I have read a lot of articles and supplements on the subject of lizardmen races in RPGs. Sitting solidly between the simple, single subject of Rafm's Reptiliads and the heavily detailed Saurians (FGU for C&S), is this high quality production by MGI. Lizardmen maintains the excellent production value demonstrated in all of the Role-Aids line. A nicely detailed color cover, is supplemented by average quality line art associated with the internal text. The text is formatted for easy reading and provides game data intended for
use with AD&D. "In character" text supports the background information provided in each chapter. An enjoyable scenario rounds out the package.
Letters from a traveling student, studying the various races of lizardmen for his master, provide the "in character" pieces at the start of each chapter. His journeys, with a lizardman sage that he meets on a ship, take him to visit the many races and the sage fills
in the history and mythology of his brethren lizardmen. There path takes them to the start of the adventure in the back of the book and reveals an astonishing secret about the lizardman sage.
There are seven races of lizardmen, descended from the original stock. A racial religious tragedy dispersed the race to far corners of the globe and ended their civilization's golden age. Each race has been adapted to a unique environment and are therefore quite different from "common" lizardmen. Marsh Runners are short, good humored and quick swamp dwellers who use the swamps lighter than air gases to their advantage. The Plains Nomads have a symbiotic culture with a race of giant lizards, each race reincarnating into the other, always. The Desert Runners have adopted a human sheik and inhabit a
"haunted city" built of a subterranean oasis, in the sandy waste, riding horses and leading their lives hidden and wary. Tree dwelling, kung fu, Buddhists best describe the Lizardmen of Tek, from their steadfast neutrality to their martial arts skills. A dimensional shift while inhabiting the homes of a more advanced race put the madness into the Mad Lizardmen of Pang-Leng, whose frail bodies ride atop their massive servant warriors' shoulders. Lastly, the remnants of the original lizardman civilization maintain a foothold in the Twilight Jungle.
I found the book fun to read. The lizardmen cultures are at once comical, and gritty. Anyone looking for a variety of lizard humanoids would do well to purchase this supplement.
Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)
