Leonin (Grisaire Supplement)

Leonin are lion-like humanoids primarily found in the country of Edim

Culture

The leonin are a race with a complex social system that prizes reputation rooted within five concepts seen as success. They are known to be very hospitable to guests and are very proud and like to show off when they can. They dislike showing weakness or sharing vulnerabilities, often keeping these matters private and bottled up.

Five Grandeurs and Three Shames

Leonin culture holds something called the Five Grandeurs, or "Panjj Azenmat" in Leonin, in high regard in all aspects of daily life. The Five Grandeurs are: food, wealth, mating, sleeping, and victory in battle. These five things are essentially life goals for all leonin to try and achieve. One who possesses all the grandeurs will be well-fed, well-rested, victorious, wealthy, and surrounded by admiration of those of the opposite sex and blessed with long lines of heirs. When leonin mothers give birth, they traditionally bless the cub with a charm containing parchment with the phrase "M'mkon iest sh'ma beh Panjj dah'st p'da kronid," meaning "May you achieve the Five."

In contrast, the Three Shames, or "Seh'k Sharmandi" in Leonin, are three taboo-akin concepts that all leonin should seek to avoid. These three shames are generally more nebulous than the Five Grandeurs. They are weakness of mind, weakness of body, and drudgery. Weakness of mind commonly encompasses things like stupidity, but can also mean meekness and even extend to grieving in the more extreme teachings. Weakness of body is a lack of physical health and often equates or is associated with unattractiveness as well. Drudgery is seen as something of a necessary evil, but all leonin should aspire for better.

Food and Medicine

For leonin, food falls under the Five Grandeurs and are thus considered paramount in leonin life. However, food is distinctly characterized as pleasurable. Because medicine is not pleasurable and often characterized as unpleasantly bitter, it is not part of the Five Grandeurs. Falling ill is seen as weakness and failing to pursue the Five Grandeurs, and falls under the weakness of bodies as one of the Three Shames. Medicine is something required by only the ill, so it is something you take in private and don't let anyone know.

Cuisine

Leonin cuisine is extremely luxurious at best and still utterly filling at worst. As carnivores, leonin consume large amounts of meat, sometimes raw and other times cooked. Fattier cuts of meats are more ingrained with flavor, and are thus more pleasurable to eat. The more delicious a food is, the more closely it adheres to the Five Grandeurs. Leonin have devised butchering systems and grading of flesh for consumption. The higher the grade of meat, the more valuable and more likely only those with higher social status will be able to taste it. High grade meats are parts like the belly, head, and thighs. Tougher, leaner parts like sirloins and shanks are lower grade. Butchering techniques for various creatures were devised to deal with differing sizes and body types. The most skillful of leonin chefs are able to butcher just about anything that comes their way. However, their cuisine is usually restricted only to land-dwelling meats. While leonin do sometimes consume fish, the local fish is not as fatty as, say, a boar, and so is less pleasurable to eat. Exotic seafoods from the seaside like octopus and crustaceans are seen as odd and ugly and leonin will generally not eat them.

Hospitality

Because showing off the achievement of the Five Grandeurs is an important show of a leonin's social status and reputation, invited guests will enjoy only the best that a leonin household has to offer. It is also extremely common to gossip and spread sweet words about one's family's achievements in any of the Five Grandeurs.

Society

Leonin society is structured in prides, led by a Pride Head. Prides of leonin

Governance

Leonin warriors of the highest skill form the Prideguard, a circle of elite warriors that protect the Pride Head, that being the leader of the pride.

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Campaign Settings → Grisaire → Races