Lacuni

&mdash;Abd al-Hazir
 * "The Lacuni - or panther-men, as they are sometimes called - have inhabited the desert wastes east of Caldeum for thousands of years. The large males are the tribes' leaders are protectors, while the agile females are expert hunters. Mostly, they are primitive and reclusive creatures, although they will attack if cornered or hungry."

The Lacuni, otherwise referred to as Panther-men or Sabre Cats are a feline race found in Sanctuary.

Lore
"Go! Scamper back to your dens! Nothing but death awaits your kind here!"

- Tabri while battling lacuni

Phisiology
Lacuni are bipedal, intelligent beings with many feline features. Males are larger than the more agile females. Their limbs have four digits and have shown to be able to move both bi-pedally and in a more quadrapedal manner. Their savagery is unmatched in all of Sanctuary.

Lacuni fur is surprisingly soft and beautiful. Their hair is useful in the use of blood magic for the creation of Butcher Demons (or similar constructs).

History
According to legend, the lacuni are magical outcasts from Askari society. Legends tell of an Amazon who lived long ago, and was skilled with the use of the javelin. Seeking power and fame, she made a bargain with a Lesser Evil. In exchange for her service, she was transformed into a sleek, catlike form, with the promise that her legacy would never die. If any truth to the legend exists, then this legacy endures with the lacuni to this day.

Of what is known as fact, lacuni were originally found only in the jungle environments of Kehjistan, trading freely with the cities there. But by the time of human civilization, the lacuni had spread north to the desert wastes surrounding Caldeum and at some point, also into Aranoch. Although always considered somewhat aloof and untrustworthy, the lacuni never before behaved in a threatening manner toward human society. Such was the status quo until around the time of the Darkening of Tristram, when lacuni marauders began roaming Aranoch. Many blamed the disappearance of whole caravans upon them. Brother Fyntana of the Monks of Ivgorod attempted to purge Aranoch of the lacuni, but apparently failed.

In 1270, the lacuni of the Shassar Sea had become a problem for both the people of Shassar and Westmarch. Westmarch requested that adventurers defeat the lacuni so that they could open up trade links with Shassar, free of attacks on their trade caravans. Later, the "lacuni problem" intensified, as the panther-men attacked a Shassar town, killing dozens and causing the survivors to flee. This stymied the Amber Blades' attempts to retake Shassar, and they requested aid from any able-bodied fighters in Westmarch to help them retake the village.

By 1285, a variant breed of lacuni called "snow lacuni" could be found in the Dreadlands.

Society
Lacuni society is patriarchal&mdash;males serve as tribe leaders while females act as huntresses. The leader of a pack is referred to as an alpha.

The females have a heirarchy of their own, and work together to surround their prey. Often some members of a pack will risk attacks of opportunity to get beyond a foe to allow the pack to encircle them.

At least some lacuni (such as those of the Shassar Sea) live in dens.

While most lacuni attack with melee weapons, others have become fond of harassing their enemies with javelins or by throwing potions. Huntresses disdain melee and often flee it to find better ranged attack vantages, while Hell Cats (lacuni that consort with demons) always walk with open claws. Yet despite this, lacuni are primitive and reclusive creatures, and will only attack if cornered or hungry. If desparate enough, they will feed on the bodies of humans.

Diablo II
Lacuni appear in the second act of Diablo II under the name of "Panther Women." They were split up into two distinct groups: the melee, whip-wielding Sabre Cats, and the ranged Spear Cats. The player only fights female members of the species. They can be found wandering the open areas of the desert and guarding exotic treasures.

Diablo Immortal
Lacuni are encountered as enemies in Diablo Immortal.

Diablo III
Two major types of lacuni appear in Diablo III&mdash;the Huntress and the Warrior. They are all found in the game's second act. Female lacuni still use their grenade attacks, while male lacuni dual-wield huge swords.

Act III features 'Snow' Wintersbane Lacuni, which bear no difference from their desert kin apart from color. They are only encountered in Caverns of Frost and Icefall Caves, most famous of them being Chiltara.

There is a legendary item in the game: Lacuni Prowlers, which are among the few bracers that provide increased attack and movement speed. Lacuni heroes also sometimes drop the Urn of Quickening.

Lacuni Cub is a non-combat pet variant.

Development
Concept art for Diablo III shows a lacuni foe called the "Lacuni Ripper." Artwork of an elderly male lacuni shaman and a female, masked priestess also appear in The Art of Diablo III. These lacuni are not present in the final game.

Lacuni were heavily reworked in every game they appeared: from their humanoid panther-like appearance in Diablo II, to the more monkey-like, slim and feral appearance in Diablo III, to bipedal cats without any human facial features in Diablo II Resurrected.