Catfolk

The **Catfolk** are one of the races of Primordiax.

Like all humanoids, catfolk come in various sizes and shapes. A typical male
catfolk in his prime usually weighs approximately 90 crowns and stands
approximately 7.5 to 9 rands tall. Male catfolks tend towards being well
muscled, like the great cats of the world. Female catfolks, however, tend
towards sleekness and slenderness, much like a house cat. They stand
approximately 5 to 7 rands tall, and the average weight runs approximately 55 to
65 crowns. As they get older, catfolk tend towards plumpness as well as thicker
fur, which adds to their rounded appearance. Their fur also turns gray at the
tips, giving most elders a more unified coat.

Catfolk have little to no use for tattooing since most tattoos cannot even
be seen under their fur. A very few will tattoo parts of their face where
the fur is thinnest, but unless the artist employed is extremely talented,
most facial tattoos appear distorted on catfolk.

Catfolks sport some of the most interesting hair on Primordiax, as most have
two-toned, and sometimes three-toned, hues. Often, the colors will be
contrasting and alternating, creating some extremely vivid hairstyles. Most
catfolk wear their hair long and loose in order to display their colorful
markings, but almost all of them carry leather bands in order to quickly secure
their hair. A very few catfolk wear their hair short or cropped, though in
most catfolk communities, short hair is a sign of disgrace.

Almost all catfolks boast of long, graceful tails. Some are striped, others are
fluffy, and still others are tipped with black. Tails are never to be pierced
or mutilated in any way, but the new, popular trend, called "tipping", is to tie
feathers or colored beads to the tip of the tail. Several millennia ago, or so
some historians claim, catfolks had no tails. Right before the Sundering,
however, several sources claim that catfolks were re-gifted with their tail by a
nature deity. Before that incident, all catfolks had no tails. A group of
fanatics who call themselves the Sheevans cut off their tails or take in babies
who are born without tails. The extremely rabid groups will actually steal
babies that are born with no tails.

### Society

One of the more populous and varied races of Primordiax, catfolk no longer live
in secluded, racial towns or cities. Most modern-day catfolk live in one of the
three major cities: Chemer, Askagard, or Troj. Troj boasts a large population
of the catfolk who take after the greater cats, those that resemble lions,
panthers, or jaguars. They tend to congregate towards the southern part of the
city which gets more sun than the northern parts. Askagard also boasts an
extremely large population of catfolk, most of which have thicker fur than
catfolk in more southern climes. One particular Askardic family, the Sekems,
resembles the great spotted tigers of Mitralon with their pale blue eyes,
shaggy white fur, and steel-gray spots. Chemer's prominent catfolk clans mostly
sport short, sleek fur in buff colors.

Though most catfolk no longer live in unified, racial villages, many of their
ancient traditions are still observed. Most catfolks still rub the line of
their jaw against each other and close friends whenever they are greeting one
another. This tradition emulates cats' scent-marking each other and their own
homes, though necroptic studies show that catfolks do not have any scent
glands along their jawline.

Catfolks enjoy sleeping together in large, purely non-sexual groups and very few
are comfortable sleeping alone. Children will sleep with their parents in a big
pile until they have siblings old enough to all sleep in another room. Catfolk
beds are large frames filled with feathers, sea sponges, and small beads covered
by simple cotton or sometimes silk. Up to six full-grown catfolk can fit into
one of these beds at a time. Those that intermarry with other races often find
difficulty in agreeing upon sleeping arrangements.

### History

Catfolk history is fraught with discourse and hardships. The most popular
theory of their creation states that catfolks were shaped, created, and loved by
a god that was slaughtered by an unknown nature deity. A group of prominent
catfolk then brought further hardship to the race by trying to raise a dead god,
creating outrage and the slaughter of an untold number of catfolk. Another
popular creation theory, however, is that catfolks evolved from shape shifters
who spent so much time in their cat forms that they forgot what it was to be
human. Though lycanthropy has not been seen for thousands of years on
Primordiax (if it ever existed), the great variety of feline features on
catfolk across the world lends credence to that theory.

Approximately two thousand years ago, catfolks became a hunted race near the
lands of Chemer. With lupkyn and humans dominating the lawless city and catfolks
the minority, they became easy targets for thieves, thugs, and then general
persecution. In addition, a catfolk prophet by the name of Kelai Proudfoot
spoke against the growing corruption in the clans that ruled Chemer. Most of
his supporters were also catfolk, so the clans simply spread propaganda against
the entire race. In one year, nearly 3,000 catfolk were slaughtered by the
town's "guards". The reign of terror did not end until Tertz Grrt came into
power.

Regardless of their true origins, modern day catfolks believe that they are
entering the Golden Age of their race. Catfolks hold many prominent positions
throughout the world, and they no longer suffer any form of racial persecution.
Since each family of catfolk often has four to six children, the race has a
healthy and growing population.