Bestiary
Manticores
Manticores are some of the largest land-dwelling beasts to currently walk the face of the Realm, considered the gods’ and goddesses’ counter to the famous griffons and hippogriffs. They are powerful but oddly docile when around those of Hovellian descent. They can only be found in hot or humid climates in Cyr such as wide savannahs, large deserts with the occasional oasis, jungles, and sometimes even on the Island of Fire. While uncommon, finding manticores living in coastal regions is not unheard of.
Biology
General Information & Breeds
Manticores are described to look much like lions with some combined notable features, depending on the breed, of both a dragon and a scorpion. They commonly have scaly wings and a very deadly, bug-like tail that is said to be filled with potent venom. Manticores live from about sixty to sixty-five years on average and come in a variety of breeds.
The most widespread of the manticore breeds. Savannah manticores (also known as Hovellian manticores) stand at a height of about 9’5 to about 10’ and are considered the strongest of their kind. Savannah manticores perfectly fit the usual description of a manticore; the body of a lion, wings of a dragon, spiky tail of a scorpion, and a pair of pointy horns. They are only found in Hovellian territory, where manticores have a symbiotic relationship with the people of the nation. They are kept as mounts and as honored pets.
Like other manticore breeds, there are unique differences between male and female savannah manticores. While savannah manticores are generally the strongest of the manticore breeds, females will always grow the sharpest claws. Unlike skylord manticores, only male savannah manticores have the power of full flight. Females, on the other hand, only have the power to glide for extended periods of time; much like lava manticores. Both sexes have manticore barbs, the only major difference is the type of poison that resides in them. Males have paralyzing poison that can take out just about anything their size within minutes; paralysis lasts usually twelve hours if only stabbed by one barb, getting stabbed by multiple barbs is a different story. Females have potent venom to make up for their known weaknesses, one of the three deadliest in all the Realm. |
The skylord manticores (also known as stormriders) are the largest of their species, and the rarest next to the hard-to-find lava manticores. They are native only to the Thundercrack Cascades and have never been tamed. They stand between 10’5” and 11”, making them a formidable foe for any stormheralds in the Cascades who get on their bad side.
Skylord manticores were named for an old legend that says they are the direct descendants of the manticore companions of the last rulers of the empire of Hovell, the Skylord family. The skylord manticores lack one distinct feature that most breeds have; dragonic wings. Instead, skylord manticores are equipped with large avian wings that allow them, both male and female, to soar high above the clouds. Along with different wings, skylord manticores are also born with a power that no other manticore breed possesses—the ability to generate lightning within their tail instead of venom. When a skylord manticore, male or female, stabs their prey with their tail, they exert a powerful jolt of ‘lightning’ that can not only stun their prey but also has the potential to kill them depending on the power the manticore has stored within their tail. To recharge this ability, skylord manticores ‘rattle’ the top parts of their tail. The continuous motion of their tail generates their ‘lightning’. While fully charged, skylord manticores can be one of the deadliest manticore breeds—only second to the deadly lava manticores. |
A skylord manticore.
Art by ColdfrontDrawz. |
A coastal manticore.
Art by ColdfrontDrawz. |
One of the more peculiar-looking manticore breeds, coastal manticores stand between 8’ and 8’5” at the shoulder and may only be found along the shorelines of southern and central Cyr. Their appearance is distinct from all other manticores, as they lack dragon wings and scorpion-like tails, instead possessing fish-like features. Fins instead of wings and horns, webbed but also more canine-like paws, and a big but beautiful betta fish-like tail. Though they lack the stingers and venom of other manticores, they are equipped with powerful saber teeth and are just as strong as their relatives that are found in the regions of Hovell. Coastal manticores are also like cheetahs; insanely fast while on both land and water.
|
Jungle manticores are the second smallest and most agile of the breeds. They stand at anywhere between 4’ to 5’ and can be found in the warm, forested regions of Cyr. They resemble savannah manticores, but with smaller flightless wings and long, slender bodies. Despite making their homes in burrows like other manticore breeds, they spend most of their time in trees and are excellent climbers.
|
A jungle manticore.
Art by ColdfrontDrawz. |
A lava manticore.
Art by ColdfrontDrawz. |
The lava manticores are the smallest breed, only being the size of a housecat, but by far the deadliest. They are found only on the Island of Fire. Due to their size, lava manticores are incapable of flight but are known to glide good distances when needed. Like most manticores, lava manticores have venom located in their tail but this is not why they are remarked as the deadliest of the manticores; their bite is what gives them the title. Both male and female lava manticores have way more potent venom found in their teeth than in their tails. One small bite from a male lava manticore can leave you paralyzed for days while a small bite from a female lava manticore can kill you within minutes. While lava manticores are extremely dangerous and hard to find, it is possible to keep one as a beloved pet if they are raised from a cub, granted that you can take one without getting killed by its parents.
|
Breeding
While the breeding process of manticores is rather simple, it seems that only the people of Hovell have had quite a luck when it comes to successfully making pairs. No one really knows why this is, as manticores in the wild tend to be quite dangerous to those who are not from the nation. Many speculate the rumors and legends of manticores having some sort of divine symbiotic relationship with the people of Hovell while others simply believe that the Hovellians have mastered the temperaments of the many breeds and have made their culture reflect as such.
Manticores have the ability to mate and breed almost all year round though winter, for most breeds, yields fewer cubs. It is quite common for them to take up multiple mates at one single time or to just simply mate for life with one partner. Female manticores gestate for about ten months and stop producing venom as soon as they become pregnant; This is considered a very effective way of being able to tell if a manticore is indeed pregnant. During their gestation period, manticores of all types except Coastal manticores, tend to isolate themselves within either their own hollow or Pride’s burrow. They are pampered and waited on by the rest of the pride; food is brought every day and the mother is usually escorted by the entire pride to the nearest watering hole whenever she needs it. Litters usually consist of two to six cubs. Once the cubs are born, mothers and fathers become highly of their cubs even against their own pride members. Even when cubs become older and perhaps when they leave the pride, they will always remember the roar of their parents and will be able to pick them out from a crowd.
As for the process of pairing two manticores together, one manticore must bring their chosen mate a tribute of sorts; this tribute is different depending on what breed the manticore is.
The chosen mate must eat the tribute for the pairing to be considered successful. Sometimes it can take a manticore several different fruits before the chosen mate accepts their proposal.
Manticores have the ability to mate and breed almost all year round though winter, for most breeds, yields fewer cubs. It is quite common for them to take up multiple mates at one single time or to just simply mate for life with one partner. Female manticores gestate for about ten months and stop producing venom as soon as they become pregnant; This is considered a very effective way of being able to tell if a manticore is indeed pregnant. During their gestation period, manticores of all types except Coastal manticores, tend to isolate themselves within either their own hollow or Pride’s burrow. They are pampered and waited on by the rest of the pride; food is brought every day and the mother is usually escorted by the entire pride to the nearest watering hole whenever she needs it. Litters usually consist of two to six cubs. Once the cubs are born, mothers and fathers become highly of their cubs even against their own pride members. Even when cubs become older and perhaps when they leave the pride, they will always remember the roar of their parents and will be able to pick them out from a crowd.
As for the process of pairing two manticores together, one manticore must bring their chosen mate a tribute of sorts; this tribute is different depending on what breed the manticore is.
- Savannah Manticores; Fruits, Prism’s Berries, or even a Zapalope
- Skylord Manticores; Birds or crabapples
- Jungle Manticore; Fruits and Prism’s berries—Mangos are seen to be their favorite mating fruit.
- Lava Manticores; Small rodents
The chosen mate must eat the tribute for the pairing to be considered successful. Sometimes it can take a manticore several different fruits before the chosen mate accepts their proposal.
Naming
Manticores are named according to the same naming rules as humans in Hovell; Ancient Roman, Latin, and Greek names. Oddly enough, manticores are also given some sort of a last name. Unlike Hovell’s notable adjective last names, a manticore’s last name depends solely on what city-state they were originally born in; being Lux, Idothea, or Darkhaven. This helps keep track of manticore lineages and also helps keep track of where their owner is from as well.
Examples are Jupiter Lux, Aspasia Idothea, and Fabius Darkhaven.
Examples are Jupiter Lux, Aspasia Idothea, and Fabius Darkhaven.
Housing
The homes of wild manticores are known as Grand Burrows. These are spacious underground caves that manticores can either build naturally with the help of their prides, or claim from past prides that lived in the area. After successfully finishing off their grand burrows, manticores stack large boulders above each entrance to the burrow. This is not only to mark where to go for others of their pride but also to mark their pride’s territory and hunting grounds.
In Hovell
As for tamed manticores and manticores born on ranges, their homes are usually known as Hollows. These homes are usually built right under the owner’s home, with entrances leading into the house and outside it. For range-born manticores that lives in prides, these hollows are built next to the owner’s house instead of directly under them and work the same way for those who are not in a pride. Like wild manticores, raised manticores have a natural skill at building their homes, but that doesn’t stop the people of Hovell from being able to help them in its construction. Along with this natural skill, manticores are also able to dig themselves out if their homes ever collapse on top of them.
Acquiring a Manticore
It is a Hovellian tradition for children at the age of thirteen to choose their own manticore cub—usually only two weeks old—from a select pool of them. The child and their family must travel their city’s or town’s central Grand Hollow to do this. Every city in Hovell has one and these Hollows are usually manned by the best manticore rangers in the region. They are tasked with making sure that all the cubs are cared for and loved until it is time for them to be claimed by a new owner. Cubs that don’t initially get claimed around their two week mark, or manticores that have lost their original owners and end up staying at the Grand Hollow, are known as hollow manticores. They are owned and cared for by the manticore rangers that work at the Grand Hollows, gain the general tattoos of the manticore rangers, and usually stay there until someone comes and gives them a new home. They can be claimed by any Hovellian of any age and are expected to be cared for the same way as if they were claimed cubs.
When a child has claimed a manticore cub or when a hollow manticore has been claimed by a new owner, the manticore gets tattoos that are identical to their owners if they have any. This symbolizes the bond that the two will end up sharing with each other and also helps with locating each other if they are to ever get lost. If the manticore has tattoos from a previous owner, it is highly taboo and seen as very disrespectful to get rid of them—especially if the previous owner is no longer living—without permission. If the new owner gains permission from the previous owner, however, they can remove the old tattoos and add most of their own. It is seen as great and respectful to leave a small portion of the original tattoos visible and base the new ones around the specific tatted area. This also extends to manticores that end up living back at Grand Hollows; Manticore rangers are not allowed to remove the manticore’s old tattoos without permission as well.
When a child has claimed a manticore cub or when a hollow manticore has been claimed by a new owner, the manticore gets tattoos that are identical to their owners if they have any. This symbolizes the bond that the two will end up sharing with each other and also helps with locating each other if they are to ever get lost. If the manticore has tattoos from a previous owner, it is highly taboo and seen as very disrespectful to get rid of them—especially if the previous owner is no longer living—without permission. If the new owner gains permission from the previous owner, however, they can remove the old tattoos and add most of their own. It is seen as great and respectful to leave a small portion of the original tattoos visible and base the new ones around the specific tatted area. This also extends to manticores that end up living back at Grand Hollows; Manticore rangers are not allowed to remove the manticore’s old tattoos without permission as well.
Training & Upkeep
Grooming
Like Lions, Manticores aren’t really known for how soft and luxurious their fur is, although it may give off that appearance. Because it couldn’t be more opposite than that, especially in the larger breeds. Their fur is very rough and course to the touch, even the males fluffy looking manes. Their coats typically get very oily especially in the hotter months, so its recommended to have them bathed semi-regularly, not like many of them would object to it. Their coat is usually short enough to not need much brushing, but manes need extra attention if you want them to look and feel their best.
Coastal Manticores have ‘water-proof’ coats, water simply glides off of them, but you dont need to be concerned about bathing them. Though they may be a bit smelly from saltwater, It's very important to brush these Manticores regularly however; since their fur….especially their wavy manes get easily tangled and knotted.
Jungle Manticores have slightly softer fur than their larger cousins, and Lava Manticore are obscenely soft in comparison to all the other types. Another reason for them to be sought after.
Coastal Manticores have ‘water-proof’ coats, water simply glides off of them, but you dont need to be concerned about bathing them. Though they may be a bit smelly from saltwater, It's very important to brush these Manticores regularly however; since their fur….especially their wavy manes get easily tangled and knotted.
Jungle Manticores have slightly softer fur than their larger cousins, and Lava Manticore are obscenely soft in comparison to all the other types. Another reason for them to be sought after.
Training
Manticores follow vocal commands with enough consistent attention once you first get one, though, its advised to use commands in War (the language spoken in Hovell) when training them. Its not very difficult for Hovellians to train them, a cakewalk even. Manticores are very intelligent creatures and easy to train from the very moment you get them and so forth.
Extra Notes
Due to the nature of a manticore’s venomous barbs, they must be immediately disposed of when shed. Adult manticores are naturally immune to their own poison when they get older, however, cubs are just as vulnerable to the venom as other creatures. If the manticore does not shed their barbs correctly, they must be precisely removed by their owner. If not, the manticore could risk infection and possibly lose part of their tail.
Armour & Weaponry
War Gauntlets
As if Manticore claws weren’t bad enough already, the War Gauntlets for them are nightmarish to imagine being on the other end of. Each metal claw layered overtop the Manticore’s natural ones; might as well be swords in their own right. Massive and terrifying, fitting for such great beasts.
Toughened Leather straps fasten the metal claws to their paws and work as a base for Gauntlets armor overtop.
War Spurs
Leg armor with giant metal spurs along the back of the ankle which the manticore can use as additional deadly weapons with kicks. This is paired commonly with War Gauntlets to make some seriously dangerous legs and paws.
Crown of Thorns
As the name suggests, its a spiked helmet; bearing resemblance to a mace or the crown-of-thorns starfish. Theres plenty of variation in its appearance, as each blacksmith or team of blacksmiths make it slightly different each time. It comes in dark colors, usually completely black, this helm strikes fear into the hearts of soldiers who see it; and makes attacking the head of the Manticore just that more difficult.
Quilled Weave
Paired typically with the Crown of Thorns helmet, is the weaved quilled tail armor. The armor is fastened around the tail, and sometimes the Manticore’s lower back. A beautiful, yet deadly arrangement of metal plates with large thin cactus-looking metal quills sticking out from it.
It impedes many who dare try to get close to their back half. As if the natural venom-filled scorpion tail wasnt enough.
Matador ‘Helm’
This helmet isn’t for all Manticores, most have to be trained to bear its weight and great forward facing horns. Additionally this helm doesn't come alone, it's usually accompanied by thick-looking neck armor that further drives home the appearance of a ‘bull’. The armor is a deep black color, sometimes with trimmings of intricate gold and white markings. This isn't just used as war armor, but also used to flaunt ones wealth, power, and strength. Riding in on a powerful large beast with gorgeous yet intimidating armor, leaves a lasting impression. This armor is considered ‘heavy armor’ and its suggested to train the Manticore generally with heavy armor to use this Helm. If worn alone, its extremely top-heavy and uncomfortable for the Manticore. |
Drawing of a Matador Helm. Artwork by Thatsoullessguy.
|