Catchstar (290 AC - Summer 350 AC) was a Human male Qué-Shu soothsayer. When he was an old man he wore ragged clothing of many colors. His hair was long and tangled and had a long gray and yellow beard that had beads and bells woven into it. Catchstar was the son of Greenleaf and never had a wife. He served the goddess Mishakal and the god Majere.
Early Life[]
Catchstar got his name from his hunts for bits of stars that fell from the sky in his youth. As he got older and should have shown more interest in "mature" activities he remained focused in his pursuit. Catchstar looked for fallen stars because he believed, at that time, as the rest of the Qué-Shu that their ancestors became gods. He wanted to find the fallen stars because he believed they must bear evidence of their presence.
In 310 AC, Catchstar was returning from his fourth and last star-finding expedition near Qualinost. Every time he found a fallen star, all he found was lumps of burned stone. He finally decided that the beliefs of the Qué-Shu were false. Catchstar despaired and thought his life was useless, so he climbed a large oak but he couldn't throw himself off. He then heard the voice of the god Majere. The god told the youth that the old gods were real and his life did have purpose. Catchstar had to strive for the truth. Majere then gave him three acorns to show him the way. As he journeyed back to Qué-Shu, Catchstar learned that he could tell the future by how the acorns fell. This method has been called by some the Divination of the Qué-Shu.
Catchstar realized that he could not openly proclaim the truth to all so he played the fool. He let his hair grow long and began wearing rags. The children of the tribe then started calling him Catchflea as a joke. Before long he would answer to no other name.
Exile[]
At some point, Catchflea was exiled from the village of Qué-Shu for his unmanly habits and ragged appearance.
Eventually, a young Qué-Shu named Riverwind befriended Catchflea. Riverwind would defend him from harassment and bring him rabbits.
Riverwind's Courting Quest[]
In the summer of 350 AC, Riverwind was sent on a Courting Quest to find proof that the old gods are real by the Chieftain of the Qué-Shu Arrowthorn. Catchflea consulted his acorns and they said that he was to go with Riverwind on his quest. They journeyed to the Forsaken Mountains. One night, a thief stole one of Riverwind's possessions. They gave chase and Riverwind fell down a hole that slowly lowered him far below the surface. Catchflea joined him by also jumping down the hole.
The thief was a Hest Elf named Li An. Riverwind and Catchflea were taken with Li An to the Hest city of Vartoom by Vvelz and Ro Karn. There they met Li El the First Light of Hest. She sent them to the High Spires until she figured out what to do with them. Li An then attempted a rescue for the plainsmen, but only managed to rescue Catchflea. Catchflea then learned of the rebellion going on in Hest between the Li El and the Blue Sky People and met Ro Mors the Blue Sky leader.
Catchflea agreed to help the Blue Sky People in return for helping Riverwind. He taught them how to use bow and arrows and inspired them to use pepper, a spice the Hest were greatly affected by, against their foes. The Blue Sky People met the forces of Li El in battle and thanks to Catchflea's advice they were greatly successful. They even managed to free Riverwind whose mind had been altered by Li El.
After Li El was defeated, Mors wanted Catchflea to stay with him and be his council as he reorganized the Hest government. Catchflea considered the "offer" and decided that the gods wanted him to continue his journey with Riverwind so he, Riverwind, and Li An secretly left the city to make their way back up to the surface.
Together the three made the long journey up and eventually came into the ruins of Xak Tsaroth. There they were captured by the Ophidian Thouriss and the human Cleric Krago. Krago was there to perfect his process of make ophidians for the Black Dragon Khisanth. Riverwind killed Thouriss and the three friends managed to ruin Krago's work. As Riverwind, Li An, and Catchflea were trying to escape the ruins from Khisanth's Draconian and Goblin forces, Catchflea was shot by an arrow. He died shortly there after. Riverwind placed his body in a burial niche off the southern passage of the Hall of Ancestors of Xak Tsaroth.
Other Names[]
Catchstar was mostly known by the name given to him as an insult, Catchflea. He was also called Catchflea the Daft and Catchflea the Fool. Riverwind once called him Catchflea the Fox. He has also been called Star-Chaser.
Kender Tales[]
One story described that Catchstar learned the acorn divination from the old Qué-Shu soothsayer named Oakheart. In the story, Oakheart died shortly after teaching Catchstar leaving him the job of the tribe's seer.
References[]
- More Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home p. 105, 106, 109
- Riverwind the Plainsman p. 11-12, 14, 28-29, 33-36, 72, 108, 145-146, 208, 255, 262-263