Cat-sìth
Haunting graveyards and other places of death, the cat-sìth is a black-furred, feline fey. Charming but also deceptive, cat-sìth collect the souls of the recently deceased, absorbing them and using their memories for their personal entertainment.
Soul snatchers. Cat-sìth roam the Material Plane in search of humanoids that have recently died, preferably those who have led an "interesting and adventurous life filled with exciting memories. Before the body is buried or has received any funeral rites, the cat-sìth seeks the corpse and remains in its presence. If not interrupted, it draws out the soul and stores it inside its dark fur. The number of ash-colored spots on a cat-sìth's fur show how many souls it has claimed.
Quid pro quo. Something cat-sìth enjoy at least as much as acquiring new souls and experiencing their memories, is making deals in exchange for a soul they have captured. Through these deals, older cat-sìth are able to acquire significant wealth, which can lead to them becoming influential individuals on the Material Plane. Legends speak of the King of Cats, an old cat-sìth that lives underneath a large city and has acquired wealth through selling back souls to the families of the deceased.
Plot Hooks
- The soul of a recently deceased friend of the PCs has been stolen by a cat-sìth. It offers the PCs to release the soul, if they are willing to deal with hag coven that has wronged the cat-sìt in the past.
- The soul of an evil villain was suppossed to end up in the Nine Hells, but before it gets there it is stolen by a cat-sìth. The PCs team up with servants of a devil to find the feline fiend and get the soul where it belongs.
- A cat-sìth follows the party. It helps the PCs survive exciting and interesting adventures, so it can steal their entertaining souls and memories when they perish one day (possibly in a thoroughly dramatic and climactic way orchestrated by the cat-sìth).
- Stat block by Chindividual
- Artwork by Josip Aničić
Cat-sìth
Small fey, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 17
- Hit Points 74 (12d8 + 20)
- Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
- Saving Throws Dexterity +6, Charisma +5
- Skills Acrobatics +6, Athletics +2, Deception +4, Stealth +6
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft.
- Languages Common, Sylvan
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Magic Resistance. The cat-sìth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
A Sense for Death. The cat-sìth is aware of the presence of any humanoid corpse that has not been dead for more than a day within 1 mile of it.
Innate Spellcasting. The cat-sìth's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: chill touch, minor illusion
1/day each: invisibility, silenceCollect Soul. After a cat-sìth spends at least 1 hour uninterrupted within 5 feet of a humanoid corpse that has not been buried, received funeral rites appropriate for its culture, or is under the effect of a spare the dying spell, the cat-sìth can use its action to reap the body's soul. The soul is transferred into the cat-sìth
While a soul is within the cat-sìth, it can access any memory the soul has from its mortal life. A soul captured by a cat-sìth in this way cannot be restored except through a true resurrection or wish spell. A cat-sìth can voluntarily release a soul as an action, and any held souls are automatically released when the cat-sìth is reduced to 0 hit points. A cat-sìth cannot hold more than 9 souls at a time.
Actions
Multiattack. The cat-sìth makes two grave claw attacks and one weakening glare attack.
Grave Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage and 14 (4d6) necrotic damage.
Weakening Glare. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) necrotic damage.Eyes of Death. The cat-sìth targets a creature it can see within 30 feet. That creature has to succeed on DC 13 Charisma saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends, the creature is immune to the cat-sìth's Eyes of Death for the next 24 hours.