Felaryn
Catfolk of the Ninefold
The Felaryn are catfolk shaped by survival rather than luck, a people who believe life is counted in narrow escapes rather than years lived. Known as the Ninefold, they grow up daring and bold, testing the world while they believe lives remain to be spent. As they age, caution replaces recklessness, and every decision carries the weight of what has already been survived. Felaryn adventurers are agile, observant, and keenly aware of risk, choosing when to press forward and when to walk away.
Among the Felaryn, life is believed to be layered rather than singular. From birth, they are taught that every Felaryn is part of the Ninefold, a spiritual truth that works on a simple principle: death does not always claim them immediately, but it always keeps count. Each narrow escape, each brush with deadly harm, and every moment when death should have taken them but did not is believed to use up one of their lives.
In youth, this belief fosters boldness. Young Felaryn are known as risk-takers. They leap from rooftops, engage in dangerous deals, explore unstable ruins, and challenge threats others avoid. To them, early life is meant for learning the world’s edges. Survival is celebrated, not caution. A Felaryn who has never faced death is seen as untested and naive.
As they grow older, the Ninefold can become a burden. Those who have survived too many close calls are thought to have fewer lives left. These Felaryn become cautious, deliberate, and highly aware of consequences. Elders avoid unnecessary dangers and value preparation over bravado. To die wastefully after surviving so much is considered the greatest tragedy. Old Felaryn tend to be careful planners, negotiators, and watchers, having learned how thin the line between survival and death truly is.
Felaryn culture does not teach fear of death, but a respect for it. Every life must have meaning. Those who act recklessly in old age are viewed with quiet concern, while those who survive wisely are honored. Whether the Ninefold is a cosmic truth or a cultural belief shaped by strange resilience is unknown, but among the Felaryn, the counting never stops.
The Ninefold
Felaryn culture is built on the belief that life isn’t just singular but layered. From childhood, they learn that survival is significant and that each narrow escape from death costs something that can never be regained. This belief, called the Ninefold, influences every stage of Felaryn life. Youth is a time for testing limits, taking risks, and understanding the edges of the world. Failure is expected. Survival is celebrated. A Felaryn who has never faced danger is seen as unproven.
As Felaryn grow older, their relationship with risk shifts. Those who believe they have spent much of their lives become cautious and deliberate. Elders value preparation, negotiation, and observation more than bold action. Recklessness in later years is seen with concern rather than admiration. Dying foolishly after surviving so much is considered an unfortunate waste. Older Felaryn often become planners, scouts, merchants, or roles where foresight is more important than speed.
The Ninefold isn’t seen as a guarantee of survival. Felaryn do not believe they are immortal, only that they are difficult to finish. Each life is expected to mean something. Deeds are judged not by how daring they were, but by whether they were worth the cost. Regardless of if the Ninefold is a cosmic truth or a cultural understanding shaped by generations of survival remains unknown. What matters to the Felaryn is that death keeps track, and eventually, it will come to collect.
Marks of Lives Spent
Felaryn do not celebrate survival loudly. Instead, they mark it. When a Felaryn survives an event that should have ended their life, they choose a visible reminder that a life has been spent. These marks are personal and deliberate, never imposed by others. Some carve small notches into rings, bangles, or weapon hilts. Others clip a whisker close to the face, braid a new cord into their tail wrap, or alter their clothing to reflect the change. Scars earned in these moments are rarely hidden. To cover them would be to deny the lesson paid for in pain.
As the count grows, the marks become subtler. Younger Felaryn tend to choose bold symbols, bright cords, or obvious changes meant to be seen. Older Felaryn favor quiet signs known only to those who know how to look. A missing charm. A ring worn on a different finger. Among Felaryn, it is considered deeply rude to ask how many lives someone has spent. The marks are meant to be recognized, not counted aloud.
These signs serve as reminders, not warnings. Each mark is proof that the Felaryn learned something worth surviving for. To ignore the meaning of a mark is to disrespect the life that was lost to earn it.
The Final Life
When a Felaryn believes they have reached their final life, everything changes. They do not announce it and there is no ceremony or declaration. Instead, their behavior shifts in ways only other Felaryn notice. Movements slow. Risks are measured with care and words carry more weight. These individuals are said to walk softly, as if death itself is listening.
Some Felaryn on their final life withdraw from danger entirely, choosing to become caretakers within their communities. Others feel the opposite pull. They seek one last act that gives meaning to every life spent before it. This final act is rarely reckless. It is purposeful, chosen with clarity rather than bravado. To die meaninglessly after surviving so much is considered the greatest failure of all. Felaryn do not fear the final life. They respect it knowing that Death is not an enemy, only a patient collector. When it finally comes, the hope is not to escape again, but to meet it knowing that every life before was lived with intention. Among the Felaryn, this is the highest form of survival.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Felaryn are humanoids with distinct feline features, resembling upright cats. They are lean and agile, standing slightly shorter than most humans, with flexible bodies designed for balance, climbing, and rapid movement. Their posture is relaxed yet alert, and even at rest, they seem ready to slip away at the first sign of danger. Many Felaryn prefer high ground or open paths, instinctively positioning themselves where escape is more likely. Their fur comes in a wide range of colors and patterns inspired by their feline ancestry. Common colors include solid blacks, silvers, and warm earth tones, as well as stripes, spots, and mottled coats.
by Dean Spencer
Younger Felaryn often have smooth, shiny fur, while older ones show signs of wear from years of survival. Scars hidden beneath fur, thinning patches, or faded markings are treated with quiet respect, as they indicate moments when a life was nearly lost. Felaryn faces retain strong catlike traits, including narrow muzzles, prominent whiskers, and forward-facing eyes that reflect light in low-light conditions. Their hands and feet end in retractable claws used for climbing and precise movement rather than fighting. Long tails help with balance and expression, and damage to a tail is considered a serious hardship.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Felaryn names are fluid and often change over the course of a lifetime. At birth, a Felaryn is given a soft name chosen for rhythm rather than meaning. These early names are meant to be easily spoken and quickly abandoned as a Felaryn grows and survives their first true brushes with danger, their name evolves to reflect who they have become.
Most adult Felaryn use a chosen name earned through experience. This name may reference a narrow escape, a personal habit, or a lesson learned through survival. Some names are straightforward and literal, while others are subtle and symbolic. Felaryn believe a name should feel comfortable to speak, since it is meant to be carried through many dangers.
Birth Names
Kori, Luma, Nilo, Riko, Sera, Tavi, VaraChosen Names
Firefall, Lastwatch, Quickstep, Quietclaw, Slipwind, TrollscarLifespan
Felaryn mature quickly, reaching adulthood in their late teens. Most live between 300 and 350 years, though many believe their true lifespan is determined less by time and more by how many narrow escapes they survive. Felaryn who live cautiously later in life often reach old age, while those who spend their early years recklessly may meet their final end much sooner.
Lifespan
About 350 years
Average Height
Medium (about 4-7 feet tall) or Small (about 2-4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species.
by Vagelio Kaliva
Resurrection Magic
Felaryn view resurrection with deep unease. Each time a Felaryn survives what should have been a fatal moment, something unseen is believed to be spent. Resurrection magic disrupts this accounting. It returns the body but leaves the soul uncertain of what was lost or taken in the process. Among the Felaryn, this uncertainty is more frightening than death itself.
Many Felaryn believe resurrection steals clarity. A resurrected individual may walk, speak, and fight as before, yet something fundamental has shifted. Memories may feel distant, instincts dulled, or emotions muted. Felaryn elders often describe resurrection as waking with a missing shadow, an existence restored without its full weight. Because of this, a Felaryn may refuse resurrection magic unless there is good reason, such as unfinished duty or the protection of others.
For adventuring Felaryn, this belief creates difficult choices. Accepting resurrection may save their adventuring party, but it carries social and spiritual consequences. Among the Ninefold, coming back from death is not victory. It is a question that will follow the Felaryn for the rest of their remaining lives.
Homelands
Felaryn do not claim vast territories or build enduring cities. They settle where others pass through, places shaped by movement rather than permanence. Caravan crossroads, river ports, cliff side roads, half reclaimed ruins, and border towns are common Felaryn homes. They are drawn to locations where danger and opportunity intersect, believing such places sharpen instinct and reveal which risks are worth taking.
Felaryn settlements are designed to be adaptable. Buildings are light, modular, and often layered vertically. Walkways span rooftops, balconies connect upper levels, and narrow passages create multiple escape routes. Even long settled communities retain an air of impermanence, with structures that can be abandoned or dismantled quickly if conditions turn hostile. This flexibility reflects their belief that staying alive sometimes means knowing when to leave.
Older Felaryn often choose quieter edges of these settlements, living above the streets or along natural boundaries such as cliffs, treelines, or waterways. From these vantage points, they observe rather than engage, guiding younger Felaryn away from reckless choices. In contrast, younger Felaryn cluster near markets, docks, and roads where danger is close and lessons are earned quickly.
Felaryn communities maintain loose ties with one another through shared stories rather than rigid governance. News of disasters, near catastrophes, and improbable survivals travels fast between settlements. A place that claims too many lives is abandoned without ceremony. Survival, not pride, determines whether a settlement endures.
Felaryn Adventurers
Most Felaryn are drawn to danger early in life. Youth is seen as the proper time to test the Ninefold, to learn where the edges of survival lie, and to discover which risks are worth taking. Many leave their settlements seeking experience rather than glory, believing that a life untested is a life already wasted. Adventuring offers the perfect balance of threat and opportunity, where survival itself becomes a teacher.
Some Felaryn adventure for practical reasons. They may be gathering wealth to support their settlement, seeking information about dangerous regions, or chasing rumors of places where death comes too easily. Others leave after surviving a near fatal event, driven by the belief that something has changed and must be understood. For older Felaryn, adventuring is rare but deliberate. Those who walk the world late in life often act as guides, negotiators, or observers, choosing caution over speed while lending their experience to those who still have lives to spend.
A Felaryn adventurer carries the Ninefold into every decision. They weigh risk differently than others, not by fear, but by value. Each danger faced is measured against what might be gained or learned. Survival is not their only goal, but it is always the first consideration. To walk the path of adventure as a Felaryn is to accept that every victory may cost something unseen, and that one day, the final life will be the one that matters most.
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