Saurians

[Cimeries]

I'm working on a campaign in which you play as Saurians, as it seems to me like a fascinating and somewhat neglected race in Wesnoth. Unfortunately, I can't find much information about them. I found a little information in the wiki but it's very short and repetitive (I noticed that it states that they live in swamps at least thrice...), and didn't contain much information. I discovered this thread, and found some of the first posts insightful, but it didn't go very far and eventually turned into a discussion about other vaguely related subjects.
If someone could refer me to some more information on things like their history, culture, and their standing with other races, I'd really appreciate it. I've only played a few of the mainline campaigns (and haven't truly finished even one) so far. If I could be missing something involving saurians from these mainline campaigns, please point me to which ones they are mentioned in and I will play them. (I already know that they make an appearance in Legend of Wesmere, which I will play next.)
I'd hate to create new behaviours and culture for them that contradict the mainline.

Maybe we could even start another discussion on this, as that one seems to have died out.
(Also, if this isn't posted in the appropriate section, please move it there.)

[SkyOne]

There was a nice Saurian UMC, called "Forgotten_Legacy" in 1.4. You can research it.
I am not sure that it is downloadable or not currently though. But I have it in my flash drive.

On the mainline campaign, There are some saurian in side=1 on "Son of the Black eye".

[melinath]

Forgotten Legacy

[SkyOne]

Thanks, melinath.

Now, I am sure that it is downloadable.

[Turuk]

Moved to this forum because it will turn into a discussion beyond just scenarios and campaigns.

[thespaceinvader]

There's very little information about them. They live in swamps, they are nocturnal, they have a culture heavily influenced by the moon and stars - the crescent moon shows up in a lot of their iconography.

I've also personally had a lot of thoughts abotu the potential of their culture. I'd suggest that they were a once powerful society which relied on bronze and stone weaponry, but has since been out-competed by others using steel - they have either a technical or moral reason not to, probably the former, though morals could keep them from trading with 'lesser' species to get it. They would (much as the Maya/Inca/Aztecs - I always forget which) have an excellent knowledge of astronomy, and orbital mechanics etc.

One of the things that Jetryl and I would like to do in the long (very long, like, probably over the next couple of years at the earliest) term is to develop some of the smaller species (Saurians, Nagas, perhaps Ogres etc) so that they can be used as convincing, and interesting, campaign enemies (or player sides, for that matter) in their own rights. During that process, more background information will probably be created. But don't expect it to be soon.

[Araja]

There's very little information about them. They live in swamps, they are nocturnal, they have a culture heavily influenced by the moon and stars...

Saurian are always, and rightly, portrait as swamp dwellers, but they also have 60%,1 on deserts, which never seems to be mentioned for story purposes.
And I don't need the UtBS ones shown to me, they're the exception.

I'd suggest that they were a once powerful society which relied on bronze and stone weaponry, but has since been out-competed by others using steel

This might explain why their greatest warriors wear ornate golden armor instead of something more functional looking like the other races level 3 melees.

[Turuk]

Saurian are always, and rightly, portrait as swamp dwellers, but they also have 60%,1 on deserts, which never seems to be mentioned for story purposes.
And I don't need the UtBS ones shown to me, they're the exception.

Never seen a lizard in the desert?

[Skrim]

I'm working on a campaign in which you play as Saurians, as it seems to me like a fascinating and somewhat neglected race in Wesnoth. Unfortunately, I can't find much information about them. I found a little information in the wiki but it's very short and repetitive (I noticed that it states that they live in swamps at least thrice...), and didn't contain much information. I discovered this thread, and found some of the first posts insightful, but it didn't go very far and eventually turned into a discussion about other vaguely related subjects.
If someone could refer me to some more information on things like their history, culture, and their standing with other races, I'd really appreciate it. I've only played a few of the mainline campaigns (and haven't truly finished even one) so far. If I could be missing something involving saurians from these mainline campaigns, please point me to which ones they are mentioned in and I will play them. (I already know that they make an appearance in Legend of Wesmere, which I will play next.)
I'd hate to create new behaviours and culture for them that contradict the mainline.

Maybe we could even start another discussion on this, as that one seems to have died out.
(Also, if this isn't posted in the appropriate section, please move it there.)

**Warning: Spoilers Ahead. If you have not played TRoW and LoW, it is advisable to do so.**

Spoiler:

Saurians make a major appearance in The Rise of Wesnoth. They are close allies of the Nagas and followers of the Dragon(who's name I'm forgetting). They have strong trade relations with the Nagas, mainly providing them with metal and weaponry which the Nagas cannot craft themselves( "It's hard to be a blacksmith when you live underwater" - Lady Jessica ).

Then of course, Prince Haldric comes along, majorly whoops the Nagas, kicks the Saurians off the beaches and slays the Dragon. The Saurians are weakened but not eliminated. Once the Orcs arrive, they quickly ally themselves with the Orcs and help them in their attacks against the Elves of Wesmere, successfully raiding the Elvish treasury but then getting the favor returned when Kalenz in turn raids the Saurian treasury. Then, a while later, Kalenz and his band come again and wipe out the Saurian capital(located east of the river Listra but south of the Lintanir forest).

After that, I presume, the Saurians would be severely weakened, with the remaining bands fleeing to the far east and far north. Then for several hundred years, they'd remain outside of the main Wesnoth-map area as the Humans, Elves and Knalgans have taken all that land among themselves. Their former beaches fall under control of the Mermen and the Dragon's old swamp eventually becomes the Undead-infested Swamp of Dread(seen in HttT).

What happens to the Saurians afterwards, I do not know, as I have not played SotBE(which I know features them as playable units). I do not know anything about their post-Fall status either as I have not completed UtBS(and I'm not sure if it even has them) and not played IfTU.

[Turuk]

There is a tag for spoilers, just so you know if you want to use it in the future. I hid the info for you as that seemed to be your intention, but you can change it back if you like.

[Pentarctagon]

Never seen a lizard in the desert?

If you took a lizard that lives in a swamp and put it in a desert, it would probably be dead in less than an hour.

[thespaceinvader]

Indeed. An Earth lizard However, WINEarth.

Clearly, saurians, whilst they tend to live in swamps, are also comfortable in sand - more commonly beaches, but they'll survive and be able to hide just as well in deserts.

[A-Red]

It's not much to add to what's already been said, but there is also one occasion in either South Guard or Liberty (can't remember which) where Saurians ally with Orcs because the orcs pay them. I get the impression that after being toppled in Legend of Wesmere, they break up into nomadic mercenary bands or small, isolated tribes.

It's interesting that in spite of their strong connection with Drakes in multiplayer, the two races have never appeared together in any of the mainline campaigns.

[Turuk]

If you took a lizard that lives in a swamp and put it in a desert, it would probably be dead in less than an hour.

Right, but my point was that lizards live in both places. And, as TSI said, WINR, so it may merely combine the best of the lizards.

[Pentarctagon]

And, as TSI said, WINR, so it may merely combine the best of the lizards.

makes sense now, i was looking at them as separate, not as combined into one race.