Homebrew Golden Leonin Species Details

 The leonin guard the shining lands of Oreskos, a golden plain where even the gods rarely trespass. Prides of these nomadic, lion-like humanoids rarely interact with other peoples, having all they need in their shimmering homeland and knowing the treachery of strangers. Still, some leonin wonder what lies beyond Oreskos’s border mountains and seek to test themselves in a wider world.

A Warrior Dynasty 

The Golden leonin are the larger and more fit cousins of normal leonin. Descended from the Great Ajani Goldmane, these warriors are taught to fight and survive from an early age through numerous trials. These warriors are naturally more aggressive in combat than their cousins due to the very competitive nature of their upbringing. They see their peers as both allies and rivals to test their strength on, so it is very commonplace to see them fight in single combat against each other as they grow up. These warriors value strength and honor above all, which is why single combat is a significant part of their culture. Foul play is severely looked down upon and can even cause a member of the pride to be banished as it is seen as the most dishonorable of acts. 

Golden Leonin have adapted as a subrace and as such stay in their prime for much longer than their cousins. A Golden Leonin will be in their prime until they reach the age of 100, in which case they will begin to age much more. The average lifespan of a Golden Leonin is about 150 years old. Golden Leonin cubs age similarly to humans until they reach maturity at age 20.

Prides of Golden Leonin are led by the strongest warrior and their family until they are beaten in single combat by a challenging family. Naturally, this has led to several conflicts and schemes from families over the years. 
 

Devout Followers

Unlike their cousins, Golden Leonin are still very devout worshipers of the gods despite the tragedies of the past. They see the gods as a necessary part of the world and as such understand that conflicts are bound to happen as part of the natural order. A Golden leonin typically worships good-aligned gods, often leaning towards Lawful Good. Every family within a pride will have a dedicated space for prayer. These warriors sometimes take up the call of righteousness in service to good-aligned patrons as paladins. 
 

A Family Focused Culture

Golden Leonin are fiercely loyal to their families. In their prides, family is valued above all else, and as such they have a strong sense of loyalty and honor often leading them to be paragons of good. For the leader of the pride, it is expected of them to produce a strong lineage, so these warriors will only want someone of nearly equal strength as their mates. The firstborn of the pride leader is considered their heir and as such high expectations are placed upon them throughout their lives, especially in training. The heir will eventually have to face a trial against their parent once they reach adulthood in order to succeed them as the leader of the pride. This trial can be attempted as many times as the heir wants.  Should the heir fail to beat the pride leader before they reach the age of 100, the pride leader will step down and a new leader will be decided amongst the current warriors. 
 

A Dependable Ally

Golden Leonin as allies are as fiercely protective of their party as they are of their own family. These warriors will be the first to jump into danger if it means keeping their allies safe, and they are the last to run away. They see cowardice as a weakness and as dishonorable, and as such will always encourage their allies to remain courageous even in the most hopeless of fights. Despite their views on honor and courage, they understand that there are times in which they must flee from danger, though they see this as more of trying to live to fight another day. Once a Golden Leonin starts a fight, they will vow to finish it no matter how long it may take. Such behavior and beliefs are a big reason why these warriors often make good picks for generals in armies. As military leaders, these warriors are a terror to their enemies and an inspiration to their men. 
 

Golden Leonin Traits

Source: Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Ability Score Increase.

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age.

Golden Leonin mature at the same rate as humans until adulthood, then their bodies will stay in their prime until they turn 100 years old. They live up to 150 years old on average

Alignment.

Golden Leonin tend toward good alignments. Golden Leonin who are focused on the pride and/or their patrons lean toward lawful good.

Size.

Golden Leonin are typically over 6 feet tall, with some standing well over 7 feet. Your size is Medium.

Darkvision.

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Hunter's Instincts.

You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.

Claws.

Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you can deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Daunting Roar.

As a bonus action, you can let out an especially menacing roar. Creatures of your choice within 15 feet of you that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. The DC of the save equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 

Languages.

You can speak, read, and write Common and Leonin.