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" Two other vessels were near, the rest following farther behind like crows trailing Pamarthen lions. "
-From Scorched by Claudia Grey
- Intent: To codify the potential behavior, look, and history of the canon creature called the 'Pamarthen Lion'
- Image Credit:
- Canon: Yes
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Pamarthe [Canon]
- Name: Pamarthen Lion
- Designation: Semi-Sentient
- Origins: Pamarthe
- Average Lifespan: 30 Years
- Estimated Population: Planetary
- Description: Pamarthen Lions were the apex predators along the coastlines and polar ice caps of Pamarthe. Massive creatures with sharp teeth and claws they hunted other large aquatic mammals and occasionally Pamarthen livestock. They were repto-mamilian with thick scales protecting their head and webbed paws and blubbery skin dispersed with smaller scales covered by minor waterproof double coat. They had excellent hearing, eyesight, and smell and were said to be able to track prey from over three kilometers away. Because of their aggressive nature and large size they were often cited for the deaths of sailors with the largest specimens being able to capsize personal boats and the smaller specimens physically climbing the ship and devouring the unprepared crews. Though they were the apex predators along the coastlines and on the craggy uninhabited islands of Pamarthe, they were not the Apex predator of the planet and were often hunted by said predator when making long migrations for the breeding season. They were smart enough to solve problems and get around primitive fencing or understand how to climb in order to get their food. This combined with the myths of domesticated Pamarthen Lions has gained them the reputation of being semi-sentient.
- Breathes: Type 1
- Average Height of Adults: N/A
- Average Length of Adults: 5[F]-7[M] Meters
- Skin color: Grays, greens, and browns
- Hair color: Translucent
- Distinctions: Pamarthen Lions had large, feline-like heads covered in thick scales. Their thick hide, especially on their head and paws, were able to even deflect blaster bolts making them incredibly difficult to kill. They had long bodies that ended in a horizontal fluke used for propelling them through the water at blistering speed. Sharp teeth and forward-facing eyes indicated its predatory nature. Like other native creatures to Pamarthe, it had a high salt content in its body making the curing and preserving of the meat much easier and providing it with a salty flavor even without seasoning. Both males and females had a long fleshy dorsal fin, though males occasionally displayed a sort of mane as well that followed the spine. These were typically noted to be the Alpha male of a pack.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: Rare
- Hunting through the Force only
- Able to leap several meters out of the water
- Able to swim very fast
- Thick hides to protect against cold and blasters
- Lumbering on land
- Lightsabers
- Predators
- Diet: Carnivore
- Communication: Roars, groans, barks, yips, hisses, trumpeting
- Technology level: N/A
- Religion/Beliefs: Pamarthen Lions were held up in myth and legend on their local world as noble beasts who braved the storms of Pamarthe. It was a common family crest. There were myths of ancient warriors taming the beasts and using them to mount amphibious assaults on their enemies. They were often juxtaposed to the Pamarthen Drakes who were seen as mischievous and untrustworthy. There are dozens of ancient paintings of the beasts.
- General behavior: Pamarthen Lions lived in packs and spent 80% of their lives in the water only coming out to breed, rest, when a particularly enticing prey is nearby, or when fleeing danger. These moments were always tense as the Pamarthen Lions were extremely territorial and though they tolerated other packs they did so only just barely as a stronger male could challenge a weaker one for control of his pack and thus his breeding harem. These larger amalgamated packs were called colonies, though there were only a small handful of known Pamarthen Lion colonies on the planet. Occasionally, due to the Pamarthens' tendencies to settle closer to the coast of their islands where land was flatter and it was easier to dock ships, Pamarthen Lions sometimes attacked sentiments and livestock.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Pamarthen Lion has been harkened as the beast that taught the first settlers of Pamarthe just how cruel the planet could be and how tough they needed to be in order to survive. Treated with reverent respect they were hunted for their scales, honor, and as a test of courage for young sailors in the early days of Pamarthe's history. They were nearly hunted to extinction but were brought back sometime before the dawn of the Empire and have maintained a steady population ever since. Their tendency to strike out and kill livestock occasionally and the occasional boat attacks have caused some friction between the older generations who have learned to respect the beasts and the younger generations that just see a problem or pest animal. Some have even gone to say that they should kill them off like they were rumored to have done to the Pamarthen Drake. Fortunately, local advocacy groups and local militias have kept the poachers safe. Pamarthen Lion hunts were organized once a year after the breeding and hatching season to help keep populations from rising too high near settled islands.
