Reptilia

Like humans, Reptilia have a similar structure to them in terms of biology. However, there are substantial differences between them and humans. For one thing, they have digitigrade legs rather than plantigrade, giving them an extra joint compared to that of humans. They have a scales lining their entire body save for their stomach, palms, and soles; and they have claws at the ends of their fingers and toes. Lastly, they will often grow horns out of the top of their skull, which can range from a single set of two small horns to several massive ones that extend around and above their heads like crowns.

Reptilia typically reproduce with one biological male mating with one of the opposite sex, of whom becomes pregnant afterward. Successful reproduction with other humanoid species such as Humanity and Elves are rare, with the official count of Reptilia hybrids estimated to be below the 100s.

Unlike most other sentient species, A Reptilia is born from an egg that is laid from the biological female. She will often lay either one egg, or multiple eggs. Although they can reproduce and lay these eggs at any time, it's common for Reptilia to reproduce in the early parts of the Solstice of Reptile, so that when they're ready to lay their eggs, they can lay them at the beginning of the Absense of Reptile so that they can hatch by the end of the Solstice of Arachnia.

Owing to it's cold-blooded nature, a Reptilia does not have the necessary bodily functions to regulate it's own heat. To compensate for this, they had previously relied on the intense heat and cold of The Sand's days and nights, as well as the various homes and structures that they've built and kept refuge in. Their homes would be well insulated and fitted with specialized vents connected to a Steamrock Ventilation System, which can transfer heat around and warm things up whenever needed. Although this system was mostly used during the night-time in The Sands, after The Withering, it became used very often whenever the building would get cold.

Reptilia are omnivores, meaning they feast off of meat and fruit; hunting down prey or creating half-decent farms that can sustain the intense cold. Of course, in recent years, it's gotten a bit harder to find prey out in the wild, which has forced the Reptilia into reinforcing existing barns to hold animals. Greenhouses have been made for these farms where crops can grow, sustaining and protecting them having become a full-time job as a result of how big they have to be to properly feed people.

Reptilia are scattered about just about everywhere within The Sands, owing to the fact that all of it was a massive desert that would burn from intense heat that few living things can handle well save for them. Of course, now that The Sands is made out of glass, Reptilia have opted to congregate together, closer to each other, which has resulted in many abandoned towns being left behind. In The Sands, the largest number of Reptilia can be found in the city of Snakehead, of which numbers in the thousands. In any other age, this would be a rarity for so many Reptilia to congregate in one area.

They rely on five senses: Sight, Hearing, Touch, Smell, Taste. Unlike Humans, Reptilia have no innate sense of Mana-- while they're able to make use of it given the right practice and conditions, they do not have any ability to sense it, nor do they have a high capacity for Mana. As a result, they often have to rely on external means to make use of Mana, such as Edenite.

As for their other senses, Reptilia's ability to touch, taste, and hear are on par with that of a Human's. However, where they have distinct differences is in their eyes and smell. Their snouts are much more sensitive to strong smells, which is strong enough that they can smell toxic gases much quicker than a human can. Their eyes, meanwhile, have a protective shield over them, which keeps them from having sand get into their eyes.

Reptilia don't necessarily have massive organized groups like most other realms would. In The Sands, it's more akin to gangs and packs, Reptilia united under a cause or what-have-you; mostly in the name of survival-- though before The Withering, it would've simply been for their own greed. Of these gangs, the most noteworthy is the infamous Highwaymen, a group whom has had many leaders, ranging from the monster known as Korr Silva to the world-weary Marv Riiza Shred.

The closest analogue for the technological level that the Reptilia have attained would be akin to that of the second industrial revolution on Earth. Railroads could be found across this realm, connecting distant regions of Reptilian land with each other; while paper-mills and factories for automobiles and bicycles and what-not could be found every-which-way. A system close to that of the original morse-code system was developed by the Reptilia, known as String Code; which makes use of five thin pens filled with ink attached to electrical inputs, writing down blocks of lines and dots to translate to letters. This system is often used for sending quick messages across The Sands, usually notifications of arrivals or warnings.

Of course, one particular thing that was made in The Sands was guns. A lot of them, ranging from revolvers to rifles; most of which are used for more benign purposes such as hunting or defense, but are more commonly used by robbers, criminals, and vigilantes to either rob people, hold people hostage, or to rescue people. Sheriffs are often found with a revolver at their side, ready to draw it out and quickly strike at whoever they're aiming at. Even after the world has been reduced to glass by The Withering, these guns are still being made throughout The Sands.

In old Reptilia mythology, it is said that there were originally two deities that reigned over The Sands after it was created by God and his Archons. They were The Reptile; the Goddess of Lizards, Fire, and Wrath, & Arachnia; the Goddess of Spiders, Ice, and Love. They had loved each other, crafting The Sands into their own paradise, one that was much more green and vibrant than the vast, empty horizons of rock and sand that now make up the realm. The Reptilia would be crafted into life by Arachnia as a gift to The Reptile, a sign of her devotion and love. For them, this peace would last a long time, bringing them both endless joy as they lived among their creations, of whom would sing great praise and worship to their goddesses.

Things would remain this way until the 10,000 Days occurred, bringing about devastation across the great Yggdrasil.

It was in this chaos, in this devastation, that The Reptile watched as Arachnia met her demise, killed by something massive, a beast that neither of them had ever experienced before; one whom had slept between the realms; one whom had the body of a serpent and the head of a lion. Overrun with grief, The Reptile reached into the darkest pits of the realms to find someone or something that could help bring her love back, eventually finding a god who resembled a jester, adorn in red and cyan and with a big hat with bells at the end of it. This was the god Yaldabaoth. Knowing nothing of this god that the realms know today, The Reptile begged Yaldabaoth to help her, seeing no other option, for God was dead, and even the Stars cannot bring back a deity.

Yaldabaoth would respond by offering a way for her to live, though the price would be steep. The Reptile accepted without hesitation.

Yaldabaoth would drain the realm of it's energy, reducing the grassy fields and life to nothing but sand and stone, rendering it into a wasteland where barely any grass would survive. The Reptilia were forced to adapt heavily to this change, and The Reptile grieved for their pain. Yaldabaoth would grab the body of Arachnia, and tore her open, ripping her ribs out and using those ribs to create something new. In that horrific display of violence against her beloved's body, The Reptile cried; for her form was tarnished forever.

Yaldabaoth would be the one to create the Arachne, half humanoid and half spider creatures. And it was thanks to this darkness that they were created from, that the Arachne suffered, being made to hurt The Reptilia and eventually being forced underground by them, into the deepest, the darkest caves of The Sands.

The Reptile cried. She would cry, and all Yaldabaoth did was laugh, ignoring her pleas until the very end, when she asked why he did this. Her pain increased tenfold when Yaldabaoth revealed his true form: the very same beast that killed her beloved. His reasoning for all of this?

Because it was fun.

And so, as Yaldabaoth laughed, The Reptile grieved as he left The Sands, his work complete. She would cry, and cry, but she didn't know what to do, not for a long time. It was during this time that she was forced to watch her children suffer. One day would come, however, when she realized what she could do for them. She used her tears to create rain, spreading it across The Sands in various places. She cried just enough for just enough life to form in this new world, enough that even though it would remain as a desert for the eons to come, it would still be survivable, for her children and for the ones below.

She reached down into the caverns of The Sands, to the Arachne, and gave them her heart. The darkness was replaced, a new light taking form in their souls. Although it would be ages before they'd come back up to the surface, although relations between The Reptilia and The Arachne would be strained for so, so long, The Reptile hoped that with her sacrifice, from her grief, there could, one day, come a peace.