Homebrew Cheshire Species Details

Cheshirekin are elusive, otherworldly beings born from the folds between reality and dream. Often mistaken for mere figments of imagination, they are in truth sentient distortions—creatures of cunning, charm, and chaos. Their origins are debated among scholars and warlocks alike: some claim they are echoes of forgotten Fey Lords, others believe they are the sentient remnants of illusions cast too many times. Whatever the truth, one thing is certain—the Cheshirekin do not walk through the world. They weave through it.

With wide, unsettling smiles and eyes that shimmer like fractured mirrors, Cheshirekin are masters of perception. They delight in riddles, misdirection, and bending logic to their whim. Their presence often heralds confusion, but rarely violence—unless provoked. They are not inherently malicious, but their sense of morality is fluid, shaped more by curiosity and amusement than by empathy or law.

Cheshirekin communities are rare and ephemeral, often forming in liminal spaces: abandoned theaters, moonlit crossroads, or deep within illusion-shrouded groves. They value cleverness, theatricality, and emotional resonance. To a Cheshirekin, a well-timed pun or a perfectly executed prank is as sacred as a spell.

Those who befriend a Cheshirekin find themselves constantly challenged—mentally, emotionally, and occasionally existentially. But they also gain a companion who sees the world not as it is, but as it could be.

Cheshire Traits

Reality bends with a smile. Cheshirekin possess an innate ability to twist perception and slip through space with a flicker of mischief. With a grin that lingers like a phantom echo, they can momentarily vanish and reappear elsewhere—leaving behind confusion, charm, or chaos in their wake.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity or Intelligence increases by 1 (your choice).

Grinstep

You can momentarily bend perception to vanish and reappear with a flicker of a smile.

• As a bonus action, you can teleport up to 15 feet to a space you can see.

• You leave behind a faint echo—a translucent grin or shimmer—that lasts until the start of your next turn.

• You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all uses after a long rest.

Twist of Tongue

Your words are laced with riddles, illusions, and layered meanings.

• You gain proficiency in Deception and Performance.

• You can cast the Minor Illusion cantrip. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Mind Maze

our thoughts are a labyrinth—difficult to read, harder to control.

• You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

• Creatures attempting to read your thoughts or detect your alignment must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, or receive fragmented, misleading impressions.

 

Fogform

Reality bends around you when threatened.

• When you take damage, you can use your reaction to become partially incorporeal until the start of your next turn.

• While in Fogform, you have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.

• You can use this feature once per long rest. At 5th level, you may use it twice.