Catian
By Emerald Moonsilver
Before his “unfortunate” death at the hands of his latest creations, the Gene Splicer and known pervert, Ataru Moroboshi, had been best known for creating a wide variety of usually cute races for sale. Some were servants, some were warriors, and some were…..just out there.
The Catians were one of his first experiments in creating a race of cat demi-humans that could be altered to fit a variety of roles. Unlike his later creations, both male and female Catians were created.
All Catians resemble humans for the most part, with the exception of a fine layer of fur covering their body, as well as small cat’s ears on top of their head, and a prehensile tail just above their rear end.
1st gens tend to be a light cream color, with the Cheetans being a light yellow with grey spots on their bodies.
The first “batch” of Catians did not have a formal name and are referred to as, “first gens”. They were, created to be servants for “elite ladies and gentleman”, i.e. rich perverts such as Ataru himself. They are of average intelligence, easily manipulated, but possessing a charisma and beauty that could persuade a true Naruni to sell things at a discount, and then some.
The second and most produced then bred “batch” are usually referred to as “Cheetans”, showing that dear Ataru has no originality when it comes to names. This group was first created to be athletes beyond compare, until poor Ataru was informed that genetically created beings could not participate in the 3 Galaxies Olympic Games.
Instead they were altered to make them the best scouts, military and otherwise, that could be hired, usually for very high fees. The Cheetans, most impressive ability is their incredible running speed of over 250 miles per hour, triple that when astral phased. (More on that later.)
Catian Race and optional NPC
Alignment:
1st Gen Catians: Principled (50%), Scrupulous)
Cheetans: Principled (25%), Scrupulous (50%), Unprincipled (25%)
As a note though, even the most jaded Cheetan would never allow a 1st gen to com to harm and they have a nasty tendency to grab a solid object and run past any offender at 200+ miles per hour while slamming said object into the offender. In Short don’t pick on the 1st Gens in from of a Cheetan.
1st Gen Catian Sub-Race:
Attributes: I.Q. 3d6, M.E. 2d6, M.A. 4d6, (cute and sweet), P.S. 3d6, P.P. 4d6, P.E. 3d6, P.B. 5d6, Min 20, Speed 3d6
Size: Males (6 feet), Females (4.5 to 5.5 feet)
Weight: Males (160-170 lbs.) Females (varies).
Hit Points: P.E. attribute at first level, and 1d6 at each new level.
SDC: 20 plus those gained from chosen skills
Awe Factor: 8 Due to their sweet personalities and beauty. Many beings are quite protective of their 1st Gens, be they servants, boy / girlfriends, mistresses, or in a few cases wives or husbands.
Average Life Span: 1st Gens are quite long lived, with some reaching the ripe old age of 300 years. They reach maturity by age 16 and are biologically compatible with many human and demi-human races. The amount of half Catian 1st Gens is creating something of a “baby boom” in the 3 Galaxies as of late.
Natural Abilities: 1st Gen Catians have excellent vision equal to 2-10 in humans and have night vision out to 600 feet.
Due to working in close quarters with their employers / masters, Ataru made sure the 1st Gens could not be turned against them. This means that all 1st gens are completely immune to all forms of transformation, including vampires, like the Atlanteans are. They also have a +8 bonus to save vs. any form of mind control or possession. Their positive outlook on life and general naivety give them a +8 to save vs. horror factor. They can walk up to an “Old One” and say hello or at least close to it.
P.P.E.: 2d6
R.C.C. Skills: Servant Class
Language (Native): 98%
Literacy (Native): +20%
Language (Other): +10%
Math Basic: +10%
Barter: +20%
Cooking (Professional): +30%
Housekeeping: +30%
4 domestic skills of choice: +25%
First Aid: +20%
Athletics (General)
Physical Labor
Swimming
No HTH skills at first. HTH basic (only)
May be chosen as a secondary skill.
Pilot Auto or Ground hovercraft
Appraise Goods: +20%
Recycling: +15%
W.P. blunt, W.P. Knife. Both taught in secret by the older servants.
Preserve Food: +30%
Identify Plants and Fruit: +30%
Secondary Skills: Can select 4 skills at level 1, and 1 more skill at level 4, 7, 10, and 12.
1st Gens who leave their servant class RCC and switch over to any scholar / adventurer class and receives the normal skills for that OCC. They may be somewhat naïve, but they are not dumb by any means.
They will also grow in self confidence as they explore the world adding +1 to their M.E. for each level of their new class for a maximum of +4.
Standard Equipment:
Mainly personal items and gifts from their employer. Those who leave their employers / masters tend to become vagabonds or in rare cases small business owners, especially cooks.
The exception to this relates to those who marry into their employer’s family.
Money: Usually a few hundred in credits stashed away as well as a few thousand credits in small items, unless they marry into the family, then a 1st Gen can become quite wealthy, much to the annoyance of the other family members.
Cybernetics: None, no Catian will ever use bionics or cybernetics except for medical reasons.
Cheetan Catian Sub-Race:
Attributes: I.Q. 4d6, M.E. 4d6, M.A. 3d6+6, P.S. 3d6, P.P. 5d6, Min 20, P.E. 4d6 (Supernatural), P.B. 4d6+6, Min 18. Speed: 250 M.P.H., plus bonus gained per level.
Size: Males and females are 6 feet tall.
Weight: Males: 190lbs average, Females 150lbs average, (All muscle).
Hit Points: P.E. x2, plus 1d6+3 per level.
S.D.C.: 1d6x100
M.D.C. : 100 +10 Per Level.
Average Life Span: Same as the 1st gens.
P.P.E. : 4d6
I.S.P. : 1d6x10 and 1d6 per level. Cheetans are major sensitive psychics with 6 chosen abilities from that section.
Natural Abilities: Amplified hearing, same as the implant, 20/10 vision, with night vision out to 1000 feet. Telescopic Vision 20x.
All Cheetans are completely immune to all forms of transformation, including vampires, like the Atlanteans are. They also have a +8 bonus to save vs. any form of mind control or possession.
Level 1: 250 M.P.H. running ability +50 M.P.H. per level for a maximum speed of 650 M.P.H., with an inertial shield. This shield allows the P.C. to make 90 degree turns without suffering from any g-force affects. This running ability is more equivalent to low level flight. The cheetan can not only run on level ground, but up and down solid and liquid surfaces at full speed and even while inverted. This shield only works while running. The character can run up to 2 hours before needing to stop to rest.
Energy Shield: To protect themselves while running the Cheetan can create and energy shield for 20.I.S.P. that gives them 100 MDC plus 10 per level, +50 MDC max. The shield lasts 30 minutes per level of experience for a 2 hour maximum, or until destroyed.
Level 2: Dust Blast. By running on loose ground the P.C. can cause a blinding cloud of dust and debris. Range 5’ radius per level of experience, up to 50’ max. Anyone in the cloud must make a save vs. dodge at -4 or suffer -10 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1 full melee round (15 seconds). Those with eye covering are unaffected.
Level 4: Character gains a +5 auto dodge ability that does not cause the character to lose an action dodging an attack.
The abilities mentioned above can be used when the character reaches the mentioned level in whatever O.C.C. he chooses to take.
Additional Skills:
Regardless of their chosen class, all Cheetans have these base skills:
Language (Native): 98%
Literacy (Native): +40%
Math Basic: +30%
General Athletics
Swimming
Prowl: +30%
W.P. Ancient of Choice.
Attacks per Melee: 3 plus those gained from any HTH and other physical skills.
Bonuses: +3 initiative, +4 to dodge, additional +3 dodge when running, +4 to roll with punch.
Psionics: Abilities mentioned earlier plus those from a possible chosen Psychic class.
Magic: None unless a magic O.C.C. is chosen.
Standard Equipment: Varies depending on chosen character class. Cheetans though, prefer to wear light non-restrictive armor such as NG Riding armor.
Money: Varies depending on what character class is chosen.
Cybernetics: None, no Catian will ever use bionics or cybernetics except for medical reasons.
As A side note the Catians, especially the Cheetans are designed to be a higher power race, not as tough as the mutant cats in South America, but not weak earlier. They and the earlier Vixen race I posted are heavily influenced by our group’s love of anime so they may seem a bit off kilter. This race is not for everyone. But this race is based mainly in the 3 Galaxies, with some, used in our group’s California Campaign. (A “little” OP, you don’t want to know.) :>
As another note, I recently came across a copy of Rifter #55 and found the modified NGR classes within, these could be modified to be used in NG or MercTown Campaigns using the Vixens or Cheetans, or any other race for that matter.
I hope you enjoy this race and let me know what you think when I post this to Palladium’s website.