Manticores

Manticores have the body of a lion with a human face, leathery wings and a huge scorpion tail. The sting carries a kind of paralytic venom. They are lethal predators which have a preference for human flesh. Manticores devour their victims with triple rows of teeth, leaving behind not even the bones. Therefore, the human population of Kilmaresh also calls them "man-eaters" - albeit on the quiet.

Other than most Anuma, manticores are ferocious and savage, more wild beasts than noble magical beings. Nonetheless they are intelligent, if not as much as their benign sphinx sisters or gracious lamassu brothers. They have an ancient and lasting rivalry with the gryphons for reasons that are unknown to most mortals. Sages of Kilmaresh are researching this question for centuries but by now every story is just mere speculation. The best theory is that the manticores, favourite Anuma of the sun goddess Fafnar, hate the gryphons as they are Suon's favourite children. When Suon cast his wild sister out, the manticores accepted his sentence as all Anuma did, but bear a grudge against the gryphons ever since.

Manticores roam the vast steppes of Kilmaresh, hunting for prey and defending their territories. Interestingly, they are able to interbreed with common lions. The progeny of such a mating is a special kind of very strong lions with poisonous fangs but they are rarely encountered.

Manticores have 6700 hitpoints. They cannot be paralysed. Moreover, they are strong against fire damage. On the other hand, they are weak against ice damage. These creatures can neither be summoned nor convinced. In addition, they are able to sense invisible creatures.

Manticores yield 5100 experience points. They carry platinum coins and sometimes other items with them.