Cala'diel (5e Campaign Setting)/Races/Catfolk

Catfolk

Catfolk hunter.

Cunning and quick witted, catfolk are amazonian hunters and their culture reflects this. Born on the tropical islands of Evokra they learn to hunt, fish and survive the jungles. It is rare for them to want to leave and, if one does decide to do so, they are driven by their curiosity to explore everything Cala'diel has to offer. It is common to see them on all five continents and living in all types of places, even in large cities.

Physical Description

Catfolk

The catfolk are a predominantly female race of hunters who live on all the continents of Cala'diel, but most are still born in Evokra. They are easily identified by their characteristic ears and long tails. They are known for their energy, curiosity, and their penchant for causing playful mischief.

The tails of the catfolk give them an excellent sense of balance that no other race seems to be able to compare with. Their high curiosity and general friendly/playful personality results in a high Charisma score. Catfolk are also known for being excellent fishermen.

Personality

Catfolk adventurers breaking into a chest.

Like all cats, the catfolk have great energy and curiosity, and are stereotyped as energetic mischief makers. It is this same curiosity that leads them to the other continents of Cala'diel. Still, their inherent curiosity often gets them into trouble. Catfolk are not particularly strong, brilliant, or designed for taking hits, but due to their outstanding charisma and agility, they are ideal for classes such as ranger, bard and particularly rogue. These traits have caused them to be stereotyped as a race of thieves and cheats. This is why they are sometimes treated with disdain and suspicion by the other races.

Catfolk are also known to be very persuasive. They have very strong and magnetic personalities. Their energetic behavior and general playfulness is very contagious. If a catfolk is in a tavern all eyes are drawn to them. Yet another trait that leads to them being quickly judged by other races, as this playfulness makes them seem like the village idiot at times.

Aside from their Dexterity and Charisma, catfolk have fairly average statistics and will be seen as almost any class. It is not uncommon to find groups of catfolk exploring dungeons together using a wide variety of classes.

If you are going to play a catfolk in this setting you may want to choose the Fishermen background.

Relations

Catfolk males and females each take separate roles in their society. Males tend to stay in the villages, being town gaurds, home builders, and the job of raising the young. Females tend to be the fishermen, hunters, adventurers and traders. This means when you see a catfolk outside Evokra, it is probably a female. This, again, gives the false impression to other races that catfolk, as a race, are nothing but groups of playful female travelers. Other races sometimes speak of Evokra, as a whole, as being a land full of beautiful, powerful and charismatic females.

Catfolk are also somewhat naive at heart. They love to tell stories to each other in large groups, sharing stories is something a catfolk will always do when asked. They do this to fill time while spending time at sea and fishing. Some catfolk have even been known to tell stories to cure boredom while traveling with their adventuring party, even at the worst time, like in a dungeon. This leads them to listen to peoples stories and even take them as fact. This drives their curiosity and leads them to being the butt of other races jokes.

All in all, other races love spending time with catfolk. Whether its because of their natural beauty, playful manner, charismatic personality, or ease of teasing them because of their naive nature.

Lands

Evokra is a archipelago continent made up of tropical islands. Active volcano's can be found on some islands as well as thick, almost impossible to navigate jungles. Not even the catfolk attempt to settle in some of the jungles. The beaches are as beautiful as the climate. Most catfolk settlements are built along the beaches, however some hunter tribes do settle in the jungle. The ocean water around the islands is clear and coral reefs surround the islands. Islands are so numerous that you might be able to see 4 or 5 while standing on the beach. Catfolk fish the waters all day and night, some tribes even stay on their ships for weeks at a time.

Catfolk form tribal matriarchal communities. These tribes are answerable to a single tribal chieftainess who acts as the society's ruler, governing the entire catfolk community. The catfolk homeland nation is the continent of Evokra. These island chains are known by the catfolk as "the motherland", and they get home sick very easily when talking about it. Catfolk adventurers tell tales of it being a peaceful place ruled by a wise and beautiful chieftainess.

Evokra is made up of 5 regions. The main island, Kyaa, is home to the tribal chieftainess. This position is currently held by Atali Blitz, who resides in the city of Dazi. She has 4 minor chieftainesses working under her who each live on the other 4 regions. Each of the other 4 are answerable to only her. Dazi is the largest city in Evokra and it is viewed by catfolk as a place where all catfolk are welcomed, a city they can all call home.

The city of Jeuno currently houses the largest population of catfolk on the continent of Athlon.

Language

Catfolk speak Purrmesian along with Common.

Names

The catfolk are a race of hunters, and their names are designed to accommodate this. Catfolk names include a first name and a family name.

Female names: An Shanaa, Hanaa Punaa, Mihli Rhen

Male names: Fo Mocorho,

While hunting, they call each other by their first names ("An", "Hanaa", and "Fo") whenever they are closing in on prey or in a tense situation. Their short, easy to pronounce names allow them to speak fast and easily during such times. One might surmise that, if their names were as long and elegant as those of the Elves, they might bite their tongues while trying to call each other, and whatever they were chasing would slip away.

Racial Traits

• Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
• Age. Catfolk live to be around 70.
• Alignment. Most catfolk tend to be good.
• Size. Catfolk are slightly smaller than humans but are more slender in build. The average catfolk stands barely 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
• Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
• Catfolk tail. You have advantage on any checks that involve balance. This includes checks made against being knocked prone.
• Large ears and natural hunter. You have proficiency in the perception skill.
• Nimble. Your dexterity determines how far you can jump when taking the long jump action instead of your strength. Use dexterity (Acrobatics) instead of strength (Athletics) for your checks. When landing in difficult terrain you do not need make a check to see if you land prone, you always land on your feet. This is the same for the high jump action. You may high jump a number of feet equal to 3 + your dexterity modifier regardless if you moved at least 10 feet before the jump. The DM may allow you to make a dexterity (acrobatics) check to see if you can jump higher than normal.
• Languages. Purrmesian and Common
• Subrace. You may select one subrace.

Coastal Catfolk

These catfolk live on the shores of the islands of Evokra. They spend most of their time on boats traveling and fishing the many islands of their native lands. Training to crew ships and move around the deck easily and quickly has made them more agile than their jungle relatives.

• Ability Score Increase. Your dexterity score increases by 1.
• Natural Acrobat. You have proficiency in the acrobatics skill.
• Silver Tongue. Growing up listening to and telling stories of life at sea, you have become gifted at telling them. You have proficiency in the deception skill.

Jungle Catfolk

These catfolk live in the jungles of Evokra. Hunting and survival is key to these catfolk. Masters of the hunt they have keen senses to help them stay alert at all times. Just like coastal catfolk spin stories of catching fish as big as the boat, jungle catfolk are said to hunt only the things bigger than themselves. If the stories are true, Evokra's jungles are the most unsafe places you could ever go.

• Ability Score Increase. Your wisdom score increases by 1.
• Hunt or be hunted. Your passive perception score is base 12 instead of base 10.
• Soft step. You may move at any pace when moving stealthily. You also have advantage on stealth checks that involve moving.