Lixthar

The Lixthar are a large and aggressive race of quadrupeds that make up the dominant species of the Coalition Against Quinn almost all Lixthar seen throughout The Fields are female with male members of the species proving too difficult to tame to the sedentary life of civilization.

Appearance
Lixthar are quadrupedal lizards, the average height is 2.4m and they have a length of 2.5m with a tail that is 3m long at its full extension. Their front legs are much longer than their hind legs, giving them a simian gait. To move fast they pull their entire hind quarter through their front legs and hurl themselves toward their target. Their head is large and filled with shark-like teeth that keep growing throughout their lives. Their tail is prehensile and is used for gripping and holding tools that would be too difficult to grip with their mouth.

Their scales are naturally a mottled brown but since most Lixthar wear thermal regualting bodysuits their natural colour is rarely seen.

Lixthar eyes are accustomed to reddish light of their homeworld. They have two types of colour receptors allowing them to see a spectrum that is lesser than a human's vibrant blues will appear less vibrant to the Lixthar.

Their ears work in much the same way as humans but they have small holes in the side of their heads protected by small horns instead of ears.

The spines of the Lixthar are mostly cartilige which gives them much greater flexibility but it greatly inhibits their carry capacity. Most Lixthar carry items in sleds behind them rather than on themselves.

Society
Lixthar society is dominated by females. Most males are kept in nature reserves or in private quarters in wealthier households. This is due to the male having a much lower aggression threshold and inferior impulse control. They are not less intelligent than the females they simply are driven by instinct and impulse too much to be useful members of civilisation.

As a result Lixthar cities are almost entirely occupied by females. In general Lixthar society is very cold and unforgiving. Cities exist because mutual cooperation is more beneficial to their individual goals then any real desire for companionship. Most Lixthar interactions are work related and personal time is just that, personal.

Upon reaching maturity at the age of 12, Lixthar females will begin laying eggs, once every 2 years. Most Lixthar have high sex drives despite the long period between laying and one of their primary contacts with other members of their race is for sexual intercourse. A Lixthar will carry their egg with them until the gestation period is over, which is 5 months. After that point the egg will either hatch or the Lixthar will carry it for another month or so before discarding it. Once a Lixthar egg hatches the mother will encourage the baby to find its feet and learn how to run. The mother will then guide the Lixthar to a nursery where she will abandon it, having lost interest in the baby.

Once the baby is in the nursery the nannies in it will look after the youngling until it is old enough to make a choice about wanting education or not. Most males will choose to go to reserves where they can flourish and about 30% of Lixthar females choose to go into education. Females that choose the reserve life are sterilised before being let out with the males.

The thousands of years of domesication has not left the Lixthar unchanged. City dwelling Lixthar are much more compassionate than their wild brethren and have social skills. Compared to humans they are simply extremely introverted.