Draconid
Draconid is a term referring to sapient reptilians, amphibians, and related creatures.
The term originates from the Himralda. In their racial hierarchy, draconids are the highest caste. Within it are the subdivisions of greater draconids, middle draconids, and lesser draconids.
Related terms
The term "draconid" is related to the terms "Scaled Ones" and "scalykind." Both of these terms, as far as I'm aware, originate from the book Serpent Kingdoms (2004). They are racial categories devised by the sarrukh, that ancient culture of reptilian humanoids who were likely the first sapient beings to be born on Toril.
"Scaled Ones" is an umbrella term referring broadly to reptilian humanoids. It encapsulates the following groups: scalykind, lizards, serpent constructs, serpents, and serpentfolk. It is to be contrasted with "Scaleless Ones" (i.e., non-reptilian). Dragons are not considered Scaled Ones, presumably because they're not humanoids.
The definition of scalykind is as follows:
SCALYKIND
The term scalylkind includes all creatures with the reptilian subtype, as well as the following creatures from the books published for the D&D game.
Asabi, braxat, dragonkin, firenewt, frost salamander, khaasta, kobold, lizard king/queen, lizardfolk, pterafolk, sa-rkrith, stingtail, tren, troglodyte.[1]
Himraldan racial hierarchy
Draconids | Greater draconids | Himralda |
---|---|---|
Middle draconids | Tortles | |
Lesser draconids | Bullywugs · Kobolds · Lizardfolk · Xulgaths | |
Ruma | Greater ruma | Aarakocra · Chshakas · Drow · Gith · Humans · Vedalken |
Lesser ruma | Pretty much everyone else |
This is the Himraldan racial hierarchy. There are two main groups: the draconids and the ruma (non-draconids). The draconids are up top, and at the top of the draconids are, of course, the Himralda. The Himralda believe they are perfection.
They believe "middle draconids" are useful as clerks, bureaucrats, house servants, guards, tutors for small children, advisors, low-level priests, and low-level military officers. They're nice to keep around, so long as they understand their place. The exceptional among them can even rise up to become relatively important members of society.
Lesser draconids barely make the cut as draconids. These are good to keep as slaves and cannon fodder. They're only barely treated better than ruma.
Ruma are not persons, they are chattel—livestock. They are to be fed to gerasaurs and pecaros, and used to fill potholes. The only difference between greater and lesser ruma is that the greater ruma are the most dangerous.
Endnotes
- ↑ Source: Serpent Kingdoms, p. 5.