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I've been curious about the relationship between Lizardfolk and Pharasma. Its been very exciting to see that Lizardfolk and their culture has been greatly expanded on with the Lost omens Character Guide and Ancestry Guide, the latter introducing heritage feats like Bone Magic(45) and Consult the Stars(46) and the side bars about Droon and the origin of the name Iruxi
While most lizardfolk permit humans
and others to refer to them by that
moniker, they call themselves iruxi.
This ancient word arose from the
Draconic tongue, though its exact
etymology is unclear. In Droon, iruxi
astronomers point to the jagged
constellation of the Maw and the
starry figure who stands against it.
Today, while this constellation is called
the Lone Mother and features in fables
about environmental conservation, she
once had another name in dragon lore:
Erux, meaning “defiance.”
What caught my attention was this side passage on page 47, specifically what is bolded.
Iruxi Ancestors
Ancestor worship is central to
iruxi spiritual life. Lizardfolk keep
their elders’ physical remains
close, incorporating them into the
architecture of their settlements.
The bones of deceased iruxi shore up
protective walls and fill great vaulting
ossuaries. Preserved and suffused
with ritual veneration, these bones
become magical reservoirs of power.
It’s rumored that in times of great need,
iruxi ancestors will reanimate their
bones and fight for their descendants.
Pharasma was the first of the gods, and the Iruxi are one of the most ancient peoples on Golarion, predating the Azlanti making them as old or possibly older than even the cyclopean empires, but so far I haven't been able to come across any interaction or lizardfolk followers of her. What is their relationship with the goddess? How would an Iruxi cleric or champion of Pharasma react to ancestors reanimating their bones to defend their descendants? would it be anathema for a Pharasmin lizardfolk to ask an ancestor to reanimate? Also, has that "unspecified betrayal" by the elves brought up in classic monsters' revisited been revealed?
I do see how Gozreh would take the spot as most widely venerated by the Iruxi but I'm very surprised at lack of/ nonexistent engagement that they have with The Lady of Graves. The cultural identity of the Iruxi has only just started be be fleshed out but I would love to hear any additional information or insights others have to contribute.
Cool short story on Pharasma
https://paizo.com/community/blog/v5748dyo6sgzu?The-Windsong-Testaments-The- Three-Fears-of
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Given the text about suffusing the bones with arcane power, and not mentioning negative energy, it's entirely possible that the Iruxi are not creating undead, but using an animate objects type spell on the bones of their dead, which might *look* scary, but not be the sort of thing that makes Pharasma wig.