Chattur

Chattur are small, slender, quick mammals with the look of both primate and rodent. Their nimble forepaws have clawed fingers and an opposable thumb, and their broad faces carry huge, innocent eyes that most humans find adorable. A ring of black fur around those eyes, like a raccoon's mask, earned them the nickname space bandits, though they are not wicked at all. They chatter among themselves in a language like excited chipmunks, and many adults pick up common from years of eavesdropping.

Chattur fight only to protect their nests, kin or friends. Claws and bite together account for 1d4 damage, but they prefer to trip foes, snarl them in rope or netting, and generally make nuisances of themselves, seizing every opening with real ingenuity. About 20% of a den's larger members can be trained to use short swords, javelins (thrust, never thrown) or tiny crossbows that fire one bolt a round for 1d4 damage at range 3/6/9.

Chattur live aboard many spacefaring ships, often without the crew knowing. Experts at slipping aboard, they set up cozy quarters in hidden corners, furnished with scavenged odds and ends, and may stay hidden for years. They seldom get in the way of a ship's work even on a busy vessel, so a good or neutral crew that finds them usually lets them stay, though their scavenging habit has landed them in trouble more than once.

Sailors' lore says chattur bring good luck and that whoever mistreats one will pay for it later. Above all, chattur seen abandoning a ship are a dire omen for that vessel.

Their groups are small, and a hundred together is very rare, but their warrens and clans turn up nearly everywhere, each led by a patriarch or matriarch. Apart from childbearing, males and females share every role, including roughly equal places among the trained fighters. Malicious wrybacks often prey on them; no single chattur can match one, but a clan working together can often lure a chaotic wryback into a trap.

Chattur adapt to any climate and nearly any diet. They breed just enough to fill the space they have, never overcrowding it. When a warren is full, young adult pairs strike out to stow away on a new ship or settle into a snug den on an asteroid or world.