Name: Manticore (Thylacoleo Frosgothiiri) Description: A marsupial-esque creature native to the cold swamps of La'Megoth. The Lion sized predator is adapted to live in areas with dense fog, and thus have very large ears that can pivot to their liking. Manticores have evolved a naked face as it prevents blood from getting all over their thick fur when eating. It is also used with a similar intention as warpaint; a frightening sight for anyone who wanders too close. Manticores are muscular animals covered in suprisingly soft dense fur. Colours range from cream to rotten bark, with dark markings along their back. Their faces are a bright white regardless of coat colour. Unlike other hunters like them, Manticores have two opposable thumbs tipped in long hooked claws for grasping and hanging onto larger prey animals. Behavior: Manticores are social animals that live with their entire family, creating massive hunting parties. To keep everyone fed they often go after prey far larger than themselves, but will not turn away smaller prey if given the chance. The tailfan of a manticore is used as a signal; when hunting and the packs must remain quiet, the leaders will flash their tails and splay out the quill-like structures in odd fashions in a form of sign language. This combined with their advanced vocal cords suggest manticores have an intelligence on par with great apes. Manticores participate in behaviors such as playing, chatting, social grooming, and will even help out other manticores should the need arise. Mothers will carry joeys in their rear facing pouches for up to three years. There young ingest their mother's feces in order to take in some of the vital bacterium needed in their digestive processes, and of course feast on the mother's mammary glands. Manticores are rather docile unless hunting, or remember you as a threat. Tamability: It is very hard to tame a manticore unless you raise it from birth. Otherwise it will not listen to you at all. If a manticore believes you are its family it will exhibit the same behaviors it would in a normal manticore congregation. They do not take orders well unless you establish yourself as a leader, which can be dangerous as they may challenge you for leader status later on. Where is it found?: The frozen Swamplants of Hythrae, Deep in Vampire Territory. Usually brought along to new vampiric settlements. Rarity: They are currently considered a threatened species due to over hunting for their meat and their pelts by the native vampire population Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: A strict Carnivore. They are active predators and scavengers. Products?: A very thick milk rich in lipids and proteins (if you have the guts to get some) Reproduction: Standard mammalian sexual reproduction. Size: Large big cat. Weight: 200-600 LBS Lifespan: 40-60 years. Mature around age twelve. Abilities: Great hearing on par with tyto owls. Their wide ears can pinpoint directly where a sound is coming from, and often replace the eyes when hunting in the swamp mist. Flaws: Prone to overheat when taken to climates hotter than temporate regions. Fur provides no armour. Teeth never stop growing like a rodent, and must be gnawed down regularly (usually done via gnawing on bones or bark) Only have two joeys at a time, who take a while to become independent, making reproduction cycles slow. Other: Their meat tastes like a well seasoned kangaroo.
