"We are the river, we are the jungle."
The Saurian Ancients, sometimes refereed to simply as the Saurians, also called the Vitalist Confederation[2], formerly known as the Venerable Ones[3], are a faction within the game The 9th Age: Fantasy Battles. The faction consists of bipedal, sentient reptilian and amphibian species, primarily Gila, Skinks, Caimans, all led by the Cuatl.
The origins of the Saurian Ancients is shrouded in mystery. Saurians ruled as overlords in the First Age, holding most other sentient species as slaves. Some say the Saurians seen today are related to these overlords, others are sceptical.
Geography[]
The enclaves of the saurians of today are said to be scattered across the world. Some remain in isolated jungle regions[3], others on remote islands[2]. They can be found in Virentia, Taphria and Augea [4]. There are ruins of the saurians found even in Vetia though[3].
Known cities of the saurians include[4]:
- Oaxtepetl
- Nsisiboko
- Aotatakoa
History[]
Ancient Empire[]
In the First Age[5], it is said that the cuatl ruled as overlords over both the other saurian species the whole world.[6] The other sentient species viewed them as tyrants[3], possibly even being held as slaves[5].
However, in some parts of the world, it is believed that the saurians lived peacefully with humans. The Zhong, a people in Tsuandan, claim that their ancestors did just that.[7]
In these ancients times, the saurians built a civilisation far greater than any present at the time. They made structures said to eclipse all to come since, the ruins of which still remain. They are even believed to have been able to connecting continents using their magic, and cause changes to the world on a global scale. [3]
The Fall[]
The Skyhammer and the fall of the saurians as depicted in the tapestry of the First Age in the World Hymn.
The rule of the cuatls and the saurians lasted until the end of the First Age, its fall marking the beginning of the Second Age[5]. What caused the fall is widely discussed, some sources suggest it was caused by the impact of the meteor known as Skyhammer[5], others point towards a slave rebellion lead by the elves[8] and the dwarves[3].
After the fall, the surviving saurians were scattered across the world, forming enclaves hidden in well-protected regions.[2] Supposedly, all cuatl vanished completely from the world during this time, becoming mere myths and legends. To where they vanished is unknown, but there are many differing theories, from having crossed into the Immortal Realm, actually being all but wiped out, to merely hiding. [6]
Re-emergence[]
The cuatl were gone from the world for many years before suddenly re-emerging[6], possibly coinciding with the creation of the Inferno at the start of the Eighth Age[2].
The enclaves of the saurians that were spread around the world long ago have begun to established contact again. Now they seem to operate as part of larger alliances, with little discernable leadership or government. Most prominent among the enclaves is one called Atua. Located on an island in the Sunrise Sea archipelago, the Atua are believed to have united many saurians in what is called the Vitalist Confederation. This alliance is said to advance a grand cosmic crusade against entropy itself. [2]
The chronology between the cuatl returning and the saurians re-establishing contact around the world is unknown. It seems likely that the cuatl lead the re-establishment of contact, given that they were leaders of the faction in the past.
A Saurian Warlord.
Biology[]
The saurians are made up of four species of bipedal humanoid reptiles and amphibians[9], the Cuatl, the Gila, the Skinks and the Caimans. The blood of these creatures is said to be blur and run cold in the veins.[10]
Exactly how these species are related is unknown. What is known is that at for at least one of them, the males of the species are microcephalic quadrupedal lizards of between 4-20 inches in length. They are said to be barely sentient and capable of little more than fertilising eggs almost as large as themselves. [11]
Society[]
The saurians appear to live in a fairly non-hierarchical society. The gila and their smaller brethren the skinks seem to have identical societal roles in times of peace. In war, their roles differ, a change driven by necessity rather than inborn rights. The caimans appear to be welcomed but not permanent parts of the society. [11]
A Skink with a blowpipe.
In the past, the cuatl dominated over the other saurian species[6], though it is not fully known what their role is today. What is known is that they act as mages in the saurian society[2].
The saurian civilization is also complemented by many kinds of beasts. These are connected to their society through the Skink Priests. [12]
The saurian society has strange interactions with the outside world.[13] There are many examples of bizarre and seemingly random interactions[2], from depositing carved stones at a crossroad in northern Equitaine, to leaving fruits and grain during a famine in Monopatea, to attacking out of the blue in Volskaya.[14]
Interaction with other cultures is also hampered by the difficulty for other species to communicate with the saurians. They seem unable to speak any comprehensible language. Attempts by the cuatl to communicate with other cultures through mind-reading is said to usually end in confusion or even madness. [2]
One recommendation on how to interact with the saurians if you do encounter them goes as follows:[13]
"Bow low, get out of their way and hope they don't show at your doorstep."
Magic Use[]
The saurians have used magic longer than any other species. To their cuatl, using magic comes natural, able to performing without using words or gestures. Their fixation on order and structure limit them to the following paths, which they employ with exceptional skill:[12]
The Skink Priests expand the magic use of the saurians to other paths, connecting them more to their environment:[12]
Sources[]
- ↑ Translation of a Saurian carving (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p107)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Informative text about the Saurian Ancients (The 9th Scroll, issue 16, p6)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Jorge Zamoran; An account of the peoples, nations and monsters which inhabit the world: Saurian Ancients (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p140)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Meradus Gercator (962 A.S.) Map of the Lands and People of the 9th Age (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p125)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 The World Hymn: The 1st Age (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p126)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Interview with Sigmund Selig, the Great Sage, seventh session (The 9th Scroll, issue 17, p10)
- ↑ Informative text about Tsuandan (The 9th Scroll, issue 8, p45)
- ↑ Jorge Zamoran; An account of the peoples, nations and monsters which inhabit the world: Elves (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p138)
- ↑ Interview with Sigmund Selig, the Great Sage, fifth session (The 9th Scroll, issue 14, p52)
- ↑ Boris von Kochlinsberg, "Wonders of the Unknown Continent" (The 9th Scroll, issue 16, p6)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Professor Eiselmasus van der Rijke, "Collected field notes - Vol. VI" (The 9th Scroll, issue 16, p6)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 On races and their magic (The 9th Scroll, issue 5, p8)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Letter from Sigmund to Fabian (The 9th Scroll, issue 4, p18)
- ↑ Fragment of report found among the affairs of Marshal Schaumhauser (The 9th Scroll, issue 16, p7)