Tabaxi (Ta-Baks-see)

Tabaxi are a varied people in both attitude and appearance. In some lands, tabaxi live like the cats they resemble, naturally curious and at home in playful environments. In other places, tabaxi live as other folk do, not exhibiting any feline behavior. Tabaxi are competent climbers as well as speedy runners. They have a good sense of balance and an acute sense of smell and are naturally stealthy. More than than a few of them have even partake in a more roughish life style. Given this and their natural penchant for gathering trinkets and treasure, Tabaxi at large often gain a bad rap and are often viewed with extreme suspicion.
Tabaxi often come off as reclusive, mostly because they tend to avoid interaction with other intelligent races. However, this is more of a result of their innate weariness towards strangers and because of the harsh treatment they often receive. So long as you approach as welcoming but not overly energetic you will find that given time a tabaxi will worm up to you and even become a stalwart and constant companion. Most tabaxi possess an insatiable curiosity that compels them to travel and seek out stories, artifacts, new experiences and knowledge, never remaining in the same place or obsessing over the same piece of lore for too long. Many in fact endeavor to become adventurers. 

Society
Tabaxi society is based around groups of extended families known as clowders. Each clowder has several Hunts each made up of two to eight individuals. The Hunts patrol the area around the clowders lair. Tabaxi lairs are sometimes just temporary, but are more often small villages of ramadas. Each ramada is built from wooden poles with grass roofs.
Clowders are led by elders. About half of the time, leaders are aided by shamans. Clowders tend to avoid each other and don't engage in trade. Tabaxi consider trade to be demeaning but in rare instances will use a third party agent to trade for them.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Tabaxi’s appearance is as varied as their attitudes. Some tabaxi have features or patterning in their fur like tigers, jaguars, or other big cats, while others have appearances more like a house cat. Still others have unique patterns or might style their fur to their preferences—or might even be hairless!

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Tabaxi as wanderers are wide spread throughout Andoros. However it is believed that they originated from the jungles of Zulon and the savannas and deserts of Ramal Bahr's northern peninsula as this is where they are most commonly encountered.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Tabaxi names are tribal in nature, names like 'Kite in the Wind', 'Ethereal Candle', and 'Thunder in the Morning' for example. These names are unisex, and are given based on many elements including but not limited to astrology and the history of the individual's clan. These names often lead to shortened nicknames. Clowder names are based on the location of that specific group, so you get names like 'Ancient Mountain' and 'Passing Rain'.
Some example names: Hot Flame (Flame), Song of Paradise (Song), Fire in the Distance (Fire), Four-Leaf Clover (Clover), End of Winter (Winter), Happy Wind (Happy), Agile Glove (Agile), Quick Hide (Quick) ,Swift Flame (Swift), Seven Gift (Seven), and Ruby Hide (Ruby).

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Tabaxi speak their own language known as Lynxian.

History

Tabaxi once ruled half of Ramal Bahr. It was an affluent empire known as Thun'Darra, but fell to the evil of a powerful necromancer. It has been many centuries after the fall of Thun'Dara and it has since fractured into many small groups that call the Katakan Peninsula home. These groups are not unified and often fight amongst each other.

Common Myths and Legends

There is a prophecy of a champion arising amongst the tabaxi clowders. Wielding a legendary blade this champion will defeat the evil that plagues their old Thun'Darra and untie the clowders.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Though often standoffish with other races tabaxi can warm up to almost anyone dependent on the specific persons attitude and given time.

Scientific Name

Mortale Felinus

Lifespan

80-90 years

Average Height

6-7 feet

Average Weight

180-200 lbs