Maleogma

## Population

> *One of the **foreign races**.*
>
>

Feathered wings, padded paws, sharp ears, a regal bearing. Maleogma are the spirits that claim to be the remnants from an era-ending collapse of the same ancient empire from which the **Fey Cats** claim descendancy. They possess the torso and arms of a human woman with feline ears, the wings of an eagle, and the body of a lion.

## Legend

The account of the Maleogma comes mainly from two sources: the gathered research of **Brettish** archeologists and linguists, and the tales incorporated into the mythology of the early inhabitants of the Island of **Umbria**. The former have flocked to **Hikuptah** due to the intense fascination within Grand Breteyne about everything relating to the structures and society there, while the latter are likely due to the Umbrian's seafaring culture and proximity to Hikuptah.

The stories constructed from the findings of Hikuptologists show that there was indeed an advanced civilization that fell into disarray, splintered, and fractured further over the course of a millennium staring about three thousand years ago. The breakdown tracks with the death or disappearance of the existing queen, Rahmta. A period of great upheaval began shortly afterward and many attempts were made to stabilize the region, but all eventually failed. It is around this time that stories of Maleogma began, telling of a terrible hybrid beast that would ambush and slay the warlords who arose to attempt to seize the abandoned Hikuptan throne.

Likewise, stories of Umbrian mythology tell of only a singular Maleogma who was not of a race but rather an individual. In these tales, the Maleogma appeared to advise, challenge, and assassinate Umbrian kings or sometimes the founder of Umbria. These feminine lion beasts would give worthy and prescient counsel on matters of rulership, before lashing out at the young kings with intent to kill them. Should they successfully fend off these attacks, more precise predictions and wise guidance would continue to flow form their failed murderer. Eventually (through age or sloth), the king would fail the test and die to the Maleogma's claws, often being devoured by her in these stories, and the kingdom would plunge into times of hardship and strife and chaos until another brave warrior could conquer the Maleogma and claim the throne once more.

Some stories of Maleogma did make it to Uropa, where they were seen as something of an oddity. As the lion is the 'king of the ground' and the eagle is the 'king of the air,' they are certainly viewed as a symbol of royalty and even divinity. However, the cause of their fallen state and crumbled empire along with the hybridized nature of their biology gave them a negative stigma, and they were thus often portrayed as a metaphor for punished pride, a warning to kings who might grow too megalomaniacal and a monster to keep children obedient.

## Description

Maleogma are quite large due to their hybrid nature. They have the lower body of female lions which stand approximately 3'6" on average to the top of the shoulder, and then a human female torso starting where the neck of the lion would be. Their overall heights in a natural pose range from 6'7" to 6'11" tall to the tops of their heads, though they do possess feline ears that add a few more inches on top of that. Additionally they possess a large but seemingly vestigial pair of eagle-like wings behind their backs, emerging from the shoulder blades in the same manner that **Night Raven** wings do.

## Characteristics

### Capabilities

One of the most striking strengths of the Maleogma is their ability to render powerless the effect of magical abilities used against them. **Night Raven eyes** cannot see their inherent magical ability, nor can **Fey Cat illusions** deceive them, and so on. They can even shrug off some of the destruction caused by the **Elemental Exhalation** of the **Dragon Daughters**, making them a dangerous foe for those who rely on magical means of fighting them.

Perhaps due to their apparent relation to and geographical proximity with the **Royal Cats**, the Maleogma share the ability to enter another plane of reality known as a **Fey Realm**. They can seemingly vanish from sight by leaping into this unseen realm, and then pounce back out of it from another angle in a manner that is exceedingly difficult to track or predict.

Finally, possessing a form of magic not known by any other race, Maleogma have access to what has been likened to the inverse of the Night Ravens' **Night Magic**. Labeled Sun Magic by those who study it, this branch of arcane ability can create and direct brilliant lances or globes of light and heat, both blinding others and causing burns.

### Weaknesses

The largest vulnerability of a Maleogma is that they are no more physically durable than a normal person (or lion, for their lower half) would be. A gunshot wound will still do as much damage to them as it would a normal creature, and as such they can be hunted and slain so long as the person seeking them out is not using magic to find or kill them.

Additionally, if in a position to interact and talk with a Maleogma, they are often very harsh and even cruel with those they deem to be lacking in courage or beneath them in terms of intelligence. They will often engage in obfuscation or speak in metaphors and parables so as to intentionally confuse others and hide their meaning. Those who can see through their twisting words and respond with clear conciseness will leave them disarmed and reluctantly giving earned respect.

And finally, the Sun Magic of the Maleogma is less powerful in the dark, and so nighttime is particularly dangerous for them despite being a somewhat nocturnal spirit. Many of them hide away within their Fey Realms throughout the night, but if one can be lured into an ambush when there is no sunlight to manipulate, an assassin might find an easier time of defeating one.