Kwitz Gaa's vibrant scales can shift to blues, yellows and browns at will, allowing him to blend seamlessly with his surroundings. A useful attribute for one born into the Shallow Waters clan of lizardfolk, who dwell in the marshlands and winding river deltas on the fringes of human settlements.
Although half-reptilian in appearance, the 5'6" Kwitz mirrors the relatively compact, muscular stature typical of his semi-aquatic kin. His rounded snout, protruding eyes and deft prehensile tail mark him as distinctly non-human. Yet having evolved to thrive in proximity to the human folk, Kwitz and the Shallow Waters clan are among the more acclaimed fishers and river guides.
His formative years were spent paddling dugout canoes through the lush, winding waterways, learning to read the flow patterns, eddies and ripples like a sixth sense. Kwitz gained a preternatural intuition for when and where to cast his net, bringing in bountiful hauls of pan-ram and silverfin from the tepid waters.
Tragically, this simple life of plying the rivers came to a harsh end when Kwitz had barely reached adolescence. A group of human raiders descended upon the Shallow Waters village, capturing and enslaving the overwhelmed unarmed lizardfolk. For nearly five years the young Kwitz endured brutal conditions as a product of the slavery trade.
Opportunity finally knocked when Kwitz's captors came under assault from a band of rowdy freebooters. In the ensuing chaos, the resilient lizardman made a brazen break for freedom, disappearing into the sunbaked marshlands he knew like the back of his hand.
It was this rag-tag mercenary company – led by the feisty human rogue Amarista – who eventually took in the malnourished refugee. They immediately recognized Kwitz's innate value as a wilderness guide able to glean incredible insights just from the flow of rivers and behavior of aquatic creatures. His skills proving instrumental in navigating the unforgiving swamplands and avoiding deadly perils.
Over time Kwitz has settled into an irreplaceable role as the company's scout, forager and waterways expert. While not skilled with weapons, his uncanny senses often gave the mercenaries advanced warning of impending threats. Amarista has even started instructing the lizardman on basic crossbow tactics to better defend himself.
On a personal level, Kwitz Gaa is a gentle, philosophical soul who has found inner peace and wisdom in the rhythms and flows of nature. He has an intense curiosity about the world beyond the winding rivers of his birthplace and peppers the mercenaries with endless questions about their customs, beliefs and adventures in distant lands.
In keeping with his people's animistic faith, Kwitz gives thanks to the river spirits for each bountiful catch and offers small tokens of gratitude when passing through new watersheds.
While open-minded about the world of the "dry folk," Kwitz does carry some unconscious mannerisms that reveal his amphibious nature. He has a subtle tendency to blink one eye before the other in rapid succession, giving him an owlish look. His forearms and hands are expertly dexterous, allowing him to deftly handle slippery river prey.