“There
is a beast here called the Mafu. It resembles a human head with a tiger’s body.
The Horse-Belly makes a sound like a human baby and is a man-eater.”
–Guideways of Mountains and Seas.
The arrow attraction ability was inspired by a rakshasa cultist prestige class for D&D 3.0 in Dragon 300 (the infamous “sealed section” issue tied-in with Book of Vile Darkness)]
Mafu This creature resembles an
enormous exaggeration of a tiger, all claws and stripes and long black tail.
Its head is disturbingly human-like.
The mafu
is a creature bred by rakshasas to be a perfect guardian and hunting beast. The
creatures are believed to be derived from manticores, given their similar
physiognomies, but with improved intelligence and loyalty. Most mafu are
fanatically devoted to their rakshasa masters, giving up their lives willingly
to support the fiends’ goals. A few mafu, however, have escaped captivity and
live wild, where they act as petty tyrants of their own wild kingdoms,
extorting tribute from local monsters and humanoids.
A mafu
hunts much like a big cat, striking from stealth and pouncing on a single
target. Their powers of mimicry are keen, and they may follow a party for some
time before striking, hoping to get familiar with the sounds of their voices
and learn what lies might work to lure one away from the others. They do not
fear thunder and lightning, and most weapons turn slightly from their hides—the
sole exception is blessed piercing weapons, like their rakshasa masters. If in
combat alongside a rakshasa, a mafu will find itself the target of any holy
bolts or arrows aimed at the rakshasa through magical attraction.
A mafu is
horse sized, standing between five and six feet at the shoulder. Some rakshasas
of a more martial bent equip them with barding and ride them into battle. If
not slain by violence, they can live over sixty years.
Shores of Swords 