" Since before the dawn of recorded history, they have lived among us. They appear human, but they are more than human -- they are the Cat People. Now, this secretive race -- with their abilities to take on different forms, and their sometimes seemingly endless lives -- can be brought into your d20 System games, no matter when or where they take place."
OGL Cat People contains rules for creating Cat People player characters, along with a series of new feats and talents representing the characters' mastery of their inborn shapeshifting abilities, or special gifts granted by their patron, Bast.
The two products are built on different "branches" of the d20/OSR family tree. Here is how they align and how to make them work together:
Compatibility Overview
| Feature | OGL Cat People (Nuelow Games) | Wretched Darkness (The Red Room) |
| Core System | d20 System / OGL 3.5 | Wretched / OSR (modified d20) |
| Power Level | High (Feats, Talents, Shapeshifting) | Low/Gritty (Vulnerable anti-heroes) |
| Tone | Pulp / Classic Horror | Gritty / "Spaghettipunk" / Urban Horror |
How to Port Them Over
While Wretched Darkness is an OSR-style game, it is explicitly designed to be adaptable to d20-based systems.
1. Translate Attributes
OGL Cat People uses standard 3.5 ability scores. Wretched Darkness uses a similar set, but focuses heavily on the "anti-hero" nature of the character. You can port the stat bonuses directly (e.g., +2 Dex becomes a +2 bonus to Dexterity-based checks in Wretched).
2. Convert Feats to Talents/Perks
In Wretched Darkness, characters aren't as "feat-heavy" as in 3.5.
Minor Feats: Treat these as starting Perks.
Major Powers (Shapeshifting): Treat these as a specialized Class Ability or a high-cost Perk. Since Wretched Darkness includes rules for Loup-Garou (Werewolves), use those as a template for how a shapeshifting Cat Person should function mechanically and how much "Wretchedness" (stress/horror) it might cause.
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3. Adjust for Lethality
Wretched Darkness is much more lethal than standard d20 games (Hit Point gains are lower, capped at level 10).3 If you use the Cat People exactly as written in the Nuelow PDF, they might feel slightly "overpowered" compared to human anti-heroes.
Suggestion: Limit the number of supernatural "Talents" a Cat Person starts with to ensure they still feel the "darkness" and vulnerability of the setting.
4. Use the "Sin/Virtue" System
The most important part of Wretched Darkness is the Sin/Transgression system. When creating a Cat Person character, ensure they choose a Sin that reflects their predatory or secretive nature (like Pride or Lust). This integrates them into the Wretched mechanics better than any stat block could.
Why They Fit
Thematically, they are a perfect match. OGL Cat People is inspired by classic horror (specifically Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s stories), and Wretched Darkness is designed to emulate the grit of 70s and 80s horror cinema. A secretive race of shapeshifters living in the shadows of a modern city fits the "Urban Horror" sandbox of Wretched Darkness perfectly.
To bring the Nuelow Games archetypes into Wretched Darkness, we need to strip away the complex d20 feat chains and replace them with the gritty, streamlined mechanics used by The Red Room’s engine.
In Wretched, these are best handled as Supernatural Archetypes.
1. The Common Cat Person (The Infiltrator)
These are the scouts and urban survivors. They look human but possess feline grace and a hidden, predatory streak.
Attribute Adjustments: +1 to Dexterity and Charisma, -1 to Willpower.
Wretched Perk: Feline Grace. You take half damage from falls and gain an Advantage on all Stealth and Athletics checks involving climbing or balancing.
Natural Weaponry: In human form, your fingernails are sharp. You deal 1d4 damage with unarmed strikes.
The Shift: You can transform into a specific breed of domestic cat. While shifted, you have -4 Strength but gain a +4 bonus to Stealth.
Weakness: Curiosity. If you fail a Willpower check when confronted with a mystery or a "shiny" distraction, you must investigate it, often ignoring personal safety.
2. The Greater Cat Person (The Predator)
These are the power players—stronger, more ancient, and significantly more dangerous. They are often the "Boss" NPCs or high-powered anti-heroes.
Attribute Adjustments: +2 to Dexterity, +1 to Strength, -1 to Sanity.
Wretched Perk: Nine Lives (Limited). Once per story arc, if you are reduced to 0 Hit Points, you may immediately stabilize at 1 HP instead. This costs 1 permanent point of Sanity as a "piece of your soul" is used up.
Shapechange: The Hybrid Form. You can shift into a bipedal, monstrous feline form (similar to a classic werewolf silhouette).
Claws/Bite: Deals 1d8 damage.
Frightful Presence: Onlookers must make a Willpower check or suffer the Scared condition.
Primal Instincts: You have Darkvision up to 60 feet and can track targets by scent with an Advantage on Perception checks.
Weakness: Predatory Hunger. When you taste blood, you must make a Willpower check or enter a frenzy, attacking the nearest target (friend or foe) until the end of the next round.
Integration Notes for the GM
Wretchedness Score: Transforming in public or being caught in "cat form" by a mundane witness should grant 1-2 points of Wretchedness.
The "Simon & Kirby" Flavor: To keep the Nuelow Games vibe, emphasize that these aren't just "were-cats"—they are a secret society. They should have their own hidden bars, safe houses, and ancient feuds that the players stumble into.
Combat Balance: In Wretched Darkness, a Greater Cat Person in a hybrid form is a "Tank." They can easily wipe out a group of unprepared human investigators. Encourage players to use silver or fire, as per standard OSR horror tropes.
Here is a "Boss" level NPC designed for a Wretched Darkness campaign. This character bridges the gap between the pulp-horror of Nuelow’s Cat People and the gritty, sleazy urban atmosphere of Wretched.
Boss Profile: "The Duchess" (Margot LeChat)
Archetype: Greater Cat Person Social Standing: High-Society Socialite / Underworld Information Broker Sin: Pride (She views humans as "cattle with checkbooks" and cannot tolerate even the slightest disrespect).
Backstory
The Duchess runs The Velvet Ear, an exclusive jazz club that doubles as a neutral ground for the city's supernatural entities. She claims to be a survivor of a forgotten Egyptian lineage, but her methods are pure 1970s noir. She deals in secrets, and her price is usually a favor that requires the solicitor to surrender a piece of their humanity.
Attributes & Stats
Strength: 14 (+1) | Dexterity: 17 (+2) | Constitution: 13 (+1)
Intelligence: 15 (+1) | Willpower: 14 (+1) | Charisma: 18 (+3)
Hit Points: 48
Armor Class: 13 (Fine silk clothing / Natural reflex)
Wretchedness: 6 (She is deeply entwined with the city's corruption)
Abilities & Combat
The Shift (Hybrid Form): Margot can transform as a Move Action. Her skin ripples into black leopard fur, and her eyes glow a sickly amber.
Multi-Attack: She makes two Claw attacks (1d8+1) and one Bite (1d6) per round.
Gaze of the Bastet: Once per encounter, Margot can lock eyes with a target. The target must succeed on a Willpower Check or be Paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds.
Unnatural Reflexes: Margot may take an extra Reaction each round specifically to Dodge an incoming attack.
When The Duchess shifts, she does not become a common stray. She transforms into a creature of mythic dread—a sleek, jet-black Panther or an unnaturally large, silver-maned Highland Wildcat. In this form, she is a silent assassin, perfectly suited for the "Spaghettipunk" lethality of Wretched Darkness.
The Duchess (Great Cat Form)
Used for assassination, intimidation, or escaping a burning building.
Hit Points: 48 (Same as human form)
Armor Class: 15 (Preternatural speed and thick hide)
Move: 50 ft. (Climb 40 ft., Leap 20 ft. horizontally)
Attributes
Strength: 16 (+2)
Dexterity: 19 (+4)
Intelligence/Will/Charisma: (Same as human form)
Special Traits
Shadow Meld: As long as she is in dim light or darkness, she is effectively Invisible until she moves or attacks. This is not magic, but a mastery of camouflage and stillness.
Pounce from Above: If she attacks a target from a higher elevation (a chandelier, a fire escape, a rafters), she deals double damage on her first Claw attack and the target is automatically Knocked Prone.
Eerie Silence: She makes absolutely no sound when moving, even over broken glass or dry leaves. Players have Disadvantage on Perception checks to hear her approach.
Superior Night Vision: She can see in total darkness as if it were bright daylight (this allows her to cut the power to a building and hunt the players in the dark).
Combat Maneuvers
The Rake (2 Claws): 1d8+2 damage per hit. If both hit the same target, she can immediately make a free Bite attack.
The Throat-Crush (Bite): 1d10+2 damage. On a critical hit, the target is "Silenced" as their windpipe is crushed, making it impossible to scream for help or cast spells.
Wretched Horror: The "Uncanny" Feline
In Wretched Darkness, the horror comes from the wrongness of the supernatural. When The Duchess is in this form, use these descriptions:
The Eyes: Her eyes remain human. Seeing a large black panther with the intelligent, mocking eyes of Margot LeChat should force a Sanity Check.
The Voice: She can still speak in this form, though her voice sounds like grinding gravel and tearing silk. It is deeply unsettling to hear a predator offer you a "business deal" while it is crouched on your chest.
The Trophy: She doesn't just kill; she "plays." If she hunts a PC, she may leave "gifts" for the other players—like a PC's favorite weapon or a piece of their clothing—carefully placed on their pillow while they sleep.
The "Greater Shift" Cost
Unlike the Bouncers, The Duchess’s transformation is taxing.
The Price: Every time she shifts into this form to kill, she must gain 1 Wretchedness Point. As her Wretchedness rises, she becomes more animalistic and less able to maintain her "Socialite" facade in human form.
The "Dark Secret" (The Hook)
Margot isn't just a predator; she is a collector. Beneath The Velvet Ear, she keeps a "menagerie" of people who have failed to pay their debts to her. She has used an ancient ritual (an OGL Talent) to physically regress them into actual house cats.
The Twist: One of these "cats" is actually a missing person the player characters have been hired to find. To get the person back, the players must either steal Margot’s ritual dagger or find a way to humiliate her publicly—triggering her Sin of Pride and forcing her into a reckless, monstrous rage.
Tactics
Margot never fights alone unless cornered. She will use 2–3 Common Cat People (acting as "Bouncers") to wear the players down. If she drops below 15 HP, she will attempt to use Nine Lives to escape through the ventilation shafts in her cat form, vowing to hunt the players' families as retribution.
In the gritty, urban horror of Wretched Darkness, "The Duchess" wouldn't stand alone. She is flanked by her "Bouncers"—Common Cat People who function as the muscle of The Velvet Ear.
These henchmen are designed to be efficient, dangerous, and physically imposing while maintaining their "civilized" human facade until the claws come out.
The Bouncer (Common Cat Person)
Role: Professional Muscle / Urban Hunter Hit Points: 16 (Tougher than average humans, but still mortal) Armor Class: 12 (Leather jackets or heavy overcoats)
Attributes
Strength: 15 (+1)
Dexterity: 14 (+1)
Intelligence: 10 (0)
Willpower: 11 (0)
Abilities & Gear
The "Switchblade" Claws: As a free action, they can extend their claws. They deal 1d6 damage in melee. They often carry actual brass knuckles or saps to keep things "non-lethal" for the club's reputation.
Feline Reflexes: They gain a +2 bonus to Initiative rolls. In Wretched Darkness, going first is often the difference between life and death.
Pack Tactics: If two or more Bouncers are attacking the same target, they gain Advantage on their attack rolls. They are trained to corner intruders and push them into the shadows.
Low-Light Vision: They ignore all combat penalties associated with dim light or partial darkness.
Wretched Combat Maneuvers
In a fight, these Bouncers don't just stand and trade blows. Use these Wretched-specific tactics to make them feel like predators:
The Pounce (Dirty Trick): If a Bouncer moves at least 10 feet toward a target and hits, the target must make a Strength check or be knocked prone. This grants the Bouncer 1 Wretchedness Point for the successful "dirty trick."
Crowd Control: They use their high Strength to Grapple and drag players toward the club's exits (or toward the basement stairs where The Duchess waits).
Human Shield: If The Duchess is in the room, the Bouncers will intentionally move into the line of fire to protect her, using their bodies to provide her with Cover (-2 or -4 to player attack rolls).
How to Use Them
The Guard Post: Two bouncers stand at the front door. They aren't looking for weapons; they are "scenting" for other supernatural entities or cops.
The Ambush: If players try to sneak into the basement, have three Bouncers drop from the rafters. Their Feline Grace allows them to land silently, forcing a Wits Avoidance Roll to avoid being surprised.
In Wretched Darkness, the Cat-Form is not for combat; it is the ultimate tool for Espionage and Infiltration. When a Bouncer or Common Cat Person shifts into a domestic cat, they sacrifice their raw power for near-perfect stealth.
The Cat-Form (Infiltration Mode)
This stat block applies to Common Cat People (like the Bouncers) when they have shifted into a domestic feline.
Hit Points: 4 (They are extremely vulnerable in this state)
Armor Class: 14 (Due to small size and high agility)
Move: 40 ft. (Climb 30 ft.)
Attributes
Strength: 3 (-3)
Dexterity: 18 (+3)
Intelligence/Will: (Same as human form)
Special Traits
Unnatural Stealth: While in Cat-Form, the character has Advantage on all Stealth checks. They can hide in shadows that would be too small for a human.
Nondescript: To a casual observer or a mundane NPC, they appear to be a common stray. It requires a Perception Check (Hard) or supernatural senses to realize the animal is watching them with human-like intelligence.
Land on Feet: They take no damage from falls under 30 feet and half damage from falls above that.
Bite/Scratch: Deals exactly 1 point of damage. It is used as a distraction or to deliver a toxin, never for a straight fight.
Using the Cat-Form in a "Wretched" Session
Because Wretched Darkness is a game of tension and investigation, the Cat-Form should be used to make the players feel paranoid.
The Silent Tail: As the players leave The Velvet Ear to discuss their plans on the sidewalk, mention a mangy calico cat sitting on a nearby dumpster. If the players don't check for "tails," the Bouncer hears their entire plan and reports back to The Duchess.
The Indoor Spy: A Cat-Form Bouncer can slip through dog doors, open windows, or even be "adopted" by a sympathetic PC. Imagine the horror when the players realize the stray they brought into their safe house is actually the Duchess’s lead enforcer.
The "Wretched" Shift: Remember that shifting back to human form is violent and disturbing. If a player catches the cat and corners it, describe the bones snapping and skin stretching back into a 200lb man in a leather jacket. This should trigger a Sanity Check for any mundane witnesses.
GM Tip: The "Scent of Magic"
In Wretched Darkness, supernatural beings can often "sense" each other. If a PC has a high Occult skill or is a supernatural being themselves, allow them a Wits check to notice that the cat smells like expensive cigarettes and cheap cologne—the same smell as the bouncer at the club.
To launch a Wretched Darkness campaign using these characters, you need to lean into the "Sleaze and Sorcery" aesthetic. These hooks are designed to pull the players into the Duchess's orbit, where every favor comes with a heavy price.
1. The Stray Witness
The players are hired by a frantic mother to find her son, a street-level journalist who went missing while investigating corruption at the docks.
The Hook: The players find his apartment trashed, but a Common Cat Person (in cat form) is still there, "guarding" the evidence.
The Twist: The journalist isn't dead; he’s been turned into a cat and is currently being kept in a cage in the Duchess’s office. The Bouncers are hunting the players because the journalist hid a microfilm roll in his "human" clothes that proves the Duchess is bribing the city’s Chief of Police.
2. A Debt of Nine Lives
One of the Player Characters (or a close NPC Ally) starts the game with a massive gambling debt or a legal problem that miraculously "goes away."
The Hook: A Bouncer arrives at the PC's door with an invitation to The Velvet Ear. The Duchess wants to collect.
The Twist: She doesn't want money. A rival supernatural gang (perhaps the Loup-Garou) has stolen an ancient Egyptian relic she uses to stabilize her "Greater Shift." She needs the players to steal it back from a heavily guarded warehouse. If they refuse, she reveals she has a "contract" on their souls.
3. The Purge of the Strays
The city is plagued by a series of gruesome "animal attacks" in the slums. The media blames feral dogs, but the victims are always low-level criminals.
The Hook: The players are approached by a "rebel" Cat Person—one of the Duchess's former bouncers who has grown a conscience (or just got greedy). He claims the Duchess is "cleaning house" to prepare the city for a dark ritual.
The Twist: The rebel is a double agent. He is leading the players into a trap where they will be the "main course" for a hunting party of Greater Cat People in a cordoned-off tenement building.
4. The Last Show at the Velvet Ear
The Duchess hosts a "Grand Masquerade" at her club, and the players are invited (or must sneak in) to retrieve a specific piece of information.
The Hook: The players must navigate the social minefield of the club, surrounded by Bouncers and "Socialite" Cat People. They must use their Charisma and Intelligence to find the safe.
The Twist: At midnight, the Duchess locks the doors. She announces that one of the guests is a "traitor" and she will release her Bouncers to find them. The players must survive the "Lockdown" while being hunted through the dark, smoke-filled club by Margot in her Great Cat Form.
Campaign Tip: The "Cat-and-Mouse" Mechanic
In a Wretched campaign, the Duchess shouldn't be the first boss the players kill. She should be a recurring shadow. Have the players spot her Cat-Form Bouncers watching them from rooftops at the end of every session. It builds the "Urban Horror" tension—the feeling that they are never truly alone.
In the sleazy, neon-lit world of Wretched Darkness, the Duchess’s power isn't just biological—it’s tethered to a cursed antiquity that smells of ozone and ancient dust.
The Relic: The Obsidian Sistrum of Bast
An instrument used in ancient temples to ward off evil spirits, this particular Sistrum (a type of metal rattle) has been "inverted." Instead of protecting the innocent, it anchors the consciousness of shapeshifters, allowing them to bypass the psychic toll of changing their form.
Physical Description: A handle of tarnished silver topped with an obsidian frame. Instead of simple metal rings, the rattle pieces are carved from the finger bones of "unfaithful" priests. It hums with a low vibration that domestic cats can hear from blocks away.
Dark Powers & Mechanics
In the hands of a Greater Cat Person like The Duchess, the Sistrum provides three horrific advantages:
1. The Flawless Transition
Normally, shifting into a monstrous form in Wretched Darkness costs Wretchedness or Sanity because it is a violation of nature.
Effect: As long as The Duchess holds or wears the Sistrum (usually tucked into her belt or a hidden holster), she can shift forms without gaining Wretchedness. This allows her to stay in her lethal "Great Cat Form" indefinitely without losing her mind to animal bloodlust.
2. The Chorus of the Damned
When shaken vigorously (an Action in combat), the Sistrum emits a discordant chime that shatters the focus of her enemies.
Effect: All non-cat-people within 30 feet must make a Willpower Check. On a failure, they suffer Advantage to be hit by any Cat Person for 1d6 rounds. The sound mimics the screaming of a thousand dying cats.
3. Soul Tether (The "Missing Person" Tool)
This is the power the Duchess uses to create her "Menagerie."
Effect: By striking a prone or unconscious human with the obsidian frame, the Duchess can "bind" their soul to a feline shape. The victim transforms into a common housecat. They retain their human memories but lose the ability to speak or use fine motor skills.
The Cure: The transformation only breaks if the Sistrum is shattered on an altar or if the Duchess is killed while holding it.
The Hook: The Heist
In your campaign, the players find out the Sistrum was stolen by a rival—perhaps a gritty 1970s-style street gang called "The Iron Wolves" who didn't know what they were stealing.
The Conflict: The Iron Wolves are starting to go "mad" because the relic is attracting every stray cat in the city to their hideout. Thousands of cats are sitting silently outside their warehouse, just... staring.
The Players' Choice: 1. Return it to the Duchess: She pays them handsomely and stops hunting them, but they’ve just handed a monster her most dangerous weapon. 2. Keep/Destroy it: They weaken the Duchess, but they now have a squad of Greater Cat People and an entire city's worth of "strays" tracking the relic's unique vibration directly to the players' safehouse.
Wretched Horror Note
When the players get close to the Sistrum, describe the air feeling heavy and "greasy." Characters with high Sanity might start hearing phantom purring in their own thoughts
In the gritty, neon-noir world of Wretched Darkness, the Iron Wolves are a mid-tier street gang that has recently bitten off more than they can chew. Their leader, "Rawbone" Jax, is a man who values brute force over supernatural subtlety—until the Obsidian Sistrum began warping his mind.
"Rawbone" Jax (Gang Leader)
Archetype: Tough / Thug Deadly Sin: Greed (He refuses to give up the Sistrum, even as it destroys his gang).
Attributes & Stats
Muscle: 16 (+2)
Agility: 12 (0)
Toughness: 15 (+1)
Wits: 8 (-1) (Currently clouded by the relic)
Brains: 9 (0)
Magnetism: 13 (+1)
Sex-Appeal: 10 (0)
Hit Points: 28
Armor Class: 13 (Heavy leather "Iron Wolves" biker vest)
Equipment & Attacks
The "Wolf’s Tooth": A modified, serrated machete. Deals 1d8+2 damage.
Sawed-off Shotgun: Deals 3d6 damage at close range (within 10ft), but requires an action to reload after 2 shots.
The Obsidian Sistrum: He currently carries this in a pouch at his side. He doesn't know how to use its "Chorus" ability, but it gives him a +2 bonus to Toughness saves while in his possession.
Special Perk: Blood & Iron
Once per combat, when Jax is reduced to below 10 HP, he can enter a Frenzied State. He ignores all damage penalties for one round and can make one additional melee attack. However, at the end of that round, he must make a Wits Save or spend his next turn gasping for air (the Stunned condition).
Combat Tactics & Behavior
The Paranoia: Jax is constantly looking over his shoulder. He believes the "stray cats" outside his warehouse are a rival gang in disguise. In combat, he may waste his first turn barking orders at his men to "kill every cat they see" rather than focusing on the players.
The Guard Dogs: Jax is never seen without two large, scarred pit bulls. Treat them as standard Animal NPCs (10 HP, 1d6 Bite). Interestingly, the dogs are terrified of the Sistrum and will not go within 5 feet of Jax.
The Surrender: Despite his sin of Greed, Jax is a survivor. If his Hit Points drop below 5, he will try to trade the "shiny rattle" (the Sistrum) for his life, claiming it’s "cursed anyway."
The Iron Wolves "Fodder" (The Gang Members)
If the players storm the warehouse, Jax will have 4–6 gang members with him.
HP: 10 each
AC: 12
Attack: Handguns (1d8) or Baseball Bats (1d6).
Morale: If Jax falls or gives up the relic, the remaining gang members will immediately flee or surrender.
The Iron Wolves’ hideout is located in the Dockside Industrial District, a place where the air smells of salt, rotted fish, and cheap diesel. The warehouse—formerly a meat-packing plant—is a cold, cavernous space that has become a pressure cooker of supernatural tension.
The Warehouse Interior: "The Meat Locker"
The warehouse map is from here.
The floor is cracked concrete stained with decades of unidentifiable fluids. Rows of rusted meat hooks still hang from motorized rails on the ceiling, swaying slightly in the draft.The Main Floor: Lit by flickering industrial sodium lamps that cast a sickly orange hue. The Iron Wolves have set up a "living area" in the center with mismatched couches, a grease-stained pool table, and several barrels being used as trash fires.
The Perimeter: Large crates are stacked high, creating a maze of blind corners. This is where the Common Cat People (the Duchess's spies) are currently lurking, silent and unseen, waiting for the players to soften Jax up.
The Uncanny Detail: Every high window and skylight is obscured by the silhouettes of hundreds of common cats sitting outside on the roof, their eyes reflecting the orange light like tiny embers.
The Menagerie: Unit 402
Jax isn't keeping the victims in the main room; he’s keeping them in the walk-in cold storage unit at the back of the warehouse. He doesn't understand that they are humans; he just thinks they are "fancy breed cats" that the Duchess wants back, and he's holding them for ransom.
The Atmosphere: The refrigeration is broken, so the room is damp and moldy rather than freezing. The smell of ammonia is overpowering.
The Cages: Dozens of rusted wire animal crates are stacked haphazardly. Inside are cats of every variety—Persians, Siamese, tabbies—all of them unnaturally still.
The Horror: Unlike normal cats, these animals do not meow or hiss. They watch the players with desperate, weeping eyes. One particular Siamese cat (the journalist from Hook #1) is frantically scratching a name into the grime on the floor: M-A-R-G-O-T.
The Guard: Jax has stationed his two most sadistic thugs here. They’ve been "teasing" the cats with hot prods. If the players enter, these thugs will use the cages as cover, potentially knocking them over and releasing a swarm of panicked, confused "victims" into the crossfire.
Jax’s "Throne"
Jax sits in a glass-walled foreman's office overlooking the main floor. The Obsidian Sistrum is sitting on the desk in front of him, glowing with a faint, rhythmic violet light that matches his heartbeat.
Environmental Hazard: The office is a death trap. Jax has rigged the stairs with "trip-wire" shotguns. A successful Wits (Perception) Check is required to spot the thin fishing line before a player takes 2d6 damage.
GM Interaction Note
If the players manage to grab the Sistrum while in the Menagerie, the "cats" will react instantly. They will swarm toward the person holding it, rubbing against their legs and purring in a terrifying, synchronized vibration that deals 1 point of Sanity damage to anyone nearby.
In Wretched Darkness, utilizing a powerful supernatural artifact like the Obsidian Sistrum of Bast is a fast track to corruption. The device was never meant for human hands; it is a tool of predatory ancient gods.
If a player attempts to use the Sistrum to "Bind" an enemy into a feline form, they must make a Willpower Check. Regardless of success or failure, the act of warping a soul attracts the "Darkness."
The Sistrum Transgression Table
When a player activates the Sistrum’s Soul Tether (turning someone into a cat), roll 1d10 and add their current Wretchedness Score.
| Roll (Total) | Result: The Price of the Shift |
| 1–5 | The Predator's Chill: The target transforms, but the user feels a permanent coldness in their chest. Gain 1 Wretchedness Point. |
| 6–10 | The Feline Blur: The user’s pupils become vertical slits for 24 hours. They gain Advantage on Perception but suffer Disadvantage on all Social checks with humans. Gain 2 Wretchedness Points. |
| 11–15 | Echoes of the Menagerie: The user hears the screaming of every soul trapped in the Sistrum. Lose 1d6 Sanity. The user gains the "Compulsion" to keep the newly transformed cat as a pet. |
| 16–20 | Partial Backfire: The target transforms, but the user's hand becomes a withered, fur-covered claw for 1d4 days. Any weapon held in that hand suffers a -2 penalty to hit. Gain 3 Wretchedness Points. |
| 21+ | The Bastet Curse: The user transforms the target, but a "piece" of the user's soul is swapped. The user falls unconscious for 1 hour, and when they wake, they have gained a Major Sin (Envy) as they start to covet the "freedom" of the animal form. |
Rules for the Player-Controlled "Menagerie"
If a player successfully turns an NPC into a cat:
The Binding: The transformation is permanent unless the Sistrum is used to "Undo" it (which requires another roll on the table above) or the Sistrum is destroyed.
The Burden: Keeping a "Soul-Cat" is a Wretched Act. Every week the player keeps a human trapped in animal form, they must pass a Sanity Check or lose 1 point of Sanity from the guilt/horror of the situation.
The Duchess’s Scent: The Duchess can "smell" any creature transformed by her relic. She and her bouncers gain Advantage on all Tracking checks to find the players as long as they are traveling with one of these transformed victims.
The Destruction of the Relic
If the players decide the Sistrum is too dangerous and try to break it:
The Shatter: It requires a feat of great strength or a holy/blessed weapon.
The Release: When it breaks, every cat in the "Menagerie" (including those at the warehouse) immediately reverts to human form.
The Fallout: The sudden influx of naked, traumatized, and confused people in the middle of a gang hideout or the city streets creates a massive "Scene" that will attract the police, the media, and a very, very angry Duchess.
Building a map for The Velvet Ear Jazz Club requires blending the classy, smoky aesthetic of a 1970s jazz lounge with the hidden, predatory architecture of a supernatural safehouse.
Based on the lore of The Duchess and her Common Cat People bouncers, here is a functional floor plan layout designed for a Wretched Darkness session.
The Velvet Ear: General Layout
The club is a "basement dive"—you enter from a non-descript street door and descend a steep flight of stairs into the subterranean lounge.1. The Main Lounge (The "Killing Floor")
Entrance: A heavy velvet curtain separates the stairs from the club to keep out the city noise.
The Bar: A long, curved mahogany bar with a brass rail. The Bouncers usually stand at the far end, where they have a clear line of sight to the door.
Seating: Circular booths upholstered in cracked, blood-red leather. The center of the room is filled with small, candle-lit tables.
The Stage: A low wooden platform in the corner. A grand piano sits under a single, dim spotlight.
Note: The lighting is deliberately poor (Sodium-orange and deep shadows), giving the Cat People Advantage on stealth.
2. The Duchess's Private Booth (The "Spider's Web")
Located in a recessed alcove in the far back corner. It is draped with semi-transparent silk curtains.
Secret: Beneath the velvet cushions is a silent alarm button that alerts the Bouncers in the back.
3. The Back of House (The "Hunting Grounds")
The Kitchen: Small and rarely used for food. It’s mostly used to store crates of "tonic" and raw meat for the staff.
Employee Hallway: A narrow, L-shaped corridor. This is where the Unit 402 Cold Storage (The Menagerie) is located.
The Loading Dock: A heavy metal door that leads to an alleyway behind the building. This is where "Rawbone" Jax would have delivered the stolen relic.
4. The Private Office (The "Observation Deck")
Accessible only through a locked door behind the bar.
It features a large one-way mirror that looks out over the stage and lounge.
The Safe: Hidden behind a framed photo of a 1920s jazz legend. This is where the Obsidian Sistrum is kept when the Duchess isn't using it.
Tactical Map Features for the GM
Elevated Vantage Points: The club has exposed ventilation ducts and brass pipes running along the ceiling. Common Cat People (in cat form) can use these to traverse the room silently above the players' heads.
Choke Points: The entrance stairs and the hallway to the restrooms are narrow. A single Bouncer can easily block these exits.
Environmental Hazards: * The Piano: Provides heavy cover.
The Bar Mirror: Can be shattered to create difficult terrain (broken glass) or to use for seeing around corners.
The Dimmer Switch: Located behind the bar. If the Bouncers flip it, the room goes pitch black, favoring their low-light vision.
Suggested Map Legend
Room Description Key Item/NPC A Entrance Stairs Bouncer 1 (Checking IDs) B Main Bar Bouncer 2 (Behind the bar) C Stage The "Piano Player" (Common Cat Person) D Duchess's Alcove Margot LeChat (The Boss) E Cold Storage The Menagerie (Transformed Victims) F Private Office The Obsidian Sistrum & Secret Files
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