Homebrew Catfolk Species Details
They were a people once thought to be fiction by humans, but known to exist by the other mythical races. The Catfolk first to pillage and terrorize, then to settle. Yet there was an energy, a love of adventure, that sang from every page. Long into the night Liriel read, lighting candle after precious candle.
She’d never given much thought to humans, but these stories fascinated her. In these yellowed pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land.
Out of all of the races, Catfolk are some of the more confusing as to where they fell. Humans argued that Catfolk were a part of their race, but there are distinct differences between the two races. When they emerged from the deserts of Jassira, this debate became an argument, causing some uproar between the two groups. This hasn't fully settled with some Catfolk, causing a fair few of them to have a deep hatred against Humans, believing them arrogant assimilators. Despite the differences, there are a lot of similarities between the two. Despite the debate as to who they are, they are considered to be seperate from Humans. Other races, such as elves, dwarves, ect, have gotten along well with them, most of them being traders or travellers in caravans, moving till they find a good home. A fair number of Catfolk travelled far north to the Frost Marches though, and even fewer have went farther. Almost all Catfolk are faithful in their religion, and will try to spread the word of Jassira, the goddess of love and passion, while on their travels.
A Broad Spectrum
With the environment they originated being the way it is, Catfolk have no fur and only have hair in the same locations humans do. Their hair color will typically be shared with their tail and ears unless dyed. They can be very diverse, coming in all sorts of shapes and sizes. An individual can stand from 4'10" to a little over 6 feet tall and can weigh from 100 to 250 pounds. Catfolk skin shades resemble those of humans, and can go from ghastly pale to a caramel color, and their hair color can be more exotic than humans without dyes, such as white, green, gold, and pink, as well as other hair colors, blonde through black. Males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. Catfolk are mainly pure blooded, though since they expanded past their deserts and into the Frost Marches and Broken Rock, they've mixed with other races such as elves, dwarves, orcs, and a handful of other races. Catfolk reach adulthood in their late teens and a handful make it to live a century.
Variety in All Things
Catfolk are highly adaptable to environment changes, able to manage in both the hottest summers and coldest winters. They can have varying tastes, morals, and customs in the different lands where they have they settled, though the majority of them put their faith first, practicing the teachings of Jassira. Some have taken up different faiths, though that amount is few. There are three different ways that most Catfolk live by. Some travel as merchants, stopping through towns and selling their goods to the people before moving to the next, settling down for up to a month in a town. Alternatively, groups of up to two hundred Catfolk will come together in a large caravan, living near enough to a town to get supplies that aren't in nature, but far enough to be in the wild. They live mostly off of the land this way, and are accepting of almost all races as long as they live peacefully with the caravan and do their share of work. The third option is the least common to find, Catfolk who live in towns and stay there for most of their life. Almost all Catfolk are accepting of other races, and are quite kind to them.
EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS
Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds.
Dwarves. “They’re like humans, yes. But they're much better. True to their word, kind and always willing to help. You'll rarely find a bad one.“
Elves. “It’s best not to wander into elven woods, but the Catfolk are fairly respected among the Elves. They understand that we're also living beings, and actually treat us like an equal, you can learn a lot from them.”
Halflings. “It’s hard to beat a meal in a halfling home, as long as you don’t crack your head on the ceiling—good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings had a shred of ambition, they might really amount to something.”
Lasting Institutions
Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, Catfolk people have large temples in their villages and towns dedicated to Jassira, and practice writing accounts of cultural events, with the main goal being to preserve their faith and keep the written scriptures as true as possible. Some have taken this to other faiths and religions, being spoken to on the history of others cultures/religions and recording it on scrolls, stone tablets, and anything else they can write on.
Although some Catfolk can be xenophobic, the majority of them are very accepting and their societies are inclusive. Catfolk lands welcome large numbers of noncatfolk, and as such, they're welcomed by nearly every race they've interacted with in large numbers.
Exemplars of Ambition
Humans who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups.
Catfolk Names and Ethnicities
Having started to mix with other cultures no more than a couple centuries ago, Catfolk can have names that are taken from other races and combined with their own. There's no typical name for a Catfolk.
The material culture and physical characteristics of Catfolk stay mostly the same from region to region, and there's no real specific ethnicities or groups to be of mention. Catfolk are merely Catfolk.
Catfolk Traits
Catfolk can find their natural talent in many different places, though one thing they always have is speed and instinct, being much harder to catch off guard than most.Age
Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
Size
Catfolk vary widely in height and build, though most can be described as a coiled spring, small and lithe, but with fierce striking power. Your size can range from Medium or Small, but if you are Small, +1 to all DEX checks, but not saves.
Speed
You're naturally faster, more athletic, and have better reflex than other races, along with making dodging easier for you, you have 35 feet of walking speed instead of 30.