Homebrew Jaguar Tabaxi Species Details

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was lazy, but when Linene came around looking for a missing broach, she was out the door before I could blink an eye. A Jaguar came by a year later, he brutalised everyone here, ate their hearts in front of me and took my children as sacrifices. I was left to warn the rest of the humans to stay away. 

— Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper

From A Murderous Civilisation to Wandering Kittens

Most tabaxi remain in their distant homeland, content to dwell in small, tight clans. These tabaxi hunt for food, craft goods, and largely keep to themselves.

Tabaxi arent usually into being lawful and don't often rely on community, they are usually wandering outcasts. Tabaxi are said to be descendants of a legendary race of Jaguars who were said to dwell deep in the jungles of Chult at this point, most people think its just another story to scare children, but its not.

Deep in the jungle of Chult is a hidden civilisation, they have remained hidden for such a long period of time due to their ideals and beliefs. They lead a primitive and savage hunter-gatherer lifestyle. These large beasts roam the dense humid jungles of chult looking for adventurers or prey, no adventurer has ever been confronted by the Jaguars and lived to tell others of their existence. Some adventurers claim to have seen the beasts fishing but managed to sneak away before they were seen. They are apex predators and very effective hunters. The small settlement has a Chieftan who is in charge of the people and a priest who communicates with the gods through rituals usually involving psychoactive substances found in the dangerous jungle. Both the priest and chieftain command a great amount of respect and power and work effectively with each other. During times of need when the jungles have been over hunted and they are unable to find food, they take great pride in sacrificing the greatest hunter and his children. The Jaguars think the famine is caused by Tezcatlipoca (pronounced Tez-Cah-Tlee-Poh-Ka) the god of the night, he is the commander of death and cold, the Jaguars believe his agents spread through the jungle and decay all they touch. They perform sacrifices to please Xipe Totec the god of fertility and sacrifice, it is the Jaguars belief that by pleasing Xipe Totec he will call upon Tontiuh the god of the sun to rid the jungle of Tezcatlipoca's agents of cold, death and decay. The Jaguars believe the Itzamná, a subspecies of Aarakocra, are Tezcatlipocas agents of death as they come into the jungle lands and take all of the food away. The Jaguars live in stone pyramids built over 800 years ago by their ancestors, the bricks are stained with blood due to the frequent sacrifices of adventurers and beasts in honour of their gods. Their pyramids are littered with skulls and candles made from raw jungle ingredients. 

The Jaguars also perform a lot of sacrifices out of fear. The only thing they truly fear is Tlaltechutli (Pronounced Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) the monstrous earth goddess who threatens to devour the sun should they not comply.

Warriors Pride

A good portion of the Jaguars population are trained as warriors, especially the hunters, a small portion are trained to look after the young and support the chieftain and the priest. Jaguars often fight with clubs fashioned out of large branches, whittled down by their sharp claws, the branches are often inlaid with serrated rocks for maximum damage. They pride themselves on their strength and skill in combat. Jaguars often wear necklaces with bits of bone or teeth dangling from them signifying their success in past fights. These Jaguars have little interest in expanding their knowledge as they see it as a futile pursuit as all that matters to them is the pleasure of the gods. They enjoy artefacts which enhance their wisdom and ability to communicate with their deities but often see artefacts which bolster their strength as an insult to the gods. Nothing brings the warriors more joy that eating the heart of their foes and taking the survivors back to their settlement as a tribute to the gods. 

The Jaguars will hunt in packs and take down their foes with brutal efficiency. They will often perform distractions whilst another group flanks their foe to deal a killing blow, before they figure out what that rustle in the leaves was, they're already on their knees watching their jungle guide have his jugular rippled out and his heart eaten. Jaguars think tabaxi are an insult to their gods as they have been coddled by the humans and turned into the most pathetic version of themselves. 

Jaguar Names

One of the only remaining cultural traits that Tabaxi still share with the Jaguar is their naming process. Their names usually relate to a geographical feature located in or near the territory they control, or something they see at the time of naming the child. 

Sample Jaguar names with nicknames in parenthesis;

Bloody Stone (Stone), Jungle Vine (vine), Cloud over the Jungle (Cloud), Bird of Paradise (Bird)

Jaguar personality

Jaguars are typically strong-willed, confident, focused, but very naive, they try to mask their child-like curiosity but sometimes it gets the best of them.

Jaguar Gods

 The Jaguars follow and worship a number of gods;

Huitzilopochtli - (Pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-posht-lee) is the patron god of the Jaguars, he is seen carved into almost all of their buildings and trees surrounding their encampment. They pray for his continued protection every day. 

Tlaloc - The god of rain and storms, he is associated with rain, agriculture and the hunt, they often perform sacrifices pre-hunt to receive his blessing and good fortune on their dangerous voyages into the deadly jungle.

Tonatiuh - (Pronounced Toh-na-tee-uh) is the god of the sun, he nourishes the land and provides warmth, fertility and protection, he is at a constant war with Tezcatlipoca.

Tezcatlipoca - (Pronounced Tez-cah-tlee-poh-ka) is the god of the night, his name translates to "Smoking Mirror" and is represented by the Priest as an evil god who controls death, cold and decay, his agents are said to create famine for the Jaguars. He imbeds shards of obsidian into his body and face and carries an obsidian mirror with him. They believe the Itzamná are agents of Tezcatlipoca.

Chalchiuhtlicue - (Pronounced Tchal-chee-uh-tlee-ku-eh) is the goddess of running water and all aquatic elements, She can also be seen carved into trees around streams in the jungle.

Quetzalcoatl - (Pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-atl) "the Feathered Serpent" is also known to other cultures such as the Maya, he is the positive counterpart of Tezcatlipoca and is the patron god of knowledge and learning, he is said to have created many of the races on this planet.

Xipe Totec - (Pronounced Shee-peh Toh-tek) is "our lord with the flayed skin" he wears the skin of flayed humans and is said to be connected to Tonatiuh the god of the sun.

Taltecuhtli - (Pronounced Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monsterous earth goddess. The only god the Jaguar fear and have no way of controlling unlike Tezcatlipoca. Her name means "the one who gives and devours life" when they aren't in a time of famine they have to continue sacrificing to appease this god or she will devour the sun. The Jaguars serve this god wholly out of fear and survival. 

Jaguar Tabaxi Traits

Jaguars have the following traits

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.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strenght increases by 2 and your Wisdom increases by 1.

Age

Jaguar have lifespans equivalent to humans but due to their culture and dangerous habitat 40 is considered old age.

Alignment

Jaguar tend to lean towards both chaotic and lawful because they are very impulsive but their goals always tend to be deity related so it is down to the individual Jaguar, some take time and focus and some act on a primal urge to satisfy their gods.

Size

Jaguar are often around 7 foot tall when stood on their hind legs, they are still accustomed to walking on all fours when hunting. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Jaguars Claws

Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Apex Predator

You have proficiency in the Athletics and Survival skills

For Xipe Totec

Once per short rest when you kill a foe who isn't dead or a construct with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to pull out their heart and eat it to honour Xipe Totec, the god of Fertility and Sacrifice. Upon doing so you gain advantage on an intimidation roll versus an enemy who can see you and you gain 2d6 HP. This increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level and 5d6 by 17th level.