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Tabaxi Catling Character and NPC Race Medium HumanoidHit Dice:
1d6 (4 hp) Climate/Terrain:
Any Note: Stats above are for a first-level tabaxi rogue with no exceptional abilities. The tabaxi (pronounced tah-bah'-shee) are the chaotic and individualistic demikzin equivalent of elves. Although their origins are lost in the dusts of time, a few sages know that the tabaxi appeared during the time of the kzin colonization. The mana rich environment of Saltwave caused ancient mythical genotypes to appear in kzinti as they did in humans. The unexplained transformation of some kzinti into tabaxi prompted great furor. Unlike the births of elves, dwarves, and orcs to human settlers, nearly all of the tabaxi infants born to kzinretti were destroyed by the kzintoshes before they could grow to survive on their own. Those tabaxi that changed after maturity generally fled the persecution of their former kzin communities, rather than trying to stand and fight. The changed tabaxi explored their newfound skills and abilities and became the stalkers of secrets and the lurkers in shadow. These days, there are many tabaxi scattered throughout the world. They tend to dwell in small groups in hidden lairs, although there are some open communities here and there. Tabaxi mostly serve their own ends, building a vast network of spies through on-and-off-again contact and cooperation. They delight in the discovery of secrets, especially those hidden by others. Tabaxi can be exceptional rogues and spies, and make very capable wizards. Most lack the drive and depth of insight needed to discover deep spiritual truths or unlock psionic powers through self-discipline, however. Personality: Tabaxi are curious, inquisitive, secretive, daring, lazy, and selfish. They are generally nocturnal, preferring to sleep all day. These catlings play spy games even among themselves, and love uncovering secrets and hoarding knowledge. One mark of status among tabaxi is how many secrets a person is known or rumored to have discovered. Tabaxi gain status by proving that they have secrets—either by giving them away or by using their knowledge for their own benefit in ways that are obvious to others. Each tabaxi considers herself inherently better than anyone else, making exceptions only for "temporary and correctable" differences in skill or ability. Tabaxi believe very strongly that any of them could attain the greatest heights in any profession, if they wanted to. That few ever actually achieve such greatness is irrelevant to them. Physical Description: Tabaxi look like hunting cats with roughly human proportions and slender builds. They have dark black or grey fur and wide, slitted eyes. They average 5 1/2 to 6 feet in height and typically weigh 90 to 140 pounds. The tabaxi have five-fingered hands, opposable thumbs, and sharp retractable claws. They have large ears and slender furred tails that are quite expressive and used in the Mrretling language. Their tails are not prehensile. Some tabaxi have darker tabby striping and lighter patches on their throats, chests, and bellies. They wear clothing as necessary to protect their fur from hazards or from heat and cold, but do not require it in temparate environments. Interestingly, tabaxi are fertile with the prrexi. Given the two races greatly differing outlooks, such matches are quite rare. Offspring of these pairings usually favor the female parent in ability. Tabaxi are considered quite attractive by most other races, but difficult to deal with because of their arrogance. Relations: Tabaxi are fond of their own company and that of elves. Individual tabaxi might develop an affection for any race, though elves, half-elves, and halflings would predominate. Tabaxi are easily bored or frustrated by the lawful and stoic tendencies of kzinti, dwarves, and prrexi. Alignment: Tabaxi are strongly chaotic and individualistic. They believe in doing what they want to do, when they want to do it. The only reason for organizing an activity is to make it easier and quicker to accomplish. Tabaxi are not given to complex or detailed planning, instead relying upon their own abilities and judgment. They give staunch loyalty to friends and family, but seldom to any other larger group. Guilds are an exception. Tabaxi who form or join a guild of any type identify strongly with the members and purpose of the organization. Most guilds of tabaxi are fairly small, seldom exceeding 40 members. Tabaxi Lands: The tabaxi have no homeland or nations. They see no point to rulership. They build or acquire secret lairs for their families in the lands of other races, instead. Tabaxi prefer to have settlements of other races nearby in order to have more opportunity to learn secrets and to steal or acquire things that others can create for them. Religion: Tabaxi have no organized religion. Instead, each one follows a path held by loose consensus to be a good way to explain why things are the way they are. This most closely mirrors the theosophy of the elves. Many tabaxi follow the examples of the elven theosophers and agree with their teachings. Other tabaxi believe in the forces of chance and chaos and seek to take advantage of or placate them. Language: The tabaxi language is Mrretling, an offshoot of Hero's Tongue. Mrretling has links to Prrex, but uses more dramatic ear and tail expressions. The written Mrretling language is artistic and full of swirls, loops, and curls that can either convey or hide meaning. Adventurers: Tabaxi frequently find adventure, in one way or another. Tabaxi would rather learn the secrets of others than work to discover their own. Members of the default commoner class are almost nonexistant in tabaxi society. It is very uncommon to find a tabaxi over the age of majority without at least one level of rogue. Tabaxi wizards are also fairly common, as learning the intricate secrets of magic comes fairly easily to them. Tabaxi generally make poor clerics, sorcerers, and psions, due to their lower Wisdom and Charisma scores. Tabaxi Racial Traits
Tabaxi NPCs
Last updated
18-Nov-2001 |