Felinids

## Description:

Felinids are a sentient humanoid species evolved from felines, native to the Continent of Pilbo and Cerinth; most subraces prefer warm climates, although a large number are best adapted to temperate climates and can be found in savannahs or jungles to forests and mountains. Felinids are generally taller than normal humans, standing around six (6) feet tall, and weigh around one hundred and fort (140) pounds on average; they have thinner, lithe builds that tend to focus more on speed and agility rather than brute strength. A truly muscular Felinid is a rarity among their population, and one is not to be taken lightly.

Felinid eyes have vertical pupils and the light-reflective backing that grants all felines night vision; Felinid eyes range in color from browns to greens to oranges, blues, and even more unnatural colors like purple or black. Felinid hair varies drastically in color, and can depend on the individual's subrace; furthermore, almost all Felinids have some kind of patterning to their fur, which is commonly used as a familial mark of heritage to other Felinids. The color can range from blacks and grays to browns, oranges, and reds. Felinid skin color under the fur is generally pale, although those Felinids from warmer regions are known to have darker skin but lighter fur.

Some races, like some humans and Elves, find Felinids to be quite pretty; others, like some Elf subraces (Drow, Sun Elves, Moon Elves), Orcs and Goblins, and Dwarves find Felinids repulsive. Felinids take great pride in their appearances and the health of their bodies, and so are often the most well-kept individuals when compared even to the likes of Elves.

Felinids are often considered among the smarter races, although their low population numbers around the world prevent them from rising to any place of prominence. They are naturally craftier, trickier, and more clever than normal humans, and often look for a roundabout answer to problems they face; they are quick-thinkers that tend to improvise and innovate to overcome obstacles, and most have very pronounced and independent personalities. As a result, Felinids are often treated as one of the rarer races in K2; despite the race's young age, their mystery and semi-independent tribal structures provide an air of mysticism about them. Similarly, Felinids rarely allow their innovative nature to surpass their best intentions; rarely do you find a Felinid consumed by a desire to learn or create or seek out forbidden knowledge, although such cases exist. Felinid creativity makes them naturally gifted with both technology and Magic; some Felinids are exceptional shamans and Druids with potent Magic at their disposal, while others rely almost solely on technology. Even the most Magic-oriented tribe of Felinids will have clothing and equipment of the highest quality they can find or produce.

Felinids reproduce sexually and give live birth to a litter of kittens at a time, which can include between one (1) or two (2) to over a dozen (12) children. Despite the number of children born at once, one (1) to two (2) kittens do not survive into adolescence in most regions of the Felinid world, and the relatively low lifespan of Felinids prevents their population from growing too large; furthermore, Felinid growth rates will decline if there is an insufficient excess of food available to the tribe. Felinids tend to live up to around sixty (60) years, although Magic and technology can be used to extend this indefinitely. Felinid children are treated with indifference in most Felinid tribes; Felinid kittens are expected to learn how to behave through observation and experience rather than formal education, and so many die or are injured at young ages. Felinid hunting culture is expansive and critical to their racial identity no matter where the Felinid is from, and this ideal is instilled in children from a very young age; Felinid children that cannot hunt on their own are considered failures doomed to die, and some tribes will abandon or sacrifice them outright to prevent them from becoming dependent on the tribe.

### Personality:

Felinids are known for their individualism and variety in personalities; Felinid individuals have as wide if not wider personality traits then humans, as their innate independence and self-reliance prevents societal pressures from influencing their personality' development. The goals of an individual Felinid can be as varied as a humans' intentions, and their cultural values of independence ensure that few Felinids have the same goals, even if they do the same action or work together. Most Felinids seek to find peace, or express themselves in a manner that suits their talents, while some experience powerful wanderlust and so must take to the road in search of adventure.

While all Felinids are different from one another, most have healthy egos and a sense of self-importance, reinforced by their cultural values and catlike personalities. Some Felinids are egotistical or downright narcissistic, although this is an exaggerated stereotype more often than not. Their catlike nature also makes some Felinids either very temperamental or unusually hard to anger; some Felinids are picky, stubborn, and quick to yell or pick a fight, while others are quiet and wish only to keep to themselves, often out of a passive disdain for other races.

Most Felinid tribes take or trade in slaves. Most that do treat their slaves as worthless, and while they rarely kill slaves outright, clawing, whipping, maiming, humiliating, etc. are all still possibilities; Felinid tribes can be as varied as the individuals, with some being exceptionally cruel and others disregarding slavery entirely. Felinids treat each other with wary acknowledgement, as they recognize the uniqueness of one another's personalities and approach with caution to determine if they are friend or foe; many Felinid tribes have very complex and specific posture- and body language-based greeting systems and codes to communicate nonverbally and express intention or attitudes from a distance or at a glance. Most Felinids distrust outsiders, although the Felinid penchant for individuality prevents easy generalizations; in generally, however, Felinids do not trust those outside their tribes, let alone outside their kind.

Most Felinids have an eye for the finer things in life, and most will indulge in their personal vices or spend lavishly on luxuries if able to do so. Felinids are known to run criminal enterprises for this reason, often preying on other Felinids and silly non-Felinids whilst getting high on their own supply; the association with criminality gives Felinids a negative reputation in most urban areas. Felinids care little for collective art but obsess over their personal appearances; each Felinid strives to balance their own unique touches with the styles of their culture, tribe, and society, and such will fine-tune their grooming and clothing over a period of years, if not their entire lives. Felinid art is found primarily in jewelry and clothing, with blankets, pottery, and other small pieces of art following suit; Felinids rarely show interest in a piece of art that they cannot pick up and carry with them on their travels. Felinids are not, however, exceptionally hedonistic, although many fall victim to addiction of some kind over their years of travel.

Felinids are not paranoid, per se, but are untrusting of others and take a long time to treat others as their allies. Felinids trust other Felinids a bit quicker, but only if the other Felinid is of a similar subrace or from a similar tribe/family.

### Abilities:

Felinids are not unusually strong when compared to humans, although their natural muscularity and hunting culture provide more opportunities for athleticism than human societies; Felinids may lack in strength when compared to other race, but they compensate with speed and stealth. Felinids are naturally quiet, sneaky, and very fast, their digitigrade legs allowing them to move far faster than a normal human and keep up with some horses with relative ease. Felinids also have excellent eyesight; their catlike eyes allow them to see very well in the dark, and this also provides them with a predator's depth perception and excellent hand-eye coordination perfect for ranged fighting or great leaping attacks. Felinids' smell is superior to humans as well, although their sense of taste and touch is roughly equivalent.

Felinids have no natural inclination towards or against Magic despite their Magical evolution. Most Felinids believe in or use Magic to some degree, and Felinids have a slightly higher percentage of Innate (Sorcerers) Magic than other races. Felinids have no weakness to Magic, but are still just as susceptible to it as humans.

Felinids lack endurance. Like their animalistic counterparts, Felinids evolved to be ambush predators, not pursuit predators, and as such they must dedicate all of their effort to a single devastating attack or series of rapid blows in order to win, as they lack the physical stamina to keep up the fight for extended periods of time; this is why most Felinid tribes developed ranged weapons, firearms, or Magic far earlier than other races in comparison, and why most Felinids avoid frontal confrontation in favor of hit-and-run tactics or stealth.