Fiction:The Firmament/Manticore

Manticores are a species of intelligent magical beast resembling lions who thrive in devouring humanoids.

Appearance
A manticore resembles a grotesque lion whose face has an uncanny resemblance to that of a human with three rows of sharpened teeth. Their fur is generally a dark shade of brown. A pair of leathered wings grows from their backs and their tails resemble that of a scorpion, ending in a stinger which holds in it a number of sharpened barbs. Female manticores do not have manes. The average adult manticore is 2,5 meters long and weights 230 kilograms.

Ecology
Manticores prefer to live in temperate environments, preferably plains where they may hunt unopposed, but can potentially be found anywhere with enough food to sustain them. They are known to live in the plains of Mirseleth, where they are often taken as beasts of war by the dark elves.

Society
Despite their resemblance to lions, manticores do not form packs and instead live largely solitary lives. They mate only when it strikes their fancy to do so and leave their young to fend for themselves at a young age, with many not surviving the ordeal. If living close to a humanoid settlement, they will almost inevitably attack it due to their taste for humanoid flesh, particularly that of humans.

Abilities
Manticores are dangerous creatures to face head-on, as their bites and claws are as strong as those of lions, if not more. Their stinger holds no venom in it, but is nonetheless strong enough to pierce iron. A manticore can launch the barbs on its tail as projectiles, and due to their size, they can easily impale through a man-sized target like a thrown spear. While they have wings, manticores are not particularly agile fliers and generally do not take flight while in combat.

Notable manticores

 * Horrid - mount of Cirsis Duskmoon