Wretched and deformed, Leapers are victims of twisted rituals of bone witches of Salatharash family, serving as entertainment for royalty first - they grew up as a formidable and feared force, becoming family's hounds.
No fear and no goal, they are brought to motion by one and only thing itself - obeying family's will. Nothing more and nothing else ever and ever - first, they are blinded by false desire for redemption, promised by witches, and after - on;y quiet wish to meet their end to stop such unbearable existence,
Leaper has a mind too weak to finish itself off, yet bound my rituals too tight to disobey - so, one is forced to obey in desire to find a blessing of it's masters - to be redeemed and reduced to ashes.
Salatharash twist and bend bodies of these things so badly and carelessly, to make a reverse process simply impossible - this was a penalty first - and proven to be useful after. Some of these beasts are even "rewarded" with carvings on their bones, trinkets and armour - yet they never even understand that, of course.
By a pact between nations and other seven families, such penalty is permitted only inside the the family and among those, who are exiled by other nations officially.