This week’s random rolls saw our paragon of a catfolk. His high
charisma and high dexterity showcased the race’s inherent strengths. Choosing a
class was difficult; average at best intelligence and wisdom meant that most
casting classes were out. Being a follower of a god of athletics, I wanted to
go with some kind of martial class that used charisma. With that in mind, his
drawback of seeking fame or reputation I immediately thought of cavalier or
swashbuckler. And then I said to myself why make it “or” when there is a
cavalier archetype that gives some swashbuckler abilities? So I’d like you to meet Harwith, the daring
champion cavalier of the Order of the Cockatrice.
Harwith
Although catfolk are most common north eastern part of
Garund, the feline folk can be encountered most places on Golarion. Along with
other animalistic races like ratfolk, tengu, kitsune and nagaji, the continent
of Tian has some number of catfolk. They can also be found in lands of with
wide open spaces for catfolk tribes to roam. Numeria is one such place, and
Harwith was born to parents of a somewhat more settled catfolk tribe.
Even settled, the tribe retained many of its wandering
ways. Next to the chief the warriors took their place on the social ladder. The
shaman and god-talkers had their spot after that. Craftsmen of all stripes were
just below the medicine men. And finally the servants and the farmers took the
lowest rank in the tribe. Harwith’s parents were farmers and as such he grew up
poor and looked down upon by most.
Catfolk have always prized athletic ability and catfolk
children would constantly challenge each other to tests of skill or sport.
Harwith was an excellent athlete; he could use both his natural strength and
agility to gain advantage over many of his peers. Sadly this put him at odds
with many of the children whose parents held higher rank than his. The son of
one of the shaman was a particular thorn in Harwith’s side as he was being
groomed to become a great warrior.
Never really feeling at home with his peers, Harwith
found solace outside of the tribe’s settlement, living on the outskirts was
another one of his tribe, or formerly so. He was a black cat whose bad luck had
rubbed off on the tribe. He was also the current chief’s brother, so although
he was cast out and stripped of his name and rank, he still lived alongside the
tribe.
Before being outcast the black cat was a god-talker. He
would help guide important members of the tribe to their personal god. Having
befriended Harwith, the black cat did what normally wasn’t done, he helped the
young catfolk find his personal god. The outcast reached out into the great
beyond and touched the mind of the divine, and with him he brought back a name;
Marishi.
Having his own personal god gave Harwith hope. The fact
he had the Empyreal Lord of athletics and sports as his chose deity proved to
him that he would go somewhere. However,
he could never tell anyone because such lower ranked members of the tribe
didn’t get their own personal gods.
Although he never spoke a word of his newfound attachment
his older sister found out. She was one of the most beautiful women of the
tribe and was being courted by the aspiring warrior, and son of a shaman, who
had become Harwith’s rival. To further her own ends she went to the shaman and
spoke of her brother’s transgression. The holy men of the tribe were incensed
that someone would go against tribal law and they cast out young Hartwith.
Harwith was enraged; they could not take from him what
was his. He would prove that he was better than all of them. His anger got the
better of him and he stormed the shaman’s hut and tore it apart. His final act
before leaving the tribe was destruction, but he didn’t care because he knew
that he was better than they were.
Harwith’s drive to prove he was better pushed him. He
would compete everywhere he went. He would compete in races, tests of skill,
and even combat. His desire to make a name for himself got him noticed by a
group called the Order of the Cocktrice. He talked a big game and could even
back it up for the most part, and the Order saw potential.
Now he continues to roam Numeria under the banner of the
Cocktrice. He hopes to someday return home and show his people what they tossed
to the side. And maybe once again beat his old riva, at everything.
And from the tidbits of information our catfolk has take
form. But mine is not the only interpretation out there. What class did your
catfolk choose? How did he come to worship Marishi? Who Betrayed Him?
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