"The body of the manticore may be studied via its three components: the smallest (comprising only face and ears) is the human part. This specimen shows Tulamydian features and bronzed skin. One of the dental arches consists of human teeth. Dissection of the skull revealed a brain somewhere in size between human and lion (for more about that, see Madness or Gift? — The Manticore's Nature).
The second part of the chimera, namely the torso, the four legs, and the rear part of the skull, including the mane, is the lion's share, which can be taken literally. It has the fur of a sand lion, but with a reddish coloration that hints at a more complex connection to the scorpion armor. Dissection of the torso produced only the usual viscera common to lions, but the creature’s strong strands of muscle — likely more related to a scorpion's anatomy — are linked differently than one finds in a common large cat. You might even call it optimized. Another trait of note is that the second dental arch of the creature is that of a feral cat.
Finally, we come to the hindquarters and the stinger, which, unlike the parts that we have examined so far, are adjusted greatly in size. The chimerology expert knows that this is no simple task, especially with something on this scale. But when we take a second look, we must admonish the creator, because the manticore’s reproductive organs are a tangled mess of tubes based on a scorpion's anatomy, the influence of Azfuloth, or a little of both. Now, let us turn to the analysis of the venom…"
—from the Book of Bodies, by Salpikon Savertin, Mirham 1013 FB
The second part of the chimera, namely the torso, the four legs, and the rear part of the skull, including the mane, is the lion's share, which can be taken literally. It has the fur of a sand lion, but with a reddish coloration that hints at a more complex connection to the scorpion armor. Dissection of the torso produced only the usual viscera common to lions, but the creature’s strong strands of muscle — likely more related to a scorpion's anatomy — are linked differently than one finds in a common large cat. You might even call it optimized. Another trait of note is that the second dental arch of the creature is that of a feral cat.
Finally, we come to the hindquarters and the stinger, which, unlike the parts that we have examined so far, are adjusted greatly in size. The chimerology expert knows that this is no simple task, especially with something on this scale. But when we take a second look, we must admonish the creator, because the manticore’s reproductive organs are a tangled mess of tubes based on a scorpion's anatomy, the influence of Azfuloth, or a little of both. Now, let us turn to the analysis of the venom…"
—from the Book of Bodies, by Salpikon Savertin, Mirham 1013 FB
The Dark Eye: The Aventurian Bestiary
"The rage of a Manticore is legendary and to behold such a creature in its wrath is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Its roar alone can cause warriors to flee the battlefield."
—Korhil, Captain of the White Lions, Warhammer: Storm of Magic
"The beeste Mantichora, whych is as muche as to saye devorer of menne, rennith as I herde tell, on the skirt of the mowntaynes below the snow feldes. These be monstrous bestes, ghastlie and ful of horrour, enemies to mankinde, of a red coloure, with ij rowes of huge grete tethe in their mouthes. It hath the head of a man, his eyen like a ghoot, and the bodie of a lyon lancing owt sharpe prickles fro behinde. And hys tayl is the tail of a scorpioun. And is more delyverer to goo than is fowle to flee. And hys voys is as the roaryng of x lyons."
—The book of Gro, ch. VIII: "The First Expedition to Impland", The Worm Ouroboros
The shape of it was as a lion, but bigger and taller, the colour a dull red, and it had prickles lancing out behind, as of a porcupine; its face a man's face, if aught so hideous might be conceived of human kind, with staring eyeballs, low wrinkled brow, elephant ears, some wispy mangy likeness of a lion's mane, huge bony chaps, brown blood-stained gubber-tushes grinning betwixt bristly lips.
—The Worm Ouroboros, ch. XII: "Koshtra Pivrarcha"
