Catfolk

Basic Information

Anatomy

Catfolk are bidpedal humanoids. Their bodies are covered in a soft, fine coat of fur. They possess a tail, while not prehiensile, twitches and moves and possibllt helps with speed and balance as well being useful in their communication with one another. On each hand, the fingers end with a retractable claw. These claws are not strong enough to be used as weapons, but some Catfolk-be it a quirk or birth or years of hardening and sharpening -can utilize their claws in personal combat.

Biological Traits

Catfolk fur will contain markings and coloration of various jungle cats. The catfolk ears are also very large and cat-like and sit atop their heads. Catfolk also have a tail, that is not prehensile, and averagesa few feet in length.

Genetics and Reproduction

Catfolk numbers are now, and possibly always were, small. Centuries of being the favorite targets of slavers from Zylistan (for their females made great serving wenches and dancing girls,) and the catfolk's own low rate of reproduction have reduced the catfolk population to likely not more than a few thousand. Those few thousand have split up into an estimated dozen nomadic tribes wandering the Horse Wilds.

Growth Rate & Stages

Catfolk reach adult age around 15 years after being born. Their bodies retain their speed, strength, and resiliency til around 40 years of age, where they begin to slow down. Cat Folk are considered to elederly around the age of 50, when their body begins to break down and become wracked with aches and pains. Their life ends after 60 years of life on average, though some Catfolk living a decade longer is not unheard of.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Catfolk are mostly carniverous, hunting prey of all sizes and their biology allows them to consume raw animal flesh. Some Catfolk enjoy the taste of fruits and vegetables and other foods, but they are not required to consume them as part of a regular diet.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The catfolk organize themselves in nomadic tribes that are often led by a chief and assisted by a council of elders or possibly even a tribal shaman.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Catfolk are often the victims of raiding and slaver parties. Raiders will steal their horses that the gentle Catfolk have bred for trade with the other sentient species of the Silver Shores, while the female Catfolk are prized serving wenches and dancing girls, especially among the decadent sultans of the southern kingdom of Zylistan.

Facial characteristics

The Catfolk have human like features such as a brow. Their mouth is shaped similar to a human's but filled with sharp teeth like a cat. Their nose is similar to that of a cat. Large catlike ears sit atop each side of their heads. Their eyes are large cat eyes with a vertical slanted black pupil surrounded by a golden iris, but can also be  a green or blue iris.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The The Horse Wilds are leagues of open savannah and tall grass, where small tribes of catfolk breed, raise, and train the most-highly sought after horses in all the Silver Shores.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Most Catfolk are gifted with keen senses such as sight, or hearing, or smell. They are able to see in dim lighting or dark environments.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

A catfolk gets his name from his tribal chief.


Female Names: Typical examples for female names might be Kahla (ka la), Nayissa (nay eesa), Sharett (shar ett), Tyyanna (tie yana), Murr, Sall (saul), and Fayror (fay roar).
Male Names: Typical male name examples are Thunn (thuh un), Kuhnn (coon ), Brill (brah ill), Malekk (mal ek), Gonnd (gone nd), Nasharr (nash ar), Lordenn (lor den).

Catfolk do not have family or tribal names.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The Catfolk language is complex and looks to be a combination of things such as growls, hissing,  roars, purring, and body language such as a rapidily twitching tail, raised fur and facial expressions. Other species are not capable of speaking Catfolk, and it is suspected that they have no actual language relying on the above for simple communication. Catfolk are capable of speech and are able to learn the languages of the other races of the Silver Shores. Their speech, however, is stilted and comibined with grunts, growls, purrs, etc.

Common Dress Code

Catfolk often dressed in leathers, and some furs. When at home in the Horse Wilds Catfolk tend to not wear gear that covers their feet. When in less natural settings, or hazardous areas, the Catfolk will adopt the practice of wearing shoes or boots.

Common Myths and Legends

Catfolk largely worship Serrenna. Their own legends tell that the goddess of woodland folk had fell in love with and mated with Goldmane , the Beast-King of the hunting cats, and she gave birth to the first litter of the creatures that would become the cat-folk. Over the millennia before recorded time, the primordial felines would evolve in what we know as catfolk today. According to their folk-tales it was Serrenna who found the fist tribe of cat-people wandering through the Horse Wilds, starving to death. She taught them to fight off the slavers that were pursuing them, and how to become a nomadic people, to tame, breed, and raise the prized horses that still ran wild through the savannah and tall grass.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Because of decades of attacks by slavers, and raiders, the catfolk are skittish and not particularly trusting of anyone outside their own race. It is rumored that to buy a horse bred and raised by the catfolk, one must pass dozens of superstitious tests and rituals to earn the cat people’s trust.
The personality of your average catfolk is that of a shy and nervous creature. They only become comfortable around halflings, for their seemingly gentle and affable nature. They are quiet and reserved, but quick to anger.
They are currently are defending themselves against slavers and marauders from the Sultanate of Zylistan.

To create a Catfolk adventurer you can also use the homebrew template found in your D&D Beyond Campaign, or the statblock below.

by Generated by Malekoth using Image Creator from Microsoft Designer via Bing

A catfolk female.

by Generated by Malekoth using Image Creator from Microsoft Designer via Bing

A catfolk male.

Lifespan

Catfolk live to an average of 60 years, reaching adulthood at approximately 15 years of age.

Average Height

Full-Grown Catfolk men and women average a heaight of 5 and 5 1/2 feet tall.

Average Weight

Becuse of their slight builds the weight of Catfolk of both sexes range from 100 to 160 lbs.

Average Physique

Catfolk are lean and muscular, lithe, agile and quick.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The fur and markings of the Catfolk resemble those of various jungle cats. Golden fur like that of a lion, black like that of a panther, orange and yellow fur with black stripes resembling a tiger, or yellow with black dots like a cheetah are common.

Discovered by

Serrenna