Lynx
Lynxes were a variety of large cat that were primarily seen in the northern regions of the Eastern Kingdoms, especially in the elflands of Quel'Thalas and the amani territories of Zul'Aman. They were primarily red or brown, and stalked dense forests and mountains as some of the apex predators of the region.
History
Lynxes were related to sabers and many of the lynxes in Quel'Thalas were descendants of sabers the highborne under Dath'remar Sunstrider brought with them into their exile. Those in elvish company were gradually interbred with the native lynxes of Zul'Aman over the centuries, which eventually removed most of the traces of their striped saber heritage.
Amani trolls had a very long history of reverence and companionship with the native lynxes due to their reverence for the loa Halazzi, and many of them hunted alongside lynx companions.
Husbandry
Thalassian elves and Amani trolls both kept lynxes as companions and hunting partners, and it was not uncommon to see them in the company of scouts, rangers, and beast masters. Some lynxes had lineages that accompanied the same bloodline for generations, and were considered to be as close as other members of the family.
Some lynxes were bred to be large enough to even be mounts, and these creatures were both fearsome and powerful, especially those that could carry trolls into battle.
Description
Lynxes were powerful saber cats with fur in a variety of colors and striking, darker markings near their eyes and occasionally dappled coats. They normally had lighter underbellies and thick, brighter manes of fur along their back, as well as prominent fangs. They were agile, graceful, and at home in both dense forests and mountainous terrain where they were adept and dangerous ambush hunters. Lynxes that heralded their lineage from kaldorei sabers were more apt to have longer tails, while native lynxes tended toward shorter ones, though the strains over the centuries have blended enough that traits were not necessarily limited to one area.
Thalassian-bred lynxes that had mage-breeding in their history sometimes possessed bright luminescent eyes and pronounced fur tufts above their eyes and at the tips of their ears.
Abilities
Lynxes were powerful predators that excelled in stealth. They could easily hide in the shadows of foliage and were quick to inflict killing blows to the throat with their long fangs. Lynxes could stalk prey for miles, and occasionally hunted in pairs or small groups, where they utilized calls to confuse and frighten prey.
Varieties
- Amani Lynx - native to the mountainous regions of Zul'aman, Amani lynxes were typically bulkier than their Quel'thalas brethren and had thicker fur to protect them during harsh winters in the mountains. While they frequently had red or brown fur, it was typically less saturated than their springpaw brethren, and they also came in a wide variety of grays, whites, and blacks as well as in distinctly mottled patterns.
- Springpaw Lynx - the most common variety of lynx seen in the elflands of Quel'Thalas, springpaws normally had bright orange-red fur and burning yellow eyes as well as richly colored manes, though there were some varieties that had bluish-gray, white, or black fur. They were frequently seen in the company of elven farstriders as beast companions, but many also roamed wild in the forests.
- Ghostclaw Lynx - while not visually much different than springpaws, ghostclaw was the name given to lynxes that had started to stalk the undead regions of the Ghostlands. Their calls had been compared to wailing spirits and they readily adapted to the darkness of the region, which further aided their ambush hunting strategies. These lynxes tended toward darker colorations as they were better able to blend into the shadows of the Ghostlands.
Statblocks
| Warcraft Creature Types |
|---|
| Aberration • Beast • Celestial • Construct • Demon • Dragonkin • Elemental • Fey • Giant • Humanoid • Monstrosity • Ooze • Plant • Undead |
| Beast Creatures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mammal | ||
| Carnivore | Cat (Lynx • Panthara • Saber) | |
| Ungulate | ||
| Avian | Hawkstrider • Peafowl • Raven (Blood Raven) | |
