Sphinx

A sphinx is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. They are among the eldest of magical races.

Appearance
Sphinx in human form tend to be rather attractive (although, of course, there are exceptions), with dark, liquid eyes (usually ranging from a bright gold to deep brown, though in some cases they can be grey or even green) and wavy, thick hair. Their skin is any color from light tan to deep coffee, and their features tend to be vaguely Middle Eastern. They are feline in appearance, with catlike ears. Grey eyes and chocolate brown hair are considered the epitome of beauty in sphinx society; supposedly sphinxes with this feature combination resemble their ancestor, Phyx.

Nature
By nature, sphinx are highly intelligent. They delight in puzzles and riddles of all sorts and enjoy a good show of wit. In the past, sphinx have been regarded as proud, treacherous, and intimidatingly intelligent. Many wild sphinx are still just as dangerous; those who chose to live among humans during the Great Divide are more human themselves.

Powers
In addition to their intelligence, sphinx are gifted with a subtle power of persuasion, which can be honed through extensive practice. They have above-average memories, and can easily pick up new skills, such as learning a new language. Sphinx also have a high tolerance of hot temperatures; presumably this ability developed out of necessity, since the race first lived in the desert.

Location
Sphinx can be found all around the world. Those that are still wild tend to live near high rocky cliffs, or deep in the virtually uninhabitable desert.

Other
Genes can determine the amount of sphinx blood one has- for instance, two half-sphinx can produce a full sphinx, as in the case of Calliope Ochre. More about the mythological sphinx and its influence in art and culture can be found on the other Wiki.