Regulus

"A lion's soul bound to a man's? What do ye take me fer?" -Gronk, mason. One of the most intriguing races in Tya are the Hybrids: sentient half-man, half-beasts. While each is unique, all of this race begin life as separate entities until soul-bound by a cataclysmic event. Regulus, The Shield of The Morning, was created one fateful night in the wild and ungoverned land of Liberros. Long ago, a deserter of the Mosune army named Garrick was captured by slavers after a stint on the run. His captors took stock of his hulking figure, surmising he'd be bode well in the fighting pits. They were correct. Garrick faced an incessant pool of opponents- bandits, thieves, and rogues alike, his humanity chipping away with each bout. When the pit masters introduced a lion to the fights, everything changed. Used as fodder, the lion took on multiple opponents in each brutal match as it collected an amalgam of scars. Witnessing this majestic creature being subjected to mindless violence struck a chord within Garrick, and he resolved to spring the beast free. After awaiting the perfect storm of circumstance, Garrick broke out of his cage one night and approached the lion's. It barred its teeth aggressively until Garrick lifted the latch. With understanding washing over the great cat, the two made for the woods. They didn't get far. The pair was swiftly captured and forced into the fighting pit immediately, pitted against each other for their transgression. A sword was tossed at Garrick's feet, who refused to pick it up, earning him a crossbow bolt to the knee. Astonishingly, the lion emitted a deafening roar before shielding Garrick's body with his own. With sinister grins, the slavers cut them down from the ramparts in a hail of crossbow fire. Riddled with bolts, it appeared the duo's short bond had concluded… But the gods had other plans. Miraculously, the constellation of Leo illuminated above, and in a swirling mist of ancient magic, man and lion were joined. Regulus, the Shield of the Morning emerged, releasing a bellow of liberation. The slavers cowered before the powerful Hybrid, who ordered the release of the remaining slaves. A defender of man and beast alike, Regulus banned slavery in Liberros, and has transformed it into a sanctuary for the lost, damaged, and downtrodden. He welcomes any who wish to live meaningfully and fight for freedom.