FREQUENCY: Rare <(Tropical forests, jungles)>
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Hills])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Forest])
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 15"
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: Magical sword or miscellaneous weapon 5%
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or by weapon type
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3/1-3 or by weapon type
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average (high cunning)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
SIZE: M (6 1/2' tall)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II | 20 + 2

SAVES: 14.15.16.17.17

The tabaxi (or cat-women, as they are known to most humans) are
a race of intelligent feline humanoids which inhabit the far reaches of
tropical jungles, avoiding both humans and sapient non-humans.
They live in small prides of 2-8 members, each pride roaming a
large territory and rarely having anything to do with other prides.

The tabaxi are extraordinary hunters, taking their prey through
surprise && quick ambush. Two of them will often chase an animal
directly onto the claws of a third. They have learned how to avoid
detection by disguising their scent by aromatic herbs. This, combined <DSG>
with their natural camouflage and ability to MOVE quickly and
silently, makes them deadly opponents in the tropical forest. Like
other cats, they will sometimes 'play' with their wounded prey until
it expires. They are also very adept at recognising a trap for what it is --
there is only a 10% chance of trapping a cat-man even if the trap is very
carefully hidden and cunningly constructed.

They are tool-users when they find it convenient to be so.
Their tools usu. consist of bone or wooden weapons,
with nothing more intricate than a bola or atlatl.
However, tabaxi have an amazing aptitude for
weaponry, and can discover the USE of a weapon, and become
adept in it's USE, in a remarkably short time so long as the weapon is
not a complex one.

Tabaxi will generally avoid human intruders in their forests,
unless they see an easy opportunity for the acquisition fo weaponry.

The cat-men are tall and lithe and MOVE with the smooth-easy grace
of cats. Their fine fur is tawny and striped with black, in a pattern
similar to that of a tiger. They wear no clothing. Their eyes are green-yellow
and slit-pupilled. They have retractable claws. A pride will
generally be 1-3 young (1 HD, 50% chance of fighting if attacked,
50% chance of fleeing) 1-3 males and 1-3 females. <revise 2-8 to 3-9?>
The females are at least equal to the males in fighting ability.

Tabaxi speak a small amount of the common tongue in +addition+ to
their own language. They will not engage in trade, as they consider it
demeaning.

Unless armed with a weapon, a cat-man will fight with its two foreclaws (1-3 HP of damage each) and its bite (1-3 HP of damage).
 

    by Lawrence Schick

<image should be tawny ++ tiger ++ nude>