Lion

Lions were powerful feline predators that travelled and hunted in large groups, known as prides.

Description
Male lions had large manes of golden fur. They were responsible for defending the pride against any attackers. Female lions, who had no manes, were the hunters of the pride. They used group tactics to hunt and provide food for the entire pride.. A male lion was in length and weighed. Females were slightly smaller.

Biology
Lions lived in prides of up twenty individuals, mostly females and their cubs. Each pride only had up to three adult male lions. Lions were obligate carnivores and hunted large animals such as giraffes and zebras. If necessary, they will hunt domesticated animals. They rarely hunted humanoids. The gestation period of a lion cub was approximately three months.

Combat
Lions were powerful and dangerous predators. Female lions hunted prey in packs, co-operating to drive their prey into a location ideal for ambush. Their long and sharp claws delivered devastating damage.

Abilities
Their powerful hindquarters allowed a lion to jump up to. Their sense were very sensitive and as a result, it was very difficult to sneak up on a lion. Lions avoided climbing and swimming.

Spotted Lion
Spotted lions were about thirty percent larger than the standard lion, and had a speckled outer coat. They roamed the plains and hills of the land, and exhibited similar form and behavior as other lions. Fracto-Nimbuli, a cloud giant in Chondath, kept three spotted lions as pets.

Habitat
Among other places, wild lion prides were found in the wild grasslands surrounding the ancient city of Cursrah in the area that would later become the Calim Desert. Lions were frequently found near the Well of the Cloven Rock, an oasis within Anauroch, when not hunting in the Hills of Scent. Other locations there were known to inhabit were the Vilhon Reach and the island of Storna.

In Cultures
The symbol of a lion was used in heraldry across Toril and beyond.

The golden lion served as the currency of Cormyr.

In Tethyr, the Lion's Sword was the Tethyrian sword of state, wielded by princes and kings of the kingdom for centuries. In addition, the Monarch's Scepter, a unique rod of absorption that served as part of the regalia of the monarch of Tethyr, was a rod of pure silver, whose forward-oriented end was shaped to look like the head of a roaring lion.

Barachiel, a member of the Celestial Hebdomad and ruler of Lunia, used a lion as his symbol.

Nobanion was considered the deity of lions. The faithful of Nobanion celebrated two festivals dedicated to lions, the Festival of the Pride and the Newborn Celebration. . Lions were among the favored animals of Anhur.

Waukeen was often pictured with a pair of golden lions reclining at her feet. One of a set of matching lion statues was recovered from an abandoned temple to the Merchant's Friend in Tantras and taken to the Temple of Torm's Coming by Dunn Tenwealth during the Time of Troubles; it was this statue which Torm brought to life to prove himself to Adon, and which he later joined with his human avatar to become the giant, lion-headed man who fought and slew Bane in Tantras Harbor.

Chalsembyr's Heart, the sword which followers of Torm created to seek out the deity's lost kingdom from when he was a mortal, had cross guards shaped like lion's paws, and where they met the blade at the rain guard was an image of a lion's head, in profile on one side, face-on on the other.

Usage
Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold lion hides for 24 gp a piece.

Lions were raised from birth and trained to be companions and mounts in Turmish, even though this task was dangerous, laborious, time-consuming, and could cost a fortune.

Trivia
Numerous locations were named after lions:
 * Grinning Lion, an inn in Waterdeep.
 * Liongirt Tower, a tower in Sheirtalar that was home to Onsilur Maerdrathom, a Magister during the 4th century DR.
 * Lion's Share, a store in Triboar.
 * Lion's Shrine, a mosque that was located in the great fortress of Sarahin.
 * Roaring Lion Inn in Tantras.
 * The Raging Lion, an inn near Scornubel.
 * Way of the Lion, an inn along the Sword Coast.

Numerous organizations were named after lions:
 * Army of the Lion of Aglarond.
 * Black Lion tribe of Beorunna's Well.
 * The Lionshield Coster was a trading company based in Yartar. Their symbol was a lion's head atop a field of blue.
 * The Lion Tribe, one of the major roaming tribes of the Shaar.
 * The Order of the Golden Lion, created in honor of Torm's aforementioned avatar and dedicated to fulfilling the Penance of Duty, were often called Golden Lions  . Their leader was Sir Dylan Lionshand, and members of the order were often gifted with the spell great shout, which they knew as lion's roar.

The entrance to the Shining Temple of Bishamon in Aru was guarded by massive lion statues, carved of ebony with eyes of gold and teeth of crystal.

An amulet of health often had the head of a lion engraved on one side.

Several years in the Roll of Years contain lions in their names: the Year of the Rearing Lion, 935 DR, the  Year of the Lion's Heart, 1040 DR, the  Year of Lions' Roars, 1071 DR, the  Year of the Lion, 1340 DR, and the  Year of the Lion Rampant, 1511 DR.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #34: "On Wings Of Darkness" • Dungeon #57: "The Rose Of Jumlat" • Tomb of Annihilation 
 * Novels
 * Star of Cursrah
 * The Ring of Winter &bull; The Council of Blades
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Giant Diplomacy • Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition • Baldur's Gate II: The Black Pits II – Gladiators of Thay • Icewind Dale II • Neverwinter • Neverwinter Nights • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Gamebooks
 * To Catch a Thief
 * To Catch a Thief
 * To Catch a Thief