Lion
| Species | feline |
| No. Appearing | 5–15 |
| Behaviour | social (family) |
| Range | desert, savanna, steppe, veldt |
| Size | 9 ft. 4 in. long |
| Weight | 450 lbs. |
| Intelligence | 2 |
| Armour Class | 5 |
| Hit Dice | 5+2 |
| Action Points | 6 |
| Max. Stride | 14 |
| THAC0 | 18 |
| Hp/Die | 2d4 |
| Attack Forms | 3: claws; fangs |
| Damage | claw (1–8); fangs (2–16) |
| Special Attacks | pounce, raking, surprised only on a 1 |
Lions are felines, among the largest of their species. They possess a much wider range in the 17th century than they do in the present, dwelling throughout open grasslands north of Persia and the Caucasus, spanning the Middle East and throughout Africa; they dislike dense forests, however. Their preferred prey are hoofed mammals.
They are a social species, forming groups called prides which consist of a few adult males, related females and cubs. Groups of females usually hunt together, having been known to pull down creatures as large as an elephant. When desperate for food, lions have been known to attack humans, but typically they do not.
Lions are muscular, varying in colour from light buff to silvery grey, yellowish red and dark brown. Rarely, lions can be white, though this is not a sign of being albino. It is the only member of the cat family that displays obvious sexual differences between male and female. The male lion's mane is the most recognisable feature of the species, which the female does not possess. Lions spend much of their time resting; they are inactive for about 20 hours a day. Their activity generally peaks after dusk with a period of socialising, grooming and intermittent bursts of activity that last until dawn, when hunting most often takes place.
Attacks
When the lion attacks, at the end of its rush it will leap four combat hexes following its movement, enabling it to close the distance quickly with its prey, even when moving warily. They will attack with their claws and fangs. If the lion strikes with both forepaws, it will then get two additional attacks, raking with the rear claws, each causing 2-8 damage.
The lion is very observant in its habitat and cannot be easily startled. It is therefore only surprised on a 1 in 6.
See Bestiary
