Mythic Origins

Lions have a long history in the mythic tales of mankind, with some being cast as adversaries and others as allies. The hero Hercules fought the Nemean lion for one of his 12 Labours as he sought redemption for the crime of killing his wife and children. War-Gods, and Rain-Gods, regardless of the source, the lion has been a part of myths for a very long time, and the werelions have taken advantage of this fact throughout history, some even placing themselves into the roles of those Gods in order to gain worshippers or protect their pride. From Europe, down through Africa, and into the Orient, everywhere Lions go, they stand out and make an impression.

At some point during the height of the Roman Empire’s power and reach, a werelion decided to model its pride after some aspects of Rome, borrowing heavily form their terminology. As Rome expanded, so too did the reach of the werelions themselves, with more and more Prides taking on the Roman nomenclature as Rome triumphed over what seemed like the whole world. There are some Prides in Africa that retain different naming functions for their Prides, and that may arrange their social structure differently.

Leadership & Social Structure

Werelion groups are called Prides, led by a Rex (King) and sometimes a Regina (Queen). A Rex with a stable and prosperous Pride usually has a Regina that he has taken as wife or mated with and intends to keep as his only mate. That aside, the werelion culture is very heavily patriarchal with males governing things as much as they can. Despite this pairing, the culture of the werelions is split along gender lines, with the males and females maintaining slightly different cultural elements. Among the lions in general, things are considerably more violent, with physical tests of dominance being used to settle issues and disputes more often than is typically seen in most kinds of lycanthropy among males. Female werelions no longer truly struggle for dominance in the same manner as men, but an ancient law among the Lions says that anyone but a Rex’s current lover can be challenged.

Among the male werelions, the Rex has one or two subordinate males known as a Dominus who have earned the right to mate with other lions in the Pride and accept a lesser rank under the Rex’s authority in order to enjoy the benefits of position without most of the associated burdens of governance and leadership. In prides where two males have taken this rank, one is known as the Bonum and the other is known as the Malum.

• Dominus Malum - Acts a negative reinforcement of the Rex’s authority, distributing punishment and ruthlessly exterminating threats to the pride as a whole.
• Dominus Bonum - Typically considered the positive reinforcement of the Rex’s authority, working with pride members in order to ensure that they have constructive things to do, no problems with orders or instructions. Unlike the Malum, the Bonum is also the Rex’s bodyguard.

Male lions will not fight with females unless they are attacked or have orders to do so. Violence towards female lions from males is generally very rare as something in the male’s instincts forbid physical fights with females.

Among the female werelions, the Regina takes in three or four subordinate females, known as Magistra, who assist and help the Regina in ensuring that the male lions are distracted one way or the other, that the Pride has material goods and services it needs to survive, and that the other needs of the Pride are being met. The Magistra also serve as sexual surrogates for male lions who have been granted the right to mate with members of the Pride, and for new lions which must learn self-control, so they do not shift mid-orgasm and tear their lover apart.

Some Prides recognize additional roles, although these are not required and are at the discretion of the Rex to appoint.

• Flamen - Serves as a priest or priestess, tending to the spirituality of the Pride as a whole, and responsible for raising and resting the dead of the Pride.
• Sol Invictus or Sol - The military leader of the pride during war times or times when the Pride is facing an enemy that requires actual tactical knowledge. The Sol is often called on to adjudicate dominance challenges or mediate in dispute with other male lions.
• Luna Invicta or Luna - Not typically a lion, but a normal human being with magical or other powers which are used on behalf of the Pride in return for protections. The Luna is often called on to mediate disputes between female members of a Pride.

General Traits & Abilities

Werelions are self-contradictory creatures that can embody the best and the worst stereotypes in masculinity and femininity. Male werelions are often aggressive, obstinate, and casually violent, but can be tender, sweet, and very protective all at the same time. Female lions demonstrate the power inherent in women, emphasizing the sweet care of a mother and all the protective fury of a mother defending her children while also being capable of highlighting the worst in women with gossip, backbiting, and social sabotage.

Among the Lions, the females often take on the bulk of the responsibility for caring for one another while the men focus on issues of dominance and territory. Male lions are extremely territorial creatures with Rogues seldom tolerated. To male werelion, non-affiliated lions are a threat to be destroyed if it will not submit and join the pride. Females in particular are sought after as recruits, as the more females there are in a pride, the more males the pride can sustain, in turn increasing the power of the Pride on the whole. Female lions on the other hand tend to be willing to let others of their kind go their own way if that is what the other wants.