Shou

Legends concur that the masters of the wild are the shou (singular: shou, adjectival: shou). They are an animalistic people awakened from the beasts by Inashayle. Like their animal predecessors, the shou have keen instincts and remarkable deftness. A human nursery rhyme tells "If away from cities you go, you'll find the packs of shou."

Physiology

The most readily identifiable feature about the shou is that they are digitigrade — they walk on their toes like dogs or cats. This makes them powerful sprinters and jumpers. They have tails with limited motion usually less than the length of an arm. They bear large, slightly pointed ears, which face forward and sit higher on the head than a human's. Their noses are leathery and kept moist, and their upper lip has a marked cleft. All shou have soft fur covering parts of their bodies, notably the cheeks, neck, shoulders, hands, feet, and along the sides of the arms. They also have silky hair on their heads which many shou keep chin-length or shorter. Their hair, fur, and skin share the same color, often in shades of blond, gray, brown, and tan, with very few jet black or snow white. A majority of shou carry the appearance of something between a dog and a cat, but some have features which are decidedly one or the other (for instance, feline-looking shou may have spots and a long, sleek tail, whereas a canine-looking shou may have slightly droopy ears and a thick tail). Adult shou tend to vary in height between 4′6ʺ and 5′6ʺ, with males usually taller. Shou adolescence begins at 8 and they reach adulthood by 12. The shou lead short lives and tend not to live for more than 50 or 60 years.}}

Max Caps

• Agility 12
• Intellect 8
• Courage 8
• Psyche 12