HOME | DD

Description
  Leopard, or Takari, is a spirit mentioned in my third Tales of Kaimere short story, Trickster's Gambit: amzn.to/2HySyZA

  Mammals have had mixed success in Kaimere. On the mainlands, mammal herbivores have done fairly well for themselves, being better at processing grass than their dinosaurian competitors and spreading far inland. On the islands, generalist herbivores like deer are a common sight, and the introduction of boar on most islands has done a lot of damage to dinosaur populations for their habit of eating eggs laid in ground nests. Mammalian predators, on the other hand, have been far less successful, generally only able to establish populations in highly specialized niches. Leopards are an exception to this rule. Able to thrive in treetops, grasslands, and mountains and being able to hunt prey from a single pound to one ton, leopards are found in both mainland continents, and on almost all islands near the gateway to Earth. This success has earned them a place in the mythology of most Kaimeran cultures.

  Perhaps none revere them more than the Pakardiant. Although the indrakai nests in trees, they generally hunt on the ground, and the notzokideu are omnivores that were heavily hunted by the Pakardiant, leaving leopards as the apex predators of the canopy. In Pakardiant folklore, Leopard is named Queen of Shadows for her silence and camouflage. There are many stories of Leopard overcoming challenges that the other spirits fail to succeed because she can become invisible in shadow and can become insubstantial at will. Of the nine major clans in the Pakardiant Confederacy, two hold Leopard as their patron and protector, with many cults dedicated to the ruthless Queen of Shadows. Killing a leopard is forbidden to those not belonging to one of the Panther clans unless under severe duress, and eating their flesh is one of the greatest taboos.

Description
  Leopard, or Takari, is a spirit mentioned in my third Tales of Kaimere short story, Trickster's Gambit: amzn.to/2HySyZA

  Mammals have had mixed success in Kaimere. On the mainlands, mammal herbivores have done fairly well for themselves, being better at processing grass than their dinosaurian competitors and spreading far inland. On the islands, generalist herbivores like deer are a common sight, and the introduction of boar on most islands has done a lot of damage to dinosaur populations for their habit of eating eggs laid in ground nests. Mammalian predators, on the other hand, have been far less successful, generally only able to establish populations in highly specialized niches. Leopards are an exception to this rule. Able to thrive in treetops, grasslands, and mountains and being able to hunt prey from a single pound to one ton, leopards are found in both mainland continents, and on almost all islands near the gateway to Earth. This success has earned them a place in the mythology of most Kaimeran cultures.

  Perhaps none revere them more than the Pakardiant. Although the indrakai nests in trees, they generally hunt on the ground, and the notzokideu are omnivores that were heavily hunted by the Pakardiant, leaving leopards as the apex predators of the canopy. In Pakardiant folklore, Leopard is named Queen of Shadows for her silence and camouflage. There are many stories of Leopard overcoming challenges that the other spirits fail to succeed because she can become invisible in shadow and can become insubstantial at will. Of the nine major clans in the Pakardiant Confederacy, two hold Leopard as their patron and protector, with many cults dedicated to the ruthless Queen of Shadows. Killing a leopard is forbidden to those not belonging to one of the Panther clans unless under severe duress, and eating their flesh is one of the greatest taboos.