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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8766636" data-attributes="member: 6915329">The next critter is one I know remains popular among some folks, even though I’m not sure it ever officially appeared anywhere except this single article. At the very least, I've seen several attempts to turn them into a PC race. It’s the catwere, or tibbet, an adorable little creature of whimsy that the article says was the result of domestic cats mating with wizards’ familiars (oddly, the tibbet is psionic, not magical). I suppose that’s as good an explanation as any, really. At the same time, they were tied to Pandemonium, which... OK, they're cats, I can see that. I'm an inveterate cat-lover, but yeah, they're total chaos.I wonder if Tibbet was the name of the writer’s cat and this was his attempt to immortalize his feline friend.[ATTACH=full]261081[/ATTACH]Art by Valerie Valusek--I finally realized those were two Vs and not a W.Catwere (Tibbet)The Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #135Created by Scott BennieAlso called tibbets, catweres came into being long ago when a fey-touched cat mated with a wizard’s cat familiar. A small number of those kittens were shapeshifters, and they went on to breed, and thus the catwere species was born.In their true form, catweres resemble large (15-25 pound) cats with luxurious fur—often black, but potentially any solid color—and luminous blue or green eyes. They can change their shape to resemble a halfling, gnome, or other Small humanoid; they keep their eye and hair color in their humanoid form. Perhaps because of their unusual origins, a catwere’s eyes can see all manner of things, including, to a limited degree, the future. And more, they can grant other people visions of the future as well—including deliberately wrong images, an “ability” they use to punish those they don’t like.A Great Comfort. Catweres have a tendency to latch onto certain people and serve as protectors and companions. They usually don’t let those people know that they are catweres, and all they ask for in return is pampering and affection. A crazy cat person may unknowingly “own” one or more of these fey creatures. Others are content to be “neighborhood cats” and patrol a few streets, befriending the inhabitants, protecting them all in return for pets and treats. A rare few will allow themselves to be employed by a spellcaster as a “familiar”—really, just a companion and occasional assistant and advisor—who will usually be allowed to know of the catwere’s true nature. Although they are by nature chaotic beings, they take their self-imposed duties quite seriously. They just can't stand for anyone else to try to make them do anything.The Mind of a Cat. Catweres are have natural psychic abilities, although it's not necessarily obvious, since they use their abilities while doing normal cat things. They have the power to heal wounds, and do so by licking an injured spot or sitting on it and purring. They can tell the future primarily by knocking things off of high shelves and examining the way they fell on the ground like it was tea leaves or tossed divination stones. They can even go so far as to remove magical enchantments, which they do by hissing and batting at the magical object in question. To most outsiders, even their greatest magical abilities seem perfectly normal.Cat Toys. Catweres prefer comfort and luxury—although their tastes run towards things that proper cats like, such as boxes, toy mice, comfy cushions, and fancy collars (which they actually like, rather than merely tolerate), rather than what most humanoids would consider luxurious. They do tend to be picky eaters, however, and quickly let their “owners” know what sort of foods they like.Thieves in the Night. Although they would consider themselves to be collectors rather than thieves, catweres are inherently sneaky and tend to have a sticky fingers (or paws). They enjoy breaking into places, more for the challenge of it rather than out of maliciousness, and they like taking interesting things for themselves (or sometimes, to give to their chosen person). Again, their tastes are more catlike than anything else, so they are as likely to simply steal tiny trinkets, spare gloves, and other minor items as they are to steal anything valuable.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Catweres are fey cats that can transform into small humanoids.DC 15. Catweres prefer their feline form and will often act as a pet cat to a person they feel deserves one.DC 20. Catweres have some minor precognitive abilities, and can even share those abilities with other people—for good or for ill, because they can also make people see false visions of the future.Monster EncountersTerrain: Feywild, settlementCR 1-2 1-3 catweresTreasure silver collar with moonstone tag (worth 100 gp)Signs1. Catlike footprints where no cat should have gone.2. Fangmarks in the lid of a container, and the contents missing.3. A cat watching the party wherever it goes.4. A person with far too many cats.Behavior (in Cat Form)1-3. Sleeping, preferably in a beam of sunlight or in a box.4. Hunting a mouse or other small vermin.5. Playing with a cat toy.6. Lounging around, knowing it looks amazing.7. Calculating the best way to knock something off a shelf.8. Protecting some normal kittens who had been abandoned by their mother.Behavior (in Humanoid Form)1-2. Engaging in some cat burglary or pickpocketing.3. Gambling with some humanoid friends.4. Telling a story to a group of cats.5. Playing somewhat malicious tricks on an ailurophobe.6. Tracking down a creature who hurt its friend in order to get bloody revenge.Catwere (Tibbet)Tiny fey (beast, shapechanger)Challenge 1/2 (50 XP)AC 14HP 14 (4d4+4; bloodied 7)Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.STR 8 (-1) DEX 18 (+4) CON 12 (+1)INT 13 (+1) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 17 (+3)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC 14Saves Dex +6Skills Deception +5, Perception +4, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +6 (+1d4), Stealth +6 (+1d4)Damage Resistances damage from nonmagical, nonsilvered weaponsCondition Immunities charmed, confusedSenses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 10 ft., passive Perception 14Languages Common, SylvanAlways Lands on Their Feet. A catwere is immune to falling damage.Chaotic. The catwere radiates an aura of Chaos. Some catweres also radiate Good auras.Evasion. If the catwere is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the catwere instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the save, and only half damage if it fails.Jumper. The catwere can jump up to 15 feet horizontally and 10 feet vertically without a running start.Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The catwere’s spellcasting trait is Intelligence (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only Seen components:     1/day: augury, detect thoughts, dispel magic, cure wounds (as with 3rd-level slot), mirror image, misty stepKeen Hearing and Smell. The catwere has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.Precognitive (Recharges After a Short or Long Rest) The catwere glimpses the future and gains advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of its next turn.Speak With Cats. The catwere can communicate with felines of any type.ActionsClaws (True Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) slashing damage.Dagger (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) piercing damage.A Cat May Look At A King (Gaze; Recharges After a Short or Long Rest). The catwere targets a creature within 30 feet and one of the following effects occur:• The creature is granted a brief image of the future and gains a d4 expertise die on one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw of its choice that it makes within the next minute.• The creature gains true seeing to 10 feet until the end of its next turn.• The creature is granted a twisted and incorrect image of the future, unless it succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. Until the end of its next turn, it rolls a d4 and must subtract it from every attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes.Bonus ActionsFeline Agility. The catwere can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.Shapeshift. The catwere magically changes its form, along with its equipment, to that of a specific Small humanoid or its true form, which is a Tiny cat. While shapeshifted, its statistics are otherwise unchanged. It reverts to its true form if it dies.CombatCatweres do not engage in combat unless they have no other choice, in which case they start with A Cat May Look At A King against the fiercest or more powerful-looking foe, then cast misty step to help them flee.</blockquote>

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