Tabaxi

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Tabaxi are a slender humanoid feline race. They are typically standing taller than most humans between six and seven feet. Like most felines, they have long tails and retractable claws. They sport many features typical of cats, lions and the sort, and their fur shows many different patterns.

Biological Traits

Tabaxi have a feline agility that allows them to move with a burst of speed. Because of their claws, they have a natural advantage when climbing. In addition, they can use their claws as weapons, delivering vicious unarmed strikes.

Genetics and Reproduction

Tabaxi enter adulthood sooner that humans, being usually fully grown as soon as 12 years old. They have no mating season, they simply have a cycle of estrus that in total lasts around 70 days, during the fertile part of the cycle female tabaxi release hormones in their urine that indicate the ability to reproduce. This cycle of estrus usually lasts around 25 days. If insemination is achieved the gestation period is of around 200 days. Tabaxi give birth either one or two cubs at a time, the cubs will only drink mothers milk for around a year, but will only begin to display cognitive and racional abilities at the age of 3, age in which they usually begin to venture out and learn a trait.

Growth Rate & Stages

Tabaxi remain cubs until the age of 3. For the first year they only are able to consume maternal milk. At age 3 they are developed enough that they become curious and is usually at this age that they begin to learn the trait that will become their job for life usually if they do not leave the city. At age 12 Tabaxi usually are fully grown and remain in adulthood until the age of 60 or so. At that points the body begins to show signs of fragility and they are considered elderly.

Ecology and Habitats

The Tabaxi originate from the southern tropical regions of Merkia that are now occupied by the Yuan-Ti. They are accustomed to heat and humidity of this region so find other lands particularly cold, even if they are rather temperate.
Tabaxi nowadays live in one of two situations: they either live travelling among islands selling their services as mercenaries (or, if they can't find jobs, relying on crime) or they live a tribal life in isolated places.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Tabaxi are a carnivorous race, they mostly get their food from herds of sheep and goat they tamed, however hunting is still a major part in Tabaxi culture and hunters are highly regarded for their successes. Despite this Tabaxi grow herbs and plants not only for medicinal purposes but also to brew beverages and season their meats.

Biological Cycle

Due to the prefered climate Tabaxi do not grow winter coats or shed during summer. The seasons do not affect their biological cycle.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Tabaxi Society is built around a clan. Each clan is made up of an equal number of males and females and is lead by its elders. They would live in temporary settlements of ramadas, a simple structure constructed out of wooden poles and a grass roof. Each clan was protected by a group known as a hunt, made up of two to eight individuals, that would patrol the area around the clan. Tabaxi clans tended to avoid each other and did not engage in trade, though occasionally would use third-party agents to do so.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Those Tabaxi that did not flee their homelands are now enslaved by The Yuan-ti.

Average Intelligence

Tabaxi are highly intelligente creatures however they suffer from fleeting thoughts, that meaning that they have a hard time developing and researching new technologies, which in turn means their culture is primitive, having not even discovered the wheel.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Tabaxi have exceptionally good senses, with the ability to see in the dark and superb hearing.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Tabaxi names are not gendered, intead each tabaxi has a single name, determined by clan and based on a complex formula that involves astrology, prophecy, clan history, and other esoteric factors. Tabaxi names can apply to both males and females, and most use nicknames derived from or inspired by their full names. Clan names are usually based on a geographical feature located in or near the clan's territory.

Average Technological Level

Tribal.

Common Dress Code

Tabaxi like to use light clothing that enhances their speed and movement. Practical clothing like kimonos are specially well received. Normally Tabaxi see jewels as useless, but they do like earrings.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

In Tabaxi culture knowledge and new experiences are valued above all else. Although material wealth holds little attraction for the tabaxi, they have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient relics, magical items, and other rare objects. This has led to the arrival of a traveling tabaxi to be considered bad luck by many as wherever a tabaxi goes It is incredibly likely that things will go missing. Tabaxi culture is mostly verbal, therefore they don't have much written story or contribution. However, Tabaxis excel in music, and a Tabaxi bard in town usually get people excited.

Common Taboos

Not all Tabaxi are driven by curiosity, most of them stay in their Capital, but when a Tabaxi comes back after a long journey and does not bring anything new to his tribe, he is severely judged, sometimes even punished. In fact, to pass knowledge over is regarded as a crime.

History

It is unknown whether Tabaxis evolved from felines or from humans. They are not one of the oldest races, but have survived from a long time. During a long time in history, Tabaxis were famous for being cannibals. They would capture people from civilized places and let them let them loose in the jungle, until the person was caught, killed and item. But most of the Tabaxi tribes have abandoned the practice, at least as it concerns humans, as they fear the retaliation of the most populous races. Other tribal races like Kobold can still be prey in the Hunt. Tabaxi are travellers in nature, and eventually some of them came into human societies. These quickly found jobs as mercenaries.

Common Myths and Legends

Tabaxi believe in their own god, the Cat Lord. Being it the deity of cats, it acts as expected and so only momentarily cares about its people and sometimes disappears for prolonged periods of time, according to Tabaxi. Other than that, they preserve many myths and legends about other races, such as the myth of the downfall of the Kenku, but not much is known about their own legends.

Lifespan

85 years

Average Height

5 ft - 6 ft

Average Weight

92 to 250 pounds