Mngwa

Tiny wisps of grayish smoke ooze from the slate-colored coat of this leonine beast.

Medium aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 16
Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	17 (+3)	15 (+2)	11 (+0)	17 (+3)	17 (+3)

Skills Perception +5, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Sylvan, can speak with felines
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Special Traits

• Keen Smell. The mngwa has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
• Pack Tactics. The mngwa has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the mngwa’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

About

Ethereal Lions. The elusive mngwa are the offspring of a sentient feline beast from the Ethereal Plane that mated with a lioness long ago. Also called nunda (“smoke-cats”), mngwas are strong and cunning hunters that can elude pursuit or approach their prey unnoticed by disappearing into the ether for a brief time.

Rocky Terrain. Mngwas choose their hunting ground carefully, avoiding flatlands where competing predators are plentiful. They favor rocky and treacherous terrain where their talent for dancing along the veil between worlds allows them to easily outmaneuver their prey.

Feline Allies. The strongest mngwa recruit other great cats into their prides, though these associations tend to be short-lived. They hunt with especially savage groups of nkosi, though only a great pridelord can command one during a hunt. When the hunt is over, the mngwa move on, and sometimes they take one of the young nkosi with them to become a shaman.