Toshkhat (Toškhát)

Description:

Within modern evolutionary classification, Toshkhat (or Toškhát) would most likely fit somewhere in the placentalia magnorder of the mammalian class (live-born young, possessing hair/fur, neocortex, etc). Though primarily bipedal, Toshkhat are also capable of quadrupedal movement to an extent when necessary, and though their overall frame is not dissimilar to that of humans, they possess a distinctly felid aesthetic, lending towards the label of "anthropomorphic cat". Though this is generally true of all Toshkhat races/ethnicities, some groups may also possess specific traits and aesthetic trends not shared by the other groups, such as the Sudai, for example, which also possess some distinctly mustelid or otter-like traits. Limb configuration is the same as that found in humans, with the exception that Toshkhat have tails.

Toshkhat hands and feet are pentadactyl (i.e., having five digits), with protractile (or retractable) claws, such as with felids. Their hands are otherwise much the same as that of humans, though slightly more padded. Their feet could best be described as somewhere halfway between human feet and tiger paws. Though the bone and muscle configuration of their skulls and faces remain the same across all Toshkhat races/ethnicities, there are notable, superficial aesthetic differences (i.e., facial contrast and muscle density; hair/fur markings/patterns, texture and density; etc) between them. To draw analogies between them and and various Earth-based creatures, Sahrai/Kšetai closely resemble something partway between lions and tigers, Kšúkhši closely resemble something partway between jaguars and ferrets, Baiši closely resemble something partway between tigers and snow leopards, Sudai closely resemble something partway between tigers and otters, while the now extinct Huarai closely resembled something akin to sabre-tooth tigers. The species as a whole possesses sharp, stereoscopic, forward-facing eyes, and erect, rounded ears, much the same as most big cats.

Their tails tend to parallel that of big cats quite closely in terms of structure, function, and relative tail-body length ratio. Toshkhat fur covers their entire body except for the pads of their hands and feet, but density and length varies between races/ethnicities. Sahrai/Kšetai and the now extinct Huarai both tend(/ed) to have coarse, medium-length fur, Kšúkhši tend to have soft, short-length fur, Baiši tend to have soft, double-coated, long-length fur, and Sudai tend to have coarse, dense, short-length fur. Hair/fur colour is widely varied, but generally tends to consist of various ochres, melanins, and other earthen colours (e.g., blacks, silvers, greys, reds, oranges, yellows, whites). Atypical pigmentations are possible, but exceptionally rare. Certain ends of the colour spectrum are more frequent for certain races/ethnicities; Sahrai/Kšetai tend to favour tawny fur, Baiši tend to favour whites, Sudai tend to favour browns, Huarai tended to favour deep reds, while Kšúkhši tend to be the most well-rounded and varied.

Average height for a fully upright-standing adult Toshkhat (from head to toe) is between ~2.0m and ~2.5m (or ~6'5" and ~8'2"), not accounting for tail length. Sudai and Kšúkhši both tend to be just marginally shorter, though the now extinct Huarai were known to have occasionally reached as tall as ~3m (~10ft). Eye colour tends towards shades of red, brown, gold, green, and blue.

Distribution:

Naturally adapted to a range of possible climates and living conditions, Toshkhat could conceivably tolerate living just about anywhere in the world, though some races/ethnicities may be somewhat more or less comfortable in some specific environments due to evolution and natural range (Baiši, being native to the mountains of nothern Toškhátšim, where the average temperature is reasonably low and it regularly snows most of the year, would be at home in such conditions, but somewhat less comfortable in excessively hot climates; Sahrai/Kšetai, being native to the arid deserts of central Toškhátšim, would be somewhat less comfortable in wet, humid climates; Kšúkhši, being native to the humid forests of Kšúkhešim, would be at home in most tropical climates, but somewhat less comfortable in dry, arid climates; Sudai, being native to the riverlands of Sudšim, would be at home anywhere where there's water, but somewhat less comfortable anywhere where there's not; though, being somewhat less comfortable in any case is not necessarily a matter of survival). The preferred form for their settlements to take overall isn't too dissimilar from that of humans, though with some small changes inevitably consequent to their difference in average size.