Leopard (Zodiac)
The Leopard is the eleventh sign in the Avarian zodiac. It is the birth sign for the month of Nimrus.
| Month | Nimrus |
| Ruling Element | Fire |
| Ruling Planet | Maysa (morning star) |
| Modality | Resolute |
| Ruling Trait | Composure |
| Keywords | Organized, planning, discreet, hedonistic, cautious, affectionate, lazy |
Description
The meticulous Leopard is possessive and prone to scheming, but also discreet, organized, and very affectionate towards those upon whom it bestows its full trust and friendship. Leopards are fond of the finer things in life -- good food and drink, elegant clothing, and engaging companionship in equal measures. They have a hidden heat that only a few see, but are capable of nurturing a grudge for a long time, banked like embers in a slow burn. Sometimes they can be a little bit too clever for their own good.
Leopards like for everything to be arranged and organized and categorized neatly, from their immediate surroundings to their personal relationships. This can make them good at a host of professions that require attention to detail, from scholarly research to various arts and crafts; they also make excellent administrators and clerks. Leopards do not deal well with sudden crises or surprises, and tend to get flustered if their carefully laid plans and organizational schema are unexpectedly disrupted. They like novelty more than change.
Leopards are hoarders, and hate to part with anything to which they're attached, whether that be a friend, a favorite possession, or an opinion. This can make them both selfish and jealous -- they do not have a talent for sharing. Less detached from the world than the Eye, Leopards enjoy material comforts just as well as they do good society -- but they are very picky about whom they consider to be good society, and will content themselves with being loners if they cannot find companions who suit their idiosyncratic tastes. They will treasure anyone or anything which they deem to be of real value, and with the right company can be among the most devoted of signs.
The Resolute Leopard
Leopards are excellent planners and strategists, with their resolute nature coming out in their efficient joining of the present and future. However Leopards tend to have a lazy streak as well as an overly cautious nature, and can sometimes get caught up in endlessly hatching plans to which they will add ever-increasing layers of complexity, without ever actually taking action to carry them out. Optimally, a leopard will find someone with a more active nature to execute their plans for them. A strategic yet passive Leopard teamed with an active and driven consonant sign can make for an unbeatable combination.
The Leopard in the Heavens
The Leopard constellation consists of eleven stars that form the shape of a leopard outstretched upon the line of the ecliptic. The Leopard's brightest star is orange-gold Altiraz at the tip of the tail. The constellation also contains two dense star clusters that appear as hazy twin "spots" in the Leopard's body. It is best seen in the fall, reaching its zenith in the sixth month of Azara.