Homebrew Catfolk-jaguar Species Details

“I have never imagined such beauty existed,” Goldmoon said softly. The day’s march had been difficult, but the reward at the end was beyond their dreams. The companions stood on a high cliff over the fabled city of Qualinost.

Four slender spires rose from the city’s corners like glistening spindles, their brilliant white stone marbled with shining silver. Graceful arches, swooping from spire to spire, soared through the air. Crafted by ancient dwarven metalsmiths, they were strong enough to hold the weight of an army, yet they appeared so delicate that a bird lighting on them might overthrow the balance. These glistening arches were the city’s only boundaries; there was no wall around Qualinost. The elven city opened its arms lovingly to the wilderness.

— Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight

Catfolk are a mysterious people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Catfolk love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, catfolk appear hauntingly mesmerizing to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly taller than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 7 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 160 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.

Their appearances vary drastically as pattern combinations are almost infinite, and also include skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of grays and light or dark earthen tones, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Catfolk have fur all over their bodies, and it can vary in length, much like domestic short or longhair cats. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.

Catfolk like their high vantage points from which to observe the world around them, including any possible threats. Whether it be simply relaxing in the sun or finding a good mark for a hunt, it is almost always done from a high perch. It is common for villages to have several lookout posts hidden high up in the trees or rocks of the surrounding area, and it is even more common to hear them chittering quietly to other lookouts to communicate subtly the change of their watch. 

A Timeless Perspective

Catfolk can live well over 500 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, catfolk can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.

Like the branches of a young tree, catfolk are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, catfolk reveal a violent martial side, demonstrating skill with claws, teeth, sword, bow, and strategy. When a fight breaks out however, you can be sure to hear their wails and caterwauls miles away.

Hidden Woodland and Cliffside Realms

Most catfolk dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. They hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few catfolk make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining as it is exhaustive to them).

Catfolk encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling, artists, or sages.

Exploration and Adventure

Catfolk rarely take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of peace and solitude without much interference. They like the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but prefer to keep to tradition over decades, so they find careers that are likewise relatively unchanging. Catfolk also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

HAUGHTY BUT GRACIOUS

Although they can be haughty, catfolk are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which are most other races. Still, they can find good in just about anyone.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.”

Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down and learn some refinement.”

 

 

Catfolk-jaguar Traits

Your catfolk character has the following traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity and Acrobatics scores increase by 2.

Age

Although Catfolk reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, their understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. Catfolk typically claim adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Alignment

Catfolk love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often neutral than not. 

Size

Catfolk range from under 5 to over 7 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 20 feet.

Modified Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can discern color in darkness, but only in shades of mostly gray and very muted shades of blue and green. Pinks and reds will be further washed out and relatively confusing to you, so bring a light, little diver!

Feline Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception and Investigation skill.

Feline Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Leonin and Elvish. Leonin is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Catfolk literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn Elvish ballads so they can add it to their repertoires.