Leonin

Leonins are a type of humanoid. They look like humanoid lions.

Leonin reach adulthood in their late teens, and can live for roughly a century.

## Myths

According to the Manian Empire, when Reganus assumed the roll of king of the gods, he looked for a group of people to favour. He couldn't find anyone worthy of him, so he created the leonin. Reganus told them they were his chosen people who he created to lead the other mortal races as he led the gods. The leonin, having been told that they were superior to the other mortal races, decided to try demonstrating their superiority by conquering their neighbours. In the process of this, they decided they were also superior to the gods as well, and started conquering temples and chaining the statues of the gods. This caused them to draw the gods' ire, and they lost their gifts from Reganus. The gods caused their followers to unite against the leonin and defeat them. Since then, the leonin civilisation has completely crumbled, and most now live in small, generally independent settlements.

## Lands

The leonin live generally in Saugland, particularly in the western regions. They generally live in small settlements that have managed to retain their independence either through isolation, alliances, or, in some cases, through violence.

## Culture

In leonin culture, the gods are not worshipped. Their existence is not denied, but they are treated as just another group of very powerful people. Leonin don't tend to record history beyond their living memory, and have no myths. It is thought by outsiders that this is done to erase any shames done to their people in the past. The leonin themselves say it's because the past beyond what the living can remember belongs in the past and shouldn't impact their lives in the present.

The leonin have a very high opinion of their people, and often try to be domineering and bully their neighbours. This has led to a number of conflicts over the centuries, most of which the leonin have lost. One of their few long-term beliefs is a prophecy that one day their people will rise and make their own empire that'll span the entirety of Erah.

Leonin tend to wear light, airy clothes to help them stay cool in their arid homeland. Most favour whites, blues, and yellow-browns. They tend not to wear armours, and if they do wear them, rarely wear anything beyond light armours.

In terms of classes, most become barbarians, but rangers and fighters are also very common. They rarely, if ever, become magic users, and any who learn divine magic are cast out of leonin society.

When dealing with outsiders, they will generally refuse to have anything to do with divine spellcasters, and more often than not will show more respect to melee combatants than ranged ones. They are generally reluctant to allow outsiders into their communities unless they have done something to earn their trust.

## Evolution

Leonin are often assumed to be closely related to tabaxi, despite them living on different continents. Leonin most likely were created from a specific group of tabaxi, likely by Reganus, who brought them over to the southern continent from the western one. This accounts for their more uniform appearance compared to other tabaxi. A lion-like tabaxi will often be confused for a leonin in places where leonin are more well known, and the same is vice versa.