A lammasu (pronounced: /ˈlɑːmɑːsuː/ LA-ma-soo[4]) was a noble and stern magical beast that looked like a cross between a lion and an eagle. Lammasus sought to promote goodness throughout the world, living in isolated ruins and abandoned temples.[5]
Description[]
A lammasu had the body of a lion, the wings of a giant eagle, and the face of a human.[5] They were capable of flight.[1]
The average lammasu measured 8 feet (2.4 meters) in length and weighed about 500 pounds (230,000 grams).[5]
Personality[]
Lammasus were creatures who preferred isolation but concerned themselves with the well-being of good creatures in general. Their outwardly stern demeanor belied their capacity for compassion. They were cordial in nature towards other good creatures and were often willing to assist them in combating evil.[5] They would almost always join a fight if a good creature was in danger.[6] According to some they would attack evil creatures on sight,[5] while others gave evil creatures a chance to leave their lairs, firmly asking them to go.[2]
Ability[]
A lammasu in all its magnificence.
According to early scholars, all lammasu possessed an innate ability to turn themselves invisible and dimension door at will. Their bodies also radiated an aura similar to the spell protection from evil, 10' radius.[2] However, later scholars claimed that a lammasu was limited to using greater invisibility on itself up to twice per day and dimension door once per day.[5] They also possessed a limited form of telepathy.[2]
Lammasu could cast divine magic,[5][2] including spells from the good, healing, knowledge, and law domains.[5] All lammasu knew the spells cure critical wounds and cure serious wounds, whilst only a small percentage of them knew the spell holy word.[2]
Combat[]
Beyond their use of priestly spells, lammasu fought by use of their sharp front claws. In some circumstances, they would use their telepathy to communicate with nearby lammasu to ask for aid.[6]
Sub-Species[]
- Greater lammasu
- Slightly larger than the common lammasu, these creatures possessed a greater array of abilities. They had the power to teleport without error at will, as well as the power to travel the Astral and Ethereal planes. Additionally, their protection from aura radiated out to 20 feet (6.1 meters), over 50 percent of them knew holy word, and they possessed the psionic powers empathy and telepathic communication.[6][7]
Society[]
Lammasu organized themselves in prides, much like lions. Their societies were very structured, reflective of their lawful good nature, and lead by one or two greater lammasu. They worked to keep down the population of evil creatures in their area, often protecting frontier settlements.[2]
Once a month, on the night of a full moon, all pride leaders within a given area would meet up in an event called "the Whitemoon". There they would discuss until dawn how their ongoing efforts to combat evil were going. According to many accounts, their collective presence would cause a bright glow to emanate from their meeting spot.[2]
Habitats[]
Lammasu were commonly found on the Prime Material within temperate[1] and warm climates,[2] such as in deserts,[1] where they made their homes in old abandoned temples that they considered themselves to be the guardians of.[2][5] Their communities were always spread out from each other at a distance of 25 miles (40,000 meters).[2]
In the Gulthmere Forest, lammasu could be found living on the Machran Spire most of the year.[8]
Beyond the Prime Material, lammasu were most commonly found in Mount Celestia,[9] the divine realm of the Pridelands in the Beastlands,[10] and in the divine realm of Merratet, wherein existed a whole village of lammasu.[11] Additionally, both lesser and greater lammasu could also be found within the Ethereal Plane,[12] though only the latter could be encountered in the Astral.[13]
Languages[]
In addition to speaking their own language,[2] lammasu commonly spoke the Common Tongue,[1][2] Celestial, and Draconic.[1] Greater lammasu additionally knew how to speak the limited lawful good tongue.[7]
Relationships[]
These creatures generally harbored a strong emnity towards lamias and manticores, the latter especially as it was not uncommon for those less familiar with lammasu to misidentify them as being manticores.[2]
They served as servants for a variety of different deities across the Realms, including Arvoreen,[14] Cyrrollalee,[15] Horus-Re,[16] Isis,[17] Osiris,[18] Solonor Thelandira,[19] Torm,[20] and Yondalla.[21] They were most strongly associated with Nobanion, who was sometimes depicted as a lammasu himself and whose church considered both lesser and greater lammasu to be members of the clergy.[8]
Usage[]
A tuft of fur from a lammasu was required as a material component for the Nobanionite spell lionheart.[22]
History[]
In −30,700 DR, a number of lammasu defeated a much larger force of Aearee-Krocaa, killing one thousand.[23]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Further Reading[]
- Belinda G. Ashley (December 1995). “The Ecology of the Lammasu”. In Pierce Watters ed. Dragon #224 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 114–116.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 166. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 218. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 59. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- ↑ Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 28.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 165. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 218. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 79. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 88. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 41. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Lester Smith (1994-07-01). “The Book of Chaos”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Chaos (TSR, Inc), p. 118. ISBN 1560768746.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 14. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 65–66. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 163. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 170. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 111. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 115. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 121. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 163. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 180. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 43. ISBN 978-0786906574.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
Connections[]
Giant felines: Dire lion • Dire tiger • Giant lynx
Magical felines: Cath shee • Crag cat • Elven cat • Jaguar lord • Jana-nimr • Jana-qitat • Luck eater • Sabu lord • Swamplight lynx • Tressym • Water cat
Planar felines: Fey panther • Spectral panther
Humanoids: Rakshasa • Razorclaw shifter • Tabaxi • Wemic
Outsiders: Cat lord • Displacer beast • Foo lion • Hellcat • Leomarh • Leonal
Lycanthropes: Werecat • Werecougar • Werejaguar • Wereleopard • Werelion • Werepanther • Weretiger
Undead felines: Crypt cat