XDMC #4 : Create an Urban Menace

Yeowwy, the Kittyrar

Opening

For four months, the town has been plagued with a serial killer. The attacks occurred on Friday nights. The victim disappeared leaving only pools of blood. A bloodless week gave hope to the townsfolk until two blood trails were found in a church on Sunday. Duskar, a traveller who arrived shortly before the murders started, was arrested. The bloody locket of a missing girl found in his possession proved his guilt to nearly everyone. No one went missing while he was incarcerated. His execution was swift and a sense of relief fell over the town. The peace lasted only two weeks. After the murderer start anew, the party returns from an adventure or first arrives in town to the scene below.

A mob of people are collected in the town square surrounding several town watch members. The insignia on the shirt of a watchman identifies him as a captain.

"What are you going to do?" yelled a large women. "How many more must die?" yelled another from the crowd.

"Stay calm," requested the captain. "We have increased patrol. The murderer will be flushed out soon."

"Like the last killer, you found?" questioned a young man. "I doubt Duskar's family will find any solace in your promise."

"What happened with Duskar was unfortunate. Standing hear and arguing helps no one. If you wish to help the watchmen could use more able men. Otherwise you are best to go about your business. Try to stay with others and lock your doors." At this the captain stepped forward.

The forceful response of the captain seems to have quelled the unrest. Slowly the townsfolk move away.

What is going on?

Oliassy a little girl in town has nursed a kittyrar back to health. A kittyrar is a large six-legged cat that can transform into a kitten. The kitten form retains the six-legs but can tuck them up so that most people don't notice. Oliassy named her new pet Yeowwy. The pampering was much easier than living in the forest and all the attention lavished on her pleased Yeowwy.

Only the food proved unsatisfactory. The small morsels given to the kitten was certainly not enough to satiate the beast's hunger. Yeowwy hunted small rodents and pets initially. A vagrant quenched her hunger for a couple days. Eventually she graduates to removing individuals who tease or displease Oliassy. She makes sure not to kill some who have no contact with the girl or wait a while after a conflict so that Oliassy doesn't become a suspect.

She usually attacks Friday nights but then started changing it just to make the townsfolk scared that the attack could come at any time. She is overconfident and likes to see the fear on her victim's face before killing them. She leaves nothing for investigators to find except blood stains. When the watch started investigating Duskar, she placed the locket in his room. She avoided killing anyone while he was imprisoned so that everyone thought Duskar was the murderer. Yeowwy enjoys toying with the townsfolk.

Yeowwy looks like a brown mackerel tabby in both kitten and normal forms. No one knows of her true nature. She has considered telling Oliassy that she can speak but doesn't think she could keep it secret. She cares for the little girl and will allow no one to hurt her. She will leave if the Oliassy learns to fear her. She could also be convinced to not eat town folk if she could keep her comfortable lifestyle.

How to continue?

A party member takes Oliassy's seat in the tavern. She always sits there on Friday night. She throws a fit if the character doesn't give up the seat. Even if they do, she expects an apology. Yeowwy decides to remove the rude individual.

One victim, possibly a friend of the party, managed to alert others before Yeowwy could finish him. After learning of the six-legged large cat, they ask a sage about the creature. Learning of the creature's polymorph ability, they get a description from the victim so they can find the matching kitten.

Instead of the above opening scene the party could have arrived in town just before Yeowwy starts killing. The characters become prime suspects instead of Duskar.

Kittyrar Level 5 Solo Lurker
Large natural magical beast XP 1,000
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +8; low-light vision
HP 256; Bloodied 128
AC 23; Fortitude 22, Reflex 21, Will 16
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6
Action Points 2
Basic Melee; Bite (standard; at-will)
+10 vs AC; 2d8+4 damage.
Basic Melee; Claw (standard; at-will)
+10 vs AC; 1d8+4 damage.
Melee; Flurry (standard; at-will)
The kittyrar makes four claw attacks.
Melee; Headbitting (standard, sustain minor; at-will)
Requires combat advantage; +8 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 4 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). The kittyrar can sustain the power as a minor action, dealing 2d8 + 4 damage and maintaining the grab. Bite and headbitting cannot be used while holding someone with headbitting.
Change Shape (minor; at-will) ♦ Polymorph
A kittyrar can alter its physical form to appear as a tiny kitten. It cannot use its bite, claw or headbitting attack in kitten form. It retains it's six legs but tucks two up giving it a +15 bonus to its bluff check as a kitten.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Elven
Skills Insight +8, Stealth +10
Str 21 (+7) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 13 (+3)
Con 16 (+5) Int 12 (+3) Cha 10 (+2)

Kittyrar Lore

A character knows the following with a successful nature check.

DC 15: Kittyrars are ferocious six-legged giant cats that can transform into kittens.

DC 20: Kittyrars are intelligent and cunning but usually evil.

Credit
The kittyrar comes from the Kid's Colouring Book O Critters. It was created by Jonathan & Tessa Marie Tweet.

Optional Elements
6. The menace is a solo creature.
7. The PCs can discover -- and use to their advantage -- that the menace has an affection for a single harmless creature or person.

Original Version