Superficially the Mantic'ahn resemble K'N'Tara as they are large quadrupeds with an extra humanoid torso. The lower body is shaped like a lion's with red fur and a black mane and has a long thick tail with a vicious stinger in the end (though not poisonous, their venom causes those stung by them to fall into a deep sleep). The hair on their heads is black, and typically unwashed and matted. Their piercing eyes are cat-slitted allowing them to hunt day or night. Their forearms are covered in red fur, and have sharp claws on each of their four fingers.

The males and females look very similar, both genders' top halves have breasts and typically feminine features. However the lower half is vastly different in the males, as a second Razor toothed mouth is present just below their feminine torsos. This second mouth has been seen eating along with their "true" heads, though it doesn't seem capable of speech. One K'N'Tara who managed to get away from a pack of males (though not before having one of its hind legs severely chewed) noted that the lower mouth has three rows of sharp, metallic teeth. It is unknown if the same can be said for the upper mouth. One witness even claimed the lower mouth, due to its size, was able to swallow a Panling whole... before being turned into a toaster. Though large and tough, they have a short lifespan... Only around 20-30 years. It's unknown whether this is due to ageing or there violent lifestyles. This is one of the reasons as to why the race hasn't made many technological jumps.

There are also the "true" males, the Shamans, noted later. A typical Mantic'ahn is about 10 feet long and weighs about 1,000 pounds. Most individuals have their own distinguishing tattoos to show clan loyalties.

Socially, Mantic'ahns live in a tribal structure, with groups of around ten to twenty in one clan. Hunting parties usually consist of three individuals. They are a savage race, and tend to fight each other whenever and wherever possible. Clans close to each other have been known to join forces when a chance of scavenging technology appears. However their vicious tendency to fight each other means these truces are all too brief. On occasion they have even been able to capture starships but these seldom last long as they've either destroyed a vital component when they took the vessel, start fighting amongst themselves in space and blow it up, or simply crash it into a planet, moon, asteroid, or another ship. They're fast learners, but that doesn't mean necessarily mean they're a smart race.

It is not uncommon for some clans to take other races as servants or slaves, but more often these prisoners are simply considered as another meal. After all, even in a small group, there are a lot of mouths to feed. Of all the other races they have made contact with, they hate and despise the K'N'Tara most of all. This is due to the weaponry the K'N'Tara use, which makes a Mantic'ahn smaller, thinner, and less vicious. They view this as an abomination and an insult, and any K'N'Tara who land on the planet soon find themselves ambushed' and their technology destroyed. Any Mantic'ahn who gets changed by a "transformational weaponry" is killed as viciously and brutally as possible, regardless of former ties, in order to prevent further "infection". They have no defenses against the form-altering technology of other races, save for their inherent brutality, camouflage, stingers and (surprising) agility.

There have been notes of singular, rare, shamanistic and moreover masculine individuals of the race (usually wanderers and nomads). Notably fully male, as opposed to those found in the clan structure, these shamans are even larger than a normal Mantic'ahn, and not only have the second mouth of the males, but eyes all over the lion part of their body. The shamans seem to be the only division of the Mantic'ahn race to read or write. Shamans are rumored to poses powerful magical abilities.

Common views on some of the other races: K'N'Tara - "Other, weak four-legs not great like Mantic'ahn! Try make us weak!! CRUSH!!!" Humans - "Fun to chase. Big shooties they carry also fun. Good to play with, good servants." Panlings - "Don't like. Can't eat, can't control, no fun toys to play with." Herapi - "Toys too messy to play with. Fly away too much." Mynotaers – Not too small, good fighters lotsa fun. Goblins - "Like to fight, fun people. Turn to stone, better again, ready to fight some more... We like!"

By: Oni Aeon

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