Wemic

Think of a centaur built on a lion instead of a horse. A humanlike torso rises where the lion's neck should be, and the whole body stretches roughly 10 feet nose to haunch; reared up, a wemic stands between 6 and 7 feet. Its coat is dusky gold above and short and white underneath, and the tail ends in a tuft of black hair. Adult males grow a long black mane over scalp, nape and shoulders, which first appears when a male is three. Eyes are gold with slit pupils, noses russet or black, and every limb is clawed, the forelegs with retractable claws.

Besides a growling tongue of their own, wemics talk in a thickly accented version of common.

In a fight the forelegs rake (1d4 per claw) while the hands work a weapon. Males go armed with javelins and either a short sword or a stone club, often with a hardened hide shield (AC 5). Females, AC 7, carry no weapons, yet they gain +2 on attack rolls whenever someone attacks their cubs. Cubs under two never join in.

Keen senses make wemics masterful ambushers. When surprise fails, 1-3 of the hunters swing wide to take the prey from the flank. Muscular hind legs carry them 30 feet in a forward bound or 10 feet straight up.

Their culture blends the habits of lions with those of tribal peoples. Each pride counts 1d12 cubs, 2d12 grown females and 4d4 grown males. Up to 3d10 prides commonly follow one chief as a tribe; the chief has 6+4 Hit Dice, AC 5, 1d6 claws and a +1 bonus when attacking with weapons. Now and then 2d4 tribes gather into a nation under a king with 2d4 chieftains. A king has 9 Hit Dice, AC 3, 1d8 claws and +2 to hit with weapons.

Magic is not unknown: there is a 70% chance a tribe has a witch doctor, who can reach 7th level as a priest and 4th as a wizard.

Though as clever as humans, wemics keep a Stone Age way of life: fire, stone blades, clay pots and simple jewelry, though they can be taught more. They make fine trackers and guides and will sell that skill for treasure, tools, arms or magic. Crossing their lands safely may also cost a toll.

Mating has no season. Pregnancy lasts ten months and yields a litter of 1-3 cubs, spotted black for camouflage until the marks fade at two months old. Cubs are curious and frisky but born with little instinct, so everything must be learned. A newborn has 1 HD and adds 2 more yearly until it matures at three. Captured cubs fetch 500 gp and can be raised as servants or allies.