Iksar Lore

=Lore=

The Iksar (pronounced "ICK-sar", plural "iksar") are the lizardmen of Kunark.

Overview
The Iksar are a tall reptilian race created by Cazic-Thule. Their major sphere of influence has always been on the continent of Kunark, where they have long been one of the primary cultures. The Iksar have a rich but painful heritage. At one time, their Sebilisan Empire controlled Kunark with a fierceness and utter dominance comparable to that of the original Rallosian Empire on Antonica. Though they ruled Kunark with a might challenged only by the dragons themselves, the Iksar have also undergone long periods of enslavement and humiliation. This history has caused the race to despise outsiders and depend only on each other for strength. The architecture and design of the Iksar is exemplified in Sebilis, Cabilis and the City of Mist, revealing a penchant for dojo-like structures and minimalist design. As a race, the Iksar exemplify perhaps the purest form of evil on Norrath. Rather than wallowing in pettiness and corruption, Iksar embody orderly, direct wickedness. They do not hide their intentions or practice subterfuge; they hate everyone openly and equally.

The Iksar are a very strong race, well suited for the physical combat styles of the fighter classes. Their keen intellect allows them to be powerful mages, with a definite emphasis on dark forms of magic. Their cunning nature allows them to be excellent scouts.



Physiology
Iksar are anthropomorphic lizards, and reproduce by egg-laying. They are bipedal. Iksar are covered in a resilient skin of imbricate (overlapping) scales. Likely of class Reptilia, order Squamata, they are also likely of the suborder Lacertilia. Distantly, they are related to Sarnak due to being their creators.

Of particular note, however, is that Iksar are endothermic (warm-blooded), not cold-blooded like most other lizard species. This must be inferred because of the production of heat by females during the reproductive cycle.

The voice of an Iksar is considered "raspy" by human standards.

Iksar, as lizards, have relatively long (compared to other races) sharpened, pointed nails appropriately termed claws. They are often referred to as talons though this is more appropriately reserved for avian (bird-like) structures; a raptor, for example, has talons as it features avian appendages; Iksar being anthropomorphic (e.g., human-like), the term claws is more appropriate. Male claws appear to be extensions of the digits, whereas female claws appear to originate from the dorsal aspect (top) of each digit. In the wild and unarmed, this may indicate males being more suited to a natural thrusting or piercing behavior, while females may swipe and slash more naturally. (In-game mechanics certainly do not mirror this, so it may be inferred that this natural dimorphism has evolved out of importance.)

The male Iksar has nine transverse ribs, a heavily reinforced sternum, and seventeen vertebrae. The female may have an equivalent skeletal structure.

Sexual Dimorphism
The species is sexually dimorphic. Males are taller, wider in the shoulders and torso, and significantly greater in mass. Males tend to have square-set jaws and feature many spines along the jaw, brow, and crest, as well as the dorsal ridge of the vertebral column and tail. The spines are likely osteodermic (reinforced by bony plates beneath) given their strength and resistance to breakage in combat situations. Male eyes are approximately the same size as females, but given the significantly larger head size of males, they appear smaller by comparison. Scales on the male appear to be significantly keeled, making them very strong but likely rougher to the touch.

Females, by contrast, are very slender and lightweight. They have smooth, more slender maws, and are almost entirely smooth-scaled. They are therefore somewhat iridescent in appearance and likely very smooth to the touch.

Frilliks and Other Pericranial Structure
The most notable female morphology is the appearance of frilliks. Frilliks are cartilage-supported erectile dermal appendages on either side of the head. They have been identified as serving three primary biological purposes:


 * Intimidation
 * Thermoregulation
 * Pheromone Distribution

Because of the female's smaller size, Kunarkian Iksar evolved to have frilliks to increase their size and appearance when confronted with a predator. This behavior can be observed when the female Iksar is angry, frightened, or threatened: The frilliks engorge and extend, undulating in a slow-frequency wave. The skin between the cartilaginous supports is drawn tight, creating a scalloped-edged fan that more than doubles the width of the head structure when viewed anteriorally. It has been suggested that the behavior may also exist in the aroused female Iksar, as has the frilliks role in mating rituals. (It has not been clarified as to whether or not the frilliks are indeed tactile-erogenous.)

During the production of eggs, female body temperature rises significantly. Frilliks, when extended, serve as radiators to dissipate heat and cool the blood. The vascular system of the female Iksar involves a significant and complex network of arteries and veins in the lateral regions of the neck, and of capillaries in the frillik.

Iksar have two ears. (Like other lizards, they have no auricle, or "outer ear" structure.) In females, the base of the frillik is proximal to the ear hole. Posterior to the ear hole is a tiny pheromone gland. To aid in attracting mates, female Iksar can gently undulate their frilliks at will to distribute and direct pheromones in the air.

Pre-Shattering History
A synopsis of the history of the Iksar prior to the Shattering can be divided into pre-imperial, imperial, and post-imperial eras.

Shissar Kingdom
While the dragons took centuries to grow and organize, a race of intelligent snake men - the Shissar - assumed the forefront. The Shissar were a brutal race who enslaved the Iksar, using Vanusk's ancestors for workers and food. From their capital of Chelsith in what is now The Overthere, they explored dark rites and forgotten evils which would lay the foundation for much of Iksar knowledge and philosophy.

As learned from the rest of Norrath, nothing is permanent. Eventually, the Shissar angered even their own gods. A horrible plague destroyed many Shissar; however, the Iksar survived unscathed.

Iksar Nation
Over the next several centuries, the Iksar grew to greatness on the buried ashes of their former masters. They migrated outward across the continent of Kunark and formed five principal tribe-states: Kylong, Nathsar, Obulus, Jarsath and Kunzar. This last tribe-state was led by Venril Sathir, a young and powerful warrior-mage, who raised an unyielding army of undead with the assistance of dark magic.

Sathir and his Kunzar armies conquered and annexed the remaining tribe-states under his rule as the first King of Sebilis, the renamed Iksar nation. In order to build his Sebilisan Empire, Sathir brutally captured and enslaved the Hill Giants, Forest Giants and Froglok of Kunark. Throughout Sathir's life, the Sebilisan Empire quickly grew in might, power and grandeur.

The Rule of Rile
King Sathir aged but, of course he did not want to die.To cheat death, he made an unholy pact with Innoruuk to rise, undead and immortal. Rile, Sathir's heir, had other plans and thwarted the ritual. Sathir's soul was trapped inside an amulet that was hidden away as Rile cremated his father's body.

Rile assumed the throne; however, little changed in the kingdom. The son of Sathir seized more valuable land and his ruthless reputation increased under the terrors of his warlords: Kurn Machta and Karatukus and the vampire, Chosooth. By the time these warlords finished, most of the continent definitely belonged to Sebilis ... all but a few pockets of Giants and Dragons.

The Ring of Scale
The Iksar had left the Dragon lands alone, but their threat was easy to see. The Dragon lords convened the Ring of Scale and argued about how to proceed. Trakanon, a poison dragon, advocated swift intervention on behalf of all races against the Iksar. However, Trakanon was voted down and the Ring of Scale decided to intervene only indirectly.

Trakanon and a number of the younger dragons decided more direct action was required. They conjured a squall at sea that destroyed Rile's warship while the King was on board. This action triggered a spectacular war among the Dragons that lasted for almost a half century.

Atrebe's Iksar Empire
Atrebe, Rile's first-hatched son, then became King. This young Iksar was different from his father. He was reclusive and enamored of the dark arts. All feared his use of the evil magic of the Shissar and his grandfather, Sathir. His foul experiments joined a dragon with an Iksar, creating the Sarnak, a race of intelligent Dragon-men. He also joined a Dragon with a Froglok, creating flying mounts for his armies, the Sokokar. On these flying beasts, the Iksar were deadly. Soon, only the hardiest Dragonkind stood unconquered by the Sebilisan Empire.

Iksar vs. The Ring of Scale
Over the next half century, Dragonkind struggled against the Iksars' airborne army. Atrebe was succeeded by his son, Ganak, a most capable warrior. The war ended inconclusively over the Field of Bone with aerial duel between Ganak on his Sokokar mount and Jaled-Dar, then leader of the Ring of Scale. Both were incinerated by magic and fire.

The Dragons retreated. But, not before destroying the imperial palace and all Ganak's hatchlings in a daring final blaze of revenge.

The Emerald Circle
Instead of a new king, the Iksar nobles created the Emerald Circle, a body of five nobles who wisely worked to enhance the Iksar cities and trade, rebuild the navy, and return prosperity to the empire. Unfortunately, whenever the ambitions of rulers are involved, strife soon follows and the empire was ultimately divided into the original five tribal-states. Even that treaty was soon forgotten, as the tribes began to wrestle for supremacy over each other. Unbeknownst to the Iksar, the Ring of Scale had also rebuilt and was meddling in every alliance and affair, pitting the tribal-states one against another.

The End of the Sebilisan Empire
The slaves revolted in Sebilis. Goblin lords from Faydwer invaded Kunark. The Giants mustered an army and destroyed the warlord outposts before they attacked the cities. The final destructive attack on the Iksar came when Trakanon and his Dragon allies descended on what was left of the Iksar cities and reduced them to ashes and ruins. The grand Sebilisan Empire was no more. Free from Iksar restraints and rule, all the other races established themselves and began warring amongst themselves in their lust for domination.

Post-Shattering Information
Kunark was "rediscovered" by post-Shattering survivors from Antonica, D'Lere, Faydwer, Ro, and the other known landmasses around 3785. Sebilis survived both The Rending and The Shattering. Cabilis remains destroyed. Torsis - the fabled City of Mist - has survived largely intact, but is not inhabited by living Iksar. Charasis has also survived the Age of Cataclysms.

Links

 * The Archive of Ik - a website dedicated to all things Iksar from all EverQuest versions.