Aydon

Aydons are shapeshifters often hired as mercenaries. They are most often employed by Malefica, tasked with gathering arcane secrets and delivering them to the Queen back in Faerie.

In Cat Form, aydons are almost indistinguishable from normal cats. Naturally, their behavior often provides proof of their intelligence, so careful observation of an aydon in cat form can reveal that it is not what it appears to be.

Aydons can also assume a bipedal, animalistic (“hybrid”) form. They stand on their hind legs to the height of their humanoid form. Their front paws are capable of gripping and using normal equipment. The rest of the body retains the general appearance of a cat, including fur, tail, and other characteristic features, but in the overall shape of a humanoid head and torso.

In humanoid form, aydons have elfin-like features with slightly pointed ears, almond-shaped eyes, and hair color that runs the spectrum, including purple, blue, orange, red, and pink.

Aydons are generally loners, prone to visiting human settlements and infiltrating them. Some operate in secret, while others are open about their nature—their hair color often makes this a necessity. Aydons begrudging follow more organized societies but prefer to be lazy and carefree as the moment takes them. They rarely stay in one location for very long, but will dawdle if they are sufficiently entertained and challenged with new experiences.

Traits

• Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma Score increases by 1.
• Change Form. You can transform to your humanoid form or hybrid form by saying “Pyrzqxgl!” You must be able to speak to switch between forms. You can use this feature once. At 3rd level, you may use it twice, and at 6th level you may use it three times, regaining the uses after a short or long rest. Your cat form is considered your “true” form. You can revert to your true form at will. Each form has a set appearance based on the individual. The mechanics of transforming to your Cat Form works the same as the Druid feature Wild Shape except limited to your chosen animal. Transformation takes one round to complete and the aydon can take no other actions during this time. When slain, aydons do not change shape. When you transform, you retain your own hit points and Hit Dice. You retain the benefit of any features from your class or other sources and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
• Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
• Humanoid Form. As the animal is undetectable from other animals, so is the humanoid form from other humans. Aydons look like half-elves. In humanoid form, you can cast spells, wear armor, wield weapons or use equipment. You can understand the language of animals, but you cannot speak it. You do not gain the benefit of the Cat Form movement abilities as a human. You have full hit points in your humanoid form.
• Hybrid Form. In your hybrid form, you have a humanoid body but the head of a cat. You retain the darkvision and Cat’s Claw traits.
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan. You can speak Ulthese in your hybrid or cat forms.
• Size. Aydons in their humanoid form average between five and six feet tall, much like humans. In hybrid form, they tend to be a few inches shorter. In either form, however, your size is Medium. When in cat form, an aydon is a Tiny-sized cat.
• Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet in human from and hybrid form.