The Cat, Revised

The humble domestic cat. From the mummies of ancient Egypt to the internet videos of today, these adorable felines have captured the human heart for at least ten thousand years. First befriended for their skill at pest control, cats became beloved for their companionship and affection. Today, domestic cats are adopted as pets on every continent except for Antarctica — with an estimated worldwide population between 200 and 600 million.

And yet, below the surface of these ubiquitous fuzzy friends lurks a diabolical murder machine. Even the laziest of house cats retains the hunting instincts and anatomy of its 100,000 year old ancestors. Further, cats have long been thought to possess mystical powers: they are effective night-time hunters, can detect sounds beyond the range of human hearing, they making falling look easy, and…well, just what is your cat looking at when it stares off into the corner of the room and cocks its head? Neutrinos?

In most fantasy games, the domestic cat is missing a few key pieces — especially in a world where the cat evolved alongside magic. Below you'll find a revised creature description, formatted for Cairn, for the common house cat as well as three cat-related yōkai from the Land of the Crane setting: bakeneko (monster cat), nekomata (forked-tail cat), and kasha (which means “fire cart,” but doesn’t actually involve flaming methods of transportation). I've also included a bonus yōkai: the zombie, in case your nekomata needs some playthings.

Creature tags

• Elemental (fire) creatures are so closely aligned with the element of fire that Elemental (water) attacks against them are enhanced and Elemental (metal) attacks against them are impaired.
• Shapechanging creatures can, at will, change their size, shape, and appearance. In each form, the creature's statistics remain the same, though they may be unable to utilize weapons or armor not suited to their new form. Any equipment the creature is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. The shapechanger reverts to its true form if it dies.
• Undead creatures are the bodies and spirits of previously living creatures which are animated by the dark energy of Yomi, the World of Darkness. They do not need to breathe, eat, or sleep to continue existing, though many of them have an overwhelming desire for human flesh.

Neko (Domestic cat)

Tiny, adorable murder machine.

3 HP, 0 Armor, 3 STR, 16 DEX, 6 WIL, tiny claws (d4)

• Able to sense the presence of any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or ethereal. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving.

The domesticated cat is found throughout the Land of the Crane. They are kept as pets in homes, as pest-control in barns, and are found as strays in both urban and rural areas.

Bakeneko

Small, shape-changing, spellcasting cat spirit. Often mischievous.

6 HP, 1 Armor, 10 STR, 16 DEX, 12 WIL, claws (d6)

Shapechanging

• Can change into a person, a house cat, or its true form — a small bipedal cat.
• Able to sense the presence of any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or ethereal. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving.
• Firestarter: With a glare, a bakeneko can set a flammable object on fire.

When a house cat reaches the ripe old age of twenty, it develops supernatural powers and becomes a yōkai. It becomes far stronger, gains human intelligence, and grows in size.

Bakeneko make liberal use of their shapeshifting abilities to disguise themselves as normal house cats or even, sometimes, as their owner. They often learn to speak human languages and enjoy dancing, singing, and making mischief.

While some bakeneko are content to continue a kept life, others take revenge on unkind masters, killing them off and living in their place. Most households are wary of their cats becoming bakeneko, as many a new yōkai learning to control its powers has accidentally set the family house on fire.

Nekomata

Human-sized cat spirit. Twice the tails, twice the trouble.

6 HP, 2 Armor, 12 STR, 16 DEX, 12 WIL, claws (d6 + d6)

Shapechanging

• Can change into a person, a house cat, or a human-sized, two-tailed, bipedal cat.
• Able to sense the presence of any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or ethereal. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving.
• Fire starter: With a glare, a nekomata can set a flammable object on fire.
• Beguile: One target must make a WIL save or become beguiled. They are still capable of independent thought and decision making, but they favor the nekomata and its friends, considering them important allies.
• Raise dead: the nekomata can cause a fresh corpse to rise as a zombie under its control.

The nekomata, or forked cat, is a two-tailed variety of bakeneko. While they are born in the same way as other bakeneko, only the oldest and meanest become nekomata. When one of these domestic cats becomes a yōkai, its tail splits down the center, creating two identical tails. Then, like bakeneko, they begin walking on two legs, grow to the size of adult humans, and begin speaking.

Unlike bakeneko, who enjoy causing mischief but are not inherently malicious, nekomata view humans and their ilk with contempt. They use their control of fire to kill those they dislike, animate corpses to use as servants, and use their enchantment magic to blackmail or enslave hapless humans.

Kasha

Huge cat spirit with a mean streak, quick temper, and taste for human flesh.

10 HP, 1 Armor, 16 STR, 14 DEX, 10 WIL, claws (d8 + d8), fiery breath (d8 blast)

Elemental (fire), Shapechanging

• Can change into a person, a house cat, or its true form, which is a human-sized, two-tailed, bipedal cat. a large human-cat hybrid.
• Able to sense the presence of any creature within 30 feet of it that is invisible or ethereal. It can pinpoint such a creature that is moving.
• Shocking grasp: one target must make a DEX save or lose d6 DEX.

As cats age, they develop supernatural powers and turn into yōkai. Some turn into bakeneko, more powerful and malevolent cats turn into nekomata, and the oldest of those who have learned to hate humans turn into kasha. While their name means “fire cart,” kasha have nothing to do with flaming transportation. Instead they are large bipedal felines who are surrounded by hellish flames and crackling electricity.

Kasha feed on fresh human corpses, and are most frequently encountered at funeral services, where they have been waiting, disguised as a typical house cat. When the body is unattended for a moment, the kasha transforms and snatches the corpse.

In order to prevent kasha from absconding with the bodies of the recently deceased, shinkan perform elaborate rituals, hold decoy funeral ceremonies, and prepare their shrines with ōfuda to ward against them.

Zombie

Dead eyes. Stiff gait. Uncanny lack of respiration.

6 HP, 0 Armor, 10 STR, 6 DEX, 3 WIL, bite (d6)

Undead

The most striking thing about zombies is how human they look. Even as they deteriorate, dripping blood and trailing torn flesh, even as they grab you with their cold, stiff arms, they still look like someone you might have known – maybe even loved.

Unless directed otherwise, zombies mindlessly attack any living creature that comes near them.