Leonin

Basic Information

Dietary Needs and Habits

While Leonin are able to eat bread and some amount of fruits and vegetables they largely prefer not to. Most prefer their meat fresh and raw.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Many Leonin have an increased sense of smell and sharp eyes from hunting on the plains.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Traditionally ancient greek and roman names.

Major Organizations

There are four main prides Braveheart, Whitemane, Wildtooth, and Shadowfeng. Once there were many more but they were eradicated or absorbed into other prides. Dead prides remembered in song include the Bloodclaws, supposedly descended from Trondar the leonin god of carnage, the Nightcoats who could supposedly turn invisible in darkness, the Rockpaws who lived in the mountains and could supposedly dig through solid stone, and the Thunderfengs who's roaring could deafen a man.

Beauty Ideals

Leonin prize their fur and teeth above all. The males especially groom their manes.

Gender Ideals

In leonin society the males always lead the prides. There are always more female children than males and it is the job of the female to raise all female children while the male children are brought up by their father.

Courtship Ideals

Leonin females typically mate every 3 to 5 years. Males mate every year they can. Having more children is a big status symbol. Leonin rarely form any sort of romantic attachment instead coming together to mate, the male helps support mates through pregnancy, then when eh children are born they are split up by sex. Some leonin do have prefered mate that they do come back to whenever they are willing though.

Common Etiquette Rules

It is very common for dominance contests to occur in leonin society. Two males might be at each other's throats for the last piece of meat one night and be brothers in the hunt the next. As soon as a dominance order is established the issue is forgotten.

History

Leonin have existed on the plains of Hansola long before the humans claimed it as their own. They once roamed the plains all over the continent surrounding the dessert. When the humans began forming into to cities and began farming, the leonin continued with their nomadic lifestyle. Many tribes got into trouble for killing livestock, partially because the wild animals which once roamed the plains were being cut off by farmland but also because in the mind of the leonin if you didn't kill it yet its not yours. In most places on the continent leonin have largely died out, between their food sources disapearing and humans hunting them, either for sport or to prevent livestock loss, leonin are now mostly contained in the area south of the desert and east of Solan. The hunting of their kin has lead to several bloody leonin wars over the years. In the last 100 years Leonin hunting was outlawed and they were given full citizenship and a barony. This single barony of vast territory has very few laws and enforces them even less. There is a single permanent settlement built around the castle where the prides come together to trade and discuss. While uncommon some humans do live in this settlement and farm, very few leonin actually make there home here year round, among them are the baron's family and a diplomat from each tribe.

Common Myths and Legends

There is a legend of a tribe of leonin that, threatened by humanity, had a druid teleport them to a wild land of violence and hunting. It is now believed that they probably went to the Khanrathi plains.