“Our kind has prowled these lands before the lions rose in the north, and we remain unburdened by the distractions of the world at large. It is -your- kind who came to us with promises of a greater destiny, with words as sweet as honey and as tainted as the blood of the pana’ti. Now our kind is stolen from our land by chain and by spell, ferried to lands far and wide for the sadistic pleasure of foreign merchants we have never even heard of. All we ever wished is to be left alone, to continue as we always had before the lions rose to power. Your death will be a message to your people, a message I will be glad to repeat until your cruel masters understand.”
-Liberator Ko’Hanala, moments before executing an Avalonian slaver captain.
Ancient and proud, the eclectic and attractive humanoid catfolk of Arna believe themselves to be the oldest inhabitants of Arna. While not exactly xenophobic the various tribes lean towards introspection and personal growth which can make them seem unwelcoming to outsiders. Despite this the alkeeshan people are a gregarious sort, always eager to meet with outsiders to learn of their culture. While the leonine jambyana built their ziggurat palaces in the north, the alkeeshans continued to thrive in the southern savannahs of Arna.
Alkeeshans are distinctly divided into three subspecies: the Alq’isha (tribal catfolk that maintain the old ways), the Pana’ti (catfolk that have been touched with the fiendish blood of Sarak), and the Kul’tara (urbanized catfolk that have integrated into jambayana society).
Physical Description: All catfolk are approximately the same size and shape as humans, and there is just as much genetic diversity amongst them. They all share a few commonalities though: a layer of fur, expressive feline ears, and an emotive tail being chief amongst them. Thickness of fur can vary from clan to clan, though alkeeshans also grow hair on their heads which can sometimes clash with the color of the rest of their body. Despite their animalistic features, their faces remain humanoid (in contrast with the rasz’ii and jambayana whose faces are feline and leonine respectively).
- Alq’isha – Tall and lean with fur colors ranging across the natural spectrum, the alq’isha are the original catfolk of Arna, untouched by the taint of the Realms Below and untamed by the cultural centers of the jambayana culture. On average they are slightly shorter than humans and a little more athletic in their builds. All alkeeshans have feline ears and a tail, human faces, and a varying degree of fur covering their body. For some it is a barely perceptible layer that mostly covers their shoulders and neck, while others can have a soft coat all over their body. These seem to be regional variations. They favor loose yet practical clothing suitable for hunting and spending extended periods in the hot Arnan sun.
- Pana’ti – Essentially a tiefling variant of catfolk, the pana’ti tend to have darker colorations to their fur, sharper claws, and expressions of their fiendish heritage; most commonly manifested in bony bladed ridges and horns. They tend to be slightly shorter and more robust than other alkeeshan breeds and are more prone to having wildly different hair colors than fur colors. The largest remaining tribe, the Crimsonclaw Clan, has distinctive ebon fur shot through with jagged red tiger stripes. More heavily concentrated in the jungles, the pana’ti favor more clothing that helps them blend in with the foliage, typically wearing more layers than their alq’ishan cousins.
- Kul’tara – Removed from the savannas of Arna the kul’tara tend to have thinner coats of fur and are slightly less athletic then their traditional cousins. Otherwise they are almost visually indistinguishable from alq’ishan’s except in their mannerisms and clothing. Being more integrated with urban societies, they tend to favor more exotic clothing and are particularly taken with various baubles and tokens. Small embellishments that essentially become a part of their personality. Typically these are small articles of jewelry with some kind of significance to the kul’tara’s family.
Government: Alkeeshans are drawn to a communal form of self-government, typically following a clan chief chosen by various means that can change from tribe to tribe. Typically these are contests of strength, skill, or wisdom which enshrine a particular chief for a set number of years. Some clans, particularly pana’ti tribes, are ruled by a single family in a style more closely resembling a traditional monarchy. The integrated kul’tara lean more towards democratic forms of self-governance typically electing a clan speaker for a short term to serve their interests in the cities they call home.
- Alq’isha – Traditionally alq’ishan clans are ruled by a singular chief who is advised by a council of elders (sometimes former chiefs themselves). Completing trials of strength and agility, those who seek to lead the clan demonstrate themselves to be judicious and wise, as well as an accomplished hunter. A functioning tribe trusts and respects their chief without question. It is not unheard of for a clan to have multiple chiefs at once who rule over their clan together. Once every five years the existent alq’ishan tribes gather together for the Conclave of Clans to discuss matters greater than any individual tribe. Recently the discussion of whether to attempt to re-integrate reformed pana’ti tribes into their ancestral clan lands and the ongoing rise of slavery of their people have been the primary topics of discussion.
- Pana’ti – Tribes of pana’ti are ruled by the one strongest enough to wrest control from the other warriors of the tribe. While those who indulge their fiendish aspects more rule out of sheer brutality and fear, tribes attempting to move away from such practices rule out of sheer physical prowess and impressive charisma. Pana’ti tribes are prone to schisms with each transfer of power with varying degrees of bloodshed which helps to keep the threat of a concentrated pana’ti empire low.
- Kul’tara – Ensconced in cities, kul’tara clans tend to be the most democratized of the alkeeshans. Instead of contests of skill and strength, the clan will hold intellectual debates and spirited discussions for the future of the clan within jambayana culture. In some cities, the jambyana ruler will designate a specific individual to speak for the kul’tara clan regardless of what their own clan decides, though this practice is becoming more rare and is only used if the previous representative offended them in some way. All members of the clan are expected to contribute to the ongoing prosperity of the tribe and the city. As citizens of the Kingdom, they also have nationalistic obligations to follow in terms of taxes and conscription.
Economy: Unlike their rasz’ii cousins the alkeeshans as a whole do not have a drive for artistic craftsmanship or trading. The more rural clans have little concept of currency, most of whom simply trade with eachother in a simple bartering system. Alkeeshans of any stripe can earn a decent living being a guide to the Arnan wilderness, particularly to foreign merchants. In the end, the greatest asset to most alkeeshans is their skills and knowledge of their homeland and many can earn an easy living as a mercenary if they are inclined to travel. Some pana’ti tribes have started to specialize in the crafting of peculiar magic items which are in high demand outside of Arna.
Alkeeshans do have an impact on the greater world economy, however. In recent decades the demand for alkeeshan slaves, particularly in Mortannia and Avalon, has skyrocketed resulting in a thriving slaving enterprise along Arna’s eastern coastline. A bustling trade triangle now exists between Arna, Mortannia, and Avalon (with some stops in between) and piracy has grown as a result. As citizens of the kingdom, it is highly illegal for these slavers to target kul’tarans however some pessimistic observers think it’s only a matter of time before they are targeted by the chains of slavers. Indeed in recent months there has been a rise in disappearance among kul’tarans in some outlying Arnan settlements.
Religion/Spirituality: As a whole the alkeeshans place a great deal of value in their spirituality, paying homage to their ancestral spirit-god Raksankhar, or to others who have stepped in to fill the void left in his death. Throughout the alkeeshan subspecies, the position of shaman is one of reverence. Typically only second to the clan chief, and in some tribes, they assume both roles. Though the alkeeshans historically revere Mbengo Kaza, the Heart of the World Tree, they do not worship it as a god.
- Alq’isha – Raksankhar the Shifter was the Arnan spirit-god who was once patron to all catfolk. When the Nether Lord Sarak slew the god and subsumed his essence he forever shattered a singular core of alkeeshan faith. Some tribes today still honor their fallen deity and, curiously enough, still receive powers from the memory of their slain patron. Other tribes have taken to honoring other local spirit-gods; particularly Tohpep, Ahmak, and Mahek. No alq’ishan tribe formally reveres the Heroes of the Fall or the Virtues of the Light, though most can respect the authority those religions hold.
- Pana’ti – Though Sarak in his guise as Raksankhar the Destroyer has long since been driven from Arna, many pana’ti tribes still worship the remnant power he offers. As a people the pana’ti are divided between embracing their fiendish powers and trying to turn away from them to return to more benevolent patrons. With the blood of the Nether Realms flowing through their veins, though, other influences from the Realms Below are able to whisper into the hearts and minds of the pana’ti. Cults of other Nether Lords are not unheard of, particularly to the rakshasa queen Khamnala.
- Kul’tara – The kul’tara are the most spiritually diverse of the alkeeshan subspecies. Being exposed to more faiths from beyond Arna, and the entire Arnan pantheon as a whole, has given them a more introspective point of view when it comes to religion. Many kul’tara homes will contain a shrine for private worship and reverence which will often be devoted to myriad Arnan gods and Virtues. While still pious, the kul’tara tend to have a much more pragmatic view when it comes to their faith. Rasis and Arkey are the most venerated spirit-gods of the Kul’tara.
Lifestyle: The daily life of an alkeeshan varies highly from tribe to tribe but certain commonalities exist across clans. Alkeeshans are inherently fertile, having a roughly 1 in 10 chance to birth twins, a 1 in 20 chance to birth triplets, and a 1 in 50 chance of birthing more in a single copulation. Anything more than a single birth is seen as auspicious, with larger litters being seen as blessed by the tribe’s spiritual patron. In most instances a heavy importance is placed on family bonds and connections. Some smaller tribes are simply one extended family, each member tied to one another through a sprawling bloodline.
- Alq’isha – The typical alq’ishan clan is divided into hunters (warriors), guides (both physical scouts and spiritual advisors), and hearth wardens (those who tend to other needs of the clan, typically involved in child rearing). Regardless of their role, an alq’ishan spends most of their time working to benefit their tribe. In their free time, alq’ishans engage in highly competitive games of sport and wit. To outside observers most alq’ishan clans seem dour and serious survivalists, but few outsiders are able to observe the truly boisterous festivals that they hold at the passing of every season.
- Pana’ti – To some degree, all pana’ti have to manage the violent and wrathful urges they are all born with. For the reforming clans, this typically manifests in intense physical trials as an outlet for their bloodlust. Those that still cling to their fiendish heritage bask in the glory of the hunt as a violent outlet for their bloodlust. Of all alkeeshans, the pana’ti have the fastest breeding rate, as many find a means to satiate their urges in the sheer carnality of reproduction. Pana’ti clans, even those that are trying to reform, are a bit of a chaotic mess as a result of these regular urges. Notably, the Crimsonclaw clan, being the most notorious pana’ti to still revere Sarak, do not have these problems.
- Kul’tara – Kul’tarans are defined by the culture they have assimilated into. Forming the backbone of the Arnan middle class they tend to be more curious socialites, eager to meet with strangers and to hear what they are doing in their home. They are also the most likely to relocate to foreign lands, most commonly Al’Hasier. Technically speaking, alkeeshans born in captivity would also be classified as kul’tara and various conclaves of foreign alkeeshans are starting to sprout up across the world, either as entire clans of slaves or as freedom-fighting bandits.
Diplomacy: Alkeeshans do not engage in national diplomacy as a whole. Individual tribes of pana’ti or alq’ishan clans will engage in small scale diplomacy with their neighbors or the occasional foreign trader. Kul’tarans are citizens of the Arnan Kingdom. This decentralized power structure has led to a growing international crisis amongst the jungles of southern Arna. Foreign human privateers have taken to raiding the southeastern shores of Arna, some establishing base camps deep into the jungles or the plains and have been engaging in a robust slaving operation for several years now. The God-King of Arna has decreed that these operations are to cease and has offered a bounty on any slaver caught operating within their borders and waters. Despite this, the Arnan Kingdom’s forces are unable to put the slavers to rout and the problem persists. With increased demand for alkeeshan slaves in Avalon and Mortannia, it is only a matter of time before the situation comes to a head.
Military/Defense: All alkeeshans are worthy fighters, favoring the bow, the spear, and their natural claws for those clans who are blessed with worthy natural weapons. Instinctively they favor hit and run tactics, making them excellent skirmishers and saboteurs in all forms of conflict. Alkeeshans are masters of using their natural surroundings to aid in their battles, whether the crafting of traps or through druidic magic. Pana’ti are disproportionally bloodragers and berserkers, possessed of a furious rage that manifests as a legacy of their fiendish heritage. Traditional alkeeshans of the martial tradition tend to be rangers or shifters.
Adventurers: Any number of reasons can draw an alkeeshan to the adventuring life. Whether an alq’ishan roaming as a freedom fighter for their enslaved brethren, a pana’ti trying to make a place for themselves in the world away from their fiendish heritage, or a kul’taran driven by their insatiable curiosity to see the world beyond Arna. Alkeeshan adventurers tend to be quick to bond with like-minded wanderers and once they establish their new adventuring ‘tribe’ they fiercely defend their party mates with an intensity that can be startling. Alkeeshan adventurers come in all varieties, though many of them tend towards the rogue, ranger, sorcerer, and bard classes. If anything, alkeeshans tend to not be clerics as that tradition is mostly foreign to their homeland.
Names: Alkeeshan naming conventions vary wildly by clan and subtype. Most traditional clans keep their names short are often conjunctions of basic alkeeshan words to communicate a simple meaning. Kul’taran clans are the only ones to commonly adopt surnames, with traditional clans favoring a simple ‘son of’ or ‘daughter of’ method of identification.
Geography/Borders: Alkeeshans do have claim to a lot of the wilderness of Arna, though cartographers have been vexed to make any sort of accurate clan maps as their borders seem to shift and change with the seasons. The Arnan Kingdom recognizes all land south and west of the Konmuru River as ancestrally belonging to the alkeeshan people, though their clans range to the north of it and the kingdom has established outposts further south. Neither the alkeeshan clans nor the kingdom seem to hold these borders as sacrosanct.
- Shingyoujima – An island in the Sea of Swords between Arna’s western shore and Kentaku. The island exists in a strange state of neutrality, neither owned by Kentaku and Arna, yet boasting a thriving trade city of the same name. Curious amongst the inhabitants are the clan of alq’ishans who make the island their home and who have integrated into Kentakan society rather than Arna. In ancient times a disgraced daimyo was banished to this island and made peace with the locals, leading to an unprecedented exchange of culture between the native catfolk and the elven and human exiles. The island and its inhabitants now serve as a prominent trade port between Arna and Kentaku, and with the lifting of the fog from the Misty Lake, a staging ground for expeditions to the Vale of the Lost and the first port of call out of Schattenburg.
- Windsickle Village – Though currently a place to house other alq’ishan and pana’ti refugees from the predations of Avalonian slavers, as the settlement swells in size the fixtures of a permanent village have already started to spring into existence. Despite the tribal instincts of the species signs of modern commerce and agriculture are beginning to crop up here. The God-King of Arna recognizes Windsickle Village as a permanent settlement and is thusly under the protection of the throne.
- Vale of the Ancestors – Deep in the heart of the jungle, beyond even Mbengo Kaza, lies a hidden valley where purportedly a pure line of alq’ishan reside. Thought to be a place of myth, or a metaphor for their conception of the afterlife, no one who has gone searching for the valley has ever returned. If legends are to be believed, a tribe of alq’ishans with blessed powers from nature spirits reside here keeping a watchful eye over the world…or perhaps an even more mythological ancient evil that lies sealed beneath the valley.
Variants/Rules: All three versions of alkeeshans are their own distinct race.
Alkeesha (Arnan Catfolk) – Arna (9 RP):Residing in the jungles of Arna are the remnants of the alq’isha (the word Alkeesha, a mispronunciation, was transcribed by a foreign scholar and has been used around the world to refer to the species), once a race of proud feline shapeshifters whose race has declined through war and demonic influence. Select pure tribes still exist, though most are severely xenophobic. Alkeesha (alq’isha) function as catfolk as presented in the Bestiary 3, with the following exception:
+2 dexterity, +2 charisma, -2 intelligence. Though adroit and proud, the Alkeesha have spurned traditional learning for generations.
Variant (Pana’ti, 11 RP): Sarak’s presence in Arna, though long since passed, has left an indelible mark on its people and many tribes of alkeesha still bear his tainted influence. These tribes are more reclusive and xenophobic than the others, frequently shunned and even hunted by their neighbors, and even rumored to still cavort with demons. Pana’ti means “Painted Ones” and is a derogatory name used by others (they simply refer to themselves as alkeesha). The pana’ti have outlandish colorations in their fur and hair.
- +2 dexterity, +2 charisma, -2 wisdom. Pana’ti have been subverted for generations by Sarak’s influence, and are prone to succumbing to temptation.
- Medium
- Low-Light Vision
- 30 ft. movement
- Claws – Pana’ti have two claw attacks that can be used as primary attacks and deal 1d4 points of slashing damage.
- Stalking Hunter – Pana’ti receive a +2 racial bonus on stealth and perception checks.
- Fiendish Resistance – Pana’ti gain cold, electricity, and fire resistance 5.
- Fiendish Sorcery – Pana’ti sorcerers of the Infernal or Abyssal bloodline treat their caster level as 1 higher when casting bonus spells and using bloodline powers. This does not allow them early access to such powers.
- Languages – Pana’ti begin play speaking Alkeeshan and Infernal. Pana’ti with high intelligence scores can select bonus languages from the following: Abyssal, Arnan, Celesital, Common, Ignan, or Terran.
Variant (Kul’tara, 10 RP): Whether by natural emigration to the cities, or by forcibly being taken from their homes and then later liberated, the kul’tara variant of alkeeshans is a more urbanized type of catfolk. They adapt well to cosmopolitan society and often integrate portions of the urban culture into their own way of life. Kul’tara closely resemble their alq’ishan kin though are a little less athletic in their stature. The word “kul’tara” is a play on words in their native tongue, meaning both ‘clever deceiver’ and ‘humble servant’ depending on inflection.
- +2 dexterity, +2 charisma, -2 strength. Kul’tara live a more sedate lifestyle than their wild cousins and are marginally weaker for it.
- Medium
- Low-Light Vision
- 30 ft. movement
- Urbane Nature – Kul’tara receive a +2 racial bonus on diplomacy and sense motive checks. They additionally gain a +2 bonus on diplomacy checks made to gather information and sense motive checks to get a hunch about a social situation.
- Cat’s Luck – Once per day when a kul’tara makes a Reflex saving throw, he can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.
- Stubborn – Kul’tara receive a +2 racial bonus on Will saving throws to resist spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) subschools. In addition, if a kul’tara fails such a save, it receives another save 1 round later to permanently end the effect (assuming the spell or spell-like ability has a duration greater than 1 round). This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the member of the race has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue’s slippery mind class feature), it can only use one of these abilities per round, but can try the other on the second round if the first reroll ability fails.
- Languages – Kul’tara begin play speaking Alkeeshan and Zenithian Common. Kul’tara with high intelligence scores may choose any language as a bonus language (except for secret languages).
Prominent Figures:
- Speaker for Mbengo Kaza (female pana’ti oracle) – When the esoteric spirit of the Heart of the World Tree chose a young and troubled pana’ti child as its next speaker, it created a great deal of strife and conflict amongst the alkeeshan tribes. For the first time ever, one with the tainted blood of Sarak flowing through her veins was chosen to carry out the will of the omnipotent and inscrutable nature spirit. In the decades since assuming her position, the Speaker has become a powerful and respected servitor of balance, often mediating disputes between her fiendish kin and the alq’ishan clans. Still, there are some who are suspicious of her motivations and believe her to be somehow corrupting the essence of the mighty tree.
- Wraz’lor (Male venerable pana’ti barbarian) & Blackout (Female old alq’ishan slayer) – A pair of mighty adventurers who have traveled far afield from Arna but have since retired to a small cottage far away from Arnan society. The occasional repentant pana’ti will occasionally seek out Wrazl’or’s guidance in controlling their fiendish instincts, though it is anyone’s guess if the irascible berserker will actually offer any advice. More often it is Blackout’s wisdom which assists these wayward souls. Though advanced in years, the ravages of age completely dissipate when Wraz’lor rages, making him a potent adversary well into his advanced years. Though she is slowed by age, Blackout remains a skilled huntress and assassin
- Ul’Marroth (Male half-fiend pana’ti antipaladin of Sarak) – More of a bogeyman and legend than an actual person, it is unclear if the Champion of Sarak is a single person or a series of sadistic pana’ti who have all adopted the same name. If legends are to be believed, Ul’Marroth has served as Sarak’s herald and primary agent for centuries, since before the demon lord was ousted from Arna. While he could easily claim ownership of the largest of pana’ti clans, Ul’Marroth swears allegiance to none and sows little bit strife and violence wherever he goes.
- O‘Surku, daughter of Takhesh (Female alq’ishan ranger) – A dour and severe woman who has come to lead the Windspear tribe of alq’isha after her father was slain by an Avalonian sniper. She personally witnessed her father struggle with the fallout of foreign slavers decimating nearby smaller tribes, and the problems that arose from absorbing the refugees into their own tribes. As her tribe has swollen to a size unsuited for their nomadic lifestyle, O’Surku has started to lay the foundations for a permanent alq’ishan settlement in the western savanna. In her heart she knows that things cannot continue for her people the way they are now, though is unsure how to proceed with fiendish pana’ti on one side and predating foreigners on the other.
- Sephoras Silvermane (Male kul’taran bard) – Handsome and charming, Sephoras represents kul’taran interests in the royal court of Arna. Though far removed from the tribal roots of his ancestors, he is a studious scholar of his people’s past. He has very carefully cultivated the appearance of a naïve and short-sighted aristocrat, while possessing a cunning intellect beneath to outmaneuver his rivals. He has a burning antipathy for Avalonians and while the god-king of Arna may pursue diplomacy, he has personally funded several privateers seeking to counter the presence of the foreign slavers. Few can claim to be close confidantes of the man, though he can frequently be spotted in the presence of the High Oracle of Arna.
- Ko’Halana, the Liberator (female alq’ishan hunter) – Ko’Halana’s tribe was almost taken by slavers four years ago and it was only through luck, cunning, and sheer ferocity that she managed to free them and slay or drive off the slavers. Ever since then she has personally launched her own crusade against foreign pirates plaguing the coast of Arna. She commands a ship of her own now, and has seeded several freedom-fighting enclaves throughout the jungle. The Avalonian Navy has put out a bounty for her capture after she sank one of their ships two years ago.