OSR: Cats and the Monsters they Become

Ideas borrowed from here and here. 

The Cat King is one of the oldest and more powerful spirits, commonly known by almost all people.  Unlike many others of his kind, he has guarded his crown and successfully maintained his position from the Beginning.  He has done this largely by dividing and giving away the majority of his power to his children and delegating his responsibilities to them, encouraging them to compete against each other rather then try to overthrow him.  

artist unknown

Common Cats:

It is common knowledge that as Cats in Nukaria grow, they grow new tails.  Cats grow one tail when they are born, two when they are seven years old and three when they are 14 years old.  Depending on the region, it is thought that Cats should be killed or released when they grow additional tails, though if this should be done at 2 or 3 tails varies from place to place.

These tails aren't just for show, either.  Cats grow in power and intelligence as they age, just as Foxes supposedly did.  When a Cat grows a second tail, it gains the ability to learn languages and understand them, though it cannot speak.  When a Cat grows a third tail, it gains the ability to shapeshift into a humanoid.  However, no matter what form a Cat takes, it always keeps its tails.  From this point as Cats accumulate more Tails, they grow in magical power, gaining the ability to cast spells, curse people, alter fortune and other more wondrous things.

Cats that grow two or three tails often leave their owners, depending on the region, to wander the world as free Cats.  Once they do this, they are called Bakenekos, though usually only by their own kind. 

Sometimes, a Bakeneko will mate with a human and have a child with him or her.  These children resemble humans, except they have cat ears, a tail and occasionally other feline traits.  These children are called Nekomimi, and while they do possess some of the strength of their Bakeneko parent, they are usually not that different from humans.  Their children have even fewer feline traits, and within a generation or two are indistinguishable from normal humans, barring inbreeding or fresh infusions of Bakeneko blood.

Statblock:

Bakeneko
HD X (see below)
AR none or 2 [Natural Light Armor]
Atk Weapon (1d6) + Claws (1d4) or Spell [Humanoid Form]
Claws (1d6) + Bite (1d6) [Big Cat Form]
Mor 12
Saves (7+HD) or less

Shapeshifter: As an action, a Bakeneko can shapeshift either into the form of a humanoid it has seen or can imagine, a humanoid cat form, an ordinary house cat or one of the Big Cats.  Regardless of what form it takes, it still possesses all of its furry tails.  

Pounce: By sacrificing one of its' attacks, a Bakeneko can pounce on a creature, leaping through the air and crashing into it.  Creatures, instead of making an opposing defense roll can make a DEX save to avoid this attack.  On a successful save, the creature takes no damage.  But on a failed save or an unsuccessful defense roll, the creature takes an additional +1d6 damage and is knocked prone, with the Bakeneko on top of it.  Such a creature counts as grappled, and must succeed a STR check to throw the Bakeneko off. 

Tactics:
- Avoid conflict whenever possible
- Make an attack from surprise, then run and hide
- Use magic to avoid danger

To customize a Bakeneko, roll on the tables below:

How strong is this Bakeneko?

1d4
1- 3 HD.  This Bakeneko has just grown it's third tail.
2- 1d4+1 HD.  This Bakeneko has as many tails and is somewhat seasoned.
3- 1d4+2 HD.  This Bakeneko is likely older, and has much in the way of knowledge and experience.
4- 1d6+2 HD.  This Bakeneko is old and likely very powerful, as well as being highly intelligent.  

What Powers does it possess?

3 HD- Shapeshifting.  See above.
4 HD- Invisibility.  The Bakeneko can turn invisible as an action.  If it takes an action to do something strenous or makes an attack, it turns visible again.    
5 HD- Charming Touch.  Should a Bakeneko touch a creature, that creature must save or be charmed by the Bakeneko.  This charm lasts for 1 hour or until the Bakeneko causes the charmed creature any serious form of pain or discomfort (using violence against them, slapping them, insulting them, etc).
6 HD- Teleportation.  The Bakeneko can teleport 30' as an action.  Once it has done this, it must wait 1d4 turns to use this ability again.
7 HD- Fortune Manipulation.  The Bakeneko learns the spell 'Baleful Moon'.  It also gains MD equal to its HD.  Rolling doubles or triples do not cause Chaos or Corruption for it, but its MD do burn out on a roll of 5 or 6.     
8+ HD- For each HD beyond 7, the Bakeneko learns a new spell and gains 1 MD.   

by Horimono XXII

Nekomata:

Also known as Copy-Cats, Nekomata are Cat-like Demons who prowl about the world, inflicting misfortune and suffering on mortals and other creatures for their own sick amusement.  They tend towards sadism, loving to torment the weak and helpless. 

Unlike Bakeneko, they do not have Humanoid forms of their own, with their only shapes being their true demonic forms and that of mortals they have stolen.  A Nekomata can transform into a perfect replica of someone by killing them and eating their heart.  This is usually how they begin their rampages- they pick off someone on the edge of town or alone on a country road and attack him.  After consuming his heart, they gain his form.  Then they eat his brain and gain his memories.

Once that has been done, the Nekomata returns to town in their new guise and begins inflicting cruelties both petty and serious on the townspeople.  Sometimes this is done in service of a larger goal, but just as often, it is done for no reason at all.  Most of them derive pleasure from it, while some merely like the taste of mortals, especially wealthy women who have lived idle lives, thus leaving their flesh nice and tender.

But while Nekomata are sly, they are not as hard to detect as one might think.  In moon or candle-light, their shadows represent their true form, a monstrous cat with a single tail that splits at the end, like a Devil's bident.  Additionally, in a mirror, they have slit pupil eyes and long fangs.  Additionally, most types of dogs can detect a Nekomata.  So if the princess starts acting strangely and her favorite hunting hound suddenly turns up dead after acting erratically, it might be time to investigate her. 

Most people do not know about Bakenekos, often mistaking them for Nekomata.  This has lead to many innocent creatures dying, either because a Bakeneko was hunted down or killed, or it slew mortals who formed a lynch mob to come after it, mistakenly blaming it for their problems. 

Statblock:

Nekomata
HD X (see below)
AR 3 [Natural Armor]
Atk Claws (1d6) + Bite (1d6) [Cat Form]
Weapon (1d8) [Humanoid Form]
Mor 15
Saves (7+HD) or less

Native of the Shallows: Nekomata are Spirits of the Land.  As an action, they leave or enter the Shallows of the Astral Sea at will.  When they does this, they vanish from our world but also loses any ability to affect it except indirectly, until they re-enter our world.   

Consumption Absorber: If a Nekomata eats a creature's heart, it gains the ability to perfect mimic that creature's voice, appearance and smell.  If it eats that creature's brain, it gains all that creature's memories, though it will start to forget after 1d20+HD days, unless it writes down those memories or uses some other technique to remember them.

Shapeshifter: Nekomata can shapeshift as an action, taking on the form of a humanoid whose heart they have eaten, or back to their normal form, an enormous cat monster.  Their stats remain the same no matter what form they are in, but their attacks differ (see above). 

Terrifying Yowl: When in Cat Form, a Nekomata can unleash a horrific yowl that does 1d6 thunder damage to any creature within 50'.  Additionally, any creature who hears this yowl must save. On a failed save, that creature becomes frightened.  Frightened creatures will not move closer to the source of their fear and take 1d6 COG damage a round they are in combat with it.  Should a creature's COG be reduced to 0 by this damage, the creature immediately flees from the Nekomata. 

Tactics:
- Pretend to be a helpless creature
- Attack from stealth
- Be overconfident, flee if presented with real danger

To customize a Nekomata, roll on the tables below:

How strong is this Nekomata?

1d4
1- 3 HD.  This Nekomata is fairly weak.  It has 1 special power and when making pacts, it can only offer boons 1-4.
2- 1d4+1 HD.  This Nekomata is a bit stronger than a newborn of it's kind.  It has 2 special powers and when making pacts can only offer boons 1-6.
3- 1d6 HD.  This Nekomata has feasted on the blood and flesh of many powerful creatures, marking it as powerful and strong.  This Nekomata has 1d4 special powers and when making pacts can offer boons 1-8.
4- 1d6+2 HD.  This Nekomata is a King, possessing dread power and glory.  It has 1d6 special powers and when making pacts can offer any boon it wishes. 

What special powers does it possess?          

1d10
1- This Nekomata can curse people.  These people must be able to hear it and understand what it is saying.  It's favorite things to curse people with are 1dX [1= Cannibalism (either being devoured or devouring others); 2= Hemophobia (fear of blood); 3= Paranoia; 4= Madness.]
2- This Nekomata can grow up to 1d3 size categories (tiny->medium->large->huge->colossal->gargantuan) as an action.  While in this form, small creatures do less damage to it and it receives a bonus to attack and damage rolls.  However, it is also less agile in this form and easier to hit.
3- This Nekomata can conjure bolts and spheres of lightning.  It can fire two bolts that do 2d6 damage, save for half.  The bolts also do +1 damage per metal item a creature is wearing.  Creatures carrying no metal automatically pass their saves.
4- This Nekomata can turn invisible as an action.  If it attacks or does something strenous, it turns visible once more.
5- This Nekomata carries a magical disease of Vampirism in its saliva.  If you are injured by its teeth or claws, save or contract the disease. 
6- This Nekomata can transform into a two-dimensional shadow and travel along the wall, floor or ground.  While in this form it cannot be harmed except by things that could hurt a shadow, but can be forced away by bright light.  The Nekomata can transform back as a free action.  Once it does, however, it must wait 1d4 turns before it transforms back.
7- This Nekomata can selectively harden parts of its fur, allowing it to parry damage as it had a shield, reducing damage for 1 attack per round by 1d12.
8- This Nekomata can shoot its claws like thrown needles, doing 3d4 damage, save for half.  Creatures with a shield can instead save to take no damage.  These claws do regenerate, but it takes time, so the Nekomata must wait 1d4 rounds to use this ability again.
9- This Nekomata can create monsters out of shadows.  These shadow monsters have 1 HD, no armor, and do 1d6 damage on a hit.  The Nekomata can make 1d6 of these 1/Day. 
10- This Nekomata carries a magical sickle called The Sickle of Cancer or The Red Claw.  Any creature injured by this (d6) weapon must save or have his body become riddled with fast growing tumors.  Each unsuccessful save causes one of these tumors to form, doing 1d6 STR damage and imposing a -1 penalty on attacks and rolls that require physically exerting one's self.  If the Nekomata is slain, this weapon disappears.  The only cure for these cancers is dangerous surgery or to plead your case to one of the Royals of the Animal Kingdom- The Crab, Octopus and Whale Kings could all be helpful in removing these cancers, but Crab is truculent, Octopus is sly and manipulative and Whale is cruel and villainous.  

What boons could it offer you, if you wish to make a pact with it?

1d12
1- The Nekomata can give you retractible claws (d6), in exchange for you killing a dog.
2- The Nekomata can give you the ability to climb as well as a housecat, in exchange for committing a crime at least once a month.
3- The Nekomata can give you the ability to move silently, in exchange for killing a person the Nekomata wants dead and bring his or her heart back.
4- The Nekomata can give you night vision equivalent to a cat's, in exchange for a precious memory.
5- The Nekomata can give you the ability to talk to and charm Cats and Catlike creatures (1/Day), in exchange for a weekly sacrifice of jewels.
6- Theh Nekomata can give you the ability to transform into a housecat as an action, in exchange for once a month, you hunt down and kill a Rodent Prince.
7- The Nekomata can give you the ability to unleash a shrieking yowl that does 1d6 thunder damage to anyone who is within 50' and isn't covering their ears and immediately provokes a save vs fear, in exchange for being able to eat one of your eyes.
8- The Nekomata can give you the ability to always land on your feet and take no fall damage, in exchange for kidnapping a princess and delivering her to the Nekomata.
9- The Nekomata can give you the ability to grow thick fur all over your body, giving you resistance to cold damage and the ability to survive without protective gear in cold weather, in exchange for the heart of a Rhemorhaz. 
10- The Nekomata can give you the ability to switch the direction of gravity for yourself, allowing you to walk on ceilings or walls as if they were the ground for you, in exchange for assassinating a high ranking Earth Elemental.
11- The Nekomata can give you the ability to 1/Day unlock any non-magical lock, in exchange for breaking one of the Nekomata's allies out of a prison in the Spirit World.
12- The Nekomata can give you the ability to gain the ability to shapeshift into any humanoid, if you kill that humanoid and eat it's heart.  In exchange, the Nekomata wants 7 years of service from you.  Alternatively, it wants your soul.  

from Getty Images

Tigers:

Tiger was once the strongest and most powerful of all the Cat King's children.  He was as sneaky as Leopard but as dangerous as Lion, with the cunning of even clever Lynx.  Yet this power of his led him to become arrogant and cruel, and that was brought him down.  For as the Cat King prepared to divide up his treasure, he quietly informed Tiger that should he perish, Tiger was to be his heir and would wear the crown after him.  Tiger was ecstatic over this, but promised to keep it to himself.

That is, until an argument with Lion exploded into a fight, as was not uncommon.  As they fought, Tiger told Lion that Father had chosen him as the successor, meaning that one day Lion would lick his brother's paws.  Lion was furious with this and went to their Father immediately, demanding to know why.  When the Cat King heard this from Lion, he vowed that Tiger would never succeed him. 

As such, when the time came, Lion was made the successor instead of Tiger, who was scorned, only receiving a parcel of the fortune he had been promised.  Tiger cursed his brothers and left then, vowing that he would never forgive any of them, and that he and Lion would be enemies forever. 

Statblock:

Tiger
HD 4
AR none
Atk Claws (1d6/1d6) or Bite (1d8)
Mor 11
Saves 11 or less

Stealthy: Tigers get a +4 bonus to stealth if they are in an area that is partially shady or has long shadows, such as beneath a forest's canopy, early morning and evening.  They can also receive this bonus if there is sufficient cover.

Ambusher: Should a Tiger attack a creature from stealth, the Tiger does +2d6 damage on a hit.  Only add this damage if the Tiger hits, do not include it in the initial attack roll.

Curse of the Tiger: Should a creature kill a Tiger, that Tiger's Shadow will detach and stalk that creature.  At a moment of weakness, the Shadow will strike and slay the creature, thus avenging the Tiger's death.  This is common knowledge among Adventurers and Hunters.  The only known way to break the curse is to track down the Tiger's kin and offer them a gift.  Should the Tiger's kin accept the gift, the Tiger's Shadow will not longer pursue you.

Tactics:
- Creep up on your enemies
- Pounce on the one in the rear
- Drag away the corpse, if dead
- If alive, retreat, hide and start the process over

Tiger's Shadow:

As a Tiger, but with the following Traits:

- Cannot be harmed by non-magical weapons, Necrotic, Cold or Poison damage
- Is Ethereal- cannot be touched by items with non-spiritual natures and can pass through such items as if they weren't there
- Is repelled by bright light, cannot approach if someone is standing next to a strong light source
- And cannot appear in direct sunlight

The Curse of the Tiger is one of the most commonly known stories about it, though most of the stories are wildly exaggerated, as Sages and Adventurers can tell you.  Still, the Curse is real.  Those who have killed a Tiger have often reported feeling something watching them or seen the shadow of the Tiger on the walls, following them at a distance.  A Tiger's Shadow is a similar foe to a Tiger, except it cannot be killed with spear or arrow, and the only weapons that truly can defeat it are fire or sorcery.

As such, the best way to defeat a Tiger's Shadow is to appease the Tiger's ghost by presenting his kin with a suitable gift.  For particularly cruel Tigers, this can mean human sacrifice, but just as often it can be gifts of livestock or solemn oaths not to kill anymore Tigers.  According to Ancient legend, one of the Deerling Queens, Yinu Xoczia of Willowheart managed to appease a Tiger's Shadow by rescuing the Tiger's cubs and giving them to their Father, after her bodyguards slew the mother when they encountered each other accidentally on a hunt. 

Of course, such appeasement is easier said than done.  Tigers dwell in deep forests and frozen tundras, far from civilization.  Finding a Tiger is difficult amongst the best of circumstances, especially with a time limit.  Some Tiger's kin might not even want to be found- if the ghost of their slain relative comes to them and tells them to hide, they may, to allow their kinsmen's shadow to take revenge on those who slew it.  Hopefully, that is not the case for you.

by  Scott Murphy

Manticore:

All the Tigers today are descendants of the original of their race, the firstborn of the Cat King.  But almost all of them hold his grudge against Lion and their Grandfather, zealously guarding their territory and driving away all non-Tiger felines.  But some of them take this vendetta much further than others.  These Tigers work to obtain more power- and the easiest way to obtain additional power is to devour mortals. 

As creatures with powerful souls, but generally weak bodies, mortals can provide Tigers with a great meal, even despite their small size.  And the more the Tiger eats, the stronger he becomes.  Eventually, having eaten 1000 mortals, a Tiger undergoes a dread metamorphosis.  It becomes the beast known as a Manticore.

Statblock:

Manticore
HD 6
AR 2 [Natural Armor]
Atk Claws and Teeth (1d8/1d8) or Quills (1d6/1d6/1d6 + venom)
Mor 14
Saves 13 or less

Stealthy: Manticores get a +4 bonus to stealth if they are in an area that is partially shady or has long shadows, such as beneath a forest's canopy, early morning and evening.  They can also receive this bonus if there is sufficient cover.

Ambusher: Should a Manticore attack a creature from stealth, the Manticore does +2d6 damage on a hit.  Only add this damage if the Manticore hits, do not include it in the initial attack roll.

Quills: Manticores can fire quills from their tails like thrown daggers, or they can smack a creature with their tails, doing the equivalent damage to three quill attacks.  If the Quills are fired and do damage to a creature, that creature is also exposed to a Manticore's venom.  See below for what that venom does.  A creature with a shield can, instead of making a defense roll against a Manticore's Quill attacks, make a STR save.  On a success, he takes no damage.  On a failure, he is hit as normal.   

Tactics:
- Attack from stealth, ambush the weakest opponent
- Hurl a volley of quills
- Assess, if most creatures are still standing or largely unhurt, retreat
- If pursued, bait your pursuers into splitting up or maintaining the chase over long periods of time

To customize a Manticore, roll on the tables below:

What makes this Manticore different?

1d4
1- It can imitate voices.  The Manticore can imitate the sounds of other animals or the voices of humanoids whose voices it has heard before. 
2- It knows how to make convincing fake tracks.  The Manticore can make fake tracks that are convincing enough to fool the casual observer, but if someone is more knowledgeable or simply more perceptive, they'll realize something is off about these tracks. 
3- It is served by a cult of 1d4 [1= Druids; 2= Cannibals; 3= Misguided Demon-Worshipers- they believe the Manticore is an animal possessed by a Demon, the Manticore isn't saying otherwise; 4= Ethnic Enemies- the Manticore has been preying on one local population or group and the enemies of that group have decided to aid it by bringing it prey and helping it hide.]
4- It is favored by a Spirit of the Land who grants it the magical power to 1d4 [1= Fly; 2= Turn Invisible; 3= Absorb 1d6 spells/sources of elemental energy per day, healing it for X HD, where X is the MD used to cast the spell; 4= Animate its shadow (as a Tiger's Shadow) to fight alongside it.]

What does it's venom do?

1d4
1- Paralysis.  Any creature injured by this Manticore's quills takes 1d6 DEX damage as it's venom causes his muscles to stiffen and lock up.  Should a creature be dropped to 0 DEX, that creature is paralyzed for 1d4 hours.  After the duration, the creature regains DEX at a point of 1 point per round.
2- Agony.  Any creature injured by this Manticore's quills takes a -1d4 penalty to any complex or precise action, including attack and defense rolls, as his body is wracked with horrible pain.  This pain lasts for 10 minutes per quill hit, and for each hit, the creature must make a COG save.  On a failed save, the creature gains the Conviction, "I give up easily," and declares that they will not be participating further in the Manticore hunt, and immediately tries to either return to safety or to leave the Manticore's territory.
3- Hallucinations.  Any creature injured by this Manticore's quills begins hallucinating, seeing 1d4 illusory Manticores.  Each time the creature makes an attack or casts a spell, the creature has an X-in-6 chance of targeting an illusory Manticore, and thus wasting his action.  The venom also causes other hallucinations as well, and lasts for 1d3 hours per quill.
4- Death.  Any creature injured by this Manticore's quills takes 1d6 CON damage as his body begins to shut down.  Should this damage reduce a creature's CON to 0, that creature falls unconscious and begins dying as its lungs and heart stop working.  Unless the venom is removed from the body within 1 minute, the creature dies. 

What does it want?

1d4
1- Nothing.  The Manticore wants to eat you.  It may make some demand, but this is mere pretext.  The Manticore will wait until you are vulnerable, then attack.
2- For you to turn on each other.  The Manticore will declare that it only wants to eat one of you, and that you should pick who is eaten.  The Manticore promises it will let all the rest go.
3- For you to do something despicable.  The Manticore asks you to do something vile, such as kidnapping an infant and bringing it the Manticore.  It wants to see if you will do it.  Regardless of what you do, it may still choose to eat you. 
4- To be bribed.  The Manticore has no interest in difficult prey like you.  If you give it 1d6 [1= Alcohol; 2= Honey; 3= Giant Wasp Larvae; 4= A horse or pack animal with a broken leg; 5= A young man or woman, pretty to look at an unblemished; 6= A baked good such as a cake or large pastry] it will let you go.

Manticores are monsters that resemble Tigers, but with the faces of men, three rows of teeth and long, venomous quills potruding from their tails.  They can speak and do so in soft, cruel voices, like a steel blade wrapped in soft reeds.  They are universally cruel and despicable, loving to lord their superiority over other creatures.  Their weaknesses are the fact that they are not much stronger than Tigers in some ways, as well as their gluttony.  Few Manticores can turn down a chance at a meal, even though they are excellent hunters and rarely go hungry.  But after consuming so many men, they have developed a taste for it and now can't get enough. 

Here's another thing to note about Manticores; The souls of all they devour are trapped in pearls that form on the inside of a Manticore's body.  Smashing these pearls frees these souls, but the pearls can also function as potent reagents for certain forbidden alchemical recipes or aid in the manufacture of certain vile substance.  As such, Manticores when discovered are often hunted by the righteous and the wicked alike, giving them plenty of practice at hiding and fighting intelligent opponents.  

photographer unknown

Lions:

While not as strong as Tiger, Lion was still a promising child.  His boldness and his low cunning proved more than enough to overcome his brother's overwhelming power.  Additionally, Lion had another advantage.  Unlike Tiger, who was proud, Lion recognized his own limitations.  When Tiger and him had their initial confrontation, he had lost, and only avoided death because of the intervention of his siblings.  As such, when Tiger made an attempt to take the crown by force, Lion was there to stop him, but he didn't come alone.  He brought his sisters- and with their aid, he was able to defeat Tiger and secure his throne.

For their service, Lion rewarded his sisters, making them his fangs.  And to this day, the Lionness remains the humble and faithful servant of Lion.  However, should he prove corrupt, incompetent or otherwise unsuitable, the Lionness retain the right to depose him and drive him from his throne.

Lionness
HD 3
AR 1
Atk Claw (1d6) + Bite (1d4)
Mor 11
Saves 10 or less

Stealthy: If approaching in long grass, at night, or in some other condition that could help the Lionness hide, she gets +2 to any rolls based on stealth.

Pack Tactics: If two or more Lionnesses attack a target at the same time, instead of making two attacks, only roll 1d20 and add the damage of both attacks.  For example, if two wish to make a claw attack against the same target, roll 1d20 and add +2d6 to the attack roll.  For any additional Lionnesses beyond 2, add +1 to the attack roll per Lionness.

Tactics:
- Sneak up on a target if possible
- Separate the weak from the strong
- Gang up on the weakest enemy

Lionnesses handle the majority of the hunting, as well as a large share of the administrative tasks that are necessary to maintain the Pride and the Kingdom.  They are generally very loyal, only abandoning their Lion unless he proves wicked, cruel or incompetent.  They will also leave him if another Lion overthrows him and takes over the Kingdom.  They are also known to despise Tigers and Manticores, should one be detected by them, they will abandon all other duties to hunt down the intruder and slay him.

This a fact that can be exploited, as was done by the clever Lakazu Magister, Syill the Hazi.  When his people were being oppressed by the foreign conqueror Agris, King of Tarhoon, he heard that the King was planning to kill him.  So he prayed and was informed to gather some Tiger hair and claws, which he did.  He then brewed this into a potion that made whoever drank it smell like a Tiger.  Then he invited the King to come with him on a hunting expedition.  Seeing an opportunity to get rid of him, the King accepted and let Syill lead him out into the wilderness. While they were out there, Syill secretly dosed the King with the potion.  Thus, when the assassins came for Syill, they were distracted by the fact that the camp was overrun by Lions!  The Lionnesses raised hell, before finally being driven away, but not before they had torn the King to shreds.  Thus was the prophecy fulfilled that King Agris would be "Consumed by creatures with appetites greater than your own," just as the Prophet had foretold. 

Lion
HD 4
AR 2
Atk Claw (1d6) + Bite (1d6)
Mor 13
Saves 11 or less  

Stealthy: If approaching in long grass, at night, or in some other condition that could help the Lion hide, he gets +2 to any rolls based on stealth.

Roar: A Lion's roar is a deafening blast of sound that flattens all who hear it.  When a Lion roars, all within 30' of him take 2d6 thunder damage, save for half.  Those who fail their save must also save or be deafened.  Deafened creatures have disadvantage on any save or check made to detect a creature (such as a Lion or Lionness) sneaking up on them.  The Lion may only roar every 1d4 turns.       

Tactics:
- Be loud and showy
- Draw the attention of the enemy
- Roar, then signal the Lionnesses or your other allies to attack

Lions, unlike the Lionnesses, do not primarily concern themselves with hunting, rearing young or administration.  Instead, Lions focus on controlling and maintaining territory, ruling over large swathes of territories.  These territories function as Kingdoms, which lesser animals are free to enter or leave at will, with the acknowledgement that the Lion owns all the creatures within his territory, and that he may eat any of them he sees fit. 

These territories are often rich with good things to eat, and are much safer than some territories.  Unlike some other creatures, Lions can be generous and merciful when they need to be.  Compared to the cruelty of a Manticore or the rapacious appetite of a Dragon, the Lion's yoke is light and his use of the whip is prudent.     

To customize a Lion, roll on the table below:

What kind of King is this Lion?

1d6
1- Bumbling.  The Lion is an incompetent ruler, possessing neither the strength nor the will to rule.  Should he not be overthrown, which is very likely, his Lionnesses will expel him themselves. 
2- Slothful.  The Lion is strong enough, but afflicted by sloth.  He rarely patrols his territory and is slow to fend off threats.  The Lionnesses are getting sick of him, but not enough to try and replace him.  They are hoping another Lion comes along to overthrow him.
3- Tyrannical.  This Lion is terribly strong and prone to violent rages.  He terrifies his subjects into fearing him.  Should he be weakened, he would likely be overthrown.  At the moment, however, he is too strong.
4- Hard.  The Lion is strong, bringing peace to his territory.  He is not kind or especially virtuous, but he gives the people peace.
5- Hard but fair.  The Lion is lacking in compassion, but this is his only vice.  His justice is iron, but always impartial.
6- Good.  The Lion is an excellent and fair ruler.  He administers justice and treats the lowly honeybee with the same respect as the blessed Elephant.

Lions battle each over for territory.  Prides can sometimes compete over entire regions, but most of the time, this occurs when a landless Lion challenges another to a duel for his throne.  The two battle, and the loser is expelled while the winner inherits the throne and the kingdom. 

For those who pass through a Lion's territory, there are only X options.  Firstly, if you are too strong, the Lion is likely not to bother you.  But considering the foes that a Lion can bring down, you have to be mighty indeed to dissuade him from attacking you.

Secondly, you could be fast.  If you pass through a Lion's territory at a quick enough pace, then he will not be able to find you.  When doing this, the most important thing to do is not hunt and not start any fires- if you slay a subject of the Lion, he will hear about it and his Lionnesses will spot a fire from a long way off.  Should he find intruders this way, he will take revenge, either by trying to devour them or by driving them toward another fearsome animal.

The third way is to approach the Lion's throne and present him with a gift.  Should the Lion be pleased with your gift, he will allow you to pass through his territory safely. 

What gifts does this Lion prefer?

1d4
1- Meat, obviously.  He prefers 1d8 [1= Goat; 2= Sheep; 3= Beef; 4= Venison; 5= Chicken; 6= Crocodile; 7= Pork; 8= Snake.]
2- Information on other Lions and Cats.  Only Druids, Spirits of the Land and those who can talk to animals generally possess information that would interest a Lion.  However, information that a large number of dangerous enemies, hunters or a group of rival Lions are entering his territory would be of interest to almost any Lion.
3- Art.  The Lion likes works of art that glorify him, his Pride or other things he admires.  Any art that shows Lions in a positive light would probably be sufficient.
4- Rare foods.  This Lion has a weakness for 1d4 [1= Alcohol; 2= Honey; 3= Fish; 4= Baked Goods- pastries, tarts, bread, etc.]

But of course, to see the Lion, you'll likely have to wait in line.

Who else is here today?

1d6
1- A group of Baboons.  They are here to complain.  There is a 40% chance their complaint is legitimate, otherwise it's just an attempt to get the Lion to eat someone who doesn't deserve it.
2- An Antelope.  She is here to plead for the life of her ailing Father, who is now too sick to escape the Lionnesses, should they target her herd.
3- A Warthog and a Wildbeest.  These two have been feuding over space at the watering hole and both want the Lion to tell the other to get lost.  
4- A Crocodile.  The Crocodile claims that the Hippos have prevented her from digging a burrow, they claim that they own all of the bank that is underwater and refuse to let her near it.
5- A Hyena.  The Hyena is here to grovel and ask for sanctuary.  He offended the alpha of his pack, and wishes for the Lion to protect him while she calms down, as he fears for his life.
6- A group of Buzzards.  They are here to ask the Lion to please leave more scraps behind when he hunts.  They plead poverty, despite being seemingly well fed.

by BiagioDAlessandro

Chimera:

What the Servants of Chaos have always been unwilling to accept is the fact that the universe functions according to certain universal, immutable laws.  These laws do not just concern how the universe functions, but how it ought to work.  All creatures have a specific nature, an intended purpose.  Those who live in accordance with these laws, with their own nature and with Reality, prosper.  Those who fail to adhere to them, living in opposition to these laws or to own nature, suffer.

And one of these laws is the great law of predation.  It is no sin for the Wolf to devour the Rabbit- for the Wolf is higher than the Rabbit, and thus has the right to devour the former.  This cruel state is also one of the reasons why mortals are elevated over the beasts, for while they possess the same rights, they possess mortal sense.  As such, a mortal can choose not to devour the weaker one, out of concern for the former.  But the Wolf has no consideration for the Rabbit, nor should it be expected to.

This same law also binds the Lion.  Lions are permitted to eat certain animals, but not others.  And one of the creatures Lions are forbidden to eat are mortals.  Unless a mortal has killed game without the Lion's permission, attacked it or otherwise violated the Lion's rights as King, the mortal is off-limits for hunting.  Should a Lion kill a mortal, especially in one of those circumstances, it is totally permissible.  But if the Lion eats the mortal, that is where corruption enters. 

And just as a Tiger that devours mortals transforms into a Manticore, the Lion that feasts on them becomes a Chimera.

Chimera
HD 1d6+2
AR 2
Atk Claw (1d6) + Bite (1d6)
Mor 14
Saves (7+HD) or less

Tactics:
- Varies, depending on the changes to the Chimera

To customize a Chimera, roll on the tables below:

This Chimera has a(n)...

1d3
1- Extra Head.  Roll on the Head table to see what kind of Head it is.
2- Modified Body.  Roll on the Body table to see what changes occured to the Chimera's body.
3- Modified Tail.  Roll on the Tail table to see what changes occurred to the Chimera's tail.

Roll 1d3 times on the above table, rerolling all duplicates:

Head Table:

The head is a...

1d8
1- Goat.  The Chimera gains an additional bite attack that does 1d4 damage.  This attack, instead of doing damage, can also reduce a creature's AR by 1d3 by ripping a chunk of armor away and eating it. 
2- Zebra.  The Chimera gains the ability to try and frighten horses as an action.  By sacrificing an attack, it can bray, forcing all nearby horses to save.  Those horses that fail their saves must immediately flee.
3- Wildbeest.  The Chimera gains a charge attack.  If it charges a creature and hits, that creature takes 2d6 damage and must save or be knocked prone.  Creatures being charged can make a DEX save to avoid all damage instead of making a defense roll.   
4- Crocodile.  The Chimera gains a bite attack that does 1d6 damage.  Creatures bitten by this head are automatically grappled and take 1d6 damage a round they are grappled. 
5- Buzzard.  The Chimera gains an Evil Eye.  By sacrificing one attack, the Chimera can force a creature at less than full HP to save.  A creature who fails his save takes 1d6 necrotic damage and must save vs infection or catch a disease.  Creatures at half HP or less make this save with disadvantage. 
6- Warthog.  The Chimera gains a charge attack.  If it charges a creature and hits, that creature takes 1d6 damage and has a persistent wound open on his body.  That creature takes 1d6 damage a round until it takes an action to staunch the bleeding or is touched by healing magic.
7- Mortal.  The Chimera gains the ability to mimic voices.  Additionally, if it screams, all mortals must save or be frightened.  Frightened creatures cannot move closer to the Chimera and take 1d6 COG damage a round they are in combat with it.  Should this COG damage reduce a creature's COG to 0, that creature immediately loses his nerve and flees.
8- Dragon.  The Chimera gains the ability to breathe fire.  By sacrificing an attack, the Chimera can breathe fire in a 30' cone, doing 3d6 fire damage, save for half.  If you have a shield, save to take no damage.  The Chimera can only breathe fire every 1d4 turns. 

Body Table:

The Chimera's body has changed so that it now...

1d6
1- Has scales.  The Chimera gets a +2 bonus to AR.
2- Has stripes.  The Chimera gets a +2 bonus to all stealth rolls. 
3- Has bulging, skinless legs.  The Chimera can leap 50' as an action, before or after attacking.
4- Has spines.  If you damage the Chimera in melee combat with a non-reach weapon (spear, polearm, lance) save or take 1d6 damage.  Creatures with shields make this save with advantage.
5- Has wings.  The Chimera can fly.  While in the air it gains a +4 bonus to initiative and a +2 bonus to AR. 
6- Has the ability to molt its skin.  The Chimera can, 1/Day, molt its skin.  This restores all HP but reduces its maximum HD by 1.  It also removes all negative status effects except being poisoned (ex: blinded, deafened, petrified, etc).  Once a Chimera has molted, it cannot do so for 1 month.  After 1 month, it regains that ability, and its lost HD.

Tail Table:

The Chimera's tail has changed so that it now...

1d6
1- Is a snake.  The Chimera gains a bite attack.  The snake tail can make a bite attack that does 1d4 damage plus 3d6 poison damage.  Creatures take 1d6 damage and must save each round.  On a successful save, they take no more damage.  But if all saves are failed, the poison damage stops once a creature has taken 3d6 damage.  There is a 2-in-6 chance the snake tail can also spit venom, which does 1d6 damage and forces a save vs blindness. 
2- Is a ball of bone and iron.  The Chimera can replace one of its attacks with a tail attack.  This does 1d6 damage and reduces any non-magical armor hit by it by 1d4 AR.  It shatters shields on impact. 
3- Is tipped in a strange, stinger-like organ.  The Chimera can, as an action, spray acid from this stinger.  The acid does 2d6 damage, plus 1d6 damage a round until a creature takes an action to wipe it off or dilutes it with another liquid.  Each round a creature takes acid damage, non-magical armor loses 1 point of AR. 
4- Is tipped in plumage that reeks of pheremones.  The Chimera can, as an action, summon a swarm of 1d4 [1= Ants; 2= Bees; 3= Wasps; 4= Spiders] to aid it in combat.
5- Is long, thin, and very fast, whipping back and forth like a viper.  The Chimera can grab people or items with its tail.  Creatures grabbed by it are grappled.  Alternatively, it can replace a normal attack with a tail one (1d6 + grapple).
6- Is tipped in a cone of long bones wrapped in skin that unfolds into a fan.  The Chimera can create powerful air blasts, forcing creatures to save or be knocked prone.  This takes the place of one attack.
 
Chimera usually arise naturally, when Lions become maneaters.  But Chimera are also sometimes created by Chaos cults, who capture Lions and feed them sacrifices.  Other Lions instinctively loathe Chimera and will not associate with them, unless forced to.  Chimera created this way are no smarter or less savage that ordinary Chimeras, and behave exactly like the wild beasts that they are.      

photographer unknown

Jaguars:

Jaguar was always the black sheep of his family.  Unlike his cute sisters or valiant brothers, Jaguar did not like to fight fair.  Honor, to him, was simply a pretext used by the strong and was discarded the second it got in the way.  So unlike his brothers, who fought for the crown, he rejected that struggle and left the family to live in seclusion.  He declared that unlike those hypocrites, he would live honestly, as what he was.  There would be no vain-glorious talk of crowns or rights from him.  He would simply be a hunter.  He would take whatever he wanted, because he was strong.  And this example is the one that his children, the Jaguars and Panthers, follow to this day.

For this reason, Jaguars are among the most feared of the Cats, for they strike without warning.  If attacked by a Jaguar, you cannot attempt to flatter the Cat or appeal to its honor, only fight.  There is no other option besides laying down and dying. 

Jaguar
HD 3
AR none
Atk Claw (1d6/1d4) or Bite (1d8)
Mor 12
Saves 10 or less

Stealthy: Stealthy: Jaguars get a +4 bonus to stealth if they are in an area that is partially shady or has long shadows, such as beneath a forest's canopy, or in the early morning and evening.  They can also receive this bonus if there is sufficient cover.

Spotted Terror: As an action, a Jaguar can reflect the imprints of its coat in a creature's eyes.  This peels off one of the Jaguar's spots, planting it in a creature's eye.  This causes a creature to take 1d6 COG damage and make all checks or saves based on perception with disadvantage.  The Jaguar can do this multiple times to one creature.  Should this damage reduce a creature's COG to 0, that creature is blinded. 

Ambusher: Should a Jaguar attack a creature that cannot adequately defend itself from an attack, such as when it is ambushed by stealth, blind, sickened, crippled or otherwise weakened, the Jaguar does +2d6 damage on a hit.  Only add this damage if the Jaguar hits, do not include it in the initial attack roll.   

Tactics:
- Blind the strongest opponent
- Ambush someone weaker, pick off the isolated one
- Drag them away

Unlike his peers, who usually only eat mortals because of need or to fulfill some other desire, Jaguars prey on mortals much more often.  As such, many Jaguars are more powerful, and often, more intelligent than the average Cat, able to speak. 

Any random Jaguar has a 4-in-6 chance of being able to understand speech and a 3-in-6 chance of being able to speak themselves. 

Most Jaguars are surprisingly urbane, possessing a dry wit that partially masks a predator's soul.  Jaguars do not pretend to be anything but what they are, so even when they speak to you cordially, they will make sly comments about how you might taste.  They never use speech to deceive or trick, as Manticores might, but instead only use it to converse with prey or each other.

Jaguars are also known to be honorable, a fact they take pride in.  Unlike gluttonous Tiger or despotic Lion, the Jaguar says, I am forthright with my opinions and intentions.  As such, if you can extract a promise from a Jaguar, it will almost always be honored.  However, Jaguars are not known to make oaths lightly, and rarely choose to do so, unless the other option is even worse.

However, despite the power that feeding on mortals, most Jaguars do little more than dabble.  To feed on mortals too regularly is dangerous, and not just because it attracts hunters and mobs armed with nets and spears.  That kind of power is addicting, defiling.  Those Jaguars who cannot control themselves will soon find themselves indulging more and more, gobbling down whole families after robbing them of their vision.  Most of these Jaguars go mad and eventually slip up, meeting their end riddled with arrows or trapped in a burning building.  But those who do not die, they evolve, becoming something stronger, darker.

by John Tedrick

Displacer Beast:

A Displacer Beast is a Jaguar who has eaten enough lawful creatures (usually mortals) that it has attracted the attention of the Folk.  The nobles of the Forest bestow great blessings on the Jaguar, transforming it into a creature made exclusively to hunt mortals: the Displacer Beast.  They are cruel creatures who prey exclusively on mortals, luring them out of their homes with clever deceptions and illusions, before pouncing to gobble them up.  Unlike their cousins, the Jaguar, Displacer Beasts have no honor and no sense of shame.  They will do and say anything to survive and continue feeding their rapacious appetites.

Displacer Beast
HD 1d3+3
AR none
Atk Claws and Teeth (1d6) + Tentacles (1d4/1d4)
Mor 13
Saves (7+HD) or less

Stealthy: Stealthy: Displacer Beasts get a +4 bonus to stealth if they are in an area that is partially shady or has long shadows, such as beneath a forest's canopy, or in the early morning and evening.  They can also receive this bonus if there is sufficient cover.
     
Speech: Displacer Beasts can speak as well as any mortal.  They usually know the local language, but more intelligent or experienced ones may know other languages as well.

Illusion Magicks: Displacer Beasts can create illusions, whether auditory, visual or containing both types of stimuli as an action.  This illusion can be anything the Displacer Beast wishes, as long as it takes up less than 30' square.  These illusions cannot create smells and do not stand up to physical scrutiny.  Additionally, a Displacer Beast cannot create an illusion and use its "Illusory Doppelganger" ability at the same time.   

Illusory Doppelganger: Displacer Beasts have the ability to generate an illusory copy of themselves.  These copies can be controlled as a free action to either mimic the Displacer Beast or move independently, as long as they are within 50' of the Displacer Beast.  These copies are identical to the Displacer Beast in every way.  As such, if a Displacer Beast is standing next to its illusory copy and you don't know which one is real, you have a 50% chance of attacking the illusory copy.   

Ambusher: Should a Displacer Beast attack a creature that cannot adequately defend itself from an attack, such as when it is ambushed by stealth, blind, sickened, crippled or otherwise weakened, the Displacer Beast does +2d6 damage on a hit.  Only add this damage if the Displacer Beast hits, do not include it in the initial attack roll.   

Tentacle: A Displacer Beast can grapple creatures with its tentacles, holding up to two at a time.  Creatures caught like this are also restrained and cannot move or attack.  They are helpless and unless they succeed on a STR contest to break free, they are stuck.  A Displacer Beast can also freely damage a creature that is has grappled as an action, and the creature is permitted no save or defense roll to counter-act this.  A Displacer Beast's tentacles can be cut off (1 HD, AR 0, Atk 1d4) but will regrow after 1d4 weeks.     

Tactics:
- Use illusions to tire out enemies
- Lure them into a trap
- Grapple an enemy and gag them, then remove them for safe keeping

Displacer Beasts are intelligent enough to work with others, and can be recruited by those willing to help them feed their addictions.  They are even strong enough to pose a threat to most normal creatures, especially mortals, and intelligent enough to circumvent normal defenses.  They make excellent terror weapons and crude, if fairly effective assassins, especially when they have mortal accomplices.  

That being said, you should never trust a Displacer Beast.  If you have recruited one and it believes you to be weak or seem like you're going to lose, it might just turn those deadly jaws on you.

photographer unknown

Cheetah:

Cheetah is a popular character in stories told to children, at least in regions where Cheetah live.  These stories, depending on the teller and intended message, usually take two forms.  Firstly, Cheetah is weaker and smaller than his brothers, lacking their natural strength.  But when he mourns his own inadequacy, the Simurgh, Mother of Birds hears his cries and comes to him, granting Cheetah the ability to run faster than any other creature.  However, the Simurgh warns Cheetah that if he does not practice his running every day, he will get slower and slower, until eventually he becomes slower than even his lumbering brothers.  So Cheetah trains diligently, and finds that he gets faster and faster.  Then one day, a flying Demon or monster attacks the family house and steals the Cat King's crown.  The Demon then flies away, taking the crown with him.  No one can catch him, but Cheetah, having trained so hard, sprints after the Demon, chasing him down.  With a mighty leap, Cheetah takes to the air, grabs the Demon and yanks the crown from his hands.  When Cheetah lands, the Demon pursues, but this gives his brothers times to catch up and rip the Demon apart.  Thus, Cheetah is honored and the lesson is that hard work will always be rewarded or that even if you are weak, if you work very hard, you can still be great. 

The other stories of Cheetah depict him as the fastest creature in all the world, so fast that he challenges the South Wind to a race.  At first, the South Wind accepts, thinking this will be an easy victory.  But when Cheetah starts catching up to him, he panics and begins cheating.  Despite all this, Cheetah wins and demands an exorbitant reward from the South Wind, who promised to give Cheetah anything he wanted, in the unlikely event that he won.  The South Wind begrudgingly honors his promise, but then tells Vulture and Hyena of the enormous prize he offered Cheetah.  So, when Cheetah is savoring his prize, he is attacked by Vulture and Hyena, who beat him up and steal the prize for themselves.  The moral of this story is garbled or either not present in any explicit sense, leaving the hearer to draw his own conclusion. 

Regardless of Cheetah's mythological role, the cats that bear his name are still very elegant beasts, capable of running at fantastic speeds, so much so that stealth is of much less importance to them than other cats.  Cheetahs don't need to sneak up on their enemies, only to be faster than them.  And while legends are prone to exaggeration, the Cheetah is one animal that actually seems capable of catching the wind.

Cheetah
HD 3
AR none
Atk Bite (1d6)
Mor 10
Saves 10 or less

Blitz: Cheetah are very fast.  If a Cheetah chooses to run as an action, it gets +2 to pursuit rolls, and makes all DEX saves and checks with advantage.  Additionally, for each round the Cheetah runs, it gets +1 to attack and damage.  This bonus increases first to +2, then +1d6, then 1d6+1, then 1d6+2, before maxing out at +2d6.

Overheat: Every time Cheetahs are forced to slow down or purposely choose to stop running, they must save.  On a failed save, the Cheetah must spend at least 1 round doing nothing but panting and catching its breath, and for the next 1d4 turns makes all DEX check, saves and attack/defense rolls with disadvantage. 

Tactics:
- Don't engage unless victory is possible, avoid hard fights or fights where you are seriously outnumbered
- Run around, in circles around the enemy if necessary, to build up speed
- Slam into the strongest creature and rip its throat out
- Hope that was enough to finish them off and they'll flee

Cheetahs often travel in groups for protection, but even other Cheetahs is sometimes not enough to prevent Lions, Hyenas, Jaguars or even Vultures from stealing their kills.  Cheetahs especially have trouble dealing with large, organized groups, even if the members of the group are individually weak. 

by Apofiss

Raiju:

Cheetahs that grow resentful of their status as lowly and weak sometimes give in to despair and give up.  Instead of hunting, they perch themselves atop high rocks and cry, singing mournful songs.  Most eventually exhaust themselves and return to their normal lives, but there are verifiable stories of Cheetahs starving themselves like this, or dying of exhaustion because they went so long without water or shade they passed out and never woke up. 

But in other cases, the Cheetah's cries do not go unheard.  The Cheetah's lament is heard by the Spirits, usually the Spirits of the Endless Sky and the Raging Storm.  They come to the Cheetah and grant him power, transforming him into a Raiju.

Raiju
HD 5
AR none
Atk Claws and Teeth (1d6 + 1d4 lightning/1d6 + 1d4 lightning) or Lightning Rush
Mor 15
Saves 12 or less
Immune to Cold, Thunder, Lightning and Fall Damage
Resistant to Fire, Acid, Sharp and Bludgeoning from non-magical weapons

Light as a Feather: Raiju weigh almost nothing.  They take no fall damage, can leap over huge gaps and can run incredibly fast (+4 to all pursuit rolls).

Lightning Rush: A Raiju can, as an action, charge a creature.  That creature takes 1d6 sharp damage and 2d6 lightning damage, save for half.  The creature gets a -1 penalty to his save for each piece of metal he is carrying.  Tell the players this.  Once the Raiju uses this ability, it must wait 1d4 turns to use it again.  This ability also moves the Raiju a minimum of 50' past the creature it targeted in a straight line.  The Raiju can also choose to move up to 300', if it wishes. 

Partially Solid: Raiju are partially composed of clouds.  This makes them very hard to hurt, but they can be buffeted back or repelled by strong winds.  A wind blowing away from you will keep a Raiju from being able to strike you, and give you advantage on your save against its'Lightning Rush. 

Tactics:
- Gauge the strength of your opponents
- Use Lightning Rush on the one with the most metal
- Retreat and estimate chance of victory

Raiju are mythical predators, rarely seen but terribly feared.  They are wispy creatures, part stormcloud, part cat, with glowing eyes and crackling claws.  They are known to be able to leap over fences and the walls of forts with equal ease, as well as being faster than all normal horses.  They strike like the lightning, then vanish just as quickly.  But most feared about the Raiju is its magical ability to launch itself forward in a sizzling, screaming rush that rips apart the air in a deafening roar and fries the strongest warriors, cooking them from the inside out, inside their armor. 

The worst place to fight a Raiju is in an open field with no cover.  When one of these creatures are spotted, the usual strategy is to release some livestock and have everyone huddle inside the walls, while setting the grass and foliage around the walls on fire, in the hopes that if the Raiju refuses the offer of the livestock, the fire should dissuade it from trying to enter the city.  This sometimes works, but in some stories, the Raiju rides the updraft created by the fire into the city, where it then slaughters the inhabitants of the city one by one as they impotently try to fight it, for that is their only option, having trapped themselves inside.  The only choice then is to either face the Raiju's claws, or the blazing embrace of the inferno.

by Mike Flodin

Lynxes:

Lynx was always the smartest of the Cat King's children.  Unlike her brothers, who were devoted to struggling against each other, and her older sisters, who were picking out their husbands and fighting over the same, Lynx spent her time listening.  She studied the conversations of all those around her, and soon found she could speak not only to other Cats, but also to the insects, the beasts of the field and the birds of the air.  Lynx used her new found skills to become a proficient hunter and collector of knowledge, so that when her Father divided up his kingdom, she did not need to rely on the meagre share she was offered, nor the generosity of one of her brothers.

Lynx
HD 2
AR none
Atk Bite (1d8)
Mor 10
Saves 9 or less       

Penetrating Eyes: Lynxes can see through darkness, fog and even solid objects.  They see the inside of creatures as plainly as their outsides.  They cannot be fooled by illusions nor by fake doppelgangers (such as a dummy made of wood and straw).  They can also tell the difference between a normal creature and a shapeshifter.

Guile Fighter: Lynxes' attacks count as ignoring armor, as a Lynx will never attack an unarmored spot.  The only way to defeat this ability is to wear Armor over your entire body or carry a shield and try to actively defend against the Lynx. 

Tactics:
- Avoid combat with stronger foes
- Go after those who are alone
- Flee if in danger

Lynxes know a great deal of things.  If you present a Lynx with a gift, it can lead you to the location of a hidden thing, as long as that thing is within the Lynx's territory.  The Lynx can also point you towards edible game, useful herbs, or show you how to avoid dangerous predators that threaten even well armed mortals, never mind a Lynx.  But should you threaten a Lynx and try to force it to reveal its knowledge, the Lynx is just as likely to lie to you and direct you toward a hazard or a dangerous beast. 

by sinju23

Kasha:

Knowledge is power, and just like any form of power, it can corrupt.  And just like any form of power, once you get a taste, you will want more.  But some things are better left unknown.  For those who choose to look anyway, this is the price of gazing upon that which was hidden from you, not out of malice, but out of compassion for you.  Lynxes that seek forbidden knowledge, either through making bargains with Spirits better left ignored, or by killing mortals to feed on their brains, the price of this knowledge is steep.  The Lynx that seeks shall find, but once they know, they won't be able to unknow it.  Once they do, they become a Kasha.

Kasha
HD 4
AR 2
Atk Martial Arts (1d6 + grapple) or Weapon
Mor 14
Saves 11 or less

Future Sight: As an action, a Kasha can see 1d4+1 rounds into the future.  The Kasha should roll an equal number of d20s.  For the same number of rounds, whenever the Kasha doesn't like the result someone rolled on a d20, it can replace that roll with one of the results it rolled.  The Kasha can do this as many times as it wants, until it runs out of results rolled or X rounds pass, where X is the result of the initial 1d4+1 roll.

Humanoid Disguise: Kashas can walk upright, speak and have five-fingered hands with thumbs on their forelimbs.  While they seem slightly hunched, wrapped in a robe, in the dark or from a distance, they could easily pass for an old woman with a back bent by age or a lame man leaning heavily on a walking stick. 

Curse: A Kasha can, 1/Day, curse a creature.  That creature must be able to hear the Kasha's voice and be able to understand what it is saying.  To see what the Kasha can curse someone with, roll on the table below.

Tactics:      
- Peer into the future
- Attack from range, preferrably by ambushing creatures
- Curse someone if you're in danger of dying, or use it as a threat to escape

To customize a Kasha, roll on the table below:

What is this Kasha armed with?

1d4
1- A dagger, dripping with poison.  The dagger does 1d6 damage, but the first unlucky creature stabbed with it 1d4 [1= Takes 1d6 damage a round until he takes 3d6 poison damage or he succeeds a CON save; 2= Takes 1d6 DEX damage and an equivalent penalty to Attack and Defense rolls for 1d3 days; 3= Must save or be paralyzed; 4= Must save or die.  On a failed save, if another creature tries to revive you, you may attempt a second save.  But no more; fail this one, you die.]
2- A cat o' nine tails.  Does 1d6 sharp damage and 1d6 STR damage.  Creatures reduced to 0 STR by this weapon collapse, unable to move, their bodies savaged.  STR damage done this way comes back at a rate of 1 point per day.  Additionally, if the creature does not receive medical attention or has healing magic cast on it, save vs infection.
3- A staff.  The Kasha can use this staff to parry 1 attack per round, reducing it by 1d6 damage.
4- A bow and arrow.  The arrows do 1d6 damage.  Also, the arrows are 1d6 [1= Normal, but the Kasha can make two bow attacks a round; 2= Smeared in filth, if hit, save vs infection; 3= dipped in pitch, the Kasha will set them on fire before firing.  If they hit, they do an additional +1d6 fire damage; 4= poisoned (see 'Dagger' above); 5= Broadhead, on a hit they open a persistent wound which bleeds, doing 1d6 damage a round until someone takes an action to staunch the bleeding; 6= Magic.  The Kasha only has 1d6 of these and mostly carries regular arrows.  So it will only use the magic ones if it hates you or is desperate.  Consult here for magical arrow ideas.]

What does this Kasha curse people with?

1d4
1- Bad Luck.  The Cursed, whenever they roll a "20" on a 1d20 receives no special bonuses and on a roll of "1" suffers a horrifying accident or misstep.  This curse can be broken by playing a game against a Demon and winning.
2- Cat Hatred.  The Cursed is hated by Cats.  All Cats and catlike creatures get -2 to their reaction rolls against the Cursed and will find they come to hate the Cursed if they have any prolonged contact with him.  Cats that hate the Cursed will go out of their way to make his life miserable, but won't necessarily attack him, unless they are already monstrous, violent and/or powerful.  Avoid places known to be frequented by lions and tigers.  This curse can be broken by striking a bargain with a Royal Cat (either a Lion, a Rakshasha or the Cat King himself).
3- Insomnia.  The Cursed cannot sleep.  The effects of sleep deprivation soon start to kick in, followed by permanent madness.  This curse can be broken by making a pilgrimage to see the River of Dreams and drinking some of its water.     
4- Confidence.  The Cursed becomes totally convinced of their own superiority.  He passes all fear save automatically and it becomes very difficult for him to take criticism or do anything that requires caution.  This curse can be broken by being soundly defeated by an inferior opponent in a game.   

Kashas are the horrible parody of a Lynx, cursed with dark knowledge.  They are twisted creatures, able to walk on two legs and speak through overly large lips and long, sharp fangs.  Their paws twist into cruel hands which can strangle and stab with the long claws at the end, but are also capable of more subtle manipulation.  Kasha are highly intelligent creatures, skilled in manipulation, torture and cruelty.  They can see the secret hearts of men, and delight in torturing the hypocritical and the self-loathing.  They generally avoid righteous individuals, for they know harming them invites retribution.  But the wicked, the scorned, the unloved, those are their preferred targets.

Kashas are known to steal bodies and kidnap the living, especially those who have or are living lives full of vice.  They come wrapped in robes of dull brown or dirty black homespun, slouching along at the edge of town.  They take jobs that no one else would want, especially ones that would let them avoid people, usually sending an accomplice to apply for the job, or approaching the person who has the job and asking to do it, usually for free.  They sometimes simply arrive, muttering some pretext that will get people to go away.  Maybe they pretend to be diseased, or cursed in some way.  Of the creatures they acquire, by guile or by force, they take these creatures to distant caves or hidden strongholds, where they torture them to extract their knowledge.  Some stories say they take them directly to Hell, and there is definitely some truth to that. 

Kasha also have the ability to see into the future.  For this reason, they are sometimes consulted by the desperate or the deceitful, offering gifts of blood and pain in exchange for prophecy.  Some Kashas even have cults form around them, with the leaders of the cult using the Kasha's dark wisdom and foreknowledge to benefit themselves and the cult, while providing a steady supply of tribute and sacrifices to sate the Kasha's dark appetites.      

by LynxSphinx