Nkosi

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Nkosi are a race of shapeshifting leonic catfolk from the Southlands of Midgard. They debuted in the original Southlands campaign splatbook for Pathfinder 1st edition, where they were one of the five major PC races native to the region, and also showed up as a monster entry in the Southlands Bestiary that accompanied it. Currently, their only appearance in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition has been as a monster in the Tome of Beasts, but reputedly the upcoming Southlands Player's Guide for 5e will feature their PC race as a conversion.

Denizens of the Southlands empire of Omphaya, the Nkosi were originally humans, but were warped by the magics of their former god-king, the titan Gamka, to bear a more leonic visage; writeups of the race describe them as resembling "bestial humans with large feline eyes, flat noses that give their face a leonic look, and a cat's eyes, teeth and fur", as well as noting that their modified jaw structure gives them a certain trouble with properly pronouncing human languages, leading to a tendency to double their vowels. Their mentality also has a strong leonic influence; they are naturally inclined towards teamwork, and also have a strong affinity for hunting: Nkosi tend to couch everything in terms of hunting prey. Even their social unit resembles a lion's pride, with an emphasis on close bonds and communal childcare.

Perhaps because of this, Nkosi are technically an Amazon race - oh, the males are kept around, and seen as useful when brute force is required, but the womenfolk are crucial to Nkosi society, and are its primary warriors and hunters.

Nkosi regard most other races neutrally, but have both an instinctive fondness for humans (due to their origins) and an inexplicable distrust of gnolls (who, remember, are NOT an Always Chaotic Evil race in Midgard).

Pathfinder PC Stats

Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma

Type: Monstrous Humanoid (Shapechanger)

Size: Medium

Speed: 35 feet

Stalker: Perception and Stealth are always a Class Skill for an nkosi.

Hunter's Form (Su): As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, an nkosi can shift into the form of a zwana lion. This functions as Alter Self and Beast Shape I, except the nkosi doesn't adjust ability scores or base attack, loses any form-dependent class abilities and feats, gains the abilities of its new form, and doesn't heal damage. They can revert to normal form as a swift action that does not provoke AOO. In lion form, an nkosi gains a +10 racial bonus to Disguise checks to pass as a normal lion. An nkosi can use Hunter's FOrm 3 + (1/2 level) times per day.

Hunter's Maw (Ex): An nkosi has a natural bite attack that does 1d6 hit points of damage. This can be used as a primary attack, or as a secondary attack if the nkosi is using a weapon. As a natural shapechanger, the nkosi does not carry any sort of disease or therianthrope curse - biting a human will not turn them into an nkosi!