Katari, also called catfolk and tabaxi on Exandria, are a catlike humanoid race.
Appearance[]
Catfolk have as much variation in their appearance as cats do: they may resemble big cats such as panthers and lions or may look more like breeds of domesticated cats. Their hands and feet are paw-like with retractable claws, and they have feline tails. They are typically covered in tawny fur,[3] and those from cold environments typically have thicker fur.[4] Tabaxi tend to be slightly taller than humans, standing between 5 and 6 ½ feet tall. Most are relatively slender for their size, averaging around 145 pounds.[2]
For two examples illustrating the diversity of katari appearance:
- Ishir Eka, a katari of lion descent with a muscular physique, has orange-black fur and a dark black mane. His ears turn to pick up noise, and his teeth are sharp and feature prominent canines.[5]
- The katari member of the Verdict is a sphynx cat: hairless, with heavily wrinkled gray skin across the head, big pointed ears, and bright yellow eyes.[6]
History and society[]
Tabaxi are believed to have been born from the dreams of Melora within the jungles of Exandria. Within Wildemount, clans of tabaxi live along the tropical Menagerie Coast, alongside the native Ki'Nau people.[1] In Tal'Dorei, clans of tabaxi live in the Rifenmist Jungle, where they have been known to skirmish with the elven Orroyen tribes,[7] and some individuals work as trackers or community builders.[8] Deep within the Rifenmist Jungle, catfolk are known to live in the last remaining city of the Qoniira Tetrarchy, Niirdal-Poc.[9] Katari are known to live in Jrusar, which is surrounded by the jungles of the Oderan Wilds.
Not all catfolk live near jungles, however. In Tal'Dorei some live in caves in the Cliffkeep Mountains or in big cities like Emon.[10] Tabaxi can be found in small numbers across all of Wildemount, where they are generally well regarded. Many live an entrepreneurial existence, thanks to their skill in hunting, crafts, and social guile. Others live adventurous lives, their curiosity driving their movements across the lands. The Nightback Clan of tabaxi live in the the Savalirwood of the Greying Wildlands.[11]
Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein[]
The tabaxi Cree Deeproots, a blood cleric member of the Tombtakers, played a major role in the life of Lucien Tavelle. In particular, Cree's resurrection of Lucien following the death of Mollymauk Tealeaf set off a chain of events that threatened catastrophe on Exandria. The Mighty Nein was narrowly able to stop Lucien, Cree, and the Tombtakers from returning the deeply corrupted Cognouza to the Material Plane.
Powers and abilities[]
The typical abilities of tabaxi presented in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount are the same as those of tabaxi in the 5th Edition sourcebook Volo's Guide to Monsters:[2][12]
- Typical ability score bonus: DEX +2; CHA +1
- Darkvision
- Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
- Feline Agility: Can move double their movement speed for one of their turns, but cannot use this ability again until they spend one of their turns not moving.
- Cat's Talent: Proficiency in Perception and Stealth.
- Cat's Claws: Their claws are natural weapons that deal 1d4 + STR slashing damage on a hit.
- Knows Common and one other language
Fan art of Ishir, a katari of lion descent, by Andrew Jensen.[art 3]
One katari is known to be "of lion descent", and his abilities have not been demonstrated, but before that character appeared, the 5th Edition campaign setting Mythic Odysseys of Theros introduced the lion-like leonin race. If some katari are like the leonin, they have a race-specific language (in addition to Common) and the following abilities:[13]
- Typical ability score bonus: CON +2; STR +1
- Darkvision
- Speed: 35 ft.
- Hunter's Instincts: Proficiency in Athletics, Intimidation, Perception, or Survival.
Actions:
- For unarmed strikes, their claws are natural weapons that deal 1d4 + STR slashing damage.
- Daunting Roar: As a bonus action, creatures within 10 ft. that can hear the katari must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the katari until the end of the katari's next turn.
In the open beta of the Darrington Press game Daggerheart, characters of katari ancestry have Feline Instincts, which allow them to mark a Stress to reroll their Hope die on Agility Rolls.[14]
Notable katari[]
Specials[]
PCs[]
Official art of Clothesline, by Kendra Wells.[art 4]
- Clothesline: A fighter and regular patron of the Ass Sailor in Jorenn Village
Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein[]
- Cree Deeproots: A blood cleric and member of the Tombtakers.
- Deezma Simmin: Shop proprietor in Nicodranas.
- Mazin Fahreed: Portcaller of Brokenbank.
- Serack Feng: A pirate captain in the Swavain Islands.
Campaign Three: Bells Hells[]
- Ishir Eka: Owner of the Spire by Fire Inn on the Core Spire of Jrusar.
Behind the scenes[]
The term used to describe feline humanoids has changed over time, at first borrowing a word specific to Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks and then eschewing that intellectual property. The first appearance of a catfolk individual in Critical Role media was near the end of Campaign One, in "Critical Role: Bar Room Blitz" (Sx21): Clothesline is introduced as a tabaxi, a "cat-woman".[15] Shortly after that, the original Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting mentioned tabaxi being indigenous to the Rifenmist Jungle.[7] Through Campaign Two and the concurrently published Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, the only term used to describe catfolk was tabaxi.[16][17]
Then, in Exandria Unlimited Prime in Summer 2021, there were vaguely described "people with the faces of cats" in the city of Niirdal-Poc deep in the Rifenmist Jungle.[18] In the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn (announced July 2021, released January 2022), the term "tabaxi" was replaced by "catfolk",[19] and in Campaign Three (started October 2021) and Daggerheart (announced April 2023) the official term used to describe catfolk has been "katari".[20][21][14]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 178.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 179.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 41.
- ↑ The Nightback Clan of the Savalirwood, at a northern latitude, has thick fur. See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 116.
- ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:04:02.
- ↑ See "A Hungry Jungle" (3x18) at 2:14:58.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 76.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 217.
- ↑ Here they are vaguely described as "people with the faces of cats". See "The Gift Among the Green" (E1x06) at 0:39:26.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 217. See also p. 115.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp. 178–179.
- ↑ See D&D: Volo's Guide to Monsters, 5th ed., p. 115.
- ↑ See D&D: Mythic Odysseys of Theros, 5th ed., p. 20.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ancestries - Daggerheart Nexus
- ↑ See "Critical Role: Bar Room Blitz" (Sx21) at 0:14:35.
- ↑ The last time Matthew Mercer used the word "tabaxi" was late in Campaign Two. See "Ice and Fire" (2x121) at 2:16:32.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 178. Here, tabaxi are once described as "catfolk".
- ↑ See "The Gift Among the Green" (E1x06) at 0:39:36.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 217. See also pp. 41 and 115.
- ↑ From the first episode of Campaign Three, Matthew Mercer began using the word "katari" and, from then on, consistently did so when referring to feline humanoids. See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 0:38:53.
- ↑ Later, Marisha Ray referred to a "tabaxi", which Liam O'Brien and Travis Willingham corrected to "katari". See "Omens Above" (3x19) at 1:29:04.
Art:
- ↑ Depiction of a tabaxi, by Shawn Wood from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 179. This page contains unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
- ↑ Fan art of Cree and Lucien, by Bunchu (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Ishir, a katari of lion descent, by Andrew Jensen (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Official art of Clothesline, by Kendra Wells (source). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
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