Leonins

Leonins are an ancient race closely related to tabaxi that used to have a grand advanced empire encompassing all of western Uxal, but internal conflicts, as well as the emergence of half-giants and human civilizations, saw their empire collapse, now leonins' prides are found all over the continents as mercenaries, primarily in the tabaxi Suzarainty, ironic considering tabaxi were once enslaved by the leonins' empire. Leonin males tend to be tall compared to humans, averaging 1.90m tall, and move with a boldness that suggests their physical might. Tawny fur covers leonins bodies, and some grow thick manes ranging in shades from gold to black. Their ability to produce bone-shaking roars gives most leonin males an air that readily shifts between regal and fearsome. Leonin males often act with confidence, which can come off as imperiousness. While this can reassure their allies, it can also suggest defiance in the face of what they perceive as imposed authority or unworthy experts. Leonin females are much smaller than their males, averaging 1.65m tall, with skinnier bodies, lighter-colored fur, no mane, and no ability to roar, they tend to be faster and more agile but decisively weaker than males. Leonin females are fiercely protective of their pride and are culturally conditioned to follow and not to lead, this submissiveness may lead an external observer to think that females are considered less than males in leonin's culture, but this could not be further from the truth, females choose their male partners and the opposite is not true, this means that only worthy male that are considered as capable and kind by the females are able to lead a pride, meaning that a male that mistreats their female pride members will quickly find himself alone. Leonin hands though clawed can prove as nimble as those of other humanoids, leonin have retractable feline claws, which they can extend instantly, though leonins are capable, and fond, of using conventional weapons, leonins can use both their terrible bites and claws as natural weapons if the need arises.  Leonins live for a century on average and reach adulthood at 17 years old. Leonins are worshipped by the imperial cult of The Empire of the White Flame, the lion is considered sacred by the cult and the leonin resembles the animal.

The pride

The pride is the chief organizational structure in leonin society, consisting of a group led by a single adult male and composed of their adult female patterns and their children, leonin population is composed of a great majority of females, and there are on average 6 females for every male, for this reason, leonin males are polygamous having multiple partners. An average pride has 9 adult females for a single male because, even if the ratio is 6 to 1, only the best males are chosen by leonin females leaving some males to wander alone without a pride. Each female in a pride will give birth multiple times in her life, single births are extremely rare, and usually, leonin cubs are born in groups of 2 to 4 fraternal twins. The gestation period is 5 months, and each male leading a pride is required by custom to try and have an equal number of children with each female, meaning that females that give birth to large litters will be ignored during mating until the population is standardized, a female will have an average of 12 children in her life while a man will average 108 children. The man leads the pride, their partners are second in command, and then their children are ranked males first and then oldest to youngest. Sons are forced to leave the tribe on their 17 birthday, in a grand ceremony all members of the pride give them gifts that will help them form their new pride, lone males will wander fighting as mercenaries and will search for other pride where they will try to impress the younger females to convince them to join them in forming a new pride. Daughters once adults will continue to live in their pride until they meet another male leonin and then decide if they wish to follow them or not, the parents can counsel their daughter but cannot forbid or force her to join another pride. Prides now work like mercenary companies, very differently than the old feudal ways of the leonin empire. Culturally males do not use shields in battle, the shield is associated strongly with females leonin who are naturally protective towards pride, males prefer to use large two-handed weapons, in antiquity there was a preference for swords, but now prides tend to use any weapon they can find in the culture they reside, including firearms. Males wear extremely heavy armor that would be difficult to wear by females or weaker races and act as leaders and shock soldiers, their prowess makes them capable of fighting multiple enemies even unsupported. Females use shields and medium armors preferring spears and ranged weapons, they fight as organized units and are known for their speed in taking a position as well as their resilience while defending it.  Children start fighting by the age of 10, when they are physically well developed, although not completely adult. A pride's economy comes primarily from mercenary work, but the pride can adapt to survive by hunting, foraging, or performing simple jobs in civilized societies.

Naming Traditions

Family names

Leonin use the name of their pride leaders as their family name.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Leonin speak their own language wich most call tabaxi due to the Suzerainty, but the language originated in the leonin empire so leonin rightfully call it leonin, the language is distinctly unique from other languages having no other language with common predecessors. The language features both a written alphabet, a numeric duodecimal system wich includes the number 0.