Sphinx

Covenant is home to many creatures, from fearsome dragons to the mischievous puca, or any of the creatures of the Planes Beyond. Among all of these, few are as mysterious as the inscrutable sphinx. There are a few different varieties, whose animalistic features vary. Only the human-like sphinxes exist in Polisia, but all kinds can be found in Kemet.

Basic Information

Anatomy

All sphinxes, regardless of type have the same overall body structure. They have a mostly leonine body and eagle-like wings. What varies by variety are the heads. Some are more human-like while others are more animalistic. All are capable of speech, specifically the local language, the common tongue, and the secret language of all sphinxes.
Sphinxes are deeply mystical creatures, especially the human-like ones, known for being made up of magic as much as flesh and blood. Each have some strange abilities, and most types tend to have a deep connection to the places where they make their homes.
Another strange quirk of sphinx anatomy is that every member of most sphinx types are male. The exception to this are gynosphinxes, making them very important to the continuation of sphinx-kind, and giving them a great deal of power among the others. This also means that sphinxes are incredibly rare creatures.

Varieties

Androsphinx

In addition to the animalistic features common to all sphinxes, androsphinxes have the head of a human male. Physically, this makes them almost indistinguishable from the lammasu of Sakkal, but they are far different from the guardians of that land. Far from being celestials, androsphinxes are more earthly in nature.
Androsphinxes are the most powerful of all sphinxes, both physically and magically. Overall their power is very direct, capable of attacking magically in several ways. Their most fearsome ability is their roar, which can break stone, deafen, harm and frighten those who hear it. Each roar is far more powerful than the last.
Androsphinxes are reclusive beings, preferring to avoid people. They usually set up a lair in an out-of-the-way place and keep out the unworthy. They prefer to give those who come physical challenges and grant boons to those who succeed. They have a deep, mysical connection to their lairs, even able to control time and space within them.

Gynosphinx

These creatures are the other human-like sphinxes found in Polisia and Kemet. Gynosphinxes are the female counterparts to the male androsphinxes, bearing the head of a human woman. Gynosphinxes are, in fact, the only female sphinxes found in all of Covenant.
Although they lack the raw power of the androsphinx, gynosphinxes more than make up for this by being by far the most intelligent of sphinxes. Their powers usually serve them in their search for knowledge. They are more than willing to pass their knowledge on to those they deem worthy, usually by testing them with intellectual challenges, especially riddles.
Gynosphinxes do maintain lairs, and have a similar ability to manipulate them as androsphinxes do. They do far more traveling than their male counterparts, however. Usually this is to serve in their eternal quest for knowledge, but also use this opportunity to mate with other sphinxes to serve a design only they can see.

Criosphinx

Unlike the sphinxes also found in Polisia, the strictly Kemetan sphinxes have animal heads. In the case of the criosphinxes, this is the head of a ram. Because of this particular feature, they are often associated with the ram-like sky god Amun.
Of the Kemetan sphinxes, criosphinxes are the more common. They are usually guardians of sacred places, much like the lammasu and man-scorpions of Sakkal. They are physically quite powerful, using their horns to great effect in battle. Their powers also serve to prevent intruders from accessing the places they guard, such as paralyzing foes and creating a wall of force.
These creatures also maintain lairs like most other sphinxes, and are very dedicated in protecting them. However, their connection to these lairs isn't quite as strong as those of androsphinxes and gynosphinxes. These creatures are simply less magical in nature than those sphinxes are.

Hieracosphinx

Physically, hieracosphinxes are very much like other sphinxes. The primary difference is that they have the head of a falcon. This feature grants them a resemblance to Acitern's griffons. They are far more magical creatures than griffons, however, due to their mysterious sphinx nature.
In most other ways, hieracosphinxes are very different creatures. More than anything, they are predators, stalking prey across the desert. Their magical powers are primarily centered around hiding them from their prey. They also have a few abilities centered around manipulation of the weather.
These creatures don't usually have set lairs, preferring instead a nomadic lifestyle. They tend to be very cruel hunters, often toying with their prey before killing them. Legends tell that Horus created these creatures to hunt the enemies of the Kemetan people, but lost control of them due to their bloodlust.

Ecology and Habitats

Most sphinxes seem to be bound to a physical location by some manner of deep magical connection. The nature of this connection is unknown and its properties vary. The location chosen is typically very isolated and hard to reach, often in caves or on mountaintops.
All in all, most sphinxes have almost no effect on their environment. They don't often hunt for prey, as they don't seem to require food. Some believe they're sustained by their purpose or by the knowledge they collect. Others simply believe that they simply do not require food as part of their magical nature.

Behaviour

Sphinxes as a whole are very stoic creatures, seemingly never overcome with emotion. Some believe such creatures do not have emotions, but no attempts to find out the truth behind this have succeeded. Sphinxes do not often explain the reasons behind their actions.
While sphinxes are famous for a love of knowledge and a propensity for riddles, this is not true of every type. Different varieties have a preference for different things. It is unknown why sphinxes do what they do. Many believe their actions to be divinely mandated, but it's not known if this is true.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

7 - 8 ft.

Average Weight

1200- 1,500 lbs.

Average Length

9 - 11 ft.

Geographic Distribution

• Nahrica