Homebrew Domestic Neko Species Details

Nekos: The desire of the people that can't control a tabaxi, can't own a cat but can't tolerate humanity either. Sad, sad people

— King Tiburus, the hunter

 

 

Nekos are humanoids that look very similar to elves or humans, but they have cats hairy ears, long furry tails and, occasionally, whiskers. Unlike humans they are much more slender and quick with a vast array of hair and eye colors of almost any combination. They are a bit smaller than the usual catfolk or tabaxi, not that strong and mainly look a lot more human like. However, they do have quickness and often a super endearing face to boot. Their heads are actually more rounded, making them appear more youthful and often more desireable than the rest of the catkind races, earning them points in societies that would normally discredit them as thieves.

Slaves and Thieves

Wherever they live, neko prefer to have a polyamorous society, where the concept of marriage is lost to them; although it is not always possible for domestic neko if the society forbids it.

Domestic nekos typically are residents in other societies where they perform jobs either as servants or employees of guilds. Many are sometimes "owned" by a master or guild, where they will work for the rest of their lives. Some perform jobs as maids, others, mercenaries. Sometimes a domesticated neko may buy their freedom. However, an untethered neko is usually severely mistreated, as many believe they "belong" with a master and not by themselves. They often have trouble finding work and resort to thievery or eking a living on the streets. Because of their upbringing, they cannot simply run away to become wild neko, and more frequently than not they get enslaved by them.

Wild neko, on the other hand, live in societies mimicking their ancestors, making it look virtually unchanged. They have settlements built in deserts, but also some forests or jungles far from civilization. Wild nekos are hunters in groups of scouts and move as a swift unit. When confronted with foreigners, they can be very brusque and dismissive. They usually have an initiation ritual that is independant of each tribe, being from something as ordinary as a passage celebration to brutal ones like sending maturing young ones without any gear into the wilderness as solitary hunters to prove their survivability and worth. Their society is ruled by a hierarchy of elders who keep the wisdoms and living styles of their ancestors close to heart. They rarelly escape this tribal societies to get into cities. This escapees are often killed, if not by humanoids that get affected by them, by groups of domestic or untethered nekos, that see them as unworthy of living in a civilization and a complete lost cause.

Neko Names

Domestic nekos get named after birth. Their name might change after they get a master, in which case it can be even given by the master or chosen by themselves. This names are permanent and sometimes include several nicknames. Wild Nekos get their name after they prove their worth to their society, either given by the elders or by themselves. They do not get nicknames unless the elders approve it. Nekos are notorious for incorporating cat puns and cat-type wordplay into their names.

Male: Chrimi, Maosen, Bellmont, Felix

Female: Mewlin, Pawla, Tailam, Floof

 

 

Domestic Neko Traits

Your Neko character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Nekos have lifespans equivalent to humans.

Alignment

Domestic nekos tend towards neutral alignments

Size

Nekos are taller on average than humans and relatively slender. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You have a cat’s keen senses, especially in the dark. 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’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Great Flexibility

Advantage on Acrobatics

Naturally Graceful.

When you are unarmored or wearing only light armor, you receive half the fall damage you would receive because you always land on your feet when falling.

Domesticated Skills

Working for others often requires some specialization. You are proficient in one tool of your choice

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Civilized Lurker

Coming from urban environments and working in them gives you an upper hand in sneaking around there. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when in urban environments.