Race Meet the Felix (AKA Cat Hippies)

The Felix (singular, plural, and adjective: Felix) are a humanoid species with feline traits, such as pointed ears, whiskers, catlike eyes, a prehensile tail, and retractable claws. They're generally peaceful environmentalists (some would consider them to be tree-huggers), but if need be, they can be cold and ruthless when it comes to warfare.

Long ago, on the planet Panth'ra, there existed the Panth'rans, the Felix's ancestors and former masters. This fiercely proud warrior race was so devoted to warfare that their religion, their society, their very way of life revolved around it. In fact, they glorified warfare so much that they never paid attention to its effects upon the environment.

The warrior castes were considered the pinnacle of Panth'ran society (followed by the scientists, then the merchants, tinkerers, and smiths, and finally, the serfs), and each Panth'ran's level of prestige was determined by the enemies he/she has defeated. Because of this, the Panth'rans were very competitive, so competetive, in fact, that they weren't very cooperative, to the point where, although they recognized the value of technology in warfare, they would consider war machines (a generic term that the Panth'rans and Felix use for vehicles designed for warfare, including tanks, ships, and mecha) that required more than one Panth'ran to pilot to be abominations. Moreover, Panth'ran leaders would often have to deal with attempts at dethroning them (since defeating a superior in battle would allow for the Panth'ran to advance in rank), making them too busy to effectively manage their empires.

To fulfill the needs for their societies to develop more advanced weapons of war, the Panth'rans used genetic engineering technology (not unlike what the Apex used) to breed a more efficient caste of scientists and engineers (as well as a more powerful warrior caste). These Panth'rans were granted increased intelligence, though at the cost of physical strength and agility (to the point where their physical capabilities were roughly on par with the average human). However, these more intelligent Panth'rans saw how the wars that their overlords constantly fought in were devastating their planet, slowly making it uninhabitable as Panth'ran war machines spewed forth toxic fumes, and Panth'ran weaponry recklessly laid waste to the environment, poisoning and irradiating it. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears, as it would require the Panth'rans to relinquish the very thing that their societies revolved around: war. (That and the warrior castes were gradually growing less intelligent in exchange for greater combat prowess due to their usage of said genetic engineering technology on themselves.)

Foreseeing the extinction of their race, the lesser castes plotted to overthrow their masters. Although individually, they were too weak to pose a threat to them, but by working together (which is unthinkable for the warrior caste), they could stand a fighting chance at overthrowing them. They had secretly developed life-support systems that would allow them to survive in hostile biomes long enough for them to find a new home to call their own, as well as terraforming technology that they could use to detoxify their ravaged homeworld. Thankfully, since the warrior castes were too busy keeping eachother in check to notice what's happening among the lesser castes, their activities went largely unnoticed, that is, until they were ready to begin their revolution.

When the revolution began, the lesser castes, calling themselves the Felix (meaning "children of Felis", the Panth'ran goddess of love and fertility) to distance themselves from their warmongering Panth'ran brethren, caught their enemies by surprise through their unusual (some Panth'rans would say dishonorable) tactics. Although the Panth'ran war machines were quite powerful, they were jacks-of-all-trades designed to take on all manner of enemies equally well, and were each crewed by individual Panth'rans (due to emphasis on individual prestige over teamwork), while the Felix's war machines were specialized to fulfill specific niches in a combined arms strategy (which was an alien concept for the Panth'rans), and could be crewed by up to thousands of Felix (typically, these were warships), allowing them to multitask more efficiently. Since the Felix were more cunning and better at planning than the Panth'rans, and since they weren't above fighting their opponents using underhanded guerilla warfare tactics (such as launching sneak attacks, using deception to fool their enemies, and sabotaging enemy war efforts), they were able to kill far more Panth'rans than they could kill Felix.

Eventually, the Felix were successful at defeating their overlords. They had opted to spare the Panth'rans from extinction, relocating them to reservations on the planet, hoping that they'd learn their lesson. However, the Felix paid a terrible price for their victory. As feared, their home planet of Panth'ra was so badly ravaged by the Felix Revolution, that it could barely support Felix or Panth'ran life. However, with the Panth'rans out of the way, the Felix were free to explore space. Hopefully, they could find another world to call home.

Within less than a century, the Felix discovered a planet that possessed a biosphere of its own only a dozen light years away from Panth'ra. However, while the surface gravity of the planet was only 10% higher than Panth'ra's, the biodiversity level of the planet was low (due to a recent extinction event that was later found to have been caused by another warmongering race thousands of years ago, though still much higher than Panth'ra's biodiversity level), and the atmosphere of the planet was somewhat hostile to both the Felix and the Panth'rans, but not to what life remained on the new planet. While the Panth'rans wanted to use their terraforming technology (which was being developed and used to detoxify their own homeworld) to modify the planet's atmosphere to suit their needs, the Felix knew that such an act would be detrimental to what remained of the planet's biosphere, so they instead opted to use their genetic engineering technology to allow the Felix, as well as the Panth'ran lifeforms that they plan on introducing to this new planet, to adapt to this new planet's biosphere.

The 1st few settlers arrived on the new planet, which they've named Felis, a century after the start of the Felix Revolution. The Felix that moved to the new planet used their advanced life-support technology to give them enough time to use their advanced genetic engineering technology to gradually adapt to Felis's biosphere. (For example, they would use this genetic engineering technology to gradually develop resistances to a number of poisons found on Felis's wildlife, so that they could later use them as a food source.) Within a couple decades, most of the Felix had relocated to their new homeworld of Felis (thanks in part to the development of jump gate technology), leaving the Panth'rans behind in their still barely-habitable homeworld of Panth'ra to forge their own destiny. Within half a century, Felis was teeming with life, as the Felix, along with the Panth'ran lifeforms that they brought with them, had perfectly adapted to their new homeworld, and the Felix had successfully removed what poisons lingered after the planet's recent extinction event.

Two centuries after the start of the Felix Revolution, the Felis Federation now spans across 5 solar systems, with a population of 15 billion, and is still growing. The Felix now dedicate their civilization towards protecting and preserving life across the universe.

Note that F.D. stands for Felix Domini, in which 0 F.D. represents the year that the Felix Revolution was begun. B.F.D. stands for Before Felix Domini.

Also note that the years listed in this timeline are based on Panth'ran years, which are approximately 347 earth days long. Years on the planet Felis are even shorter, lasting only 218 days.

• 282 B.F.D.: Gunpowder is discovered by the Panth'rans.
• 146 B.F.D.: The Panth'rans begin to initiate their eugenics programs that would produce more powerful warriors, as well as more intelligent, though also physically weaker, scientists, engineers, and craftsmen that would later become the Felix.
• 141 B.F.D.: The 1st machine guns are invented.
• 126 B.F.D.: Steam power is discovered.
• 122 B.F.D.: The 1st assembly lines are developed to take advantage of steam power, allowing for the mass production of firearms, bombs, and later, war machines.
• 118 B.F.D.: The 1st steam-powered war machines are developed, though are considered too bulky and inefficient to be worthwhile to use in warfare due to Panth'ran warrior code emphasizing competition over cooperation. However, steam power proves useful for transporting large groups of soldiers via ship or zeppelin.
• 82 B.F.D.: The 1st diesel-powered war machines are developed, including single-seat tanks, aircraft, and ships.
• 76 B.F.D.: Radio technology is discovered.
• 68 B.F.D.: The 1st computers are invented.
• 60 B.F.D.: Genetic engineering technology is developed.
• 51 B.F.D.: The 1st satellite is put in orbit around Panth'ra.
• 44 B.F.D.: The 1st nuclear weapons are developed.
• 40 B.F.D.: The 1st nuclear power plant is built.
• 37 B.F.D.: A proposal for space exploration is rejected by the Panth'rans, claiming it to be a waste of time and resources.
• 34 B.F.D.: The 1st lasers are invented, though are considered too weak to be of any use on the battlefield.
• 31 B.F.D.: The 1st prototype mass drivers are invented, although research into them has been limited due to the Panth'rans' greater interest in nuclear weaponry.
• 29 B.F.D.: Studies conducted by Felix scientists indicate that Panth'ra's climate is warming due to greenhouse gases being introduced into the atmosphere. However, the Panth'rans dismiss the report. Still, the Felix decide to phase out old diesel-powered war machines in favor of newer, more efficient ones, since they don't emit as many greenhouse gases.
• 26 B.F.D.: The Felix begin to prepare for nuclear war. They start building habitats that are capable of protecting the Felix from the effects of a global thermonuclear war over indefinite periods of time.
• 22 B.F.D.: The Felix are pressured into researching and developing nuclear-powered war machines, despite concerns about the effects of nuclear fallout.
• 20 B.F.D.: The internet is developed on Panth'ra, though isn't openly adopted due to concerns amongst the Panth'rans that enemies of the state could use it to spy on them.
• 18 B.F.D.: The Panth'rans develop the 1st mecha. These colossal nuclear-powered war machines are designed to take on all manner of threats.
• 16 B.F.D.: As feared, nuclear war breaks out on Panth'ra. Although the war wasn't global, and only lasted for a month, 8% of the planet's population was killed, and 4% of the planet's land surface was made uninhabitable for decades.
• 14 B.F.D.: The Felix start to develop technologies that could be used to clean up various forms of pollution, including nuclear fallout, though the Panth'rans don't seem interested.
• 13 B.F.D.: The Felix propose that they, along with the Panth'rans, should colonize space to ensure their survival in an increasingly-hostile Panth'ra. However, the proposal is rejected by the Panth'rans, claiming that moving away from battle is cowardly.
• 11 B.F.D.: The Panth'rans start to treat the lower castes more harshly, feeling that they aren't doing enough to support their war efforts. The Felix are forced to divert resources from developing more peaceful technologies to producing more powerful war machines.
• 9 B.F.D.: An uprising led by the Felix, upset over how the Panth'ran war effort is having a negative impact on Panth'ra's ecosystem, is brutally suppressed by the Panth'rans.
• 8 B.F.D.: The Felix secretly prepare for war with their Panth'ran overlords. They begin to stockpile weapons and build war machines in secret caches, and to establish darknets to coordinate actions against their Panth'ran overlords. Thankfully, the Panth'rans are too preoccupied with keeping eachother in check to notice.
• 6 B.F.D.: The Felix place several spy satellites and anti-satellite satellites in orbit in preparation for war. The Panth'rans mistakenly believe that the Felix are launching weather and communications satellites instead.
• 0 F.D.: The Felix Revolution is launched. During the 1st few months of the revolution, neutron bombs are used by the Felix to wipe out massed Panth'ran military forces, while EMPs disable many of their more advanced war machines. Panth'ran-controlled military satellites are destroyed by anti-satellite weapons before they could be used against the Felix.
• 1 F.D.: The Felix begin to deploy their own war machines against the Panth'rans. The Felix use combined arms and guerilla tactics (both of which are against the Panth'rans' warrior codes) to defeat the Panth'rans' more generalized war machines.
• 5 F.D.: The Felix Revolution ends, though the planet Panth'ra is ravaged by nuclear winter, to the point where it's barely capable of sustaining life. Nearly 38% of the total population had perished from the revolution. The Felix relocate the remaining Panth'rans to reservations, where they can be contained.
• 6 F.D.: The Felix begin their space exploration programs.
• 8 F.D.: The Felix establish a new, professional military force to replace the Panth'rans' more traditionalistic military forces.
• 9 F.D.: The Felix successfully land on Panth'ra's moon.
• 10 F.D.: The Felix successfully send a lander towards a nearby planet that they believe to harbor life. Much to their horror, the planet wasn't a paradise, but a Venusian hellscape.
• 13 F.D.: The Felix deploy their 1st rover on a nearby Martian planet in their solar system.
• 15 F.D.: The Felix quell a number of riots over food and water supplies, along with forcibly putting down a pro-Panth'ran rebellion. Population levels decline to 35% of pre-Revolution levels due to mass starvation and disease, though the Panth'rans now make up only 12% of the total population. Birth control measures are put into practice to ensure that another Malthusian catastrophe doesn't occur.
• 16 F.D.: The Felix start to colonize the polar regions of Panth'ra as a test for their life-support technology.
• 17 F.D.: The Felix send a number of airborne rovers to explore the Venusian planet's atmosphere, as well as the atmospheres of a number of gas giants within the solar system.
• 18 F.D.: The Felix build and deploy their 1st floating cities.
• 22 F.D.: The Felix develop beam-propelled spacecraft as a more cost-effective alternative towards rocket-propelled spacecraft.
• 28 F.D.: The 1st space elevators are completed on Panth'ra.
• 32 F.D.: The Felix start to colonize Panth'ra's moon, building subterranean cities many kilometers below the surface to protect their habitats from solar radiation and meteorite bombardment.
• 34 F.D.: The Felix finish construction of an orbital shipyard with which to build larger spaceships without the need for them to lift off of a planet's atmosphere under their own power.
• 40 F.D.: The Felix perfect their ability to mine and harvest asteroids and comets.
• 47 F.D.: The Felix start to colonize their solar system.
• 50 F.D.: Population levels on Panth'ra decline to 26% of pre-Revolution levels due to strict birth control measures being applied to prevent another Malthusian catastrophe. However, the Panth'rans now make up 18% of the total population due to a lack of population control measures being applied to them.
• 51 F.D.: Technology is developed that can allow spaceships to travel over half the speed of light.
• 54 F.D.: Space probes discover a planet that may be capable of supporting life, orbiting a Class K dwarf star some 12 light years away from Panth'ra. The planet's surface gravity is estimated to be only 10% higher than Panth'ra's gravity.
• 74 F.D.: Rovers land on the newly-discovered planet, and confirm that the planet, which has been named Felis, after the Panth'ran goddess of love and fertility, is not only capable of supporting life, but also contains a complex biosphere, much like Panth'ra. However, Felis's ecosystem is discovered to be somewhat toxic to the Panth'rans and Felix. Moreover, Felis appears to have undergone an extinction event thousands of years ago. Much of the planet appears desertified, trace levels of nuclear fallout are detected all over the planet, and many parts of the planet are still polluted with toxic waste, though the biosphere appears to be recovering. The Felix believe that an ancient civilization that once lived on Felis had collapsed due to constant warfare and rampant industrialization.
• 75 F.D.: Population levels on Panth'ra decline to 22% of pre-Revolution levels. The Panth'rans now make up 31% of the total population. The Felix are beginning to worry that the Panth'rans are attempting to repopulate so that they can have their revenge against the Felix. The Felix begin to impose stricter birth control measures in an effort to prevent a Panth'ran uprising.
• 76 F.D.: The Felix prepare to colonize planet Felis and adapt to its ecosystem, as despite their efforts to detoxify Panth'ra, Panth'ra is slowly dying from the aftermath of the Revolution. While the Panth'rans wish to terraform Felis to suit their needs, the Felix instead wish to adapt to Felis's ecosystem to ensure that they wouldn't do too much damage to it. Also, the Felix expect their race to become extinct within no more than 200 years as their planet's biodiversity levels continue to drop.
• 83 F.D.: Felix spaceships are now capable of travelling at 90% the speed of light. Breakthroughs in physics lead to the development of theories that claim that it's now possible to travel faster than the speed of light under specific conditions.
• 88 F.D.: The 1st colony ship headed for planet Felis is dispatched.
• 94 F.D.: The 1st prototypes for jump gates are produced. Messages are sent to Felis containing blueprints for the jump gate. The messages were sent by an especially powerful radio transmitter that could focus radio waves over distant targets.
• 100 F.D.: Population levels on Panth'ra rise to 27% of pre-Revolution levels due to the fact that Panth'ra's ecosystem is starting to show signs of recovery. Thanks to increased birth control measures being applied, the Panth'ran population levels have remained the same over the past 25 years, though they've grown more restless because of this. They currently make up 25% of the total population.
• 104 F.D.: The Felix colonists arrive on planet Felis, and begin building temporary habitats and research facilities to study and adapt to the planet's climate and ecosystem.
• 106 F.D.: The colonists on Felis receive transmissions from Panth'ra on how to create a prototype jump gate, as well as a frequency with which to connect to Panth'ra's jump gate.
• 109 F.D.: The colonists on Felis use a prototype jump gate to transmit a message back to Panth'ra. The transmission reached Panth'ra in mere seconds, allowing for real-time communication between the two planets despite being light years away from eachother.
• 110 F.D.: Dozens of colony ships containing millions of Felix are launched towards planet Felis, as well as several other planets that were discovered to be capable of sustaining life. Aboard a few of them are FTL communications arrays that would allow the colony ships to keep in touch with both Panth'ra and Felis.
• 112 F.D.: The Felix manage to transport one of their own people from Panth'ra to Felis using a jump gate.
• 113 F.D.: The Felix begin introducing genetically engineered Panth'ran organisms to Felis for terraforming purposes.
• 118 F.D.: Due to increasing unrest with the Panth'rans, and the deteoriorating state of Panth'ra's ecosystem, the Felix are preparing to relocate their population en-masse to Felis through the use of jump gates.
• 125 F.D.: Over 300 million Felix now populate Felis. Several Felis-born Felix begin to develop resistances towards various toxins found within Felis's ecosystem, allowing them to safely eat organisms that are native to Felis, and to live more confortably in Felis's atmosphere.
• 132 F.D.: The Panth'ran Uprising is underway. The Panth'rans use EMPs to wipe out much of Panth'ra's power grid. However, the Felix were prepared for such an occasion, as they evacuated over 70% of their remaining population to Felis during the Uprising. Those Felix that didn't make it out had sacrificed their lives trying to prevent the Panth'rans from reaching their comrades in space, wiping their databases clean, and destroying the space ports and jump gates so that the Panth'rans wouldn't be able to threaten Felix colonies outside of Panth'ra for decades to come. However, they left some of Panth'ra's life-support systems intact so that the Panth'rans could start their lives anew.
• 139 F.D.: The 1st FTL engines are developed. These engines allow Felix spaceships to travel up to 3 times the speed of light without requiring the aid of a jump gate.
• 147 F.D.: The Felix send probes to Panth'ra to spy on the Panth'rans, but find no signs of civilization across Panth'ra. The Felix fear that the Panth'rans may have become extinct.
• 150 F.D.: Felix space probes discover an advanced civilization dozens of light years away from Felis.
• 160 F.D.: Over 2 billion Felix currently live on Felis, which is now a lush paradise thanks to the Felix's efforts to detoxify and terraform the planet from its own ravaged state. The Felix, along with the organisms that they brought along with them, are now well-adapted to Felis's environment. New spaceports have been built in orbit around Felis, and new colony ships prepare to establish new Felix colonies throughout their little corner of the galaxy. The Felis Federation is born, dedicated towards protecting and preserving life across the universe.
• 200 F.D.: The Felis Federation now numbers over 15 billion Felix, and spans across 5 solar systems. They've made contact with several races now, including the Humans, the Apex, the Avians, the Hylotl, the Florans, the Glitch, and the Novakid.

To a human observer, Felix fashion and mannerisms seem similar to the hippie subculture, with an emphasis on peace, love, and nature. Although the Felix tend to prefer more casual clothing due to their more laid back live-and-let-live personalities (and because it's more comfortable to wear), most Felix seem to be fans of tie-dyed clothing.

Although the Felix are descendents of the Panth'rans, who's culture is centered around warfare, the Felix are disdainful of war. Rather, they place strong values on the importance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They are environmentalists, having seen firsthand what damage war and industrialization can do to the environment, and how they themselves are interconnected with the environment. On the other hand, they aren't vegetarians, since they evolved from a species of carnivores (though the Felix themselves are omnivores).

However, just because the Felix are disdainful of war doesn't necessarily mean that they don't know how to defend themselves. The Federation maintains a military force for self-defense, and many Felix regularly train in martial arts. Moreover, many Felix that live in the wilderness, near or beyond the border of Federation space, or travel abroad (whether for science, adventure, or activism), are trained and conditioned (usually by themselves) as survivalists. (See "Notable Felix Factions" below.)

The Felix (especially those trained as survivalists) know better than to entrust the means to their own survival to private entities. After all, a few revolts have occurred in their past, where some Felix communities lived in poverty due to greedy companies owning the means to their very survival, such as power plants, water and air purification systems, and hydroponic and aquaponic farms. As such, the Felis Federation has adopted a somewhat communistic stance on land ownership and use. Most farms, power plants, and other buildings and installations that are integral towards the survival of Federation communities are owned by local governments. However, much of the land is leased to private entities, allowing for private enterprise and innovation to flourish, especially in less-vital areas such as entertainment (although they may have their land and assets seized under certain circumstances, such as if they pollute the environment, or are found guilty of endangering the lives of citizens). Hence, the Felis Federation's economy is a mix of government-planned and free-market economies.

Aside from their communist and environmentalist approach to government, the Felis Federation also takes a libertarian approach when it comes to individual freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press are guaranteed, so long as they don't endanger the lives of people. No drugs are made illegal (although many are taxed), citizens are allowed to own firearms, pornography is legal (though child pornography is not), and (although many Felix dislike these practices) abortion and assisted suicide are legal, although there is divided opinion on whether or not to legalize the death penalty, with some regions outlawing it (because the Felix dislike taking another's life), and others (especially in more rural areas) supporting it (so that the Felix won't have to live in fear of serial killers and terrorists escaping from prison while serving a life sentence). However, the Felix are wary towards the concept of intellectual property, feeling that it restricts personal freedoms, so the Federation's laws on copyright and patenting, while minimizing the effects of intellectual piracy towards individuals while encouraging innovation through both public and private donations and investments, have discouraged many foreign companies from doing business with the Federation, and have even led to accusations of intellectual piracy and infringement against the Federation.

To the Felix, religion's purpose is to explain the meaning of the universe, and should never have to dictate how people should live their lives. As such, they're generally disdainful of religions that restrict people's freedoms, including what food to eat, what clothes to wear, or how to bathe. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Felix are lacking in morals or ethics. For example, the Felix are frequently encouraged to study philosophy, and most Felix understand the concept of karma from childhood. This allows them to live in harmony with eachother, without having a negative impact on society.

While Federation law doesn't ban drugs (although most regions impose a tax on some of them), very few Felix are addicted to drugs, and quite a few abstain from them altogether, due to being taught about their addictive properties. However, rumor has it that one of the more popular incenses (which possesses hallucinogenic properties) among the Felix allows them to see into the future, and played a part in foreseeing the destruction of Panth'ra by a great war (later discovered to be the Felix Revolution), the existence of a safe haven in the stars (later discovered to be Felis), and the Felix escaping from Panth'ra to Felis (during the Panth'ran Uprising). Lately however, some Felix "mystics" and "prophets" that use this incense as part of their rituals to see into the future are starting to see visions of a great evil awakening within the universe, that threatens the survival of not just the Federation, or even the entire Felix race, but the whole galaxy as well. Some Felix (possibly including playable Felix) have taken to practicing their survivalist skills in anticipation to this, and other, growing threats to their civilization.

Very few Felix go into serious debt, since they're generally discouraged from spending more than is necessary, as well as from taking big risks or gambles (though many Felix would take these risks if desperate). This means that they tend to keep their debts to a minimum, and don't gamble away large amounts of money (although they do possess a prosperous gambling industry). Moreover, due to their keen understanding on the benefits of self-sufficient economics (in addition to their strong values on environmentalism), many Felix (especially survivalists) grow some of their own food, possess their own solar plants or wind turbines in their homes, and tend to prefer low-polluting, energy-efficient vehicles and devices, even if they're more expensive than more highly-polluting, less energy-efficient vehicles and devices.

While Federation citizens are permitted to own and possess some types of firearms (survivalists and explorers are all but guaranteed to have at least one in their possession), violent crime is rare in Federation society due to the risks involved, as well as a simple lack of motivation (such as the aforementioned lack of debt). Moreover, the legalization of firearms helps keep unscrupulous leaders or political parties within the Federation in check.

Although the Felix are generally considered to be peace-loving, tree-hugging hippies, several Felix exist that don't fall within this norm. Below are just a few of the more notable factions among the Felix:

Whether it's due to wanting to explore the galaxy beyond the borders of the Felis Federation, or fears about the collapse of Felix civilization (as predicted by some Felix prophets and mystics that can supposedly see in the future using a certain type of hallucinogenic incense), either from within or without, these Felix are trained and conditioned (oftentimes by themselves) to be able to survive outside of the relative safety of Felix civilization. These Felix possess knowledge on how to create hydroponic farms, advanced life-support systems, and renewable power plants (such as solar panels, and wind, water, and geothermal turbines), as well as weapons and armor that can protect them from hostile environments (whether it's hot, steamy jungles, radioactive deserts, or frigid wastelands). Unlike other Felix, these Felix are more willing to hunt for prey, and to kill those that threaten their safety and the safety of their loved ones, regardless of whether their aggressors are ferocious predators or marauding space pirates.

Although often stigmatized by much of Felix society, many legendary Felix heroes throughout their history were skilled survivalists. Playable Felix have the opportunity to become legendary heroes of their own.

While many Felix are activists, a few Felix take their activities to the extreme, actively sabotaging projects and assassinating important targets, all in the name to preserve life throughout the universe. A number of acts of bioterrorism, including unleashing deadly epidemics on population centers and invasive species, have been attributed towards these extremists, for which the Felis Federation condemns.

Rumors suggest that these Felix have established hideouts where these extremists plot and prepare for their next act of terror. These extremists are hostile to outsiders, including other Felix, whom they fear would alert the Federation to their presence. Their hideouts are rumored to contain nasty biohazards and genetically engineered monstrosities to deal with intruders.

Although the Felix know little about the fate of the Panth'rans since the Panth'ran Uprising (in which the Felix evacuated from Panth'ra to their new homeworld of Felis, and laid waste to Panth'ran infrastructure so that the Panth'rans couldn't pursue them across space), rumors of space pirates harassing Federation (along with other alien) forces around their former homeworld of Panth'ra suggest that the Panth'rans are still out there, plotting to bring down the Federation, and establish a new empire that would threaten the rest of the galaxy. Since they are traditional enemies of the Felix, individual Felix should exercise extreme caution when encountering one.

It is believed that the Panth'ran space pirates have a lair in which they launch their operations from, complete with automated defenses and genetically engineered supersoldiers.

Official Races:

• Humans: Although most Felix feel as if the USMC are meddling too much in the affairs of the galaxy (not unlike how many around the world perceive the United States' military as being overly imperialistic, regardless of whether or not it's actually true), the Felix generally share a kindred relationship with the Humans due to their similarities in culture, lifestyle, values, interests, ideologies, and biology. They are generally saddened by the fact that the Humans' homeworld is being taken over by a tentacle monster, and worry if such a fate would likewise befall their new homeworld of Felis.
• Avians: Although they enjoy friendly relations with the Avians (especially with the Grounded), and although the Avians don't seem to possess a culture that's centered around warfare (though they generally seem more warlike than the Felix), the Felix are somewhat concerned about the Stargazers' extreme level of traditionalism, fearing that their civilization is stagnating as a result, and would collapse as their society doesn't adapt towards new challenges at a quick enough pace.
  • On the other hand, the Felix believe that the Grounded (even in spite of their persecution by the Stargazers, and even with the Circle of Thorns exploiting them like an organized crime syndicate) are better off in terms of their standard of living, are more likely to survive the next few decades than the Stargazers, and will eventually come to terms with and accept their inability to fly through natural means. (Many Felix biologists believe that the Avians lost their ability to fly through a lack of evolutionary pressure towards flight, and also believe that the Avians will eventually lose their feathers due also to a lack of evolutionary pressure since the Avians seem to rely more on clothing and heating to stay warm.) Many Felix analysts even predict that the Grounded will develop a civilization that would close the gap in technological and societal development between the Avians and the Felix within 100 years. Currently, however, the Felix generally feel that the Grounded shouldn't be as aggressively critical towards religion. After all, the Felix's worship of their goddess Felis is harmonious with their pursuit of science since it isn't anywhere nearly as dogmatic as the Avians' worship of Kluex is.
• Apex: Although they both share a common affinity for genetic engineering, most Felix are at odds over aspects of Apex society, such as their seemingly totalitarian power structure. For example, while the Felix are given the freedom to choose whether or not to be manipulated genetically, the Apex don't seem to have that freedom. Moreover, many Felix fear that the Apex are actually "de-evolving" instead of evolving due to observations that the Felix are on average more intelligent than the Apex (and that the Felix have been losing their coat of fur throughout their evolution (some are even as hairless as a human) while the Apex are growing theirs).
  • On a side note, some Felix have grown suspicious, and even paranoid, that they're being manipulated by their own government. As a result, books, novels, tv shows, movies, comics, and videogames with plots centered around conspiracy theories or dystopian societies are currently experiencing a boom in sales.
  • As for the Apex, few may be aware of the Felix's history, but most of those that are note that the Felix appeared to have gone through a similar period of oppression as the Apex themselves are now experiencing, and many are worried that Apex society would be consumed in a similar apocalyptic war that would likewise threaten the survival of Apexkind.
• Florans: The Felix are generally uneasy around the Florans due to their aggressive nature, especially since most Felix aren't as good at combat as they used to be. The Felis Federation is currently keeping a close watch on Florian activities to ensure that they don't cause trouble, much like their old enemies, the Panth'rans. Despite this, some Felix are cautiously optimistic that Floran society, especially under Greenfinger's leadership, will soon transition from a hunter-gatherer society into a more civilized one, and wish to encourage the Florans to fight for a more noble cause than in simply hunting for the most dangerous of game. (However, some Felix are suspicious of Greenfinger's motives, since he seems to be a fan of using Drysap to bolster his own forces, which some Felix suspect has some nasty side-effects, including being highly addictive, shortened lifespan, loss of higher brain functions, and even death.)
  • Also, the Felix seem fascinated by the Florans' ability to control the growth of plantlife to grow their own structures and furniture (though some marketing analysts predict that this fascination will die down within a decade like any other fad), and while they're disdainful of Floran culture's glorification of the art of the hunt, the Felix begrudgingly note that the Florans try to get the most out of what they hunt down, such as creating clothing and furniture out of the hide and bones of their prey.
  • As for the Florans, they generally find it hard to believe that the Felix in general used to be far more violent and aggressive than they are now, and also find it somewhat disturbing that they use plants for some of their medicine. Moreover, they were initially disdainful of the fact that the Felix once chose to adopt Hylotl cultural practices, though they later noted that, once the Felix placed their own twist on Hylotl cuisine (especially since they added meat to it), Felix cuisine soon became a favorite amongst the Florans. (It should be noted that the reason why the Felix are more willing to consume meat than the Hylotl is because they realize that plants are living things as well, and that the Felix seem to have come to terms with this fact than the Hylotl themselves have. However, it should also be noted that, unlike the Florans, the Felix typically try to slaughter animals in a quick and painless manner, which the Felix consider the humane thing to do.)
• Glitch: The Felix are fascinated with the Glitch, although they find their backwards and condescending behavior somewhat irritating. Despite the fact that the Glitch are robots, some Felix have decided to teach them about the importance of sustainable development, and on being mindful of eachother and their environment when erecting new buildings, manufacturing goods, and dealing with others, to name a few, since these lessons can apply to artificial life as well.
  • As for the Glitch, despite the fact that the Felix tend to value peace as much as the Hylotl, they generally consider the Felix far more tolerable than the Hylotl since they're much more humble. On the other hand, they were initially puzzled as to why the Felix would choose to adopt Hylotl cultural practices for their own, let alone how the Felix even manage to put up with the Hylotl's haughty nature. However, they soon realized that Felix art, architecture, philosophy, and cuisine flourished as the Felix modified Hylotl culture to suit their own needs.
• Hylotl: Although both species embrace a pacifistic culture, and although the Felix are sad to see such a cultured race being driven from their homeworld by the Florans, the Felix are generally more willing to stand up for themselves than the Hylotl, while the Hylotl are somewhat shocked to find that the Felix used to be so very warlike in their past.
  • On a side note, the Felix used to adopt several Hylotl cultural practices in areas such as art, architecture, cuisine, fashion, and philosophy (though not etiquette), but most of them (such as art and fashion) soon went out of style like a fad, while many that didn't (such as architecture and cuisine) were modified to better suit Felix needs, though the Hylotl are generally baffled as to why the Felix would abandon Hylotl culture or twist it into what they perceive as an inferior mockery. Ironically, Felix culture became more critically renouned than Hylotl culture itself after the Felix started to modify Hylotl culture for their own needs. In fact, many critics of Hylotl society (especially the Glitch and Florans) jokingly comment that the Felix improved upon Hylotl culture instead of the other way around, and that Felix cuisine could now refine even a Floran's tastes.
• Novakid: Although the Felix enjoy friendly relations with the Novakid, and generally consider them as valuable society builders, they find it odd that not even the Novakid themselves know much about their own history. Some Felix have decided to work with other races in exploring the Novakid's true origins.

My other fanmade races:

• Panth'rans: The Felix know little about the fate of the Panth'rans since the Panth'ran Uprising, in which the Felix evacuated from Panth'ra to their new homeworld of Felis, and laid waste to Panth'ran infrastructure so that the Panth'rans couldn't pursue them across space. Since they are traditional enemies of the Felix, individual Felix should exercise extreme caution when encountering one.

From the Felix's point of view:

• Cerpine: The Felix have mixed feelings about the Cerpine. While some Cerpine (particularly the Open) seem friendly, others (particularly the Closed) seem too warlike for their own good, and are thus cautious around them. (A few within the Federation have even called for modernization of their military forces, which have not undergone much modernization since the Felix Revolution ended, in the event of invasion by the Cerpine.) Most Felix consider Solaraptors that are introduced by the Cerpine to various planets as invasive species. (A few extremists even believe that such invasive species should be purged via genetically-engineered parasites or viruses, though the Federation doesn't necessarily condone such activities.) On the other hand, Felix mecha-producing industries (though they primarily focus on civilian and utility mecha) consider the Cerpine as friendly business rivals, and Lesser Everarens are starting to become popular among the Felix as pets.
• Drale: The Felix have taken an interest towards the Drale's home system, particularly with regards to studying the civilization that once populated it before the Drale existed, the strange crystals that are present beneath the surface of the Drale's homeworld, how life on the planet managed to adapt after being turned into a nuclear wasteland, and even the Drale themselves, whom the Felix feel saddened for their seemingly impoverished state. The Federation is currently open to Drale immigrants, and to trade with the Drale. A few Felix even wish to settle on the Drale homeworld, so that, like with their own homeworld of Felis, they could nurse it back into a more habitable planet, perhaps with the Drale's help.
• Liberi: (Note: this point-of-view is outdated since the author changed up the Liberi's backstory.) The Liberi share similar views towards warfare. Some Felix wish to learn more about Liberi society and culture in order to seek enlightenment.
• Monophytes: The Felix are far more fascinated by the Monophytes than they are repulsed by them. However, they've yet to figure out a means of communicating with them, and are, therefore, unaware of the Monophytes' history or disposition towards other races.
• Oscura: While the Felix have long known about the existence of life that could biodegrade oil, they'd never imagine that sentient colonies of them could exist. As fascinated about them as they may be, however, the Felix are at odds with the Oscura's obsession with such non-renewable resources as coal, oil, and natural gas, feeling that it (along with their seemingly fascist political system) would lead them into war with many other races (including the Felis Federation). Felix prejudice towards the Oscura is high because of this, and because of the Oscura's seeming lack of care about the effects of pollution. As a result, not many Felix wish to trade with them, and while the Federation doesn't pursue any sanctions against the Oscura, most Felix have willingly decided to boycott their goods nevertheless. (Even then, the Felix have the edge when it comes to energy-efficient technologies, and high-energy technologies such as nuclear power, and are currently researching antimatter power.)
• Parfelians: The Felix find the Parfelians very cute, yet they never would've imagined that such tiny creatures could also be so intelligent. Some Felix entrepreneurs wish to design and sell more energy-efficient suits for the Parfelians, though they may need their help if they wish to replicate their special age-dampening fields.
• Zaahir: While the Felis Federation is open to Zaahir immigrants looking for more opportunities beyond their homeworld, the Felix, aside from seeing the Zaahir nobles as corrupt, tend to find Zaahir architecture to be quite strange, even by galactic standards. After all, who in their right mind would hang buildings upside-down over the ground, when it's safer and more efficient to place them right-side up? The Felix believe (and consider it ironic) that, if the towers were to fall off of the ceiling due to, say, an earthquake or war, the pompous, bloated nobles living at the bottom of the towers would be more likely to be crushed to death than the peasants living closer to the ceiling.

Other races' point of view of the Felix: (None yet...)

Pros:

• While they no longer pursue as many new weapons of war as they did before the Felix Revolution ended, the Felix retain their cunning, and are good at short, medium, and long-term strategy (not just military strategy mind you). This is especially true with survivalists, playable Felix, and the Federation's military.
• The Felix have a strong understanding of biology and ecology, so they are quite skilled at terraforming and genetic engineering. (Felix extremists are especially skilled at this.) In fact, many Felix that work with other races tend to serve as doctors and medics, and some of their armor and equipment enhance healing capabilities.
• Due to having to survive in hostile environments, the Felix have learned how to shield themselves from extreme conditions. Their life-support systems are more advanced, and their armor tends to provide additional protection from the effects of heat, cold, radiation, poison, chemicals, bacteria, and viruses.
• Since their home planet was depleted of vital resources during the aftermath of the Felix Revolution, the Felix have learned to become highly efficient and self-sufficient. As a result, they've developed farming techniques that use up less water and nutrients, as well as systems and vehicles that use up less energy or fuel.
• The Felix possess a high degree of charisma. Combined with their strong values for life and peace, they make for good diplomats.

Cons:

• Having originated as slaves to a warlike society, and having been too preoccupied with surviving in harsh environments, and in finding a new home for themselves, the Felix are notably behind when it comes to everyday technologies. For example, they've only recently invented lava lamps.
• The Felix value life so highly, that they're reluctant to wipe out an entire species, or even to take another life (though there are times when they've done just that, such as when the lives of their friends or family are in danger). Note that survivalists (including playable Felix) and extremists are less likely to possess this weakness.
• Since they've turned their backs on their warrior heritage, the Felix haven't been researching as many new weapons as they did before the Felix Revolution, so when it comes to military technology, they're less technologically advanced than most space-faring warrior races.

Sprites/Artwork:

Notes:

• The Panth'rans draw inspiration from the Kzinti from Ringworld, as well as the Kilrathi from Wing Commander, both of which are also warlike races of felinoids.
• Personally, I've been wanting to create a race of peace-loving predators for a long time. Given the quirky nature of the various races introduced in Starbound so far, I felt that a race of cat-hippies would fit right in. Besides, I thought that the folks that are developing Starbound could use a race that focuses on environmentalism.
• The development team has my explicit permission to use this race, as well as modify parts of it (including backstory, relations, and abilities) to better suit Starbound's needs.
• Information about various things, such as what species are native to Panth'ra or Felis, what foods the Felix like to eat, or what special armors, weapons, or technologies that they possess, was deliberately left out because I'd like to keep this race more open to adaptation.
• If anyone would like to work with me in creating more detailed and believable interspecies relationships, feel free to contact me in private.

 

So they:
Don't do drugs
Are Hippies/Avoid Killing in any form
Are Cats

Beautiful conflict triangle
Sadly, peaceful cats are, ironically, predictable as a suggestion. (The big sci-fi fanbase here is a lot smaller than the furry and catlover fanbases, I presume)
How about peaceful weasels? Pirahna? Tasmanian Devils?

Thanks for reminding me what was in the back of my head when I was making my not cat race suggestion, those bloody Kzinti. Haven't read ringworld in almost 3 years.

 

• Some of them may do drugs, though not all of them have to. It's all up to personal choice (just as it was amongst real-life hippies).
• One of the things that I like to joke with regarding why I've not given up eating meat is that while vegetarians don't consume animals that are slaughtered for food, they consume vegetables that are, likewise, slaughtered for food. Irony much?
• Peace-loving cats with a militaristic background just seemed to be a neat recipe for an interesting race full of irony.

 

Nice, waiting for pictures

 

Thanks, though sadly, I'm not much of an artist, but if anyone would like to draw some, then that's fine with me. (Like I said before, they're basically anthropomorphic cat-hippies.) If it's OK with you, then I'll even feature it if I like it.

 

Added a little extra information regarding Felix culture, specifically about a certain type of incense that some of them use in their daily lives.

 

Just added a couple Felix sprites. Right now, they're just the nude forms (with the exception of the bandannas).

 

Looks awesome! I like it. Pictures would be nice. I really do want to see more of this race.

 

Added spoilers to make it easier to read, and expanded on Felix society and culture. Also, some changes made to Pros/Cons, Relationships, and Notes.

 

more intelligent than humans? no... no no no...
i mean more agile and stronger w/e but anyway

other then that quip, I like how yours actually have a history and a timeline unlike a lot of the other race suggestions.

you need to change the hair options - cats have fur, not hair, so play with where patches of fur are or something, if they have hair they just look like humans in catsuits witch is an odd fetish tbh

 

What I meant to say was that that the Felix are more intelligent, but physically weaker, than the Panth'rans as a result of the Panth'rans' eugenics program. The Felix are, more or less, just as intelligent as humans, though their catlike bodies' structure makes them physically weaker and lighter than humans (despite being the same height), but also more agile.

Thanks. I used this guide for guidance.

I kept the hair around to emphasize their similarities towards stereotypical hippies.

 

eh...my bad lol - I don't like the concept of intelligence in games - it works - and it shouldn't, but it often bugs me lol
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well it def. makes your entry seem like it could actually work in the starbound lore lol
so nice work following teh guidez =p
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why hippies? cats would make far better sociopaths....
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hmm...edit later
edit: I've edited my weekly competition entry to have a cat head and a bandanna
still naked lol

 

Because I felt that warrior-cats are just too cliché to have any chance of being added into Starbound.

 

a sociopath is a disturbingly social psychopath
original vampires were based off of them - not the shiny ones
they don't necessarily have to be warriors

 

Nice job, though I wonder if you could do one in a hippie outfit? Here's a couple examples:

Also, I kind of wanted the ears to be on the sides of the head (like a human's ears), kind of like with Len from Melty Blood (who's more or less a cat girl):

Edit: By the way, can you draw or sprite in an anime style?

 

Hippie clothes = Pajamas + American Indian clothes

 

from recolor with a different head - to dif head fully clothed hippy, my cyborg weekly contest entry has gone far...

edited from

 

Nice! Your work is now featured on the title post.

 

Needs more relations with other fan-races.

Other than that, not bad for a cat race.
Sprites could use a bit of work though, perhaps change it to make it look less like a fox/furry.
I suggest changing the eyes, nose and belly, and studying real cats.