Head: similar to a
sabre-toothed tiger, characterised by yellow-brown fur striped with black, a strip of bony protuberances covered in skin running centrally from the middle of the forehead to the back of the head, and a pair of massive curved upper canine teeth (or fangs)
Body: a yellow-brown coat marked with
ocelot-like black-and-
tawny bands. His chest has some scars on its left side
Wearables: a removable harness featuring a shoulder vine-strap that connects to the right side of a leather waist belt, a studded oxidised bronze bracelet on the left wrist, two ornate
laminar armour shin guards, and a narrow
birch bark belt with stitched ends, holding a grass skirt and a tattered hemp loincloth adorned with semi-circular white patterns. The shoulder strap includes an olivewood
spaulder and, at the centre on the front, a sheath for a sculpted wooden-handled knife as well as an additional leather strap that attaches to the opposite side of the waist belt and holds three smaller knives. Two loops on the sides of the waist belt are designed to stow a pair of gauntlets (more on this later)
Alternative portrait (
Ki-Marr): similar to a
lion, characterised by light-
buff fur (almost giving the impression of hairlessness), bushy eyebrows and a flowing tawny mane. This portrait corresponds to the character Ki-Marr, the elder leader of the Kimarhan tribe. Distinctive
rust-coloured war paint markings streak diagonally across his face, while a scarred left eye (which, in the comics, he often covers with a patch) and a broken right fang protruding from his upper jaw enhance his rugged, battle-worn appearance
Alternative outfit: a harness consisting of two leather straps equipped with rows of long, wavy horny spikes, lined with "real" moss and adorned with an assortment of three animal skulls hanging from the front. The straps extend over his shoulders and converge in the front and back at a wide
scale armour (the scales are made of seed shells)
tasset belt, which is secured by a large Kimarhan emblem-shaped buckle and features a convenient loop for carrying his spiritual whip. Arm, wrist, knee and shin olivewood guards heavily armoured with short, curved bony spikes further enhance his intimidating image
Alternative weapons: a shamanic bone whip (with three rope ends terminating in colourful feathers) and a ceremonial paw-shaped wooden sceptre with a flame attachment (allowing the creation of a blazing version of this artefact, which symbolises Ki-Marr's status as a leader and his connection to the spiritual world).
Akat (male character)
Head: similar to a
cheetah, characterised by pale-
fawn fur covered with solid black spots, and a pair of tear-like black facial streaks running from the corners of the eyes down the sides of the nose. His rounded head appears nearly bald on top, contrasting with a rugged strip of long tawny hair that extends down his neck and upper spine. He dons an elaborate, removable oxidised bronze "
flip-up" helmet adorned with spikes; when closed, the helmet transforms into an animalistic visage, featuring a half mask with a striking bird-of-prey design and glowing orange eye slits (it evokes a blend of the Masters of the Universe Battle Cat's mask and the arena helmet from Thor: Ragnarok)
Body: apart from the above-mentioned "mane" between the shoulders, a pale-fawn coat marked with
clouded leopard-like irregular dusky-grey blotches bordered by looped black stripes
Wearables: some birch bark strips wrapped around the forearms, two mossy calf protectors secured with vine straps below the knees and above the ankles, a knotted rope belt, and a pair of short, torn hemp trousers. The lower body is further protected by two
lamellar armour thigh guards made from small rectangular plates of leather laced into horizontal rows, and a laminar (the lames are made of oxides bronze) loincloth
Powers and abilities: his mental instability—or his exceptional skill at pretending to be so—adds an unpredictable edge to his abilities. For example, he can control the fears of his opponents, turning their own anxieties against them in battle. Also, through his mystical mask, he has the ability to communicate with his deceased ancestors and conjure up their spirits by reanimating the long-buried skeletons of mysterious creatures. These beings manifest as large cat-like golems with energy-green claws and spines, and they possess the power to summon energy tentacled horrors from within their forms as well as to grow in size and shapeshift at will
Weapons: lance with a triangular bone point
Alternative portrait (
Yuraq): similar to a
leopard or a
snow leopard, characterised by an angular shape, pale-fawn fur covered with small, densely packed black-and-brown
rosettes, two pairs of broken-up stripes running from the corner of the eyes over the cheeks and from the corner of the mouth to the neck, a pair of tusks protruding up, and a removable orange copper kabuto adorned with a pair of large
curving horns and a full mask
Alternative outfit: a hemp tunic topped with a lamellar armour cuirass adorned with
jade accents (its layered spaulders are a combination of grass, leather,
tortoiseshell and bony spikes), two laminar arm pads, two oxidised bronze bracers equipped with
knuckledusters, and a leather belt featuring two lamellar tassets with jade accents
Alternative weapons: an orange copper sword that fits into a sheath attached to his cuirass and an orange copper shield featuring the face of a ram-horned, jade-eyed creature intricately sculpted on the disc to resemble his kabuto mask.
Vasak (male character)
Head: similar to a
lynx, characterised by
fulvous fur marked with dark-brown streaks and spots, black-tufted ears, and solid yellow glow-in-the-dark eyes
Body: a fulvous coat marked with large,
jaguar-like black-and-brown rosettes with central spots. His tail is relatively short, while his arms are completely wrapped in hemp straps, though loosely, with plenty of gaps in between
Wearables: a removable silver necklace featuring a Kimarhan emblem-shaped medallion (designed to be shared with Akat), two leather armbands (each featuring a single bony spike), two leather gloves, two leather boots with grass fringes around the middle of the shafts and tattered turndown tops, a hemp sash round the waist, and a long torn skin loincloth
Powers and abilities: he is a smooth-talking fighter with a supernatural edge. An energy-manipulating entity resides within him, granting him a range of extraordinary abilities. This spirit enables him to absorb, transform and redirect various forms of energy—he can, for example, bend light for enhanced stealth, convert the kinetic energy of shocks into concussive blasts, generate intense radiation from his eyes, manipulate gravity to perform powerful leaps, and unleash a devastating sonic roar
Weapons: lance with a diamond-shaped flint point
Alternative portrait (
Plowan): similar to a
cougar, characterised by plain fulvous fur and a long, silver-grey beard arranged into three separate braids. Atop his head, he wears a removable headgear made from the upper part of a
cream-furred, one-horned
ormurid-like animal's head with the lower jaw removed
Alternative outfit: a harness featuring two leather shoulder armours that wrap around the arm sockets, partially covering the chest and back. These are adorned with large pyramidal oxidised bronze spikes and connected at the front and back by chain straps (the chest strap has a buckle in the form of a Kimarhan emblem-shaped medallion). Lined with a sculpted cream-coloured fur that resembles a mane and is darkly marked with both large blotchy spots and wide stripes, the harness is further enhanced by two imposing, skull-shaped spiked
pauldrons. Additionally, he dons two mossy bracers outfitted with forward-pointing claws, and a leather belt featuring a large buckle adorned with four bony protruding spikes (the belt is complemented by a pair of laminar tassets and various bony and metal implements hanging from it)
Alternative weapons: a fearsome pair of clubs crafted from the halves of a massive animal’s jawbone (possibly the same creature used for the headgear), with their rugged surfaces and exposed teeth adding to their menacing presence.
Alaja (female character)
Head: similar to a
black panther (i.e., a melanistic leopard), characterised by black fur, solid white eyes and a cascade of long black hair tied into a topknot, flowing high ponytail. Additionally, she wears a fearsome, full-face olivewood removable mask, carved to resemble a predatory cat with elongated fangs
Body: a black flocked coat. The colour looks great, while the flocking seems evenly applied and does simulate velvety fur nicely
Wearables: a one-shoulder mini dress, two narrow tubular oxidised bronze bracelets, two narrow tubular oxidised bronze anklets ornamented with layers of plant fibres, and a leather belt equipped with a little skull buckle and a small horny scabbard on the side for a sculpted dagger with a short curved blade. The dress seems to be made of two pieces that are stitched together: the top piece—perhaps originally part of a bikini-like outfit—is made from pale cream-coloured fur that is brownly marked with blotches and stripes, while the bottom one, ending in a tattered skirt, is made from hemp
Powers and abilities: due to her blindness, her remaining senses are heightened to extraordinary levels, allowing her to navigate the world with exceptional awareness. Additionally, she possesses a unique telepathic ability to control birds; these feathered allies serve as her eyes, providing her with a bird's-eye view of her surroundings and enabling her to gather information from afar. Furthermore, she has a limited ability to influence the local weather, manipulating elements like wind, rain and temperature within a specific area
Weapons and accessories: lance whose copper head is separated into a split point. Additionally, she comes with a crow wing-inspired black cape featuring an emerald-jewelled Kimarhan emblem at the collar, two tortoiseshell bracers equipped with short, curved bony spikes, and a sculpted paw-shaped wooden baton in a birch bark holster that can be attached to her lower leg (in the comics, this baton has multiple functions, such as delivering electric shocks, extending into a grappling hook, and separating into a paw-
shuriken and a throwing knife)
Qora (female character)
Head: similar to a
white tiger, characterised by white fur striped with black, differently coloured eyes (one a vibrant blue and the other a warm amber), and a fringe of hair cut straight across the forehead (like bangs)
Body: a white coat marked with black stripes
Wearables: a sleeveless
halterneck leotard, two studded leather armbands, two silver "gloves" ornamented with thin black stripes and grass-lined cuffs, two leather calf protectors, and a belt made of several oxidised bronze discs laced together. The leotard is primarily made of hemp and is adorned with semi-circular white patterns; a leather strap secures it around the neck, while a V-shaped leather brief section covers the upper thighs
Powers and abilities: her enhanced intelligence grants her exceptional proficiency in herbal medicine, trapping and pyrotechnics. Born with congenital hand deformities, she relies on cybernetic hand enhancements, which feature retractable and extendable steel claws embedded in the fingers, as well as deployable spikes from the knuckles
Weapons and accessories: lance with a lanceolate obsidian point. Additionally, she comes with a broad,
usekh-inspired collar, composed of rows of claws, stones and shells, and complemented by a necklace featuring a Kimarhan emblem-shaped medallion. Finally, the set includes a birch bark waist satchel containing a number of rudimentary tools, a pair of red-lensed goggles, and an
amappo hunting trap (i.e., a crossbow set at the top of a tree stump, featuring a tripwire release mechanism and a bolt coated with a lethal poison; the crossbow piece is reused from the Enmity Expansion Kit for Tahron)
Final thoughts
Overall: this massive KR|EoF set delivers on both fan service and quality. The Feline Combatants 5pk is a fantastic nod to the saga's mythos (the three siblings in the Foundation series get their powers from cat-like spirits), and the set's overall design and execution are impressive. While some minor nitpicks exist, the new tooling and design are top-notch. This set is a must-have for hardcore fans, but casual collectors may find it excessive
Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺ / 5