Hawk-headed sphinx that is cruel and voracious

The hawk-headed Hieracosphinx is cruel and voracious, attacking any living creature of smaller size if it thinks it has any chance of slaying it. It can carry off creatures man-size or smaller; in fact, the largest hieracosphinxes can even carry away a pony. Thus, even a large party might be attacked if the creature believes it can carry away a meal. Note however, it is not stupid and will not usually try to fly with struggling prey in its claws, but will generally only take a dead or unconscious foe.

The hawk-headed hieracosphinx is a common sight within the maze-like tombs and mortuary complexes of Egypt. Like the powerful androsphinx and gynosphinx, the hieracosphinx most often serves as a guardian of sacred places. Though they lack the calculating intellect of their more celebrated cousins, hieracosphinxes are possessed of a certain cruel cunning, making excellent use of their innate magical talents to dispatch would-be trespassers with sadistic glee.

The Hieracosphinx is an exceedingly deadly foe for the unprepared. The most important thing to remember is that

A hawk-headed, winged lion that prowls desolate places and preys on unsuspecting travelers

The dreaded hieracosphinx is an eminently evil being. A hawk-headed, winged lion, it prowls desolate places and preys on unsuspecting lone travellers or weak parties of people. Its appetite for warm flesh is nearly insatiable and it is utterly merciless in its pursuit. The creature will often toy with opponents, chasing them for league upon league through the desert under the blazing sun, and when they think they have reached relative safety, the beast will swoop down and attack with its razor sharp beak and talons, rending and slicing flesh like a long sword. Even the non-good aligned sphinx types hate these beasts and will not normally hesitate to attack them and slay them. Unfortunately they are often hatched, and it is rumoured that they have recently begun to appear in cold climes.