Tabaxi

## On Tabaxi

*"She got all huffy and offended when I offered her milk, but then she drank the whole damn glass! I'll never understand them." - Raccus, human tavern keeper, on his tabaxi guest.*

*"Flighty. Unworthy of consideration as real threats." -Khordal, hobgoblin strategist, on dealing with different people in his work* One Khan's Art: Battling all Peoples*.*

*"We don't mix well." -Erdag of the Crazed Barbarians, gnoll raider, missing the cats and dogs similarity.*

*"They also love lying in the sun. That makes us cousins." -Qoll, tortle vagabond, on his friendship with tabaxi.*

Resembling a cross between humans and various breeds of cats, tabxi or catfolk as they are sometimes called, are a people at home just about anywhere from the savannas of the Great Plains to great urban centers. Catfolk are easily recognized by their sleek fur coats of varying patterns, swaying tails and handsome whiskers. They tend to be high energy individuals who are easily distracted, thanks to short attention spans. They have keen senses and fine reflexes.

## Appearance:

It's easy enough to recognize most "Breeds" of tabaxi when one is run into on the street (though exceptions exist, see "Breeds of Tabaxi" below.) The catfolk walk upright with soft fur, a long tail, large ears atop their heads, retractable claws and eyes that are slit-pupiled and usually green or yellow. Tabaxi are taller than most humans at six to seven feet with slender bodies covered in spotted or striped fur. Tabaxi fur color ranges from light yellow to brownish red though they show at least as much variety as ordinary felines. Most catfolk take great pride in maintaining their appearance and rarely suffer the indignity of being wet or dirty. They use brushes, combs and soap regularly to maintain a pleasant smell and are known to occasionally groom themselves with their barbed tongues. In general, if you can imagine the feature on either a house or jungle cat, there is probably a tabaxi who has it. The exception are lions which no tabaxi breed has any similarity to. Instead, humanoid lions are exclusively leonin and wemics.

All breeds are known to try and dress in brightly colored clothing with a flair for individualistic style. Their clothing should allow both freedom of movement and comfort for the wearer. They are known to become obsessed with different fashions as the mood takes them so any type of clothing can be found on at least one tabaxi. They universally reject shoes, finding them uncomfortable and oppressive and will reject them in all but the most extreme circumstances. All breeds of tabaxi adore bright jewelry and primary colors, tending to decorate themselves with a series of gems, scarfs and other bright things for as long as they hold their interest, which is never long. Piercings are common in the ears for both sexes and all breeds, as is the dyeing of fur to create a new look, though tattoos are almost impossible for tabaxi to use and thus avoided.

## History:

The tabaxi are a carefree folk who emerged from within the jungles of the Sothern Continent seemingly randomly one day and have since wandered about Apia's surface. They have adapted to wherever they find themselves with an enthusiasm unrivaled by any race except perhaps gnomes. They are charismatic and fun to be around, friendly and clever but they don't keep records. While they have oral traditions, religious texts and parables that suggest an origin it was mostly scholars of other races that put them together before recording the accounts.

Tabaxi have their own pantheon, mostly consisting of gods from other pantheons but with catlike features and personalities. It was the two wives of Tetus, the "Great Fire Cat" themselves the "Moon Mothers" who crafted the first tabaxi within the jungles of the southern continent after witnessing the beauty and grace of a jaguar. These first tabaxi were born under the light of the twin moons and their breed would be forever affected by the Moon Mothers. They formed early families and clans, called "hunts," and spread all throughout the Southern Continent in both permanent settlements and roving nomadic bands. They occasionally warred with each other or the marauding gnolls and orcs but were generally a peaceful lot. Many tabaxi crossed the sea and ended on mainline Apia, integrating easily with the other goodly races like men, elves and dwarves. Tragically for the catfolk they also found themselves enslaved by the mind flayer and later beholder empires. These tabaxi were treated like pets or novelties before ending up in cruel experiments or worked to death in the various slave gardens of the aberrant masters.

When Latrell (Whom they call the "Cat who Gouged Out the Eyes,") rose up in rebellion, the tabaxi flocked to his banner. They were spies, assassins and fearsome warriors, depending on the breed. While many laid down their lives in The Rebellion, ultimately they were successful and broke the beholder empires forever. In the immediate aftermath, some tabaxi remained in modern-day Latrellus, Taskanda or Vitteodel. Others headed into modern day Imperial lands or Umgar. Wherever mortals can be found, tabaxi are usually among their number. While the tabaxi of the Southern Continent established their own kingdom those on Apia founded cities or integrate into others. Many remained nomadic. The largest issue that concerned all of tabaxi kind was the arrival of the third moon, "The Stranger." With their breeds so closely tied to the moons, the arrival of this third one changed the nature of those tabaxi born under it. This new breed became known as tabaxi lords, massive, all-male panther or jaguar men. Unlike the mostly good tabaxi, the lords were evil, dominate forces that would easily rise to leadership of some hunts. This change of leadership led some hunts to banditry, raiding or petty kingdoms of their own. While not enough to change the opinion of settled tabaxi, it certainly cast the shadow of doubt across the wandering hunts who made their living hunting and tracking. Still, the tabaxi remain a common, cheery sight, wherever an adventurer tends to be.

## Geography:

The catfolk are nomadic and found in small numbers in most places. Large groups are located within their own kingdom on the Southern Continent, Taskanda, Latrellus, Vitteodel and The Dragon Empire. Some of the more ferocious breeds are found living among the barbarians of Umgar where they are considered "honorary Umgarans" and behave appropriately.

## Personality:

Tabaxi are, as a general rule, good-natured, excitable folk. They are full of both boundless energy where they leap around excitedly and periods of laziness where they'll take long naps and rest in the sun. The catfolk are by nature a personable race who try and make friends with everyone around them; far more sociably than many of the cats they so resemble. This leads to them befriending many races that most would avoid, like tieflings or hollow men, seeing them as just one more potentially exotic or interesting person to know. Because of their genuine curiosity about the people they speak with, tabaxi make those desired friends easily because it is not every day a cabbage farmer is asked about his work with real enthusiasm. They are fearless in the face of danger, trusting their claws and reflexes to see them through. Besides, should the worst befall them and they perish, the "Great Cats" will place them in a new body and send them back around for another adventure.

While drawn to sweets, music and exotic treasures, tabaxi are driven by curiosity and obsession. A tabaxi wants to know everything about everything, he just can't help himself. It doesn't matter what it is, a lost sourdough recipe or forgotten god are equally fascinating to catfolk. It isn't for monetary gain that the tabaxi seeks the knowledge, the knowledge itself is the reward. Similarly, tabaxi become obsessed with things for short periods of time, devoting all their energy in the pursuit of the particular item, idea, or person that has caught their eye. Ultimately these obsessions are fleeting and soon the tabaxi moves on to some new obsession with same vigor as before.

## Society:

Tabaxi hunts tend to function as tribal societies. The hunt is made up of several extended families led by a chieftain who receives advice from elders and shamans. They hunt game, explore their surroundings and spend copious amounts of time resting. The catfolk do value the natural world and try not to take more than they need from the game animals and trees around them. Nature must remain so it can be explored for future generations, and prized by the current one.

They don't value coin as a general rule (beyond its shining gleam) and among their own people exclusively barter for either items or stories. Because knowledge is highly prized by tabaxi, it's common for a new story to be given in trade for goods or services to the excitement of the recipient. While among non-tabaxi they will use coin if required but prefer bartering with goods or services. Because of their own lack of interest in money, tabaxi spend what they have quickly to acquire whatever might make them happy in the moment. "No need to keep your purse full when your stomach's empty," is a common catfolk expression. Those tribes led by tabaxi lords are aggressive predators, hunters who pillage the surrounding villages and country without thought for the lives of others or the natural world. They differ little from evil orcs or gnolls and are treated accordingly.

Urban tabaxi dwell among their own kind if they can, but generally adapt into the society they call home. An urban tabaxi living in Taskanda is likely to be a patriot of that nation, modeling his life by the values of that nation, while another living among the tribes of Umgar would be functionally identical to the umgarans.

Tabaxi bonds are usually temporary. Every few mating seasons, a male and female will come together to have a litter of 2-5 kits. During the mating period the pair will be exclusive with each other and move in together. They'll combine their resources and work together on combined projects. When the kits are old enough to live on their own, the pair amicably separates. Sometimes the mated pair will return to each other for another season but there is no expectation to. Among hunts, parents separate earlier because the kits are raised communally by the wise women and mothers. Urban tabaxi who adopt the culture of the local population and, due to more limited numbers, parents stay together much longer. They usually live in one home until the kits are in their teens. Some go so far as to get marriages ordained by non-tabaxi priests but again, there is no need to do so.

## Religion:

Tabaxi worship their own pantheon of gods whom they call "The Great Cats." These gods are clearly the same being worshiped by many humans but in the form of cats, with their personalities altered to match. Some notable figures include, The Great Fire Cat (Teteus), The Moon Mothers (Vutune & Ahphion) The Corn Cat (Kytin) and The Bone Cat (Baron Zambodi). Unlike cats, tabaxi don't have nine lives, nor do they believe that they do, but all accept the concept of reincarnation. When a tabaxi dies it's believed that The Bone Cat will take her soul and place it within a new body, leading to all manner of new adventures. Whether this is true or not, none can say.

## Alignment:

Most tabaxi are chaotic. They are too energetic and too freeform to be lawful. Unless a tabaxi lord is present most are good or neutral. They are more concerned with knowledge than power, and with having fun with their friends instead of conquest. While evil tabaxi can be ferocious and dangerous, they are the exception rather than the rule. In general, tabaxi are welcome within the cities of men, dwarves and minotaurs.

## Relations:

Tabaxi tend to get along well with other beings, as they are generally friendly and curious. They want to learn things and they want to learn about you. Typically, tabaxi are good friends with wood elves, wemics, and centaurs, whose territories and personalities align with their own. Wandering halflings find a lot in common with the catfolk, who enjoy a good yarn and exploration. Many of the fey races, and fey aligned races, share the catfolk love for nature, curiosity and obsessions and so make firm friends. Despite appearances, tabaxi and ratfolk are good friends as well, sharing similar family structures and curious quirks.

Gnolls and tabaxi often don't mix because on the Sothern Continent from which both have their largest empires, border skirmishes, raids and even full-scale wars are common. They tend to avoid each other on Apia for those reasons. Marauding raiders like orcs, goblins or ogres similarly draw the ire of the tabaxi. Leonin tend to look down on tabaxi whom they see as flighty, lacking nobility and discipline. The lionfolk particularly struggle with how often ignorant folk call them tabaxi. For their part, the catfolk like the leonins well enough and would love for them to be friendlier.

## Language:

Tabaxi speak their own language, tabaxi. A combination of words, sounds and purring accompanied by whisker and tail twitches. They also speak common.

## Names:

Tabaxi names are tribal in nature, names like 'Kite in the Wind', 'Ethereal Candle', and 'Thunder in the Morning' for example. These names are unisex and based on many elements including astrology and the history of the individual's clan. These names often lead to shortened nicknames so that their friends, and other tabaxi, don't have to say the full name every time.

Hunt names are based on the ancestral lands that that particular hunt calls home.

**Example tabaxi names:** Ink on Skin (Ink), Mirror's Reflection (Mirror), Forgotten Link (Link), Drop in a Pond (Drop), Song of Paradise (Song) Misty Dust (Dust), Fragile Honey (Fragile), Serene Tree (Tree), Dynamic Bubble (Dynamic), Defiant Snowflake (Snowflake),

**Example Hunt names:** The Thundering Morass Clan, The Scented Cliff Clan, The Mountain Mists Clan, The Adamant Deserts Clan, The Soothing Bayou Clan, The Little Fjords Clan, The Reflected Marsh Clan, The Sleepy Dune Clan, The Tired Swamp Clan, The Bright Lagoon Clan

## Adventurers:

Tabaxi are natural adventurers. They love exploring, seeking all sorts of secrets, lore and adventure. They want to know what is over the hill, or they have an obsession that drives them out to find it. Because of their different emotional quarks, the tabaxi are often seen adventuring as rogues, rangers or even fighters. They can fulfill any role within an adventuring party and are often found within them.

## Breeds of Tabaxi:

As noted above, the status of the three moons when a tabaxi is conceived will affect what breed is born. The breed of parents has no impact on this process and any breed can be born of any pair. All can (theoretically) interbreed. The names used below are typically used by the tabaxi among themselves as most non-catfolk would simply refer to all breeds as tabaxi, if they recognize them as a sentient race at all.

**Ammanasu:** Also simply called "Tabaxi," the ammanasu are the most recognizable breed of tabaxi. They stand at medium height and weight, walking upright with fur patterns ranging from the typical housecat to leopards or jaguars. Occasionally, some ammanasu may resemble panthers or other predatory cats. The information in the "Appearance" section is most appropriate for the ammanasu.

**Tabaxi Lords:** Called "Dark Hearts" or "Fyrmanasu," the lords are a unique breed. Born only when the Stranger is particularly prominent in the sky, they are exclusively male and resemble oversized ammanasu of jaguar or panther appearance. They are large size and quite heavy, with particularly sharp claws and fangs. Their yellow eyes blaze out with animal cunning tempered by rage and hatred. While other tabaxi can be large size, none are mistaken for a fyrmanasu. They are warlords, fighters, barbarians and brutal conquers.

**Panammanasu:** Called, "Soft Paws," or "Panammanasu," these tabaxi resemble common house cats. They are tiny in size, walk on four legs and come in all manner of patterns reminiscent of the cats that one would see on any barn or street. Despite what appearance suggests, the panammanasu are completely sentient and capable of speech and magic. They are known to be quite proud and haughty and disdain being treated as house cats. Most of all, they loath being petted. They often serve as mages, advisors and make excellent spies. More than one criminal leader has been brought down thanks to a report from a panammanasu spy and more than one thieves guild has been run by one.

**Ohamanasu:** Called, "Less Furs" or "Ohamanasu," these medium sized tabaxi resemble humans or half-elves with few exceptions. They have soft golden fur across their bodies, long tails, cat ears, fangs, slit eyes and possibly a cat nose but the remaining features are humanoid. They can sometimes be mistakenly called "half-tabaxi" due to their appearance but that is a misnomer. Similarly to ammanasu, they fulfill all manner of roles with tabaxi society, though some are used as spies or ambassadors because of their different appearance. They tend towards rogues or rangers and are more commonly found within urban settings than other tabaxi.

**Schamanasu:** Called "Battle Cats" or "Schamanasu," these large sized tabaxi resemble oversized tigers or panthers. They are quadurpeds, moving on four paws like the tigers they resemble. While schamanasu are generally less intelligent than other tabaxi, they are sentient and capable of speech. While schamanasu are willingly to carry other tabaxi into battle as mounts or pull heavy loads of goods this is done as a sentient person helping a friend or family member, not a beast of burden. Schamanasu are fully sentient and expect to be treated as such. And unlike the prickly panammanasu, an enraged or offended schamanasu is more than capable of settling his affairs.

**Rhamphanasu:** Called "Warrior Born" or "Rhamphanasu," these tabaxi are ogre sized and bipedal. They exclusively resemble tigers, either orange or white, and serve as warriors among the tabaxi thanks to their natural strength, speed and endurance. Rhamphanasu are nearly always fighters, barbarians, monks or paladins where their brawn can be put to use. Despite their intimidating size they still maintain all the other traits of the smaller tabaxi breeds and when outside of a bloody battle rage, they can be found obsessing over some small detail or piece of lore.

**Dahamanasu:** Called "Snow Cats" or "Dahamanasu," these tabaxi are medium sized like the ammanasu. They resemble humanoid lynxs, with large ears atop their heads, thick fur coats and small eyes. While dahamanasu are born based on the moons just as all tabaxi are, the dahamanasu tend to be found in colder, more northerly environments, where their thick coats come in handy. Dahamanasu are natural wanderers and like the rest of their breeds, always want to see what's across the mountain.

## Traits:

Tabaxi traits are recorded below representing the more typical breeds but playing a less typical breed is allowed, but the player would need to work with the DM to find something appropriate for the breed.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Constitution, –2 Wisdom: Tabaxi are sociable and agile, but often lack common sense and some physical prowess.

Small, Medium or Large Humanoid: The tabaxi player choses the breed size at the beginning of the campaign and cannot alter this choice later.

Normal Speed: Catfolk have a base speed of 30 feet. (or 25 for small)

Climb Speed: 10 Feet

Low-Light Vision: In dim light, catfolk can see twice as far as humans.

Cat's Luck (Ex): Once per day when a catfolk makes a Reflex saving throw, he can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.

Natural Hunter: Catfolk receive a +2 racial bonus on Spot, Search, Stealth, and Survival checks.

Sprinter: Catfolk gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions.

Languages: Tabaxi begin play speaking Common and Tabaxi.

Bonus languages: Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan.

Lands on Their Feet: A tabaxi takes 1/4 fall damage and will never end up prone from falling.