Cat Folk (Felis Sapiens) (3.5e Race)
Cat Folk (Felis Sapiens)
Personality
Most Cat Folk are born "Domestic". Some eventually decide to strike out on their own and adopt the title of "Feral." Many more Cats have been born as the bastard offspring of Feral Cat Folk with a number of other races. Because their personalities tend to differ; I will outline both variations, starting with the Domestic Cat Folk. Also note: Domestic Cat Folk never refer to themselves as Domestic Cat Folk; they are simply Cat Folk or Felis Sapiens. Feral Cat Folk are the odd ones out and need qualifiers.
Domestic Cat Folk are fairly elitist. They are raised from kitten-hood to have a high opinion of themselves, as though they are better than the other races they've grown up with. They view success as obtaining vast amounts of wealth and/or influence. Wealthy Cat Folk go to great lengths to display their fortune. They may make immense purchases, own huge homes, wear lavish clothing or expensive/excessive jewelry. There are some exceptions: while Cat Folk do spend money to show off, many also donate to the community by setting up and/or funding charities, patronizing the arts, creating schools, etc. Though other races may question the Domestic Cat Folks' motives in these cases, many Cat Folk are genuinely acting out of the goodness of their hearts. The praise they get is merely an added bonus. However, they are usually fairly selfish and pretentious. As a race they value intelligence. They begin education at a very young age and continue it into adulthood. They are groomed and prepared for the intellectual world rather than the real one. The most respected Cat Folk are generally the cleverest. This is true for both Domestic Cat Folk and Feral Cat Folk.
In addition to intellectual grooming; Cat Folk are well known for their fastidiousness and cleanliness. In their homes nothing is out of place. The Cat Folk themselves are always immaculately clean, wear neat clothes, and have well groomed fur and hair. Many wear perfume. Their daily cleaning routines can take hours.
For all their ostentatiousness, Cat Folk will not sacrifice comfort for pretension. Their clothes may be fine but they must also be comfortable, they have highly ornate beds but soft mattresses, and every room in their home has at least one velvet cushion. To be truly happy they must have the ability to lounge. An unhappy Cat will make his or her feelings very clear.
Cat Folk are highly emotional. They have reputations for throwing temper tantrums and pouting when they do not get their way. When they are happy they are extremely jovial and generous. When they are sad they will sulk for hours or even days. When they are angry they act out viciously (usually this comes down to shouting matches and fits, but sometimes it comes to physical violence. These duels will usually end without casualties or even lasting wounds). No matter what their mood; Cat Folk like to be in the spotlight.
Because of this, Cat Folk prefer jobs that let them be at the center of attention. Despite being viewed as fairly obnoxious, Domestic Cat Folk frequently run for public office. They may also be wealthy merchants or business owners. Others are healers, teachers, inventors, or philosophers. No matter what, they try to keep themselves among the elite.
Feral Cat Folk are different. As mentioned earlier, most Feral Cat Folk start out as Domestic Cat Folk, but they tend to hold onto a kittenish curiosity that elder Domestic Cat Folk put down. Rather than drowning their curiosity in books and second hand accounts; these Cats decide to see the world first hand. They seek knowledge in the real world. Although it takes time, most will eventually rid themselves of their much beloved comfort to make travel easier. They will not accumulate wealth the way they would have had they remained in society, but rather they travel from job-to-job and place-to-place without permanent employment. Because they do not hold the power and wealth they would in regular society; Feral Cats are typically friendlier and more compromising than Domestic Cat folk. However, their emotional streak is just as wide and fickle. They are more adventurous and playful than their homebody brethren. They take risks and, despite their intelligence, Feral Cat Folk will frequently act without thinking. Feral Cat Folk tend to travel on their own or on-and-off with groups. They rarely settle down or marry. There are a few traveling caravans of solely Feral Cat Folk and there is a fairly new phenomenon of second and third generation Feral Cat Folk being born having never seen the society their parents/grandparents grew up in. Some of these children will return to their Domestic roots, most will continue to travel.
Physical Description
Cat Folk look like your typical humanoid cats. They are bipedal, have hands with fingers and thumbs, hair on their heads (usually a different color from their fur and, no matter what pattern their fur has, their hair is one color), blunter more human faces, and humanoid body structures. (Although the images used below depict actual house cats they look humanoid. The pictures are just to provide an example of fur color/pattern.)
There are many variations in their appearances. Their fur can be long or short, shaggy or smooth. Their faces can be more pointed or extremely flat. Their tails can be any length, long to nonexistent.
Their fur comes in a number of different colors and patterns. Typically their fur is either white, black, brown, orange, creme, "blue" (like this: ), gray, or almost any combination there of. Males are typically two or fewer colors while females can have up to three with variations in intensity.
Both genders can be striped (tabby), spotted, or pointed (that is, parts of their bodies, usually their tails and faces, are a different and more striking color from the rest of their bodies, like this cat here .) There are many variations of these colors/patterns and proud cat folk will always make sure you remember the difference.
Marbled : Variation on Tabby. These Cat Folk have wide stripes down their backs and tails with circles (insultingly called "bulls-eyes") on either of their sides. Their stomachs are spotted. The side circles should never be called anything but circles to the Cat Folk in question unless the speaker wants to get a face full of claws. In addition, it is a dire insult to refer to them as "blotched." Feral Cat Folk will pretend otherwise but are still generally offended by these insults.
Tabby Spotted and : Variation on tabby and, in the eyes of the Domestic Cat Folk, very different from either classic tabbies or spotted coats. They have spots that are very close together so they appear almost like interrupted spots.
Tabby Striped : One can usually get away with just calling them "striped" or "tabby." They usually have vertical stripes on their bodies and horizontal strikes on their necks, limbs, and tails. There are variations within tabby striped Cat Folk such as Lynx Point (or Mackerel if your feeling brave or stupid) characterized by an "M" pattern on their foreheads (see above link), this usually goes beneath their hairlines.
Agouti : Each individual hair is striped. Sometimes called "tickled" but never to their faces.
Harlequin : Now onto the spots. Harlequin cats have two spots on their heads that make a point. About three fourths of their bodies are white. Their tails are colored and they sometimes have one to three other spots on their bodies. The more symmetrical their spots the more beautiful a Harlequin is considered.
Van : Extremely similar to the Harlequin. Their coats are almost entirely white besides two spots on their head separated by a white blaze. Again, the more symmetrical the spots the more attractive the Cat. Vans tend to be more symmetrical than Harlequins. They may have a spot or two elsewhere on their bodies but the fewer spots the better. However their tails should always be colored. It is a social faux pas to confuse a Harlequin coat with a van coat or vice versa.
Female Cat Folk may also be calico, tri-colored, or tortoise shell patterned. There are extremely rare cases of males being born with these colorations although they are considered "unfortunate" or "odd" and are usually very sickly (although this is not always the case.) Tri-colored Cat Folk are three colors.
Tortoiseshell : Two to three colors on coat without definite or repeating pattern.
Tortoise Tabby : Exactly what it sounds like, half tortoiseshell, half tabby. They are usually considered "unfortunate" looking. Insultingly called "torbie."
Calico : Essentially tortoiseshells with white on them. They generally have clearer patterns than tortoiseshells.
Solid color Cat Folk are considered the most attractive (black and white are the favorites), with patterns symmetry is favored. There are some who prefer calicos or tortoiseshells as they are considered "exotic." Although fur color/pattern discrimination does exist somewhat it usually is more akin to humans complaining about how others look rather than racism. Much is also left to personal choice and throughout the history of the Cat Folk race different colors/patterns have been preferred. Cat Folk do produce fur color dyes but anyone is found to use/have used them they will be the victim of much gossip and stigma.
Cat Folk have vertical pupils like their animal counterparts. Their eyes can be green, yellow, blue, brown, hazel, or any combination there of. Odd (mismatched) eyes are not considered as attractive as matching eyes. Cat Folk with white fur have a higher deafness incidence rate.
Relations
Here is probably the largest divide between Domestic Cat Folk and Feral Cat Folk. Domestic Cat Folk are frequently viewed as being cold, uncaring, or at the very least selfish. And while this can be the case Cat Folk can be quite generous to the general community, helping not only Cat Folk but other races as well. However, Domestic Cat Folk never marry outside of their race. Any romantic relations with other races are highly frowned upon. Friendships, business agreements, and partnerships are allowed as long as the race is considered "agreeable." Domestic Cat Folk are generally on moderately good terms with the races they interact with regularly which, living mostly in capitals and trading hubs, are most races. More than poor relations with other races Domestic Cat Folk frown upon certain classes. Barbarians of any race are never tolerated, nor are any others viewed as dirty or savage. They also have a certain amount of disdain for half-breeds of any kind, halflings (for their reputation as rogues), orcs, etc. They tend to be mostly diplomatic, however, or try to be. Once offended all bets are off. Domestic Cat Folk's poorest relations are probably actually with the Feral Cat Folk. They are seen as immature, ruffians, savages, but mostly foolish. They are viewed as embarrassments to their families.
Feral Cat Folk tend to view Domestic Cat Folk with similar disdain. They see them as old fashioned and closed minded and rarely keep ties to their Domestic families. Feral Cat Folk tend to get along with other races better (although they also suffer from short tempers and dangerous pride.) Feral Cat Folk oftentimes court outside their race, producing a number of different half breeds. They very rarely marry at all, although sometimes Feral Cat Folk settle down and raise a family with whomever they fall in love with, regardless of race that is extremely rare however. Most relationships with Feral Cat Folk are fiery and passionate but incredibly brief. One week the Feral Cat in question will never love another and will make all his partner's dreams come true, the next he is gone without a trace. Feral Cat parents are not always the best. Most Feral Cat fathers will be long gone by the time their children are born, never to know they even exist. And while many Feral Cat Folk mothers raise and love their children others abandon them with their fathers or at orphanages so they can continue their wandering life.
Alignment
Usually neutral although Feral Cat folk can fall on either side.
Lands
Domestic Cat Folk live in large towns and cities comfortable in social, economic, and intellectual hot spots. They are almost always found among other races (at the very least for business purposes.) Some avoid coastal towns out of superstition. Cat Folk are not fans of water. Feral Cat Folk wander and can be found anywhere.
Religion
Varies depending on where they live. Domestic Cat Folk are more likely to worship Boccob than any other, although they tend to worship whatever deity is popular in that area. Feral Cat Folk tend to favor Boccob or Fharlanghn
Language
Common. Both variations tend to be fluent in at least two other languages, more if they aren't fluent in some of the languages in question. While Domestic Cat folk have a particular opinion on what languages are acceptable to learn Feral Cat Folk do not. This is not only because of their travels but because reject the strict social norms they grew up in. The languages that Domestic Cat Folk society favors are Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, Terran, Auran.
Names
Cat Folk pick names that either describe their appearance, personality, or belonged to someone well respected and/or famous.
Male: Adonis, Alabastor, Fionn, Jett, Rufus, Prince, Æsc, Kennard, Arthur, Cedric, Leo, Oscar, Alexander, Windsor, Ash, Osiris, Thoth, Sunny, Horus, Ian, Maru, Atun
Female: Bast, Bubastis, Isis, Bella, Tama, Mei, Lamya, Rosalind, Ebony, Sable, Heather, Lorna, Joan, Victoria, Scarlet, Sienna, Catrina, Emily, Faith, Freya, Mi-Ki
Family names describe an ancient and/or revered ancestor in some way. Entire families change their last names when another member of the family gains fame and fortune greater than the previous namesake. These names can really be anything but some typical family names include: Longtail, Notail, Curledear, Black, White, Grayspot, Stripedfur, Blazecap, Longclaw, Sharptooth, Redstripe.
Racial Traits
- +4 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha (Dex) Like their animal counterparts Cat Folk are extremely limber and dexterous. (Con) They are apt to give up when things get bad and have a reputation for being lazy. (Int) Well read, well educated. (Cha) Viewed as selfish/pretentious/cold. Meanwhile Feral Cat folk are viewed as vagabonds and ne'er-do-wells.
- Humanoid (Feline)
- Medium
- Cat Folk base land speed is 40 feet and is doubled if they run on all fours
- Bonuses on Knowledge (two of the following: Arcane, history, local, the planes, nobility/royalty) (Int), +2
- Move Silently (Dex) +2
- Balance (Dex) +2:
- Listen (Wis) +2
- Decipher Script (Int) +2
- Spell-Like Ability: —Low Light vision.
- Speed Reading: Pick up more knowledge and skills more easily. When new information is presented orally, in writing, through art, or another intellectual medium Cat Folk absorb it more quickly depending on their Int stat. +2-+4 on Knowledge checks
- Hunter: Even without the survival skill or any training in wilderness situation the Cat Folk have instincts to help them through. They are naturally gifted hunters and can keep themselves and their cohorts clothed. +2 on Survival checks
- Claw Attack: 2d4 of (Cat Folk have five claws on each hand and keep them quite sharp and well cared for. Domestic Cat Folk rarely use their claws for anything more than scratching those who have offended them, but Feral Cat Folk have learned to depend on them.)
- Bite Attack: 1d6 of damage (Domestic Cat Folk never use their teeth for combat, but Feral Cat Folk do.)
- Traits: Improved Unarmed Strike
- Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Domestic Cat Folk: Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, Terran, Auran. Feral Cat Folk (in addition to those Domestic Cat Folk may learn): Halfling, Goblin, Aquan (Aquan is frequently just to spite Domestic Cat Folk society.) .
- Favored Class: Domestic Cat Folk: Wizard, Feral Cat Folk: Ranger, Bard or Rogue.
- Level Adjustment: +1
Vital Statistics
| Adulthood | Simple | Moderate | Complex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 years | +1d6 | +1d8 | +1d10 |
| Middle Age1 | Old2 | Venerable3 | Maximum Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 years | 70 years | 90 years | +1D10 years | |
| ||||
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5' 7" | +1d3 | 135 lb. | × (1d3) lb. |
| Female | 5' 3" | +1d3 | 110 lb. | × (1d3) lb. |
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Races