Tigren

Tigren are race of beast men far more feral then any abhuman. Some hardly consider the Tigren human at all, as they are not abhumans or biomorphs. Technically, the Tigren are considered a true hybrid race.

## History

#### Origins

   The origin of the Tigren can be traced back to a single Immortal. At the dawning of Immortals the one that later became known as the Beast was alone in the world. Like many Immortals, he tamed the wild as he saw fit. When he found tiger cub that had lost its mother, he fostered it. He searched the world high and low for his kin and found no humans. In the jungles, he began to build monolithic structures of stone. Each he would carve some of his knowledge into. When one read his accounts on the buildings, one can follow his story directly into madness. This is the first known story of Immortal madness. The Beast slayed all other predators in the land to ensure his children had no competition. He crafted nets and built early estuaries to make a bounty of fish. His children grew and multiplied. The land was ruled by him and feral tigers. The legends say after enough years they absorbed his essence and the tigers became like him. They worshiped him as a father and a god.

## Physiology

While still fearsome, the Tigren are biologically inferior to standard tigers in nearly every way. The weight range of a Tigren is typically 300-350 pounds and height range is 5'11” - 6'5”. The body mass consists of mostly muscle. Long, pointed ears give the Tigren an excellent sense of hearing. For both territorial disputes and sensing prey, the Tigren additionally have an acute sense of smell.

   The body of a Tigren is always in a questionable state between bipedal and quadrupedal. The spine of a Tigren is biologically between the man and a tiger. The spine is under-developed and poorly articulated. This, combined with the fact that much of their biomass exists in the upped body, means they have poor balance while standing bipedal. Most develop a hunch if they hold a preference of bipedal locomotion. Still padded and clawed, the hands of a Tigren have a very limited range of motion. Manuel dexterity also does not come easy to a Tigren. Without express training in the use of their own hands, they will be only effective as elementary graspers. Although naturally more adept at quadrupedal motion this too has its difficulty. Quadripedal motion will grant significantly increased speed at a a cost. Depending on the development of the Tigren, the quadrupedal will decide between knuckle or pad walking. Knuckle walking will cause severe joint damage over time, limiting the motion of the hand. However, it will protect the thumb, allowing grasping. Additionally, knuckle walkers can carry items in their hands as they travel. Pad walkers leave the thumb completely exposed. While on the hunt, thumbs can get caught on rocks or branches, lending to repeat fractures. This may leave the Tigren disabled.

## Psychology

Possessing a sophisticated mind, not unlike the rest of humanity, the Tigren are considered an intelligent race and not a beast. The rift in Tigren is a distinct lack of impulse control. When they feel any impulse or desire, they immediately act on it. The Tigren are also naturally solitary creatures, preferring to keep to themselves and have territory considered exclusive to them. Because of this, one will not find a true society of this race. When they do gather, it is typically for breeding or over territorial disputes. Most territorial boundaries are marked by a strong scented urine as a warning to intruders. Small loosely-kept settlements do exist, as they also experience lonesomeness over extended periods of time.

## Relationships

### Wild Tigers

Able to read small social cues from the wild tiger that a man can not, the Tigren have a distant relationship with their cousins. Most contact is made over territorial disputes. Knowing their cousins' weaknesses, the Tigren hunt them in full daylight, always staying down wind. Using makeshift tools in conjunction with natural weapons, the Tigren slowly win the hunting grounds, pushing the natural tigers into extinction.

### Catailian

One may easily confuse the Tigren with the Catailian, however, they are very different beasts. Unlike the Catailian the Tigren are true hybrids and not abhumans. The Tigren is so distinctly different from man that most breeding results in infertility. Ironically, the Catailians as abhumans are more biologically distinct from Tigren then an average human.