Botis I's Den

Pride Lore
Credit to Cat #474561 for the lore <3

For those who stray from the gilded gates of heaven, there is another place. Souls twisted by time, cursed by fate, or fallen from above are drawn here. Only those who cannot be saved nor save themselves are strong enough to take on the mantle of King. In this hollow, shifting landscape, the weight of a lion’s soul determines their power. Visitors might find fallen angels here, or ill-fated wanderers who made pacts with devils. There is light, darkness, and patches of gray. The only common threads in this lineage of kings are the strength of the soul and a deep sense of loss. Folks don’t end up in this domain by choice. Often they find themselves trapped here, or lured by the current King. Whether the next generation’s leader is cruel or kind, nobody wishes to spend their days alone.

Lionesses tend to reflect the will and preferences of the current King. They gather around like moths seeking lamplight, waiting for a chance to earn his favor. Many of them will bear cubs for him, but none of their children will mate with him in turn. Here, lions prefer cleaner lineages. Intermingling bloodlines complicates the reactivity of souls. Each monarch differs greatly in leadership style, but this rule remains unchanged.

When a King passes on, there is often a widespread debate about where his soul might end up. Will a fallen angel return to the realm above, or below? Will the cursed ones finally be free of their lifelong burden, or will it follow them into the great beyond? If a screeching soul is already slightly loosened from the chains of its mortal body, does it fly fast into the ether, or is there a specific destination? Many pride leaders have attempted to solve this riddle, but it is in vain. The only ones who know what happens after death are resigned to speak no more. The living can only speculate and hope that when their time comes, Death honors their final wishes.

Since the journey of the soul is so complicated for each King, their body is not left to rot in the ground. A funeral pyre will be constructed upon their passing to ensure that they do not have a way back to the mortal plane. They have already gotten their second chance. They do not need a third. Nobody wants the bones of a long-forgotten tyrant haunting the pridelands. In case of any trickery (certain leaders have been known to try their paw at necromancy, in order to buy themselves more time), many lionesses are trained in the art of exorcism. This grants them a small amount of power over their Kings and deters the monarchs from mistreating their subjects. For the most part, harming lionesses is frowned upon— especially those with crystalline lineages. It is unwise to test the abilities of females who hold the secrets of witchcraft tightly in their claws.