Tabaxi & the Feywild?

[akr71]

TL;DR What would tabaxi who've lived in the feywild for generations be like?

One of my players is playing a tabaxi ranger with the archaeologist background (ToA - we're not playing ToA, she's just using that background).

She is on a quest for the Lost Tabaxi Empire of which she heard tales as a kitten. Children's stories and fairy tales as far as other Tabaxi are concerned, but she is travelling the world with those stories in hand looking for it, much like Heinrich Schliemann looked for Troy in the late 1800's.

Well, she's found an ancient tomb, and if the party successfully explore it and translate some of the writings that can be found within, she will discover that at the decline of the the Empire, some of the tabaxi emigrated (is that the right word?) to the Feywild. If she makes it to the Feywild and discovers her cousins, what would they be like?

Chaotic & driven by their emotions sure, but what else?

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Think, Cheshire Cat.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

TL;DR What would tabaxi who've lived in the feywild for generations be like?

One of my players is playing a tabaxi ranger with the archaeologist background (ToA - we're not playing ToA, she's just using that background).

She is on a quest for the Lost Tabaxi Empire of which she heard tales as a kitten. Children's stories and fairy tales as far as other Tabaxi are concerned, but she is travelling the world with those stories in hand looking for it, much like Heinrich Schliemann looked for Troy in the late 1800's.

Well, she's found an ancient tomb, and if the party successfully explore it and translate some of the writings that can be found within, she will discover that at the decline of the the Empire, some of the tabaxi emigrated (is that the right word?) to the Feywild. If she makes it to the Feywild and discovers her cousins, what would they be like?

Chaotic & driven by their emotions sure, but what else?

Physically, I'd look at Maine Coons, and Norwegian Forest Cats for inspiration.

Culturally, I'd expect byzantine daily rituals, very unusual architecture, and maybe a loss of the running bonus in favor of something more magical like an incredible leap or a teleport.

Riddle games, as an important part of the culture and even daily life.

A love of secrets, rumors, and exploring hard to reach places. Wandering youths, eventually coming home to share tales of what they found.

Also, read this! http://www.dragonmag.com/5.0/#!/art...oadFresh=true&title=12_04_Herding Tahras Cats

 

[akr71]

Great! I suck at coming up with riddles Engaging ones anyway - they're either too simple or too abstract and difficult to solve.

The good thing is I probably have months to let some ideas stew before they even attempt to find a way to the Feywild.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I'm serious about the Cheshire cat. I might replace some of the racial abilities with some minor powers. doctorbadwolf already mentioned, Instead of their burst of speed, give them minor illusion or limited invisibility.

Instead of a climbing speed, give them Misty Step.

Grimalkin are the closest to Fey Cats

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/races/27304-grimalkin

Based on Scottish Mythology, there is Cat Sith - who could be their King or Queen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_sìth

Also, you could use the Rakshasa stats for the more powerful of their kin.

 

[akr71]

[MENTION=15882]TaranTheWanderer[/MENTION] Yes, in my notes I've already replaced the Feline Agility with Fey Step (from the Eladrin) and the Cat's Claws with a cantrip. I do like the limited invisibility, I think I'll add that - probably something like what the firbolg have.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Not every move into another plane/world/whatever the Feywild is is necessarily successful. They might have been reduced to being domesticated "pets" of powerful fey (which could give some kind of shape change into a cat ability that they can't control unless someone casts remove curse [or wish for mass remove curse] on them). I would imagine that would cause some pretty strong changes to tabaxi culture (assuming there is any culture left, as messing with memories is almost as iconic as changing your shape for fey). Some might long for the security of being a pet in a cruel world, and some might have a serious hate for fey.

 

[Quickleaf]

I’d imagine them living with the Cat Lord. You can google “D&D Cat Lord” for a bunch of cool info about the supposed progenitor/old god of the tabaxi (though the Cat Lord long predates the Cat Lord in D&D history).