Panthera
The Panthera are a people who are widely regarded as imposing and domineering. They are the largest beast-folk, each blessed with a benign form of gigantism, over their natural lifespans they can reach over seventeen feet in height, with some legendary individuals growing even taller. These carnivores are skilled hunters who develop complex stalking strategies to wear down prey and capture them with their razor sharp claws and crushing jaws. While regionally they vary, some having stripes, spots, longer & thicker tails, or larger ears, wherever they can be found their sex determines whether they have a thick mane upon their neck and chest. This mane acts like armour and a signifier of that individual's social power. Some will shave their mane if it does not match their role, or grow a mane using herbal supplements. Past childhood this mane can grow or recede without intervention, a leader despite their gender may grow a thick mane or lose it if they are weakened.
The true strength of the Panthera has always been their ability to surmount the impossible. Even when it becomes their failing. Their home has slowly developed into a wasteland, once it was ruled over by the Ferrels, Gods who took on mortal bodies to watch over the Pantheran people in their early years. But a rebellious pride formed, one that saw the rule of the Gods are tyrannical. They wished to freely make their own mistakes, so tricked each of the four Gods. Concolar the god of flowing things was sent into the desert under the guise of helping the lost. But with no flowing water to guide him home Concolar became lost himself. Jubatus the god of fateful encounters was taken to an expansive lake and told her lover Concolar was within. But deep under the water she found no one, and never would be found herself. Onca the god of insanity and fertility was promised forgiveness by his siblings and was sent into a deep underground temple. But when he was so far away from life he fell into a deep, calm sleep. Then, Tigris the god of retribution was told it was finally time to kill Onca. Up at the top of the Hawfe mountains she waited for him to arrive, but a blanket of snow froze her explosive fires and sent her to sleep. With these gods tucked away the prides grew in recklessness. In their pursuit to expand they made many of their prey leave the Ahuro, causing a famine that resulted in a state of war between the prides. After many years these wars birthed the King Bernard Gur. This tyrant took his people south across the sea to fertile land, killing the Mustel God and nearly driving the Rav Mustel to extinction.
When the King Bernard Gur was finally killed after over 500 years of his reign, it was an effort put together not only by rebels, but his own followers who tired of his horrid decrees. The democracy that replaced his kingdom was formed by his own arcane advisor, Eadwig Valour. Eadwig as a devout follower of Onca reestablished the teachings of the Ferrels and was a key player in the forming of The New Pantheran Republic (NPR) which became a powerful champion of education and a new era of peace.
The Panthera have found themselves as key players on the world stage as a side effect of King Bernard's reign. His domination and wealth have left many in strong positions after his death, be they warriors from his ranks, or business owners that profited from the trade routes his armies required to survive. There is no country on Firnus, even hundreds of years after his death that do not house a well educated Panthera, either as a member of the local community or an adventurer.
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