Homebrew Catfolk Species Details

The appearance of Catfolk vary even greater than humans, with their size ranging from just three feet, all the way up to eight. They are almost always covered in a coat of fur, from short to long, thin to thick, though hairless variations are not unheard of. They have the bone structure of a cats, but are bipedal, though small catfolk are comfortable switching back and forth to quadrupedal. They have retractable claws in their hands and feet, and are feline in appearance. Their markings are also innumerable, with the most common being wild cats, such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, and lynxes. Another common variety are typical housecat patterns, such as the simple tabby, ranging from any color to any pattern typical of a standard Tabby house cat. Their sizes generally correspond to their ancestry, with Lions and Tigers generally being quite large, and Tabbies and Lynxes being quite a bit smaller, though the reverse, with large tabbies and small lions and are not uncommon.

Catfolk were created by Xalyn, a goddess of knowledge who takes the form of a cat. She delights in mortals’ pursuit of knowledge, and desired to be the mother of her own race of truth-seekers. When other gods suggested that she simply give a blessing to a scholarly race like the elves, Xalyn replied “But I didn’t make them!”

And so, a clowder of cats chosen by the knowledge goddess was awakened and transformed into bipedal race of creatures with a hunger for travel and enlightenment. Through the tribe’s travels, catfolk learned about the other races, and began to disperse themselves among them in order to learn more. Catfolk became well-known for being quick learners, devoted workers, and loyal companions.
The appearance of Catfolk vary even greater than humans, with their size ranging from just three feet, all the way up to eight. They are almost always covered in a coat of fur, from short to long, thin to thick, though hairless variations are not unheard of. They have the bone structure of a cats, but are bipedal, though small catfolk are comfortable switching back and forth to quadrupedal. They have retractable claws in their hands and feet, and are feline in appearance. Their markings are also innumerable, with the most common being wild cats, such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, and lynxes. Another common variety are typical housecat patterns, such as the simple tabby, ranging from any color to any pattern typical of a standard Tabby house cat. Their sizes generally correspond to their ancestry, with Lions and Tigers generally being quite large, and Tabbies and Lynxes being quite a bit smaller, though the reverse, with large tabbies and small lions and are not uncommon.

Though catfolk love to interact with other races and can be perfectly happy living in smaller groups, many catfolk organize themselves into roaming bands that travel the lands in search of new experiences. This lifestyle makes them good company for merchants and adventurers, especially since the catfolk welcome others into their numbers.

Some catfolk clans find that enlightment will come to them, if the right spot is chosen. These clans make camp where travelers of all kinds are likely to pass by, and end up forming stable settlements. While most of these settlements tend to be no larger than a small village, a few bustling cities are known to have grown from humble catfolk camps.

Catfolk are very accepting of other people. They take every opportunity to try and understand the world around them, even if that sometimes ends up getting them hurt. Because the Feline language lends itself well to music, many tribes teach their young about the race’s history through song and dance. This informative entertainment tends to pique the interest of outsiders, leading to the inspiration of many a catfolk bard.

When spending time in the company of other races, catfolk make themselves useful as minstrels, scholars, and healers. Some catfolk hone their natural grace to become circus performers, and others practice precision in order to make a living as a locksmith. Stronger specimens prefer to work as guards, but some have been known to be very successful farmers. No matter the task, for better or worse, catfolk approach life with confidence, believing that even failure is an opportunity to learn and improve.

Catfolk Traits

Cat Folk are an intelligent race who are very welcoming and have a thirst for exploration and they mix well with other races.