Catfolk

From Incador's Book of Beasts

The Silent Hunter sought for a companion in his dark woods, but all fled before him. His wild eyes and black fur turned the woodland creatures away. So, he created his own to walk alongside him in the shadows. He gave them claws and keen eyes. He formed their whiskers from the night wind. They hunted together, and the Prince of Shadows taught them all that he knew.

— Book of Shadows

The catfolk were created by Amel to live in the cold and dark forests on Kos. They are one of the more reclusive species with a reputation of being untrustworthy and dangerous. Those that leave their ancestral homes often wind up in cities and towns or on the wrong side of the law. They appear to be a perfect cross between a cat and a Human and retain many feline traits.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Catfolk appear to be bipedal cats with fur, tails, ears, and whiskers. The males tend to be larger and stronger than the females and frequently sport fluffier tails and ruffs around their neck. Some of those ruffs grow out to resemble manes. Their fur varies from being short to long and giving the appearance of hair when not trimmed. Their hands and feet end in sharp retractable claws which serve as natural weapons. The teeth are just as deadly with sharp fangs and a barbed tongue.
Fur varies heavily from being solid colored to striped to patchy spots. They are found in a range of natural earthy colors. White, black, and brown are the most common with vibrant oranges being rare. Tricolor cats are also unusual and nearly always white, black, and orange.

Life Stages

Kittenhood

From the moment they're born until physically mature, young catfolk are known as kittens. They're born blind and deaf in litters of up to eight kittens. They spend the first two major cycles entirely dependent on their mother for nourishment and survival. Once their eyes open, they begin to explore around the nest and home until they're about six major cycles old. They grow quickly after this and begin to develop more independence and start learning to hunt for themselves.

Adulthood

At three years old, they're fully grown and considered adults. Mentally, they are still kittens and don't finish mentally maturing until they're five years old. However, they are expected to hunt their own prey and take care of themselves. The parents may chase their grown kittens away from home, and it's extremely common to find lone cats or siblings working together as young adults who haven't found partners of their own.

Habitat

Most catfolk prefer the safety in the shadows of the trees, but a growing number call cities and towns home. They need places to hunt and stretch their claws. Despite looking considerably different from most humanoids, they are similar in size and able to adapt well to their environments.

Dietary Needs

Catfolk require meat to survive. They are able to consume fish and vegetables and often benefit from having that in their diets, but most of their nutrition comes from meat.

Behavior

Most catfolk are solitary creatures who only pair up with a single partner. They are able to live in social groups and some have developed clans made up of several mated pairs and their kittens. They are prime nocturnal hunters and prefer being out at night and resting during the day. They also have a preference for being outdoors, and they rarely follow any kind of social norm. Catfolk are free spirited with a real zeal for life.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They originate from the forests in the northern regions of Kos where their prey is plentiful, and the trees help them hide. As their population grew, they began to spread out and some traveled south to Akea where they primarily inhabit the forests along the southern and western edges of the Windsong Mountains.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The catfolk retain many of the same abilities as their less sapient counterpart. They always land on their feet, have incredible night vision, a keen sense of hearing and smell, and they are known for being silent movers. They're prone to overheating, and most of them despite getting dirty or wet.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Beastfolk

Catfolk are widely distrusted among the other beastfolk. They've been known to hunt all the other species except for Centaur. Now, they mostly keep to themselves or lived in more tolerant mixed settlements, but the fear of catfolk runs deep among the other beastfolk races.

Humanoids

Catfolk have the reputation of being thieves among humanoids and are only tolerated, but not welcomed. In return, the catfolk find most human settlements to be loud and stinky and only worth living in out of necessity. They are able to exist alongside each other, but it's a tense relationship.

Draconids

One of the only races that catfolk truly fear are Serpentfolk. The fear is very mutual, but they often find themselves working together because no one else will. Dragonfolk are tolerant of catfolk traders, but they are still wary of anyone unlike themselves.

Goblinoid

Surprisingly, as the outcasts of most other groups, goblinoids and catfolk get along extremely well. They will often come to each other's aid when asked and have been known to share spoils or swap information. It's an unusual and unlikely alliance.

Typical male catfolk

Typical female catfolk

Lifespan

70 years

Average Height

Male: 5'6" - 6'
Female: 5'2" - 5'8"

Geographic Distribution

• Akea
• Evirs
• Kos

Related Ethnicities

• Naei Yon

The Lord of Twilight spent many cycles with the Ebony Tree, and he lamented that he was alone in the world with knowledge of the truth of their souls. He took a piece of himself and created a creature that could walk with him in the night. He made them hunters for none would feed them. He made them solitary for none would welcome them with open arms. He gave them sharp eyes to see without light. But his creation turned away from him and hunted alone where he could not find them. They taught themselves and never once sought his guidance. Sorrowful of what he'd made, the Lord of Twilight left the forest in search of Fate for answers.

— Mysteries of the Void

Deceptive Prince you leave no trace; dark the shadows hide your face
Poor catfolk cursed by your disgrace spurned from any welcome place