The Winged Lions
Location: Mount Celestia / Lunia / Heart’s Faith
You’re asking about the Winged Lions of Heart’s Faith? Those high and mighty snobs, yeah I know that lot. Just picture this, a whole flock of leonine creatures with wings grander than a freshly-preened astral deva, strutting around with a sense of entitlement that would put a prime in his first visit to Sigil to shame. It’s a real sight to behold, I tell you, but don’t let their majestic appearance fool ya; they’re here to maintain the so-called “order” in the Heart’s Faith, or more accurately, to keep us two-legged berks in line.
Lebes, the blood in charge, is one fine specimen of a lammasu. He’s got this regal air around him. He governs with a firm yet, some say, fair hand, making sure every little pettifogger in his territory knows the law and sticks to it like glue. I mean, the burg would probably collapse into chaos if not for his stern gaze keeping everyone in check, right? That’s how he makes it seem, cutter! And yeah, “fair” is a relative term when you’re dealing with a berk who has the final say on what’s what.
Now, underneath Lebes is a hierarchical structure of enforcement as rigid as the cogs of Mechanus. The Winged Lions patrol Heart’s Faith in Prides, each one headed by a lammasu of some notable rank, who has earned their stripes, sometimes literally, through service and dedication. They’re a sight to see in their gleaming armour, flying in tight formations with a precision that would make a modron nod in approval. But let’s just say their approach to law enforcement can be as delicate as a mace to the face.
Now don’t go thinking it’s all brute force and no brains with these cutters. They’re well-versed in the local laws, which is a must when you are in a place like Heart’s Faith where the rule book is thicker than a censor’s report on the latest escapades at the Civic Festhall. The Winged Lions take their role seriously, with a dedication that borders on the religious. They got a sense of honour about them, a strict code that they follow to the letter, which is all fine and dandy until you find yourself on the wrong side of it. Do I sound bitter? Well, there’s a reason.
See, I was wandering around Heart’s Faith, just minding me own business, when I spotted a beautiful silver dagger on one of the market stalls. A right fair trade it was, few jink for the prettiest knife this side of Erackinor. Or so I thought, until out of nowhere one of those high and mighty Winged Lions swooped down on me like a hawk on a mouse. Turns out, there’s a rule, a law if you fancy callin’ it that, dictating the exact manner one is to carry out such transactions. You’d think buying a little blade was a simple affair, right? Oh, not in Heart’s Faith, cutter, not by a long shot.
It was some ancient, dusty statute that no one in their right mind would remember, something about the proper way to exchange goods; a ludicrous dance of hand gestures, polite nods, and the precise, and I mean precise, wording of the solemn promise one had to use to seal the deal. I reckon it was devised to make a berk feel like they were participating in some high ritual rather than a mundane trade. Imagine, being schooled on the proper etiquette of haggling over jink for a dagger! I was more than a bit baffled, I tell ya.
So there I was, clutching my prize like a guilty child as this big beast of a lion with wings that blocked out the stars lectured me in the middle of the bustling street, pointing out my “uncouth” and “barbaric” manners, and the need for a “license”. Well, I tell you, I wasn’t having any of it, I let him have a piece of my mind, oh yes, I did. And do you know what happened then? This Winged Lion, with a face as serious as a cleric in a library, issued me a formal warning, in writing, no less, a whole parchment detailing my transgression against the hallowed traditions of Heart’s Faith. It was either that or a hefty fine that would have cost me more jink than I cared to part with.
So, I had to endure a session of what they call “civic education” where I was taught the “proper ways” of Heart’s Faith, a performance of tedious rituals that would give even a Guvner a headache. I left with a certificate — yeah, a bleedin’ certificate, like I graduated from the school of pomp and unnecessary circumstance.
But I digress! And where was I anyway? Oh yes, the Winged Lion Prides. Day and night, they patrol the streets, skies, and even the odd nook and cranny that a cutter might think to hide in. Their eyes are ever watchful, piercing through lies and deceit with an ease that can unnerve even the most hardened of criminals. Of which I am not, I hasten to add. There’s no pulling a fast one on these leonine guardians; they’ve seen every trick in the book and invented a few themselves.
But it ain’t all bad, no. Despite their stern disposition, I’ll begrudgingly admit there is a sense of security that comes with their presence. When you’re walkin’ down the streets of Heart’s Faith, there’s this underlying comfort knowing that the Winged Lions are on patrol, always ready to swoop in and sort out any trouble. You might call it a necessary evil, but there’s something to be said for being able to walk the streets without constantly lookin’ over your shoulder like in the Lower Ward, eh? Just so long as they don’t wrongly assume that you’re the trouble, that is.
So, if you find yourself in Heart’s Faith, cutter, mind your steps and keep your nose clean. The Winged Lions, with Lebes at the helm, ain’t the kind to offer easy second chances. They maintain order with a firm paw, ensuring the burg remains a place of…well, heart and faith, I suppose. It’s an iron claw in a velvet glove situation, really. You got the protection, but at the cost of a bit of freedom, a trade-off that many are willing to accept for a bit of peace and tranquillity in this often chaotic multiverse. Just remember, in Heart’s Faith under the watchful eyes of the Winged Lions, it’s their way or the highway, and the their way ain’t exactly a stroll through Elysium.
Canonical Sources: Planes of Law: Mount Celestia [2e] p13,28 (mention) & The Great Modron March [2e] p27 (mention)
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net
