Katanga

Katanga were a species of intelligent shapeshifting animals endemic to the Malatran Plateau. They could adopt a human and biped form as well as their natural one. Regardless of the form they were in, katanga always cast the shadow of their natural animal form; similarly, anyone who detected illusions or used true seeing saw them as animals. There were many varieties of katanga, corresponding to different animal species.

Description
The three forms of the katang each had their own advantages and disadvantages. In their original animal form, they were indistinguishable from an ordinary animal of that species. They could make full use of their natural weaponry and abilities, but could not cast spells, wear armor, or use items; they were also limited to only being able to communicate with other katanga and animals of their type.

In their human form, they were largely the same as humans in physical abilities, and could cast spells if so talented. However, katanga always retained some traces of their animal form, such a leathery skin on a caiman katanga or unusually long arms on a monkey katanga.

Finally, the biped form of a katanga resembled a humanoid animal of the appropriate species, with all associated tails, fur, claws, etcetera, with hands human-like enough to use items and weapons but not so much that they lost use of their natural weapons. The retained the ability to speak with both other people and with animals of their type in this form.

Personality
Katanga varied greatly in alignment; caiman, pangolin, hedgehog, and snake katanga were typically true neutral, while monkey katanga were always chaotic, tiger katanga lawful good, impala and ostrich katanga neutral good, and leopard katanga evil. Whatever their species, katanga lived as animals in the wild jungle.

Abilities
Katanga's main ability was their shapeshifting, which took a certain amount of time (only a few seconds) and concentration on their part, and could only be done a certain number of times each day (as counted from sunrise to sunrise), though exactly how many times one could shapeshift in a day varied between individuals according to power and skill. Any items or armor they wore, if shapeshifting into a form that it did not fit, simply fell off their bodies.

Katanga were known to have infravision in at least their biped form, but not in their human form. Whether a katanga was more dangerous in their biped or animal form varied between types.

Ecology
Katanga lived in the wild, tropical jungles of the Malatran Plateau, though their exact habitat varied based on type. Similarly, their diet and period of activity was the same as animals of the same type; thus, caiman, snake, and tiger katanga were carnivorous, pangolin, ostrich, and impala katanga were herbivorous, and monkey and hedgehog katanga were omnivorous.

Subraces
A number of katanga types were known, including:


 * Monkey katanga
 * Caiman katanga
 * Hedgehog katanga
 * Hyena katanga
 * Impala katanga
 * Leopard katanga, also called black leopard katanga
 * Ostrich katanga
 * Pangolin katanga
 * Snake katanga
 * Spider katanga
 * Tiger katanga

Society
Katanga were largely solitary and distinctly wild. Individual katanga were known to appoint themselves guardians over ancient ruins, sacred or taboo lands, or even small communities of other humanoids or animals. They typically had little use for material possessions and traded for practical items, never owning more than they could carry. Leopard katanga were known to attack single travelers or small groups of people.

Katanga were known to train as wizards, priests, warriors, or thieves; or as a combination warrior/wizard, warrior/thief, warrior/priest, or wizard/thief.

History
In the late 14 century DR, the spider katanga of the Malatran Plateau, including worship and attempts to bring the dreaded Tamara to the Living Jungle. Following a defeat in the battle of the Blood Bridge, the spider katanga's matriarch – the Mother of a Thousand Young, was swollen with thousands of children ready to spawn and flood Malatra with bloodthirsty spiders. In attempts to become the new Mother of a Thousand Young, Talunuku, a bitter rival of the matriarch, performed a ritual that filled the rivers with black poisonous bile that sapped the life of plants and sent wildlife into a deathly frenzy and eventual death. Talunuku hoped the poison would be blamed on the Mother of a Thousand Young and her birthing rituals, attracting Malatran heroes to slay the spider katanga queen. Two bands of adventurers and warriors from the tribe of The Wise Ones and their allies infiltrated the spider caves, stopping the deadly poison from spreading as well as stopping the monster from spawning.