Expanding the Northern Reaches: Ranger 5e - The Fylgja Beast Master
by Marc Saindon(subclass tweak)
Tasha's Cauldron (p.61) has the option of replacing the animal companion from the Beast Master subclass with a "Primal Companion" at 3rd which the Ranger can summon. It can either be a land, sea or sky beast, depending on the needs of the situation and the type can be altered after a long rest. This avoids having Snowball the Cat repeatedly dying and being replaced with the next in line ('we're going to need another Timmy!'), or the inconvenience of bringing your trained bear or moose in the local tavern.
In norse, the Primal Companion might tie in with the concept of the Fylgia, a sort of "soul" or "totem" animal (although not in the sense of totem barbarian warrior), so the Primal Companion summoned by a Northern Reaches Beast Master might tap in this lore.
As for where the place the practionnners of this subclass, perhaps it was more common in the Heldannic Freeholds prior to rise of the knightly Order and the rapid militarization of the rest of the society. In some Ghibli way, Fylgja Beast Masters might represent the resistance of nature and rurality against a suddenly urbanizing society. They might attempt guerilla action against the Heldannic Knights, but also many of their numbers prefer to find a way to survive, along with their teachings, in exile within other nations of the Reaches.
