Yuku free message boards

The Catfolk tend to get several different names in various worlds. Commonly, the names tend to be variations on the following:
Cat: Cattine, Catfolk, Catmen, Cattan
Rajah: Raja, Rajan, Rajamalis, Rajamalan
Feline: Felis, Felinis, Felor, Felini/Fellini
Leo/Lion: Leo, Leos, Lionne, Leonin, Leonine

In this page, I will use "Rajan," only because that was how I originally wrote up the sheet.

Rajans

Rajans are cat people, which occurred when faeries touched upon cats, which were already innately magical (to a small degree). The cats eventually learned to magically take on the shape of a human, although still retained their own cat-like traits. And they eventually took on human lovers, and when a generation were born of both cat and human, they became outcasts. These cat-humans networked, and almost all of them at once migrated to the almost-deserts of (insert location here), and set themselves off as their own race. In face, faerie-touched cats still use humans like this, but they also know to keep the children. In such cases, some children and fathers disappear suddenly after birth.

The Rajans are, in many aspects, like cats. Proud, bold, but able to be flattered easily. This is a strength and a weakness. For better or for worse, a Rajan will tell you what he thinks of you, positive and negative. They like to leave an impression, not really minding if it's good or bad, just that it's attention. Attention is a key with them, in many ways (see also Linda Goodman's Sun Signs, the chapter How to Recognize a Leo).

Rajans possess faerie magics sometimes, unusual luck (actually combined natural talents + non-conscious magical powers + skills + cat luck + faerie luck)... Rajans tend to be well-received, but view themselves as high above humans (didn't cats, once?), but still react whenever a human compliments them. Some of them go to great lengths to live in human cities and keep themselves looking beautiful, only so that they can bask in the warmth of compliments.

Viewing themselves as superior to humans, some of them go to lengths, but between Rajans and Humans, there isn't much of a difference that isn't counterbalanced. Just because they excel at one thing means they simply lack in another.

Rajans often have different visible traits. Most of them appear as humans with a distinct cat feature, but some resemble an upright lion. Tails can and can't be prominent, or even existent. In fact, some of the most human-like ones appear so human that most humans can't tell the difference (mostly because they aren't prepared to comprehend it).

Rajan family names are existent, but also the name is often formatted, in Rajan, as the following: [clanname] [familyname] [proname]. Clan names are the style of Rajan you were born as. Different names mean that you look different. By yelling a clanname out in a crowd, others would know not to respond, then a family name further allows you to think "oh, not me" and the proname is the active name used casually. Of course, around humans, they may either use the Rajan form, or reverse it (slightly modified) for human form, depending on the Rajan.

Rajan Traits (Ex):
> +2 DEX, -2 STR. Rajans tend to be very dextrous, but not very strong, preferring finesse over brute force, although there are variant subclan/races which are +2 DEX, -2 CON.
> +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks. A Rajan has very keen senses, usually, much moreso than humans.
> +2 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks. Rajans may use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier on Climb checks.
> +4 racial bonus on Jump and Balance checks. Rajans may use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier on Jump checks.
> Low-light vision. Rajans may see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
> Natural weapons. A Rajan has one set of claws on their hands, and another on their feet. They are not usually skilled with the claws on their feet, although they are helpful sometimes. They also have fanged teeth, which they can bite with, although with a range of 0' (requiring a grapple). Their claws each do 1d4 damage, and are considered primary weapons (unless using a manufactured weapon, in which case it is a secondary attack, with a -5 on the attack roll, and 1/2 strength bonus on damage rolls.
> Weapon Finesse: Claw. A Rajan is highly skilled with their claws, and knows how to use them carefully, quickly, and accurately.
> +1 racial bonus on Reflex saving throws. A Rajan is almost always on the evasive.
> Extraordinary Initiative. When rolling initiative, a Rajan may roll 1d20 twice, and take the higher of the two dice as their result.

Any comments, criticisms, and suggestions are welcome. I'm working on this as a balanced player-character race. I was debating Scent or Pounce/Rake, but decided that these are much too upright and more human in style.