Homebrew Awakened Cat (Animal Adventures) Species Details

A sudden, fleeting movement glimpsed in the corner of an eye. A svelte shape insinuating itself into an implausibly small gap. A small, curled form in front of the fire, suddenly startled from sleep. Cats get everywhere, comfortable in any situation and adaptable in the way that few creatures are. They find a home in the most inhospitable of places, making themselves warm and comfortable almost instantly. But they are also deeply loyal, often friendly, and willing to defend those they love to the death. Cats are the perfect adventurers; they are capable of withstanding hardship, and do not trust lightly, but protect fiercely those in whom they have placed their trust.

An Old Bond
Cats have been welcomed into the homes of man, dwarf, elf, and even orcs and goblins for thousands of years. They provide an invaluable service, after all. Catching mice, rats, and other small vermin requires speed and coordination, not to mention a small stature, that most of the bigger races simply do not possess. And so a relationship of mutual advantage began and continued, strengthening the strange bond between the cats and those who, quite mistakenly, believe themselves to be their owners, or masters. Cats aren’t recklessly loyal like dogs, but they do love and form deep attachments to those who take the time to earn such devotion. It is not enough, with a cat, to simply feed it and expect adoration. It requires patience and persistence, it requires consistency. Cats are as varied in temperament and appearance as humans or dogs and need to be treated with respect, care, and attention. But they repay those who are prepared to spend the required time to earn their friendship a thousandfold. This is true even with awakened cats, blessed with human levels of intelligence. They are suspicious but, if treated properly, can become fiercely loyal companions.

Common Interest
Cats are, by nature, somewhat solitary creatures, often preferring their own space and company to that of a pack or group. But this is not always the case. Cats often form small circles of friends which, while looser than those formed by other animals, are no less devoted. If a cat is in trouble, their friends arrive in moments to assist them. Cats also form groups to achieve specific goals. Looking to solve a mystery, or loot a dungeon? What about halting a villainous wizard with designs on the city’s supply of treats? Cats band together when faced with such threats,  utilizing each other’s differing strengths to achieve their ends. Afterwards, they may part ways or may remain together...not that they need to. They could split up any time they want...

Agile, and Hard to See
Renowned for their nimbleness, cats can make the most extraordinary leaps, fit into spaces that barely seem wide enough to slide a sheet of parchment through, and walk away, casually, from the most dangerous of falls. Awakened cats still possess these traits, but now combined with acute intelligence and an understanding of how to use these natural traits to their best advantage. This makes cats extremely dangerous combatants, able to evade enemy attacks before suddenly appearing at their enemy’s back, pouncing onto a vulnerable patch of flesh and sinking their claws in. This makes even heavily armored and well-trained soldiers fear facing Awakened cats in combat...
you never know from where they’ll strike next!

*This content is a part of Animal Adventures: Secrets of Gullet Cove by Steamforged Games*

Awakened Cat (Animal Adventures) Traits

All cats begin with the following traits:

Darkvision

Cats have Darkvision up to 60 feet.

Bite & Scratch

Sharp teeth, and claws which can be quickly unsheathed and used to slice through flesh - all cats possess these natural weapons. Cats are proficient with this attack, which counts as both a weapon attack and an unarmed attack. The attack does 1d6 damage plus your Strength modifier bonus. This increases to:

• d8 + your Strength modifier bonus at level 5
• d10 + your strength modifier bonus at level 10.

All So Different

There are many different varieties of cat breed, each with their own idiosyncrasies, preferences, and behaviors - remember that any breed can belong to any of the three subraces; cats are born at all sizes. Choose a feline subrace from the list below:

Breed Ability

Cats are highly diverse. Select one breed ability from the list below.

Welcoming Dark

The Welcoming Dark functions as a replacement for a Long Rest, restoring all lost hit points, and spent hit dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character’s total number of them. The cat must spend at least 8 hours in the Welcoming Dark, not undertaking any strenuous activities. A cat also cannot visit the Welcoming Dark more than once per 24-hour period and must possess at least 1 hit point at the start of its rest to gain its benefits. However, the Welcoming Dark is a physical space, a place apart. When a cat enters the Welcoming Dark, they are gone from the game world and cannot be attacked by any monsters or creatures near to where they previously were. They have entirely vanished and only return when the individual cat chooses. While the Welcoming Dark is safe from terrestrial threats, curious and dangerous things do lurk there. Each time a cat enters the Welcoming Dark, roll a d20.

On a 1, the following occurs:
The Welcoming Dark suddenly opens up and spits you out! You cannot re-enter for 24-hours and only gain the benefits of a short rest.

On a 20, the following occurs:
The Welcoming Dark grants you a vision of things to come, warning you of the threats you’ll face. Gain one point of Inspiration, which can be used to retake any failed test of the player character’s choice.