TABAXI

The cat-men are tall and lithe and move with the smooth-easy grace of cats. Their fine fur is tawny and striped with black, in a pattern similar to that of a tiger. They wear no clothing. Their eyes are green-yellow and slit-pupilled. They have retractable claws.

The tabaxi for cat-men, as they are known to most humans) are a race of intelligent feline humanoids which inhabit the far reaches of tropical jungles, avoiding both humans and sapient non-humans.

Unless armed with a weapon, a cat-man will fight with its two fore-claws (1-3 hit points of damage each) and its bite (1-3 hit points of damage).

Tabaxi speak a small amount of the Common tongue in addition to their own language. They will not engage in trade, as they consider it demeaning.

The tabaxi are extraordinary hunters, taking their prey through surprise and quick ambush. Two of them will often chase an animal directly onto the claws of a third. They have learned how to avoid detection by disguising their scent with aromatic herbs. This, combined with their natural camouflage and ability to move quickly and silently, makes them deadly opponents in the tropical forest. Like other cats, they will sometimes 'play' with their wounded prey until it expires.

They are also very adept at recognizing a trap for what it is — there is only a 10% chance of trapping a cat-man even if the trap is very carefully hidden and cunningly constructed.

They are tool-users when they find it convenient to be so. Their tools usually consist of bone or wooden weapons, with nothing more intricate than a bola or atlat!. However, tabaxi have an amazing aptitude for weaponry, and can discover the use of a weapon, and become adept in its use, in a remarkably short time so long as the weapon is not a complex one.

Tabaxi will generally avoid human intruders in their forests, unless they see an easy opportunity for the acquisition of weaponry.

They live in small prides of 2-8 members, each pride roaming a large territory and rarely having anything to do with other prides.

A pride will generally be 1-3 young (1 hit die, 50% chance of fighting if attacked, 50% chance of fleeing) 1-3 males and 1-3 females. The females are at least the equal of the males in fighting ability.