Felinae

Basic Species Description

Felinae were magically evolved from domestic house-cats, and their ancient ancestors still roam Lenida as well, due to the higher birth rate and innate survival instincts of both species. Due to their nature, most felinae are very charismatic on average, and find themselves able to work into many professions. They are, however, well suited to be Rogues and Acolytes. Felinae are very wise and quite capable of being strategic in both combat and in general. Most felinae hold some sort of level of reverence toward less evolved cats and a higher power, often being able to sense a specter's presence before other signs of a haunting are visible to other species. Their reflexes, agility and balance are above average, as are their accuracy, and stealth. Most are very charismatic, and very lucky, and fast. Since they had been eolved due to a lot of exposure to magic and strange things, felinae have a general lore and cultures that are more accepting of strangeness than many other species. While the majority of felinae are quite sociable, some have been guarded due to grievances in their own past, or those of their ancestors. Felinae can be very independent, but most like attention and affection. Felinae are usually born as male or female, in litters of two to four, though sometimes solo or in greater numbers, with some occasionally being born of other genders. They tend to raise their children until the age of six together, and separated by gender after that, the men raising the boys and the females raising the girls. Felinae aren't as guarded or prejudiced against hybrid offspring, but they do mostly breed with their own kind, and almost never do with species evolved from species formerly antagonistic to their ancestors. Reynix and humans are two species they hold in high regard, humanity for having tended to their ancestors and 'cousins' more often than other species to this day, and the reynix for opening up the stars to them. If a felinae hybrid is born, they tend to retain the felinae speed, reflexes, balance, agility, sanity, ears and tails, but there are many who retain other traits.

Felinae usually have a name befitting cats and felinae of legend, or other fanciful names given them by their parents. They also have a personal name chosen at their rite of passage, and sometimes another as part of their particular culture. The natural maximum age is seventy, far longer than their ancestral origin species, but their development takes longer as well now. They reach full maturity at age twelve, but are sometimes considered adult at age ten. Some have developed faster, or lived longer from intervention from a higher-power, or from magic, but this more common in lineages of acolytes and other soul-power focused family lines. Due to the raising of felinae young separately by gender, there are often orphans who end up being raised by other species, or if they are old and wise enough to survive on their own, to develop and mature on their own. The latter of these are often more guarded about intimacy, but also more cunning and take more risks. Felinae have average lifting and carrying capacity on the whole, though some races have more than others. Many felinae end up with scars and other disfigurements from various accidents and fights amongst their own kind or against others more powerful than them, but the vast majority have a little more beauty than average, with luxurious fur and stunning patterns in many. Most felinae adults range from one-point-three meters to two meters in height, but some are as short as one meter and as tall as two-point-five meters. They are on average able to lift seven kilograms unencumbered, and on average another another ten kilograms with only a slight decrease in movement. Without human or other species forcing integrity of pedigrees due to their now sentient status, the four-score breeds were thinned down to eight felinae races. Certain cultural traits depend on environment for variation.

History of the Species

Though there were reports of mages who frequently cast spells on their cat familiars to temporarily bestow bipedalism for the sake of performing chores or defending their tower stretching back to the fourth mage wars, it is unknown precisely when the first true felinae was born, independently bipedal beyond the ending duration of a spell. It is known that by the start of The Foundation War that a wide-spread servant population of felinae existed, most of whom fiercely defended humanity during the war, and that even those who joined the global revolution were quick to help the draconis dragon-kin sort out which humans had enough strength of character to deserve to be spared. While felinae are not the first species in the universe to be raised to sentience due to exposure to magically mutating substances, they are certainly one of the most prevalent and sociable in modern society throughout Lenida and are found on many other planets as well due to the interactions some had with wandering Reynix tribes. Their numbers and level of intelligence were partially why their ancestral origin species once and still does find itself as familiars to magic users, which led to their evolution after generations upon generations of pedigrees having mutant genes activate, morphing them to their current state.

Base Species Genetics

The genetics for a felinae are as follows:

(D7) Nine Lives: +1 Luck Die Bonus, GM rolls 1d10, rerolling if ten. +1 Die Daily Advantage on attempts to resist death, if less than nine, the difference is the number of times they have already come back from near-death already. [Felinae, 10]

(D4) Accuracy and Stealth: +2 on Accuracy and +1 Stealth Checks.

(D4) Agility and Balance: +2 on Agility and +1 Balance Checks.

(R5) Speed: +3 MP.

(R3) Steady Reflexive Claws: +1 bare-handed attack, +1 on Reflex Checks. (5 for situational boost plus standard flavor, 1 for the +1 on checks.)

Ethnicities

The felinae ocivon tend to live in areas near high elevation without extreme temperature drops, in low-lying mountains and the badlands. They have short light-gray fur with dark-gray spotting on their arm and shoulders, solid paws and tail-tip of medium brown, an underbelly that is yellowed or browned, large upward pointing ears the same color as the fur, facial cheek markings and top of head to shoulder-blades in sharp curved lines, a dark browning in the center of their face, a long neck, and blue or green eyes. They have even higher finesse and endurance than most felinae.

(E-5) Natural Instinct: +2 on Natural Source use, +1 on Instinct Domain use. [Felinae Ocivon]
(E-4) Stalking Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 EP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Ocivon]
(E-3) Enduring Accuracy: +1 EP, and +1 Accuracy. [Felinae Ocivon]

The felinae caegan like to live near water and are quite independent. They have short orange fur with black and white coloring in it. They are patterned with rounded black triangles and s-shaped curves on most of their fur, though their tail is faintly banded. Their underbellies are white and orange striped and their ears black. Their spine has a ridge and branching of white to it, though it fades as it goes outward. Their eyes are usually red or blue. They are more intelligent and wise than most felinae. In addition to their guarded independence, the caegan are similar to the absoza in their wisdom in dealing with problems, and their strong desire to keep their homelands safe.

(E-5) Natural Flow: +2 on Natural Source use, +1 on Flow Domain use. [Felinae Caegan]
(E-4) Stalking Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 EP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Caegan]
(E-3) Knowing Wisdom: +1 Knowledge, +1 Cunning and +1 Observation. [Felinae Caegan]

The felinae satvabes generally settle in the plains, badlands, or savanna areas. They have short orange-tan fur with a gray underbelly, covered in black-brown spots, a long tail with rings, upward pointing ears that are the same color as their fur, and usually green or yellow eyes.  They tend to be faster than average, even for most felinae races, and stronger. They generally avoid being too close to large bodies of water, unlike the caegan, and generally prefer flat land or to live in valleys.

(E-5) Natural Flow: +2 on Natural Source use, +1 on Flow Domain use. [Felinae Satvabes]
(E-4) Weary Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 FP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Satvabes]
(E-3) Climbing Chase: +1 MP and +1 Climbing Strength. [Felinae Satvabes]

The felinae absova have a short sandy fur, thin gaunt faces, brown-black paws and tails fading to their normal fur color, long necks and lean bodies, really long tails and striped gray underbellies. Due to their hardships, they have more wisdom and will, as well as a brave and determined mindset.

(E-4) Resilient Health: +2 HP. [Felinae Absova]
(E-4) Stalking Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 EP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Absova]
(E-4) Knowing Wisdom: +1 Courage, +1 Learning, +1 Cunning and +1 Observation. [Felinae Absova]

The felinae birsat live in the high mountains and colder climates. They have long white fur especially around the mane and body, gray on their forearms, white paws, a gray bushy tail, and blue or purple eyes. They tend to act a bit snobbish due to their regal lineage, but are stronger and more enduring than most felinae, but generally prefer to use less natural means for combat, if they are forced to engage in combat.

(E-5) Mundane Blizzard: +2 on Mundane Source use, +1 on Blizzard Domain use. [Felinae Birsat]
(E-4) Weary Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 FP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Birsat]
(E-3) Enduring Strength: +1 EP and +1 Lifting Strength. [Felinae Birsat]

The felinae dekorg tend to live in warmer, dry climates, living a nomadic lifestyle. The dekorg have sagging tan-sandy thin fur ticked with ebony markings on the neck and upper arms and upper legs, a shot ebony bob tail, longer hind legs than most felinae, wide-tilted-forward ears, ebony fading to normal paws, and almond-shaped orange or red eyes.  They are faster, better balanced, have stronger reflexes and agility than most felinae. They are very cautious and quick, but have little tolerance for combat unless necessary or having experience.

(E-4) Mundane Blizzard: +1 on Natural Source use, +1 on Morphean Domain use. [Felinae Dekorg]
(E-4) Stalking Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 EP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Dekorg]
(E-4) Reactive Speed: +1 MP, +1 Agility and +1 Reflex. [Felinae Dekorg]

The felinae nebolye were one of the first felinae races to create a society. They have dark-gray long fur that is especially long around the back, a few yellow-brown chest tufts in the middle of the gray, a long busy black tail, black ruffle markings, and green or yellow eyes.  They are more beautiful than most felinae races, and more charismatic, but often they are vain, but not snobbish, trying to help others look better, but they obsess about self appearance. Due to their frequent exposure to the workings of alchemy and wild magic, many lineages have taught their offspring how to utilize these ability sources to the point of it becoming almost instinctual.

(E-4) Wild Alchemist: +1 on Alchemical Source use, +1 on Wild Magic Source use. [Felinae Nebolye]
(E-4) Weary Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 FP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Nebolye]
(E-4) Charming Beauty: +2 Beauty and +2 Charisma. [Felinae Nebolye]

The hagilux felinae also live near the nebolye usually. They have light gray-blue medium fur with dark brown-black spots and curved patterning, long tails with a bushy end, a neck mane and chest tuft, and yellow or blue eyes. They are very tall compared to other felinae, as well as being stronger and luckier. They tend to be mostly silent unless they need to speak.

(E-4) Mundane Blizzard: +1 on Natural Source use, +1 on Morphean Domain use. [Felinae Dekorg]
(E-4) Stalking Rest: A daily recovery of 1d10 EP and 1d10 MP recovery during a short or long rest. [Felinae Dekorg]
(E-4) Lucky Strength: +0.15 meters height, +1 LP and +1 Lifting Strength. [Felinae Dekorg]

Sexes

While felinae do have all six potential sex genes presenting the nine combinations feasible, primarily the male and female sexes are more common. Those with more masculine traits tend to broader shoulders and the most height with those that have feminine traits having smaller frames and larger mammaries, and those of more neutered traits having a more modest frame, but more wild magic potential. A (m1m2) felinae is known as a tom. A (f1f2) felinae is known as a molly. Tom felinae tend to be a bit larger and more lethargic, while molly tend to be fiercer hunters. Unlike the reynix, felinae have three pairs of mammary glands, with the molly typically having theirs swell up even more while pregnant or nursing, and the tom rarely having their typically flat ones swell up. Other genders alter based on how masculine or feminine that they are biologically. Because their genitalia are external, it is generally considered taboo to have them exposed, however the chest and breast have some cultural taboos but not in as many felinae cultures. Typically it is more common that a city's culture would require them being covered due to the culture of the larger populations present, not that of felinae cultural taboos as few have one regarding that. Felinae are mammals and as such, give live birth.

(m1) Those with this sex gene have +2 HP and +1 lifting strength. [Felinae]

(m2) Those with this sex gene have +1 EP and +1 climbing strength. [Felinae]

(f1) Those with this sex gene have +2 MP and +1 agility. [Felinae]

(f2) Those with this sex gene have +2 reflexes and +1 balance. [Felinae]

(n1) Those with this sex gene have +1 on Wild Magic usage and +1 learning. [Felinae]

(n2) Those with this sex gene +1 SP and +1 climbing strength. [Felinae]

Generally felinae utilize a language unique to their culture, but also knowing the language of the nearest human population. This is not to say that some do not speak others rather than those particular languages, or in addition to it, merely that they are the most likely languages for them to speak. While felinae were long considered of higher class than humans after The Foundation War, they were still thought of as lower class or middle class at best due to how close most were with the surviving human population when some draconis dragon-kin and kenthri wished for humanity to be wiped out. Since then, they have expanded into all levels of class and culture, but most still tend toward those two classes, with a local and cultural knowledge reflecting that.

For the sake of this playtest, the rules for food and drink that are optional are not being utilized, and respiration is utilizing the two-fail check mechanic for reducing from one level of respiration to another, rather than the more advanced mechanic.

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