Manticore

MANTICORE
The manticore is one of Glaun Encaru’s most disturbing and dangerous predators. Boasting the body of a lion, wings of a dragon, and the face of a man, it is indeed one of the most harrowing and unnatural forms of wildlife I have ever studied; not to mention it is one of the only creatures I have encountered thus far that utilizes its vocal organs for means of spellcasting.

Classification:
Flapper/man-eater/hexer

Demeanor:
Predatory; intelligent; merciless

Diet:
The manticore is carnivorous, feeding on the flesh of both beasts and humanoids. However, in order to regrow their deadly tail-spine projectiles (see Abilities) after each use, they must maintain a steady diet of metals, which humans often conveniently carry in the forms of armor, weaponry, tools, etc. Thus, the manticore is considered by monster-hunters and classifiers to be one of the only predators that specifically hunts humanoids for food.

Habitat:
Manticores can often be found near human or surface-dwelling dwarven colonies, where there is a rich supply of both flesh and metal for them to feed on. They brood in rocky cliffs and mountainous caves, usually with a mate, and perhaps one to three manticore cubs if they’ve kept themselves busy.

Abilities:
Innately magical creatures are not altogether uncommon in Glaun Encaru; the basilisk, will o’ wisp, and phase spider for example. However, the manticore is the only beastial creature I have discovered thus far that learns to harness magic, and maintains this talent through oral tradition. How they found (or were given) this knowledge is a question that Spaurian mythology has tried to answer, but the truth is unknown. In any case, the craft of hexes and curses has been passed down through generations of manticore-kind, and though they do not speak, their vocal organs are constructed in just such a way as to allow them to speak those terrible words of ancient magic. Those who have fallen under their spells report weakness, sluggishness, fragility, inability to fight, and unnatural fright.

Besides its hexes, the manticore relies on its lion-like claws and armor-piercing bite to subdue prey quickly and maliciously. In combat with a capable party of adventurers, a manticore will likely focus its attacks on whomever is carrying the most metal, killing them as fast as possible and flying away with their meal. They will certainly harness the use of their deadly tail spines should their prey prove to be capable melee combatants, firing down on them easily from above, and swooping in to carry off their kill when they are finished. If they are hunting with their young, the cubs will often task themselves with killing off the less iron-clad individuals in a party while the adults do the rest.

Weakness:
Manticores rely heavily on their wings for both transportation and hunting. Grounding a manticore is almost as good as killing it, as the creature likely won’t regrow lost wing membranes until it has fallen prey to a wandering troll, gnoll pack, bulette, etc.

Uses:
Manticore tail spines consist of some of the strongest, lightest metal known to man, almost equal in quality to mithril. Thus, it is no surprise that it is coveted by weaponsmiths and fashioners of exotic armaments.