The Grimalkin, a Race-Class
Mercurial feline fairies who shift between three different forms.
Race Type Fairy
Prime Abilities Dexterity
Hit Points 1d6 per Level, +2 after 10
Combat Aptitude Semi-martial
Armor Any, including shields
Weapons Small and Medium
Level 1 PC Age 1d100 x 10 years
Lifespan Immortal
Height 30 + 2d6 inches (Small)
Weight 50 + 3d10 lbs
Native Languages Woldish, Mewl
Grimalkin are a race of ageless cat-folk originating in the fairy realm of Catland, ruled over by the fearsome Queen Abyssinia—the Queen of All Cats. They are fey creatures, sensitive to magick and the errant pathways that lead back to the Otherwold—a dim forest-realm that is Dolmenwood’s crooked reflection. All grimalkin are born there and will, one day, retire there to die if they should not find death elsewhere first.
The appearance and form of a grimalkin is subject to change over time. Though they are ageless, a repeating cycle of life phases knot the thread of their existence:
- A cunning humanoid form known as estray.
- A stupid cat form known as chester.
- A primal fey form known as wilder.
All PC grimalkin begin play in estray. Most grimalkin take to a life of wandering and adventure and are capable warriors, often underestimated due to their small size. They tend to be mercurial and sneaky, self-indulgent, and loose with their money. They also have a number of innate talents which mortals regard as magickal, including the powers of shapeshifting for which they are renowned.
Grimalkin Advancement Table
Race Relations
The adventuresome grimalkins who wander in the mortal world tend to become jealous and furtive among their own kind, so they prefer the company of other races. They enjoy the companionship of other fairies and demi-fey, holding a special fondness for the frivolity of woodgrues. They regard the earnest undertakings of humans and other mortal races as comical and somewhat absurd.
Grimalkins are greeted with curiosity and wonder in human settlements in Dolmenwood, perhaps due to humans’ affection for domestic cats.
Armor and Weapons
Armor must be tailored to grimalkins’ Small size (see Tailoring Armor). Likewise, grimalkins cannot wield Large weapons.
Defensive Bonus
In melee with Large creatures, grimalkins gain a +2 Armor Class bonus, due to their small size.
Eating Giant Rodents
After spending 1 Turn devouring a freshly killed giant rodent, a grimalkin heals 1 Hit Point .
Fur Balls (Thrice a Day)
During the day after eating a giant rodent, a grimalkin may sacrifice 1 Hit Point to spew up a violent stream of congealed fur, spittle, and bone. All creatures in a 30′ line suffer 1d6 damage (Save Versus Blast for half).
Glamors
Grimalkins possess minor magickal talents known as glamors (see Fairy Glamors). The number of glamors known is determined by the character;s level as shown in the Grimalkin Advancement Table. Known glamors are determined randomly (see Glamor Table.)
Grimalkin Skills
Grimalkins have a Skill Target of 5 for Listen. They also have one additional, specialized skill. The Grimalkin Skill Targets table lists the character’s Skill Targets as they advance in Level.
Pick Lock
A successful check allows a grimalkin to open a lock without the key. Thieves’ tools are required for picking locks (see Adventuring Gear).
Time: Each attempt to pick a lock requires 1 Turn.
Retrying: The grimalkin may retry failed attempts as often as they wish, each attempt requiring an additional 1 Turn.
Difficult locks: The Referee may rule that certain locks are more difficult. These may incur a penalty to the Pick Lock Check or only allow a fixed number of attempts, after which the grimalkin is stymied and can only try to pick the lock again after gaining a Level.
Immortality
Grimalkins can be killed but do not die naturally. They are immune to diseases of non-magickal origin. Grimalkins also cannot die of thirst or starvation, though a lack of sustenance drives them desperate and sadistic (see Hunger and Thirst).
Shapeshifting
A grimalkin can spend 1 Round to transform into either a fat domestic cat (chester) or a primal fey form (wilder).
Capabilities: When transformed, a grimalkin cannot use weapons, magick (e.g. glamors or spells), or any special Class capabilities (e.g. thief skills).
Equipment: All gear carried is optionally transformed with the character, reappearing when they return to humanoid form.
Chester (Unlimited Usage)
Combat: The character has Armour Class 12, Speed 30, and may make a bite and two claw attacks each Round. Each attack inflicts 1 point of damage.
Speech: The character can understand language, but can only respond in wordless yowls and meows.
Changing back: Takes 1 Round. Only possible when the grimalkin is unobserved by any other sentient being.
Wilder (Once a Day)
Entering wilder: A grimalkin may only transform into wilder when in melee and at less than half of their maximum Hit Points. On entering wilder, the character heals 2d6 Hit Points.
Near-invisible: Only the grimalkin’s deranged eyes are visible. Opponents who cannot see the invisible suffer a –2 penalty to Attack Rolls against the grimalkin. Those who can see the invisible discern a bulky feline form, 3′ high, with a leering grin and fur standing electrified on end.
Combat: The character has Armour Class 13, Speed 30, and may make a bite and two claw attacks each Round, with a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls. Each attack inflicts 1d4 damage.
Fey chaos: The grimalkin cannot distinguish friend from foe, indiscriminately attacking the nearest creature.
After 2d4 Rounds: The grimalkin instantly returns to their humanoid (estray) form.
Trinket
A grimalkin begins play with one trinket randomly rolled from the Trinkets Table. Small trinkets weigh 10 coins. The Referee should judge the weight of larger items.
Vulnerable to Cold Iron
As fairies, cold iron weapons inflict +1 damage on grimalkins. (e.g. a cold iron shortsword would inflict 1d6+1 damage on a grimalkin, rather than the standard 1d6).
A note on the etymology of grimalkin:
In Dolmenwood, the genesis of the word is somewhat different than our world’s: “Grimal” + “kin”—i.e. kin of Grimal, the shadow-essence of all felinekind—a cryptic Ur-being sometimes encountered in the wilderness of the Otherwold.
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