Lammasu

(from 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual - 1993):

The lammasu, a winged leonine figure with a human head, aids and protects lawful good persons. They are generally kind and friendly to all good creatures.

Lammasu resemble golden-brown lions with the wings of eagles and the heads of men with shaggy hair and beards. Their formidable appearance is softened by their regal, compassionate, and beneficent expressions. They communicate in their own tongue, in common, and through a limited form of telepathy.

Combat: Since lammasu are concerned for the welfare and safety of good beings, they almost always enter combat if they see good creatures being threatened, in the way least likely to cause harm to the good beings.

Lammasu are able to become invisible or dimension door at will. They radiate a protection from evil, 10’ radius (-2 penalty to all evil attacks, +2 bonus to saving throws against evil attacks). Additionally, they are able to use priest spells up to 4th level, at 7th-level proficiency. Lammasu can employ four 1st-level spells, three 2nd-level spells, two 3rd-level spells, and one 4th-level spell. They have cure serious wounds (4d8+2) and cure critical wounds (6d8+6), and 10% of lammasu can speak a holy word as well.

If all else fails, lammasu can attack with their two razor-sharp front claws, inflicting 1d6 points of damage each. If they choose to swoop down from the sky on a target, this damage is doubled.

Habitat/Society: The lammasu have a very structured and lawful society, reflecting their alignment. They are organized in prides, just like lions. They dwell in old, abandoned temples situated in warm regions. These temples have not lost their consecration, and in some way, the lammasu are the self-appointed resident guardians of these high and holy places. As a rule, only one pride of lammasu is ever found in a 25-mile area; they spread themselves out so they can respond quickly to any evil outburst.

Lammasu females fight as effectively as the males; for every four lammasu encountered, one is a female. When found in their lair, there are young equal to 25% of the adult population. Female lammasu have the heads of women, with long, hair.

Once a month, the pride leaders gather together to consort about how the war on evil goes. This grouping is called the Whitemoon, since it takes place on the first night of the full moon. There are usually 6d6 lammasu and 2d4 greater lammasu, with the latter presiding over the meeting. Such a gathering of lawful good causes the entire temple where they meet to glow in a pure light, until it breaks up at dawn. There is perhaps no safer place in all the world that night.

Though they dwell in warm areas, they occasionally visit every clime. They speak their own tongue as well as common. At times they use a limited form of telepathy.

Good-aligned strangers are always well received. Neutrals are watched carefully, but are treated politely unless the outsiders begin causing trouble. Evil beings are firmly asked to leave, and if they fail to do so, they are attacked by the pride. In case of trouble, there is a cumulative 10% chance per turn that a neighboring pride picks up a telepathic summons and come to help out the original pride. Lammasu harbor an especially strong dislike for lamias and manticores. Some foolish people confuse lammasu for manticores, which does little to improve the lammasu disposition toward them.

Ecology: Lammasu keep the wastelands from being completely overrun by evil creatures. Their aid to frontier settlements is beyond measurable value.

Greater Lammasu:

These creatures are slightly larger than a lesser lammasu and one or two may be found dwelling with a pride of six or more lesser lammasu. Greater lammasu can travel the Astral and Ethereal Planes, become invisible, teleport without error and dimension door, all at will. They radiate protection from evil in a 20’ radius (-4 penalty to evil attacks and +4 bonus to saving throws) and have the curative powers of their lesser cousins. Their priest spells consist of five 1st-level, four 2nd-level, three 3rd-level, two 4th-level, and one 5th-level spell. Fifty percent of greater lammasu can speak a holy word as well. They cast spells as 12th-level priests.

Greater lammasu have empathy, telepathic communication, and speak their racial speech and the common tongue. Despite their greater stature, these lammasu are just as gentle and humble as their lesser brethren.

(from 2nd Edition Monstrous Compendium - Outer Planes Appendix - 1991):

CELESTIAL LAMMASU:

Celestial lammasu are close relatives of the lammasu native to the Prime Material plane. These, however, make their homes among the wilderlands of Olympus. Celestial lammasu are sometimes also known as the “lions of the Mount”, referring to Mount Olympus, in whose shadow they so often are found.

As might be expected, a celestial Lammasu has the body of a large, powerful lion. Extending from its back are great wings with long, beautiful feathers. Its head has the face of a human with keen, intelligent eyes and a long, flowing mane. Each individual has a very majestic appearance, projecting its power and belief in ultimate goodness.

Celestial lammasu pride themselves on the number of languages they speak — they will use their tongues ability if necessary.

Combat: Celestial lammasu are creatures of tremendous power and prowess in battle. They will readily enter any combat where creatures of good alignment are being threatened by evil. At times, the Lions of the Mount will even come to the aid of nonevil neutrals warring against evil,

The celestial lammasu’s physical attack consists of two huge, raking paws that inflict 2-12 points of damage per hit. Due to the nature of the celestial lammasu, their claw attacks can damage creatures normally only hit by magical weapons. A celestial lammasu can also — when flying — dive down on its opponent with two claw attacks gaining +2 on its attack roll and inflicting double damage (4-24 per claw).

These outer planer denizens also have considerable spell power. They may cast priest spells as if they were 15th-level priests with major access to all spheres. In addition, they have the spell casting ability of a 12th-level wizard. They need not maintain spell lists as does a mortal wizard. Instead, they request their wizard spells daily from any school except necromantic.

In addition to their spell casting abilities, celestial lammasu have the following spell-like powers that can be used once per melee round, one at a time, at 20th level effect:

• cure light wounds

• cure serious wounds

• dispel evil

• dispel magic, 7 times per day

• holy word, 3 times per day

• plane shift

• protection from evil, triple normal strength, extends around all good creatures within sight of the celestial lammasu

• teleport without error

• tongues, always active

• wish, 1 time per day, only in times of dire need

Celestial lammasu are immune to damage from nonmagical weapons and magical weapons of +3 or lesser enchantment. They naturally regenerate 4 hit points per melee round.

Celestial lammasu dwell in the layers of Olympus from which they wage constant war on evil throughout the outer and inner planes. They take special interest in lammasu on the Prime Material plane — the celestial lammasu provide guidance and occasional support to their mortal cousins. There are 36 celestial lammasu known to exist, each with its own true name.

Once every 10 years, one of the celestial lammasus will attend a special meeting, called a Whitemoon, with certain lammasu of the Prime Material plane. In attendance are the leaders of all the lammasu prides for hundreds of miles around. The leaders discuss their efforts against evil with each other and with the celestial lammasu. During the night of this Whitemoon, the lammasu temple glows a brilliant white that can be seen for many miles — it becomes a scintillating focus of goodness. Any evil creature that comes within one mile of the temple is destroyed outright and any nonevil neutral that approaches within one mile of the temple is put magically to sleep for the duration of the night.

One important note is that celestial lammasu do not directly serve a deity or power like the aasimons do. Although their actions serve the interests of the powers of good alignment, they are concerned only with their own personal wars on evil.

Ecology: Celestial lammasu are above and outside the normal ecological cycle. They have absolutely no natural predatorial enemies. Too, they never feed on other life forms for sustenance; rather they draw nutrients directly from the goodness of the upper planes.

(from Monster Manual v3.5 - 2003):

This creature has the golden-brown body of a lion, the wings of a giant eagle,and the face of a human. 

Lammasus are noble creatures that are concerned with the welfare and safety of all good beings. 

These creatures dwell most often in old, abandoned temples and ruins located in remote areas, where they contemplate how best to combat the influence of evil in the world. Adventurers sometimes seek them out to gain the benefit of their wisdom and their knowledge of ancient mysteries. Lammasus receive good beings and creatures cordially and usually offer assistance if the visitor is directly combating evil. They tolerate neutral beings but watch them carefully. They do not tolerate the presence of evil beings, attacking them on sight. 

The demeanor of a lammasu is noble and stern, but these creatures can be quite compassionate.

A typícal lammasu is about 8 feet long and weighs about 500 pounds. 

Lammasus speak Common, Draconic, and Celestial.

Combat: A lammasu attacks with spells or its razor-sharp claws. It almost always enters combat if it observes a good creature being threatened by evil. 

Spells: A lammasu casts spells as a 7th-level cleric, and can choose spells from the cleric spell list, plus any two of the following domains: Good, Healing, Knowledge, or Law. 

Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/6/5/4/2,save DC 13+ spell level) 0-detect magic, guidance (2), light, read magic, resistance; 1st-bless (2), detectevil, divine favor, entropic shield, protectionfrom evil; 2ndaid", bear's endurance, bull's strength, lesser restoration, resist energУ 3rd-daylight, dispel magic, magiccircle against evil, remove curse; 4th-holy smite",neutralize poison. Domain spell. 

Domains: Good and Healing,

Magic Circle against Evil (Su): A lammasu radiates a continuous magic circle against evil that affects a 20-foot radius. 

Spell-Like Abilities: 2/day-greater invisibility (self only): 1/day-dimension door. Caster level 7th. 

Pounce (Ex): If a lammasu charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks. 

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +12 melee, damage 1d6+3. 

Skills: Lammasus have a +2 racial bonus on Spot checks. 

Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot cone, 1/day, damage 6d8 fire, Reflex DC 21 half

GOLDEN PROTECTOR (Celestial Half-Dragon Lammasu):

Child of a celestial lammasu and a gold dragon, the golden protector has migrated to the Material Plane to more actively combat evil.

Combat: The golden protector's natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 

Breath Weapon (Su): 30-foot cone, 1/day, damage 6d8 fire, Reflex DC 21 half. 

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a golden protector can make a normal melee attack to deal an extra 10 points of damage against an evil opponent. 

Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/7/5/4/3; save DC 15 + spell level): 0-detect magic, guidance (2), light, read magic, resistance; 1st-bless (2), detect evil, divine favor (2),entropic shield, protection from evil; 2nd-aid, bear's endurance, bull's strength, lesser restoration, resist energy: 3rd-daylight, dispel magic, magic circle against evil", remove curse; 4th-dismissal, holy smite",neutralize poison.

Domain spell. Domains: Good and Healing. 

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +19 melee, damage 1d6+4. Possessions: Bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +1. (Different golden protectors may have different possessions.)