet and dainty, human-like hands, a blunt, expressive reptilian snout for a face, and a short fin-crest running a vertical line down the back of its skull.

	==Culture==		==Culture==

1d4chan>Nubnuber: moved and resized image

2020-09-07T23:30:55Z

moved and resized image

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:30, 7 September 2020
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	==Biology==		==Biology==
			[[File:Wallara Dragon 186.jpg\|thumb\|right\|300px\|Note that in this picture, the Wallara is the guy throwing the boomerang, not the lizard.]]
	Wallaras stand seven feet tall, and their spindly arms and legs make them look quite thin. Some folk think that they resemble tall, slender humans, although this has vacillated for...reasons. They move with a stride that other races find gangling and awkward. Wallaras have multicolored, somewhat scaly skin with stripes of various shades of red, blue, indigo, green, yellow, violet, brown, orange, black, and white. Few wallaras have every hue; most have three or four predominant colors. The colors seem to shift and swirl when they walk; the colors can actually deliberately shift at a wallara's will, which fuels their ability to blend into the background and become virtually invisible - hence their nickname of "Chameleon-Men". Sadly, this chameleonic skin actually endangers them; ruthless [[artificer]]s aware of the fact that wallara skin can be used to make Robes of Blending or other camouflage-related magical clothing have been known to murder wallaras for it. It's possible that wallaras may be willing to trade shed skins that fail to turn into eggs, but it's never discussed in any canon source; a DM could decide that this works, or they could decide that such old skins just aren't magical enough any more.		Wallaras stand seven feet tall, and their spindly arms and legs make them look quite thin. Some folk think that they resemble tall, slender humans, although this has vacillated for...reasons. They move with a stride that other races find gangling and awkward. Wallaras have multicolored, somewhat scaly skin with stripes of various shades of red, blue, indigo, green, yellow, violet, brown, orange, black, and white. Few wallaras have every hue; most have three or four predominant colors. The colors seem to shift and swirl when they walk; the colors can actually deliberately shift at a wallara's will, which fuels their ability to blend into the background and become virtually invisible - hence their nickname of "Chameleon-Men". Sadly, this chameleonic skin actually endangers them; ruthless [[artificer]]s aware of the fact that wallara skin can be used to make Robes of Blending or other camouflage-related magical clothing have been known to murder wallaras for it. It's possible that wallaras may be willing to trade shed skins that fail to turn into eggs, but it's never discussed in any canon source; a DM could decide that this works, or they could decide that such old skins just aren't magical enough any more.

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	==Publication==		==Publication==
	~~[[File:Wallara Dragon 186.jpg\|thumb\|left\|200px\|Note that in this picture, the Wallara is the man, not the lizard. (Dragon #186)]]~~

	Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.		Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.

1d4chan>Nubnuber at 04:00, 6 August 2020

2020-08-06T04:00:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:00, 6 August 2020
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	==Publication==		==Publication==
	[[File:Wallara Dragon 186.~~png~~\|thumb\|left\|~~300px~~\|Dragon #186]]		[[File:Wallara Dragon 186.jpg\|thumb\|left\|200px\|Note that in this picture, the Wallara is the man, not the lizard. (Dragon #186)]]

	Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.		Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.

1d4chan>Nubnuber at 01:43, 4 August 2020

2020-08-04T01:43:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:43, 4 August 2020
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	[[File:Wallara.gif\|right]]		[[File:Wallara.gif\|thumb\|right]]
	'''Wallara''', also known as ''Chameleon-Men'', are a species of [[Lizardfolk]] native to the Orc's Head Peninsula of the Savage Coast in [[Mystara]], one of the oldest settings of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. One of the oldest races in Mystara, if not the oldest, these seven-foot-tall reptilian humanoids descend from Mystaran dragons, and have become arguably the most obscure of the Mystaran PC races, as playable stats for them only ever appeared in an issue of [[Dragon Magazine]] (where they were just Aboriginal Australians) and in a single obscure [[splatbook]] (where they were literally humanoid chameleons).		'''Wallara''', also known as ''Chameleon-Men'', are a species of [[Lizardfolk]] native to the Orc's Head Peninsula of the Savage Coast in [[Mystara]], one of the oldest settings of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. One of the oldest races in Mystara, if not the oldest, these seven-foot-tall reptilian humanoids descend from Mystaran dragons, and have become arguably the most obscure of the Mystaran PC races, as playable stats for them only ever appeared in an issue of [[Dragon Magazine]] (where they were just Aboriginal Australians) and in a single obscure [[splatbook]] (where they were literally humanoid chameleons).

1d4chan>Nubnuber: Added image from Dragon 186

2020-08-04T01:42:41Z

Added image from Dragon 186

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:42, 4 August 2020
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	As innocent as this may make them sound, wallaras do take some things quite seriously indeed. For example, there is a very strict protocol to approaching a wallara encampment; a person who wishes to approach in peace is expected to make noise by clapping sticks together or approach from downwind whilst carrying a torch made from a strongly aromatic plant. Upon being seen, they are expected to sit down in a place that is within sight of the village, but far enough away to make attack difficult, and wait for a delegation to be set out to meet them. Failure to do this is seen as a sign of hostile intentions.		As innocent as this may make them sound, wallaras do take some things quite seriously indeed. For example, there is a very strict protocol to approaching a wallara encampment; a person who wishes to approach in peace is expected to make noise by clapping sticks together or approach from downwind whilst carrying a torch made from a strongly aromatic plant. Upon being seen, they are expected to sit down in a place that is within sight of the village, but far enough away to make attack difficult, and wait for a delegation to be set out to meet them. Failure to do this is seen as a sign of hostile intentions.

	Another prominent taboo? Don't smile when you approach or enter the village. As the wallara see it, a stranger has no way of knowing if the village ~~has befallen some difficult~~, so failing to approach with a grave expression until informed otherwise is a sign of disrespect and apathy; it marks the individual as very bad-mannered and it's a grave insult.		Another prominent taboo? Don't smile when you approach or enter the village. As the wallara see it, a stranger has no way of knowing if some difficulty has befallen the village, so failing to approach with a grave expression until informed otherwise is a sign of disrespect and apathy; it marks the individual as very bad-mannered and it's a grave insult.

	The other major taboos of wallara culture are simple:		The other major taboos of wallara culture are simple:
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	==Publication==		==Publication==
			[[File:Wallara Dragon 186.png\|thumb\|left\|300px\|Dragon #186]]

	Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.		Wallara first appeared in [[Dragon Magazine]] #186, under the Basic D&D system, which is when their territory and culture were first detailed as part of [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]]. Player character rules for them under BECMI appeared in the same article. They were updated to [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition as monsters in the Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix, and as a playable race in the Orc's Head Sourcebook. They haven't appeared since and WotC seems determined to ignore that they ever existed.