Wemic
| Wemic | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Characteristics | |
| Alignment | True Neutral |
| Type | Monstrous humanoid |
| Image | Wizards.com image |
| Publication history | |
| Source books | Monsters of Faerûn, Forgotten Realms (MC3), 1E Monster Manual 2, Tales of the Lance, Monstrous Manual, Races of Faerûn, The Complete Book of Humanoids |
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the wemic is a fantastical hybrid creature with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a lion. Like centaurs, they are considered "tauric" creatures.
Publication history
David C. Sutherland III created the modern-day wemic for a game product called Monster Cards Set 3, a first edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons supplement released in 1982;[1] with the artwork for the original depiction being undertaken by Jim Roslof.[2] The wemic then appeared in first edition in the original Monster Manual II (1983).[3]
The wemic appeared in second edition for the Forgotten Realms setting in the Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989),[4] and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).[5] The wemic was further detailed in Dragon #157 (May 1990).[6] The wemic is presented as a player character race in The Complete Book of Humanoids (1993),[7] and is later presented as a playable character race again in Player's Option: Skills & Powers (1995).[8]
The wemic appeared in third edition for the Forgotten Realms setting in Monsters of Faerûn (2001),[9] and as a player character race in Races of Faerûn (2003).[10]
Description
In the game, the wemic is described as larger and stronger than humans; a wemic can leap up to 30 feet with a running start. Their front claws are sharp, and they can fight with both claws and weapons at the same time. The leonine body is described as covered with dusky golden fur, while the underbelly fur is short and white. Males are generally depicted with long mane-like hair.[11]
Society
In the Dungeons and Dragons game, Wemics are excellent hunters and fighters. Descriptions in game books state that they do not make settled homes, but generally follow the herds they hunt for food. Some have compared them with the aboriginal people of the central plains of North America. A fictional, nomadic, stone-age folk, Wemics are often represented as barbaric, illiterate, and uncivilized; they are described as famous for being highly superstitious. Others would describe Wemics as nature-oriented people with a rich tradition of oral history; they live close to the earth and are in tune with its magical forces.
In the context of the game, when Wemic must be still for a time telling stories around a fire, pausing for a meal, waiting for a friend, or just to take a brief rest, the Wemic commonly assumes a posture in which his hindquarters rest on the ground as his front legs remain straight and his forepaws stay flat on the earth. The game refers to this as sitting, distinct from sprawling (both hind and forequarters on the ground, but with torso upright) or laying down.
Subspecies
Wemics entered the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons in the accessory Monsters of Faerûn, which also introduced the mountain wemic: essentially the same build, but the lion portions replaced by those of a large cougar. Mountain wemics are slightly smaller than common wemics and generally solitary.
Wemics in the Forgotten Realms
Wemics appear in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. In the game, they inhabit the vast, imaginary, African-savanna-like grassland known as the shaar, waging war with the loxos, thri-kreen and centaurs which also dwell there.
Wemics in other systems
Wemics are a player race in Maelstrom, a UK based live action roleplaying game. However, in this system they appear as highly cultured, bipedal felines, rather than quadrupeds.
Wemics in the Maelstom game-world are divided into two main cultural groups - those from Amun-Sa and those from Tritoni, although there are also populations in the Free Islands, Gerosos and Lyzanium. This said, individuals or small prides of Wemics are still found all over the Known World.
References
- ↑ "New AD&D aid: Monster Cards". Dragon. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR (#61): 51. May 1982.
- ↑ Cayzle. "The Father of Modern Wemics: Personal correspondence with former TSR employees confirming role of David C. Sutherland III in creating wemics for Dungeons and Dragons" (Cayzle's Wemic Site, 2005)
- ↑ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual II (TSR, 1983)
- ↑ Conners, William, et al. Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (TSR, 1989)
- ↑ Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993)
- ↑ Keeping, JF. "The Ecology of the Wemic." Dragon #157 (TSR, 1990)
- ↑ Slavicsek, Bill. The Complete Book of Humanoids (TSR, 1993)
- ↑ Niles, Douglas and Dale Donovan. Player's Option: Skills & Powers (TSR, 1995)
- ↑ Wyatt, James and Rob Heinsoo. Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn (Wizards of the Coast, 2001)
- ↑ Reynolds, Sean K., Forbeck, Matt, Jacobs, James, Boyd, Erik L. Races of Faerûn (Wizards of the Coast, 2003)
- ↑ D&D First Edition Monster Cards Set 3, Review of Wemic Rules from 1E Monster Cards Set 3 (Cayzle's Wemic Site, 2001)