Felkovic's Cat - A Dread Alternative

[Carrion Crow]

Before I start with this Dread Alternative, you will need a little background on my version of the Core, as it differs slightly from the norm...

Whilst the lands and towns of Valachan exist in my Core, this isn't Valachan, but rather Blaustein as described in Darklords. The Darklord is Baron Johannes von Fuchs, but is essentially Bluebeard as described in that accessory, although he is an 8th-level Fighter and "Caliban" (Half-Ogre in 2E terms and stats). Furthermore, after the Grand Conjunction, it remained where it was, only shifting after the Night of Screaming Shadows to occupy the space where Sithicus formerly was.

Now that's clear, let's look at MY version of Felkovich's Cat...

Grigori Felkovich was a Falkvonian scholar and mystic, whose pursuit of things cerebral rather than martial meant he was considered a second-class citizen in his home country. However, his intelligence and gentleness attracted the attention of a beautiful maiden and after a whirlwind romance, he surprisingly found himself married.

However, Drakov's right of First Night meant that it was not Felkovich who spent his wedding night in the arms of his wife. Whatever passed between his wife and Drakov that night he never discovered, only the results - a wife broken mentally and, in nine short months, a daughter, whom he named Nadia.

Felkovich pursued his studies of the arcane, hoping that his research would find some way to repair the mental damage inflicted by Drakov, but to no avail and his wife eventually took her own life.

Felkovich was left to raise his young daughter himself, his only company his studies and his familiar, a black cat.

As his daughter grew older, she blossomed into a beautiful young woman and when she began attracting the attention of the local men, Felkovich realised that should she marry, the right of First Night would be taken once more and he could potentially lose his daughter as he had lost his wife.

So, he chose to flee South, leaving Falkovnia, looking for a place where both his and his daughter would be safe. He finally ended up in the town of Ungrad in Blaustein, a realm where the populace only had good things to say about their ruler, the unlucky-in-love Baron Johannes von Fuchs.

However, the beauty of Nadia Felkovich soon became known to the Baron and, not being a native of Blaustein, she was not repellent to his eyes, so he began to woo her. Felkovich has reservations regarding this, but allowed his daughter to follow her heart.

Nadia was a vision in white on her wedding day to the Baron, glowing with happiness and Felkovich felt his heart would burst. However, it was not until a month later that he suffered a real blow, as the Baron regretfully informed him that Nadia had suffered an accident at the castle, stumbling on her gown and tumbling down the stairs, her neck snapping like a twig.

Felkovich knew his daughter and did not quite believe the Baron's claims, immune to his ability to spin lies as he was not a native of Blaustein, but gave the impression that he did. However, upon returning to his home, he decided to summon the shade of his dead daughter to ascertain the truth. Whether it actually was the spirit of his daughter or a creation of the Dark Powers was irrelevant, as the end result was the same - Felkovich discovered the truth about the Baron and his propensity for murdering his "unfaithful" wives.

Felkovich realised that he was too old and frail to confront the Baron himself. He needed some other way to avenge his daughter's death. As he sat in his study, his eyes strayed to his familiar and he had an idea. If he could imbue his familiar with the ability to take on human form, it could get close to the Baron as a cat, then transform and wreak his revenge. Studying his occult tomes, he finally came across and enchantment that would enable his familiar to do just that, although he'd never seen that spell before...

As the Dark Powers revel in the obsessions of others, they had decided to "help" - but as with all assistance garnered, those seeking vengeance rarely get exactly what they desire...

Felkovich's spell was successful, granting his familiar with the ability to transform into a humanoid form, albeit one that was only 3' tall, looking like a swarthy halfling with pointed ears. However, the cost of casting the spell was too much for the frail wizard and with his last breath he gave his orders, sending forth his vengeance upon cat-like feet.

Felkovich's spirit is now bound to his tower and cannot go on to it's final reward until the Baron is dead, but will not be able to witness the deed himself.

The first attempt by Felkovich's Cat to fulfil it's master's vengeance did not go according to plan, as although it infiltrated the castle and managed to transform, the Baron was able to catch what he thought was a demi-human assassin and snap it's neck, tossing the corpse into the pit at the centre of the castle.

But cats have nine lives...

Felkovich's Cat has made numerous attempts on the Baron's life and expended 3 of it's 9 lives so far, so has become somewhat more cautious and definitely more cunning.

The Baron now believes that there is a cadre of demi-human assassins attempting to end his life and has brought into effect a law that all demi-humans under 4 foot tall are arrested on sight. This means that all Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings visiting Blaustein risk imprisonment and almost certain death.

(Felkovich's Cat is essentially a 4th-Level Tibbit Avenger in 2E terms, inspired by the fact that my "Bluebeard" is a half-ogre, so a good dash of "Puss in Boots", but flavoured with the Ravenloft fluff from the Dungeon adventure of the same name, with additional back-story to make it all fit.)

[Mistmaster]

I'm adapting this story for my Tepest it is really good.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Interesting idea! It'd be good if the cat started recruiting help -- like more natural cats, or maybe some still-living Kender out of Sithicus.

In 3E, your version of Felkovich could have used a casting of Faux henchman and a permanent Control shape to give his familiar these powers.

[Hell_Born]

There's also a 3e conversion of the Tibbet as well.