Origins
Sachima describe their existence with a story. It begins with Amnaté, a very old and powerful dragon. Although wingless, he soared over his vast holdings of land navigating the space between earth's magnetic field and the ever-present winds. He was proud of his great wealth and fair dealings with mankind. He could have destroyed them all, but instead chose to spare them.
Amnaté was lonely. He would go to their cities in human form and revel in what seemed to be their endless celebrations. Yet after the festivals ended, he returned home more sad than before. He struggled to understand what motivated mankind to have these festivals.
Satva enoyed roaming the countryside and running free. She had no mate and had no need of one. Were it not for the endless celebrations of mankind, she would have remained solitary to her last day. Despite their mystery, she found mankind to be quite amusing.
Like all cats great and small, she would curiously enter towns and villages to see what would happen next. Sometimes she went as a small cat, other times as a human. Mankind feared tigers and she would never presume to interrupt their parties with her true form.
At one Festival of Spring, Satva found someone that appeared to be sad despite the revelry that surrounded him. She went to him as a small cat and offered purrs to comfort the man. They appeared to have no effect. He mindlessly stroked her fur and sighed. For his indifference, she hissed and scratched his leg.
Amnaté was startled by the attack. He understood sadness and the pointlessness of the festival, but he was intrigued that any creature that could be so angry at a party. He went to find the cat, but it was gone. Feeling sad once more, he went to return to his seat, but decided to find the cat instead. He searched the city with no success. Many shurgged when asked if they had seen the cat, but a kindly older woman offered to help him.
"Cats are fickle," she said, "it wouldn't have scratched you if it didn't have some interest in you. I bet if you go home, it will follow you. I will come along to help. Don't turn around to see the cat. If you seem interested, it may decide to stop following you. I've known many cats in my day, it will not concern itself with me."
Amnaté agreed and the two began traveling to his home. As they talked, he felt the pleasure of excellent company and the sharp pain of knowing his companion would be gone when he arrived home. Instead of taking a direct path, he took meadering trails and overgrown paths until they reached thick, dark forest.
A demon appeared saying that he would enjoy eating this foolish couple that dared wander into the dense forest alone. Amnaté swore to the woman that he would protect her, but that she had to run a short distance away without looking back. When it appeared she had gone far enough way, Amnaté changed into his true form.
The demon plead for his life, running away when he saw the great dragon build the fire in his nostrils. No sooner than he had gotten away from the dragon, a great tiger leaped upon him tearing at his demonic flesh. In fighting off the tiger's claws and teeth, the dragon caught up to the hapless demon.
"This demon attacked my companion!" Amnaté roared, "Let me relieve my wrath upon this fiend!"
"Why are you interrupting my play?" the tiger growled back, "This thing is no threat to you or to me."
Biting the demon on its shoulder, the tiger hurled the demon deeper into the wood. Licking the blood from its teeth, it lay down to groom.
"How dare you!" The dragon roared.
"Oh be still, Amnaté," the tiger purred, "didn't I tell you that the cat would follow you home?" At that, she transformed into a young woman and walked closer to the dragon.
"What sorcery is this?" Amnaté stammered, "Are you the woman that traveled with me?"
"I was interested." Savte replied, "And you were feeling so alone."
Amnaté changed into his human form. After some time, the two traveled to his home. Not long after they were married. Relatives of Amnaté and Savte soon moved into the kingdom and the land flourished.
The Sachima claim Amnaté and Satva as their ancestors. To be Sachima is to explore their draconic and tigrine heritage. Like dragons, they are proud and powerful. They are intimately familiar with ancient forms of magic, but judicious in its usage. They are innately curious, eager to learn new things. They also have a profound sense of play. Although generally amicable, Sachima are methodical, ruthless, and efficient killers when attacked.
Sachima can see in the dark up to 60 feet. They receive a +4 bonus against breath weapons and have a 2 in 6 chance of being able to communicate with any type of cat.
Sachima can advance to 10th level Magic-Users, but have no level limit as Theives. Sachima also have their own peculiar type of unarmed fighter that employs a handful of spells delivered as a breath weapon. There are no Sachima clerics.
If the Emphases system is used, Sachima magic-users automatically have dragon and big cat emphases.
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