Feliseans

First Awakened in a remote land far from any other Folk, the Catfolk, or Feliseans, as they call themselves, are among the most enigmatic of the peoples of Carytion. During their early years in the world, they developed not one, but three distinct cultures to suit the variety of landscapes over which they spread.

Physical Appearance

As the term "catfolk" implies, Feliseans are easily identifiable by their feline features. They are bipedal; their legs ending in feet that are shorter and broader than human feet, but not quite "paws" either. Their forelimbs have hands with opposable thumbs; fingers are shorter and stubbier than human, and feature retractable curved claws instead of fingernails.

Felisean teeth belie their carnivorous nature; canine teeth are razor sharp and pronounced. The pupils of their eyes are not round, but rather range from vertical slits to ovoid shapes depending on light levels.

In their native lands, Feliseans tend to wear very little clothing; their fur provides all the protection from the elements that they need. Those catfolk that have a great deal of interaction with other Folk, however, will dress up, favoring elaborate, flamboyant outfits. Their physiology dictates that clothing - especially legwear and footwear - must be custom made for them.

Felisean

Alternate Name
Catfolk
First Awakened
15,886BCR (18,059 years ago)
Awakening Home
Subcultures
Savanna (Plains)
Forest
Cragwalker (Mountains)
Mariner
Urban
Tundra

Catfolk have long, fur-covered tails, which they do not like to have concealed or encumbered by clothing. With Felisean young, an knowledgeable observer can discern attitudes and emotions by observing the twitching movements of the tail. Catfolk parents can sense what their children are thinking by observing their tails - a valuable ability for the parent of any child that is inherently curious and generally oblivious to danger. Most Feliseans learn to control their tail twitching before reaching adulthood, though extreme emotions often result in uncontrollable twitches that could belie their feelings.

It is said that some Catfolk have developed a complex sign language with which they use their tails to silently communicate with one another. Feliseans whose professions put them in contact with other Folk are said to use this "Tailspeak" to send signals to one another.

Credits

Banner map of Cartyrion by RPGDinosaurBob using Inkarnate
All sidepanel images of player races by RPGDinosaurBob using HeroForge

Comments

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Aug 12, 2023 17:08 by Marjorie Ariel

Okay, I love that you created a species of catfolk that communicate with their tails. Do you think I could hire one to help me communicate with my cat? Her tail is *always* moving. I can't imagine a more perfect way for this species to communicate.

Aug 22, 2023 12:52 by Bob O'Brien

I have 2 cats, one with a tail that never stops. She's the inspiration for the whole article. We're trying to learn how to read something into it, but... cat!   Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. It's always greatly appreciated.

Check out my latest efforts:
Laurels & Loot is a new, lightweight TTRPG rules system that hearkens back to the early days.
Oct 6, 2023 19:19 by Marjorie Ariel

My cat also never stops moving her tail, and most of the information I can find on tail language only offers information about about 3 scenarios. :/ Let me know if you make any progress!

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