This installment of the My First Monster Manual blog series is the Manticore.
Environment: Mountains, Caves, Marshes
Monster Type: Savage Beast
Color: Light purple body, Dark purple mane, tail and wings
Features: Body and head of a lion, Dragon wings, Scorpion tail, Sharp teeth and claws
Abilities: Flight, Poisonous sting, Intelligent
Recommended Equipment: Poison Antidote
Introduction:
The Manticore is a ferocious savage beast. It’s a terrifying combination of deadly predators with the head and body of a lion, the wings of a dragon, and the poisonous tail of a scorpion. Young Manticores are only 4 SBL’s in length not including the tail. They have light fur and a purple mane. Adult Manticores grow to the size of a standard wagon. Ancient Manticores can become monstrous in size, taking up the space equivalent to a small farm house. As the Manticore ages its fur darkens with red highlights. A Manticore is as curious as the cat body it possesses, constantly learning and testing the limits of its surroundings. They are as intelligent as they are fierce.
Investigation:
Our journey becomes much more perilous from here on. We are far from the comforts and safety of civilization. Behind us are the fancy parties and sweet treats at The Royal Academy. We aren’t traveling in the company of mercenaries like the Light Foot Company. Ahead are the dangers of the Mountains of Augurium. The path is no longer marked by frequent travelers. We must forge the path for ourselves. Success on any adventure depends a lot on preparation and caution. We take extra effort to conceal our camps and hide our presence as we travel. We don Elven made cloaks to camouflage us in the environment and move as covertly as possible. One evening, we heard a rumble of noise from some bushes not far away. Without speaking to one another, we climbed a nearby tree for safety and a better view.
Observations:
High above the ground we hugged the trunk of the tree and peered in the direction of the noise. At first we saw nothing. Then small green tentacles emerged from the brush, pulling along a yellow and purple shell, and leaving behind a slimy trail. It was an Imperial Terrestrial Snocktopus! A rare and fascinating monster that’s extremely poisons but far too small to make the rumble we heard before. From the bushes a large form leaped high into the air, flapping dragon like wings to lift it even higher. It came down in a massive pounce, swiping lion like paws at the Snocktopus’s colorful shell knocking it into a tree trunk. A young manticore was using the Snocktopus to practice its hunting techniques. Hopping back and forth the Manticore lashed out with its scorpion tail several times, tapping out a rhythm on the hard shell. The Snocktopus tucked itself safely inside its protective shell. The Manticore, seemingly aware of the Snocktopus’s own poison, only struck at the shell.
Conclusion:
Hiding in a tree offered little protection against something that can fly like a Manticore. But, we figured it was better not to draw attention to ourselves. We stayed as still and silent as possible. We continued to watch the game of play until the Manticore grew bored, gave out a big yawn, and moved away. Like the Snocktopus, we waited until we were sure the danger was completely gone before we came out of hiding.
About:
The Manticore is part of our “My First Monster Manual” blog series where we will feature each of the monsters we are considering for inclusion in our new children’s book. Click here to learn more info on My First Monster Manual.
Artist: Joshua Johnson – joshings.com
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