Difference between revisions of "Nekos"

Revision as of 04:31, 17 April 2008

Nekos are a feline humanoid species. They are on average taller than humans and much more agile and strong. Their name is derived from the Japanese word for cat 猫 (ねこ/ne-ko).

Like their name implies, they have some features in common with cats. These include their ears, tails, and claws. Their face and skin are similar to that of a human however, some nekos also have fur on some part of their body, usually their forearms. Nekos, like cats, purr when happy. It is interesting to note that most nekos are used to swallow small live preys to feed, sometimes tinies, much like a Felaryan predator would.

Known Nekos

Aimi

Blood

Shallandra

Sonya

Selneit Tribe (destroyed)

Located on the northern side of the Frost Peak Mountains, this tribe was utterly destroyed by felaryan predators a few years ago. The only know surviving member of this Neko tribe is a female named Shallandra, who has currently taken refuge in the jungle Bowl.

Scorching Claws Tribe

This tribe lives in the Sandfall maze. Their name comes from their powerful fire-imbued weapons and claws which are very painful. Even a giant harpy quickly learns to avoid contact with their long whips and combat staves. While Scorching Claws nekos often still end up in the bellies of the numerous harpies who inhabits the zone, the nekos have make pacts with a few of the harpy tribes. The pacts are an agreement that the nekos will feed the harpies the much more tasty human travelers they manage to capture in exchange for those harpies not eating the nekos. Surprisingly the pact has been upheld by both sides without failure for several years, which has allowed for some very odd - but solid - friendships to form between harpies and nekos.

Broken Hill Tribe (destroyed)

This neko tribe was unusual in not only being nomadic but also in its connection to the spirit world. It is (or was) their tradition to send aspiring shamans out alone into the jungle to contact their spirit guide. This spirit guide is usually the spirit of a deceased member of the tribe who connects to the shaman and shares the benefits of a lifetime of experience with them. Sadly, sometimes a shaman is contacted by a different kind of spirit entirely. It’s not uncommon for shamans to be possessed by malicious spirits, and to sometimes turn into creatures of great evil. Some say a few of them are still roaming around.

Sonya is the only known surviving member of the Broken Hill Tribe. The tribes became weakened by repeated assaults from predators, until one day the naga Crisis went in a feeding frenzy and ate what was left of the tribe in a row...

Rosic Nekos

A small neko community situated in the eastern part of the continent, a day's walk west of the coast of the Topazial sea, half a day's walk east from the swamps, and south of the Jewel river. Rosic nekos are said to be the origin of the best music that’s ever come out of Felarya. Their village have surprisingly few defenses and they live on the ground, rather than up in the trees. They have developped a very original way of protecting themselves : they use music.

They can fight almost as well as the average nekos, but they only ever fight animals, deaf predators, or one that is too hungry to care about pretty music. Most intelligent predators however, and quite a few of the unintelligent ones too, would look for a different meal in exchange for a song or two. In fact, many of the local predators around the tribe somehow protect the Rosic nekos from the more voracious ones. They don’t want their favorite musicians to become lunch ! It’s like the saying goes : ‘Music soothes the savage stomach’” ^^

This has allowed the village to prosper amazingly well. Of course, in order to keep up the high standard and reputation the village has, when young nekos reach maturity they have to pass a test : the Rosic test.

On many worlds, in many cultures, youths are sent out into the wilderness to prove themselves. The Rosic test is exactly that : The neko go out into the jungle, either by themselves or with a band of friends, and look for a predator. Then, before being devoured, the troup must use their music to prevent their imminent death. And as proof of their deed, the young musician must take a memento from the predator as proof : a naga’s scale, a harpy’s feather, a notch off a mermaid’s fin etc...

If victorious, the youth comes back and begins a career of musicneko for hire. If the hapless neko can’t make good enough music for the predator, they end up making a different kind of music in its stomach... In this way, the tribe weeds out the unskilled, and makes a reputation for itself among the nearby predators - or at least keeps them fed...

• Credits goes to SilentEric for the design and idea of Rosic nekos, and to Zoekin for the broken hill tribe.