Manticores

Manticores

Subclass: Felinids

*“I heard a cry of pain, like that of a small*
child. My assistant rushed out into the thicket to aid the youth before I could
stop him. Then came the rustling of underbrush. And the screaming...”

*Master Henry Griffiths, of the*
R.B.G.H

There exists in nature a few cases where a certain
species seems to have evolved to specifically feed on one other species. A
specialist, if you will. This is exceedingly rare among predators, seeing as
such a creature would be at risk of starvation constantly, were the population
of its prey to die out or the environment to change.

However, there are such creatures which lack even the
slightest bit of magic and yet prey almost exclusively upon one other species.
The anteater eats ants, the Venus flytrap consumes flying insects. These are
prey which have little to no likelihood of going extinct in an area no matter
the population of predators.

Is it then any wonder that humans, being numerous and
spread widely across the planet, should have a specialist predator of our very
own?

The manticore is a consummate human hunter, preferring
the flesh of humans to that of any other creature, and their magical nature has
gifted them with an excellent array of tools to use for the hunting of
humanoids.

With the body of a big cat, with markings which can
change over a period of days to better suit new environs, they are silent as
they move through the underbrush. Their heads resemble a cross between a lion
and a human, with rows of teeth much like sharks. Their scorpioid tails end in
not a stinger like a real scorpion, but rather something like a morning star of
quills which can be fired like crossbow bolts with a flick of the tail. The bite,
as well as the quills, are highly venomous, and though not lethal in most
cases, the poison will render an adult helpless within minutes.

As if all this was not enough, the manticore has one
other trick up its sleeve: they can mimic the cries of other animals, most
notably human children. All these abilities come together to make for a
frightening creature, and the fear of them reinforces their existence and
reappearance due to the Law of Belief. There are also reports of old, powerful
manticores growing leathery wings and gaining the power of flight, although
this is exceedingly rare.

Being solitary creatures, there is rarely more than
one manticore in any given area, and their territories are exceedingly large.
Only when mating will the territories interconnect, and even then, only
briefly. This, along with their tendency to let only the strongest cub of the
litter survive, means that there is almost no risk for a wily hunter to
encounter two manticores anywhere near one another, and keeps the danger of
their attacks manageable.

The manticore prefers arid landscapes, but have been
found in temperate forests and lush jungles too. Generally, they prey upon
small villages, which often erect palisades around the settlement to keep
these, and other, beasts out.

When fighting a manticore, maintaining distance is
imperative. Though they can fire their quills upon the unwary, these same
quills are rather fragile and would not break through the thinnest of metals,
likely not even most leathers. Thus protected, be certain to lure the creature
into an open area where it will be easier to fight and slay. This is best done
at night, as the beasts grow careless when the sun no longer shines on them.

Once the manticore is lured out, it may be killed like
one might kill a big cat: with firearm, crossbow or long spear. Three heavily
armoured knights with muskets, pistols and boar spears are generally able to
strike a manticore down without much trouble, provided the hunters are skilled
and the beast has been lured to an open area. Being an ambush predator with
keen senses, it is almost impossible to sneak up on a manticore without
disguising your scent and dampening your footsteps, as well as silencing your
clanging armour.

 PERCEPTION: 16–20
 DEXTERITY: 12–15
 CONSTITUTION: 14–19
 INTELLIGENCE: 3–4
 WISDOM:
 8–16
 CHARISMA:
 9–14
 ·
 IMMUNE: POISON
 ·
 TRUE SIGHT