Wemic

A wemic was a creature with the upper body of a humanoid and the lower body of a lion. Like centaurs, they were considered "tauric" creatures. Wemics were found in great numbers in the grasslands of the Shaar, but also in many other lands of Faerûn,  such as the Stonelands of Cormyr.

Description
Wemics were larger and stronger than humans, and could make great leaps with a running start. Their fore claws were extremely sharp. They had keen eyesight, including darkvision, and exceptional hearing. The humanoid part of wemics had feline characteristics around their eyes, ears and nose with pointed teeth. Males had thick, lion-like manes.

Diet
They were generally carnivorous beasts, but served meat with stewed roots, grasses and berries. They particularly enjoyed wild pig, lamb and porcupine.

Combat
The tauric wemics could fight with both pairs of claws and wield weapons at the same time. They were known as excellent hunters and fighters who made their own weapons from stone and wood. Any metal or magical armament were typically looted from monsters or creatures they had killed.

Society
Wemics were a nomadic species that did not make settled homes, but formed patriarchal prides, following the herds they hunted for food. Their prides were typically served by a spiritual leader, often a druid. Sometimes, a number of prides would band together to form a single tribe, led by a chieftain. During times of imminent danger a number of prides unite into a nation. A king was chosen among the chieftains of the prides who would over the greater collective. This congregation hasn't occurred in generations before the 14 century.

Some wemics live solitary lives, like those found in the Dalelands, and shepherded flocks of sheep and other livestock through the region's rolling pastures. Others would hire themselves out as mercenaries, trackers or wilderness guides, often seeking magical weapons as compensation for their services.



Culture
While wemics were often represented as barbaric, illiterate, and uncivilized creatures, they were quite intelligent and made stone weapons and tools, as well as clay pottery. They were famous for being highly superstitious. Others would describe wemics as nature-oriented people with a rich tradition of oral history.

They lived close to the earth, in tune with its magical forces, and in harmony with the nearby populations. While they held few opinions about other races they were extremely careful not to over-hunt their herds and became enraged when humanoids would hunt the animals of Toril for a small part of its body, such as a horn or other trophy, then leave the carcass for carrion. Ironically, the claws of wemics were prized as decorations by the bullywugs of Faerûn.

Prides
Within wemic prides, the females typically outnumbered the males three-to-one and included the younger cubs, who were tended by the females. When they weren't looking over the young, females spent the days scouting or hunting while the males slept. The males of a pride stood guard over their kin at night, protecting them from nocturnal dangers.

Cubs would remain with the rest of the pride until they were five years old, at which point they would go on the first hunt. Once they brought back their first kill, they were considered an adult. Older wemics who were too old to hunt, would either remain within their camp, crafting and maintaining weapons and armor, or wandered off to the nearest humanoid settlement for a new life, so that they would not slow down their kin.



The nomadic wemics of the Shaar would form a series of isolated campsites along their seasonal migratory paths. They would hunt the nearby pack herds for a given amount of time before rotating to the next camp, allowing other prides and occasionally the local loxo herds to use the temporary settlements in their absence.

Religion
Many wemics of the Shaar worshiped the lion-god Nobanion, and their shamans led tribal celebrations such as the festival of the Pride. However a few of the more savage of their kind venerated Malar, the Beastlord.

Subspecies

 * Mountain wemic: This rumored sub-species of the wemic had its lion portions replaced by those of a large cougar. They were slightly smaller than their cousins and generally solitary in nature.

Notable groups

 * Golden Mane, this nomadic pride of wemics roamed the grasslands of the Shaar during the 1300's DR.
 * Legion of Lions, an order of wemic and werelion paladins that fought in service of Nobanion.
 * Tenpaw, the best known tribe of the Shining Plains.

Trivia
The hair of wemics were used in the creation of brooms of animated attack.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Dungeon #47: "The Assassin Within" • Book of Lairs • The Return of Randal Morn
 * Novels
 * Realms of the Arcane, "Secrets of Blood, Spirits of the Sea" • Evermeet: Island of Elves