The lands of Dumoch were no kingdom. Rather, they were the domain of the Dumose raiders, nomadic tribesmen who frequently raided each other, and the lands around them for food and other supplies. This most recent incursion was only notable for how far they had managed to get, before being driven off.
As for talk of manticores, the people in the tavern were happy to share what they knew. The beasts, which combined the body of a lion with the head of a man, the tail of a scorpion, and the wings of a great bat, were known to vary form the size of a wolf, to the size of the big cats they resembled; with the largest one ever recorded being as large as a horse. Despite their ferocious appearance, and foul tempers, however, they were more than mere beasts, and travelers could often stave off an attack with an offering of food, or wine.