Beastfolk, Urban Catfolk (3.5e Race)

Urban Catfolk

Wild Catfolk are a race already spoken of in the book Races of the Wild, under the heading of Catfolk, and their statistics will be reproduced after the urban Catfolk in this entry, though further information about them will have to be sought out in the above mentioned work (though it is not that different, except in environment, from those of urban Catfolk). However, while those Catfolk emulate the attributes of the big cats, they do not represent the traits of the domestic feline. While there are many Catfolk who live and thrive in the wilds, they are rare compared to other species, and even number fewer than those Catfolk who have adapted to life in the urban and suburban parts of the world. Urban Catfolk have made the transition to living among other races almost flawlessly, and are generally accepted, if not always well-liked, by those among whom they live.

Personality

Catfolk are bright and engaging in personality, and tend to be energetic and sometimes mercurial in temperament, not holding back anything in their expression of emotions, and always seeking to live life to the fullest while indulging their infamous curiosity. They are surprisingly honest in their desires, and not ashamed of them.

Physical Description

Urban Catfolk have the features of a feline and a human melded together, with fur in almost any variation of coloration and pattern covering most of their bodies, a flexible tail which provides balance as well as being partially prehensile, and a very feline-appearing head, complete with ears, whiskers, and bright, light-sensitive, slitted eyes.

Relations

Catfolk get along with most races without trouble, and quickly develop live-and-let-live relations with whoever they need to share space. They get along especially well with gnomes, whose love of pranks and curious and inventive minds delight the Catfolk. However, there is deep racial enmity between the Catfolk and the ratlings and wolfen dating from time out of mind, and neither side appreciates the presence of the other. Individual Catfolk may overlook these longstanding racial feuds without social stigma, but these are exceptions to the rule. Despite popular opinion, Catfolk actually like being around mouselings, thinking them cute and entertaining companions, though mouselings tend to be far too nervous around Catfolk for the reverse to be generally true.

Alignment

Catfolk are free-wheeling by nature, and not prone to taking orders well. While they may live in cities, they seldom feel that its rules apply to them. However, they generally lack the maliciousness needed to intentionally commit great crimes, especially directly against others, though they may engage in mostly harmless mischief. Catfolk, urban and wild, tend to be Chaotic Good in alignment.

Lands

Urban Catfolk seldom have their own cities. Usually they live alongside other races in their urban and suburban areas, gently and unnoticeably insinuating themselves into the many niches made by the urban jungle. It is not unknown, however, for Catfolk to gather into fallen cities and refurbish them, driving out any former monstrous occupants so as to make their own place to live, and their own society.

Religion

The Catfolk worship Bast, the goddess of cats, vengeance, punishment, protection, and pleasure. She is a Chaotic Good lesser deity, and allows the Chaos, Destruction, Protection, Strength and War domains to her clerics and has the spiked gauntlet as a favored weapon.

Language

Feline is the tongue of the Catfolk, and though the specifics of the language varies from region to region, it is understood well enough by all Catfolk. Catfolk start with Common and Feline as automatic languages, and have Avian, Draconic, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Squeak Speak, Sylvan and Wolfen as Bonus Languages.

Names

Catfolk names have a lot of ‘s’ and ‘r’ sounds to them, often taking on a purring aspect. Family names among Catfolk are usually two-part descriptors when translated into Common, such as Falling Star, Running Rivers, and Flying Spear. Male names include Densharr, Mrran, and Therrass, and female names include Arrala, Mrress, and Thissa.

Adventurers

Catfolk, urban or wild, have a natural curiosity that all-too-often takes them far from their normal prowls and into all manner of trouble. Thus it is no surprise that the adventuring life should appeal to them. Adventurers, former and present, are looked upon by other Catfolk with high esteem, as a source both of interesting stories and useful skills.

Racial Traits

• +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution
• Monstrous Humanoid
• Medium-size
• Urban Catfolk base land speed is 30 feet
• Low-light vision
• +2 racial bonus on Listen and Move Silently checks
• +4 bonus to Balance checks
• Light Build: Cannot wear heavy armor
• Automatic Languages: Common, Feline. Bonus Languages: Avian, Draconic, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Squeak Speak, Sylvan, Wolfen.
• Favored Class: Rogue.
• Level Adjustment: 0

Catfolk Subrace: Wild Catfolk

The full details on Wild Catfolk are found in Races of the Wild. Here, however, is a brief description of their race, and a collection of their statistics, adjusted for use as one of the Beastfolk.

Wild Catfolk resemble a melding of the large, predatory cats of jungles and plains and humans. They have thick, sleek fur with patterns similar to tigers, lions, leopards and cheetahs. They have thicker nails than a human, but not usually thick enough to deal damage (unless the Talons of the Beast Feat is taken, from the Feats of the Beastfolk document).

Roaming freely over the plains and jungles of the world, the wild Catfolk are the unchallenged masters of the places they call theirs. They are a semi-nomadic people, roaming over an established territory, hunting and gathering to survive in tribes that can range in size from a scant few to a vast number. At times Wild Catfolk even establish kingdoms (usually ruled by a Catfolk with a lionesque appearance) with strong matriarchal tendencies.

Racial Traits

• +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
• Monstrous Humanoid
• Medium-size
• Wild Catfolk base land speed is 40 feet
• Low-light vision
• +2 racial bonus on Listen and Move Silently
• +1 natural armor bonus
• Latent Psionics: Wild Catfolk are partially so secretive because their race holds a naturally high level of affinity with psionics. Any Catfolk who takes a psionic class gains an additional amount of power points equal to his HD, each level. They also gain an extra power any time they gain access to a new level of power.
• Tiger’s Build: Wild Catfolk can take the Gigantism Feat at 1st level.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Feline. Bonus Languages: Avian, Draconic, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling, Squeak Speak, Sylvan, Wolfen.
• Favored Class: Ranger.
• Level Adjustment: +1

Vital Statistics

Table: Urban Catfolk Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
6 years	+1d6	+2d6	+3d6

Table: Urban Catfolk Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
25 years	40 years	55 years	+1d10 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Urban Catfolk Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	4' 7"	+1d6"	90 lb.	+ 10 × (1d6) lb.
Female	4' 5"	+1d6"	70 lb.	+ 10 × (1d6) lb.

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