View source for Schild

[[File:Schild.jpg|thumb]]
The schild are small reptile-men, at home in the jungles of Dalarnum. They are swift and graceful, about the size of a human child, and have short slender bodies covered with small coloured scales. They don’t usually wear garments and their slim bodies give them a very reptilian appearance. Each hand has six digits – five human-like fingers and a claw-like talon (third digit from the thumb).

Their bodies are covered by tiny scales giving their skin a reptilian appearance. The scales covering their hands, arms, feet and head are small (2-mm) while their legs and torso are covered by larger scales (up to 20-mm across). Specially adapted scales act as nostril coverings and eye-lids. The base-colour of the scales are shades of green, brown and grey. These can change in chameleon-like fashion to provide camouflage in the jungle, a reminder of their origins as jungle hunters.

Their highly developed kinaesthetic sense allows them to make expressive body movements and also to be acrobatic and have good reflexes. In combat (and also during mating) then can move in a mesmerizing swaying fashion, reminiscent of a snake preparing to strike.

Their forward-positioned pair of eyes have average acuity and binocular vision. Their sense of taste is average, but their sense of smell is acute, allowing them to track by scent.

A distinguishing feature of adult schilds are the three prominent bony ridges around the base of the skull, extending from just above the ear, around the back of the head. These develop rapidly at the onset of maturity. These ridges are the seat of their extraordinary mental abilities. In order to cast spells, a schild magic user runs his fingers (usually of both hands) across the ridges while chanting the appropriate magical phrases.

The colour of a schild’s scales, particularly those on the upper body, play an important role in communicating the individual’s standing in society. Usually a dappled green and brown, at the onset of old age the colours become less vibrant. Intense emotional states are mirrored in the appearance of their scales (sudden darkening reflecting rage, sudden lightening when afraid). Particularly dominant and fertile individuals display black flecks on their scales. The darker the markings, the more dominant the individual. Schilds who are adept at using magic of any kind have red, yellow or orange flecks in their scales, with the intensity of the colouring reflecting their level of magical skill.

Social meetings, ceremonies and religious festivals play an unusually important role in schild culture. They live either in the spreading branches of massive trees or on the ground amongst stands of these trees.
=See also=
* [[Diversity of species|Life on Tem]]