Cats

*"Incident Report Number: MO3000245*

*Location: Turthasi Jungle, 8 miles south of Monnol Outpost 3*

*Date: \*records smudged beyond comprehension\* (approximately 390 days since outpost established)*

*Casualties: 24 (No survivors)*

*Description: Another two squads killed on patrol. No, not killed, butchered. Butchered to the point of making the Siege of Balarath seem… trivial. Estimating from the decomposition, the attack happened approximately three nights ago. Judging by the parallel lacerations, missing chunks of torn, half-eaten flesh, gnawed bones, and the general savagery of the attack, the logical assumption was that this was the work of some yet unencountered beast except… I found two of the men in a pit, dug out by what I assumed were foreign, claw-like tools with which I am unfamiliar. It had looked as though they had fallen in, tried to climb out, and perhaps called for help as two more men were slain moving away from the group in their direction. This was not the only oddity, as it appeared that something had cut several of the patrol’s crossbow strings before the skirmish, and that, based upon the defensive arrangement of the corpses, the patrol’s healer was the first soldier killed. Traps, subterfuge, strategy… these things would imply… intelligence.*

*When I tried consulting the closest village regarding the incident, after my men were met with the customary resistance, I noticed a peculiar pattern. Every hut now possessed a prominently featured idol of a cat-like figure. I had seen a few around the village before, but they were weathered, encrusted in ancient layers of mud, soot and dust, appearing more like forgotten trinkets than any sort of religious item of import. But now… now these totems, most certainly forged countless centuries ago, stood polished, their solid gold bodies and ruby set eyes reflecting so much light, even indoors, they were almost painful to behold. Viewing them almost made me feel nauseous, disoriented in a way. And so too stood the natives of the village, tall, and without a hint of their usual fear that we would requisition their goods as needed or collect the tax allocations assigned to their parcel as commanded by General Remis. They were right, I’m still not entirely sure why, but I ordered the men back to the outpost immediately, and I will not have them return.*

*Findings: Inconclusive."*

*- Lieutenant Colonel Arik Alill, Nekarian Infantry, Acting Commander- Monnol Outpost 3*

## Physical Characteristics

Shields from pestilence, fierce and agile predators, military assets leveraged in grand conquests, steadfast and cuddly domestic companions…

The cat has been admired and respected for a multitude of reasons throughout the ages. While diverse in their size, color, profile, predisposition, level of domestication, and extent of departure from the more primeval members of the Feliformia suborder, these carnivorous mammals share a similar set of physical characteristics:

* Flexible bodies with powerful muscles, long tails for balance, and relatively short legs to keep them close to the ground
* Razor sharp teeth and retractable claws capable of eviscerating their prey (range from tearing through mice to cutting through plate armor and dragon hide)
* Whiskers for collecting additional sensory information for navigation, clear low light vision, and a keen sense of smell and hearing

## Hunting Practices

(This item has been flagged: requires additional sources, relies on folklore and conjecture)

While social animals that may derive enjoyment and/or comfort from the presence of other creatures, cats generally maintain a level of aloofness. They will usually hunt alone unless they are strongly bonded with another creature, they are in pursuit of a grand goal under extenuating circumstances, they owe another creature a “doa-somka” or a “gratitude beyond repayment”, they are formally trained to partake in mounted and/or other forms of organized warfare, or, on rare occasions, because they feel like it.

## Other Unique Characteristics

(This item has been flagged: requires additional sources, relies on folklore and conjecture)

Many cultures believe every cat possesses “the bridge” (approximate translation), or the ability to connect to “the not here, but also not there” (approximate translation). While there is little alignment regarding how it works mechanically, it appears this ability allows every cat to perform at least some of the following:

* View short term premonitions to enhance speed and agility
* Complete rudimentary spells and incantations, many of which have been lost to man
* Travel long distances via “the places which have been forgotten and must not be unforgotten” (approximate translation) without notice by humans or other (known) animals
* Obtain perverse influence over the minds of humans, bending their fragile and infantile egos to the unwavering and incomprehensible feline will
* Access ancient and archaic knowledge to inform their instincts. This ability generally allows them to sense otherwise imperceptible forces, often malevolent in nature. Whether some genus may qualify as sentient is highly debated by scholars.

## Origin

(This item has been flagged for removal: unfounded religious belief)

Cats of every planet and plane share a common bloodline as descendants of the god Felisis and goddess Fellel. While the true motivations of these entities remain unknown, it may be surmised from the actions of their children, as cats are often found taking on roles as “protectors”, be it from disease, intruders, or loneliness. As such, many cultures revere cats as “divine touched” (approximate translation), if not demigods themselves. At minimum, a significant number of communities view them as creatures worthy of immense respect.

(Note- this article has been flagged: bias, potential misinformation, lack of reliable sources)