Homebrew Basteti Catfolk Species Details

We had a catfolk 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.

— Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper

 

Catfolk

Catfolk are a social and active people of natural grace and obsessive curiosity, resembling bipedal, feline humanoids with tails, cat-like ears and fur. They equally at home wandering in far off regions, wallowing in the heart of the largest cities or delving into the lair of forgotten horrors. Most catfolk dwell in the blazing hot deserts and the endless plains of the Southlands, but the love of travel and new experiences often draw catfolk to distant realms. There are whispers of hidden catfolk communities in the Wungo jungles, beyond the Tunturi Range or even far to the Northeast in the Land of Frost and Bears. 

Two People, One Race

Midgard hosts two main branches of catfolk, the mischievous and irrepressible basteti and the dauntless and fierce nkosi. While outwardly appearing to be two different feline races, the basteti and the nkosi share a common origin.

Young catfolk learn this story from the elders. In the early days of the Southland, Bastet the cat queen and Gamka, the lion-headed titan, breathed life into tufts of fur plucked from the goddess’s tail and the titan’s mane. The power of these two children of the primordial Aurgelmir, the giant whose body became Midgard itself, worked to shape the first catfolk. However, the brief affair soon perished to the old enmity between god and titan. Central to their contention was the final form of the catfolk. Bastet desired these new creations to resemble her beloved cats while Gamka pushed for the fierce lions. After a brief but violent quarrel, the two divine beings went their separate ways, each taking some of the new mortals for themselves and shaping them according to their own whims. Some suggest Bastet achieved her revenge by engineering the fall of the titan empire, but others disagree, claiming the Cat Goddess would never be so blatant. 

Curiosity and Community

Catfolk are nimble, curious and adventurous creatures who prefer to seek out life rather than wait for it to come to them. This attitude sometimes makes outsiders believe the catfolk to be driven solely by heedless self-expression. As proof, they point to the basteti flighty fascination with new experiences or the nkosi’s quest for heroic glory. Yet, those who do miss their inner strength. Catfolk are optimistic, quirky, sometimes extravagant extroverts who overindulge their own curiosity or motivations. They are a race of extreems. Some catfolk are playful and seemingly irresponsible while others seem to possess unwavering focus and a hunter’s mentality. Many catfolk float between these two viewpoints as the situation, or their mood, dictates. All but the most introverted catfolk enjoy holding the attention of others, but never to the detriment of their friends or family. 

Friends, relations and community hold a special place in the hearts of most carfolk, a deep racial throwback to their ancestors feline packs. A largely matriarchal people, female catfolk tend to hold positions of leadership and power but competence usually supersedes gender. Catfolk who live in mixed communities and cities such as Nuria largely integrate into the overall society. 

Other Races

Catfolk get along quite well with anyone who respects them and accepts their curiosity. They easily accept humans and delight in halflings when they encounter them. Passionate, art-loving elves and boisterous dwarves find common ground with catfolk while those too bogged down in laws, tradition and “rules” often find them aggravating. Strangely, kobolds and catfolk appear to naturally intrigue each other, though catfolk do not always get along with dragonkin. 

Catfolk Adventurers

Many catfolk take up the adventurer’s trade as it provides an excuse to indulge in their natural curiosity or their glory hunting. Some take up the rogue’s path or find employment as a scout or ranger. Still others pledge themselves as paladins to Bastet or Gamka. The catfolk’s physical abilities and cultural outlook allows them to fill almost any role.

Basteti Names 

The basteti usually adopt names similar to other races in whatever region they dwell. In the Southlands, the greatest population of basteti live in and around Per-Bastet and tend to have Nurian names. Young basteti and basteti adventurers often choose names inspired by heroic tales, thrilling adventures or other esoteric factors.

Male Names: Amub, Nahab, Sati, Uetu

Female Names: Ahura, Khata, Siotio, Zaliki 

 

Catfolk Eccentricity

A catfolk’s personality can be flighty, flitting from obsession to obsession, or as constant as the World Tree itself. You can use some of the ideas in the following table to customize your character in addition to the elements of the background you chose.

d10	ECCENTRICITY
1	You constantly compare everyone’s actions to catfolk heroes of the pas
2	You keep a long list of the places you want to go or the things you want to do
3	You are writing a song about your exploits
4	Your tail always betrays your inner thoughts.
5	You purr loudly when you are happy.
6	Your weapons have names and you speak to them like siblings or lovers
7	You growl and show your teeth when things get tense
8	You tend to play with small objects
9	You are a font of random trivia from the lore and stories you have discovered.
10	You can’t help talking to strangers, the stranger the better

Basteti Catfolk Traits

Your catfolk character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

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

Age

Catfolk mature at the same rate as humans but live about 20 years longer.

Alignment

Catfolk tend toward two extremes. Some are free-spirited and chaotic, letting impulse and fancy guide their decisions. Others favor devotion to duty and personal honor. Typically, catfolk deem concepts such as good and evil as less important than freedom or their oaths.

Bastet's Blessing

The gift of the goddess allows you to communicate in a limited manner with non humanoid feline beasts. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in turn. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them, but cats seldom do what they are told.

Size

Catfolk have a similar stature to humans but are generally leaner and more muscular. 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.

Climber

Your reflexes and claws allow you to scale vertical surfaces with a burst of speed. When you move at least 10 feet first, you can use the rest of your movement to traverse vertical surfaces as long as you end your movement on horizontal ground.

Cat’s 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.

Cat’s Talent

You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills.

Stalker's Reflex

You have advantage on initiative rolls. Once you use this trait you must take a long rest before using it again.

Languages

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