R'arinx (5e Race)

R'arinx

“	They're quite cute, to be honest. A bit of a loner, but that's survival for ya.	”
—Zanna Hamadan, Forest ranger

Skeletal Felines

By Yanied

The r'arinxhi, singular r'arinx, are a unique and strange race of humanoid felines. Their bodies are known to be thin, to the near point of being skeletal. Their skin is also notably hairless, making them appear like bony sphinx cats. Like sphinx cats, r'arinxhi have overtly pointed ears that stick out from their head more than your domestic house cat. At night, the true nature of the r'arinx is revealed, as their skeletal forms become very pronounced in the absence of light. They appear like skeletal demons when in darkness. Their eyes and bones glow a faint turquoise color as well. This is because r'arinxhi actually have some properties tying them to undead, making them an unnerving existence for many. When they are in darkness, they move swift and appear like ghosts when they pass.

R'arinxhian clothing has two forms: one for stealth, and the other for presence. Their emaciated appearance is easily hidden under capes and cloaks to make them appear innocuous. However, r'arinxhi also have a bit of a prideful side and they do value jewelry, particularly that of gold. As such, they like to wear bangles, headdresses, and other accessories that appear more regal. R'arinxhi will wear the latter more often among their own as a sign of their status. Around other races, r'arinxhi are more reserved and will usually cover themselves more fully.

Saved From Death

The r'arinxhi hail from the lands known to be frigid deserts. Their ancestors were worshippers of the Cat Lord, a god known to be a patron of all feline creatures. The story goes that the r'arinxhi ancestors prayed for salvation during a particularly savage blizzard that rendered most of their population dead under levels of thick frost. A great crag cat appeared before the dying people and told those who could move to follow him. With the frost already having rendered them immobile, none could physically do so. Those who attempted anyway broke their bodies painfully. Those who broke their bodies found their forms to change into that of skeletons, leaving behind their frozen flesh. Thus did the r'arinxhi come about as their ancestors shed their former bodies to follow the Cat Lord. R'arinx is a word in caterwaul meaning "icy shell," which became the race's name.

From here, it is surmised that the Cat Lord relocated the r'arinxhi to warmer lands, like Chult and Calimshan. Their forms remained forever changed and earned them much suspicion, especially when nightfall comes. Only the tabaxi in Chult ever truly established connections with them because of their shared faith in the Cat Lord. In Calimshan, the r'arinxhi ended up making their homes in the desert as settled groups that dot the sands.

Gift from the Cat Lord

R'arinxhi share a strange affinity with necromancy magic due to their historical brush with death. Their bodies are highly receptive to the necromancy, taking great benefit from healing but also being resistant to its negative effects. Some say it was the last gift from the Cat Lord endowed to them. The r'arinxhi are also notably ageless. They birth live young, known as kilchens, and stop aging after nearing 20 years of age.

Scattered Concentrations

The r'arinxhi are largely concentrated in tribes scattered throughout the realm that the Cat Lord bought them to. They are usually nomadic, especially outside Maztica and Chult. Maztican r'arinxhi enjoy more interactions and friendly relations with the local tabaxi due to their shared worship of the Cat Lord. Chultan r'arinxhi have similarly amicable relations with Chult tabaxi, but they are seen still as very different creatures and heavily associated with the dead. This omen is what makes r'arinxhi embody the saying of cats having nine lives. Within these societies, r'arinxhi tend to be avid workers in centers of worship. Outside these locations, r'arinxhi are nomadic tribesmen that wander in deserts and other arid areas that are preferably warm.

Unlike tabaxi clans and their Hunts, r'arinxhi are much less organized. Their tribes are just a giant group without much designation of order. Males and females are both allowed to have harems, especially if they show they are able to support more mates. R'arinxhi generally form their own individual ideas of division, usually based on things like hoards and harems, though these standards are not representative of the race's ideals as a whole. Also, these haughty standards of a r'arinxhi are highly private and rarely carry over outside in public if they should choose to leave to travel the world. R'arinxhi are keenly aware of themselves as "outsiders" and so usually try to remain inconspicuous when not within the limits of their tribe.

R'arinxhian Names

R'arinxhian names vary based on their local, but largely pertain to the greenery in the area, especially that of sacred plants. The reason why is surmised that the r'arinxhi did not have greenery in their original world, prompting them to view many flora as sacred. Male r'arinxhi are usually named after flowers while female r'arinxhi are named after fruits. Plants that have neither flowers nor fruits can be used for either sex. These plant names do not use Common words, instead using a feline language known as caterwaul, which the Cat Lord is known to speak. It is a language even tabaxi do not know and consists of ululated syllables combined with scents emitted from the body.

Male Names: Alalath (Rose), Salarale (Lily), Baleleleh (Orchid), Poreareh (Chrysanthemum)

Female Names: Holeleleh (Fig), Ralegelek (Mulberry), Kahehehehe (Orange), Jagagagagah (Durian)

Nongendered Names: Rulululu (Kudzu), Sagasharara (Ivy), Daijalalah (Crabrgass), Polololoo (Purslane)

R'arinx Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. R'arinxhi have become ageless through their encounter with the brink of death and returning in these new forms. They do not age nor die of age. They birth living young that mature at about 17 years of age and generally stop aging at around 50 years.
Alignment. R'arinxhi try not to get involved in that which does not concern them. As such, they are fairly neutral. Even when dealing with affairs they have a stake in, they prefer to do so in a way that never tips their hand, making them appear a bit wishy-washy and two-faced. When it comes to something that concerns them directly, like an insult or something personal, r'arinxhi can be quite chaotic in doing whatever it takes to resolve it in their favor.
Size. R'arinxhi are anywhere from 4'8" to 5'5". Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You have a cat's keen senses, especially in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Darkness Form. While in darkness, your form changes to that of a glowing skeletal shape. You have disadvantage in Dexterity (Stealth) checks, but you have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Your walking speed also increases to 35 feet while in darkness.
Cat Lord's Endowment. R'arinxhian bodies cling to life, a supposed gift from the Cat Lord. When you regain hit points from a spell in the school of necromancy, you regain an additional number of points equal to your proficiency bonus. You are also resistant to necrotic damage.
Feline Skill. You are proficient in two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception.
Cat Lord Umbrella. You have advantage on Charisma checks when interacting with other feline creatures. For creatures that do not have a known language, they can understand what you say, but you have no ability to understand them in return.
Languages. You can read, write, and speak in Common, one language of your choice, and caterwaul, as explained in the R'arinxhian Names section.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 8''	+1d8+1	90 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

5.00

(one vote)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races