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During the peak of feline/canine civilization, there was a great power struggle, a government upheaval, a shattering of a once great culture. Something happened involving a cat queen and her most trusted and loyal guardian that sent the entire race into chaos.

This catastrophe began in the great city Khemkha which lay in a fertile river floodway halfway between the main southern continent and the main eastern continent. This places it as the crossroads of all trade over the majority of the world and therefore the perfect place to spark unrest. The event reached even to the continents across the ocean, where it crushed an entire society.

Come to Khemekha to relive this story and discover the truth.

Races

Feline
The cats are aligned with gods of the sun, moon and sky.

Ruwen - (lions) Fierce and proud. Most notably rulers and nobles or army generals. Their manes tend to be long and full, more-so than the other races and run from white to black with blonds, reds and browns in between but their pelts tend to be only a light gold. Come from sparse jungles and arid lands. The Ruwen were the first to start banding together to make the first feline towns and cities. When the other races saw their success they attempted their own.

Shuwaran - (cheetahs) The swiftest of the feline races. Usually messengers, couriers, scouts, or merchants. Their manes range from pure white to a deep mahogany brown, and their yellow pelts are spotted attractively. Come from grasslands. They follow wherever there is commerce or a need for their speed. Normally a nomadic race, but they have learned to settle in some of the larger cities.

Chakha - (tigers) Large and noble. Tend to be nobility and leaders either socially or in the military and also are the second most educated race. Their manes are either white, black, or a shade of red ranging from strawberry blond to rich auburn and often adorn them with bangles and hair ornaments and their pelts are always striped black, though the color can range into the same spectrum as their mane. Come from deep jungles and swamps. The second race to take to making towns, but all the noble houses within a Chakha city retain their independence, preferring to run it with diplomacy and democracy to monarchy.

Abar - (leopard/panther) The most educated feline race. Most often scholars, mages, high priests/priestess. Their manes range from platinum blond to dark sienna, almost a black, but mostly avoids the reds in that spectrum and their pelt can be a white or gold with glorious spots or a rich black. Have the widest range of habitat running from arid lands to jungles to high mountaintops. Even after civilization was well underway, the Abar stuck to their reclusive ways and still have hidden schools and monasteries in the wilds. A few have taken to city life, teaching both young and old and practicing their arts.

Jagar - (jaguar) Mysterious and artistic. Tend to be mystics, artists, or ferocious martial artists. Their manes are gold that can range into dark browns, but never gets too dark or too light and rarely red (A red mane is the sign of the Jagar devil) their pelts are gold and spotted with brown and black, but occasionally a pure black one is born (likewise, not a happy sign). Come from the deep jungles on the continent from across the ocean. Unlike the other races, a Jagar city is never ruled by Jagar. Usually they pick a Chakha or a Hisa, and rarely a Ruwen house to lead them. Naturally, those cities ruled by Hisa are often at war with cities ruled by others.

Hisa - (sabertooth) Brutal and barbaric. Are almost never seen in another races territory with any sort of job other than invader or murderer. Their manes and pelts are gold or brown with little variation or coloring. Come from the grasslands and tundra but their territory has been pushed back to be mostly the northern part of the continent across the ocean. Considered barbarians by the other races, their technology and magic is severely less than that of the other cities. They claim to be the ancestors of the Ruwen and as such have laid claim to their territory, thus causing huge wars.

Canine
The dogs are aligned with the gods of earth.
Canines tend to be the servants of the cats, doing the menial labor not meant for noble hands. Also the bulk of the military, soldiers and such.

Lobos - (wolves) Adaptive and resourceful. Can occupy nearly any social niche not already taken by a feline. Manes and pelts have a wide spectrum of being anything from white and silver, to blond and red, to dark browns and black. The most wide spread of the canines, they not only reside in most feline cities but some 'rebels' have started building their own. Most of the nobility isn't happy with that and have attempted to quell the 'rebellion' by force.

Xixline - (foxes) Cunning and creative. Are often employed as spies, assassins, teachers aids, and magic/lab assistants. Manes can be silver to blond to rich red to light brown and anything in between, pelts sometimes have white or black markings. Also pretty wide spread, taking almost any territory that the Lobos don't want. Some cats find the Xixline too cat-like and prefer to keep them out of their courts, while others use them with abandon and there they outnumber the Lobos in town. Most often though, they are found sparingly throughout society.

Bijendi - (African wild dog) Swift and loyal. Usually employed as royal guards, especially in Ruwen territory. Have gold, red, or black manes, and spotted calico pelts or pure black. Come from the grasslands and arid areas. Are well trusted in the courts and many other races might employ them if the Ruwen didn't have a monopoly of their loyalty. If not found in court, they are found as merchants and messengers with the Shuwaran. They are strongly against the Lobos making their own cities.

Yeckle - (Jackal/coyote) Secretive and subtle. Because of their mysterious nature, Yeckle are mostly outcasts into poverty despite being naturally magically adept. Other than having red eyes and sharper claws, Yeckle can look just like a Bijendi, but most don't, lacking much of the black and tending towards browner colors. Come from arid lands and sparse jungles. The cowering dog on the sidewalk is what has become of most Yeckle, but some have developed secret places away from the cities where they can practice their magic and some are even employed by the 'rebel' Lobos as court mages.

The outcasts - (hyena) Known by no other name and have no other identity. Normally, the felines and canines only mate with their own kinds and usually only with their own race, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Most of the time, such a pairing results in infertility or a still birth, but occasionally the mongrel survives being born. They are then ejected from society of both feline and canine and left to fend for themselves. In the wilds of the southern continent, a small group of them has been able to form a vestigial society of mongrels. There they practice arts even more secret than the Yeckle. Some harbor thoughts of revenge towards the parents that abandoned them.

Storyline Update
~ July 26 ~
Thread created

NOW OPEN!!!!!

As the sun shone bright, it broke through the thin cloth that makes up a certain Jagar's tent, and he bolts awake. With a panic at losing precious traveling time, he starts gathering his things and collapsing the tent, before his Lobo friends get his attention. "My friend, even in the dark of last night, we've made it to our destination..." One of the wolves points to the East, the great city's border not even a far walk. "You can rest a while longer. We've already managed a meager yet sufficient catch to start our day." With that he goes back to the firepit he was tending to and finishes preparing their morning meal... Lazul was never one for fish, but when this Lobo prepares it, he feels like even a small portion is fit for a nobleman's plate.

After they finish their breakfast and gather up their packs, Lazul nods to his companions and they start their journey into the city. He's been to large villages before, but what he's familiar with couldn't hold a torch to the sights and sounds all around him. There seemed to be felines and canines of all races and creeds here, some friendly, and some he'd rather keep his distance from. By the time he finds the bazaar (which wasn't even in his plans, but his group simply could not resist following that beautiful voice), it looks like things have really picked up, and all around there are vendors, shoppers, and followers of the Queen... So much activity is almost draining for the Jagar, but he keeps focused on keeping with his friends, looking around at what many of the vendors have to offer.

Feeling surprisingly better than he had before, he found himself admiring the song, his travel-weary body now a bit more relaxed... Though he was brought out of his slight daze as a Red-furred Lobos catches his attention, and he tries to hold back an instinctive growl. That red fur startles him for a moment, though he calms as one of his Lobos companions starts laughing and leans on his shoulder. "My friend here, Lazul, would love to try a local brew. Though we ourselves," he motions to the other two with them, who nod politely, "would love to try your best import of those beans."

Lazul grins a little at his friends, and comments, "Fine, but you're paying for your own drinks, got it Pedro?" The Lobo leaning on him laughs again, nodding. "Fine, fine, but if that's the case, we won't share any with you... Well, okay maybe we will."

Lazul then looks to the young Lobo and asks, "How much would it be for the tea and for the coffee?"