Familiar

This schtick does not provide extra spells. It provides a useful, and utterly loyal minion.

Familiar Effects

You have in your service a minor supernatural creature, with which you have a powerful bond of mastery and loyalty. This familiar is always on hand, utterly loyal, and doesn't need to be summoned or commanded. Neither can a rival sorcerer do so to your familiar. The familiar is essentially a small (typically 1' in length/height) demon/monster. It can look like anything you desire, but must look 'unnatural'. Examples include small dragons, bat-winged imps, twisted dwarves, butterfly winged sprites, small flesh puppets, winged cats etc. The familiar counts as a Named character. If your familiar dies, you do not automatically receive a new Familiar, and must buy the schtick again to receive a new one. (In this case the experience points spent on the familiar should be deducted from the character's earned experience points for compensation purposes.)

Create you Familiar using the following archetype. During play, a Familiar will have at least half as many points as it's master, and will thus slowly advance inability.

Familiar Template

'Yessss master...'

Attributes: Bod 3, Chi 4, Mnd 5, Ref 5

Divide 3 points among the Primary attributes. Divide 4 points among the Secondary attributes. The maximum of all attributes (including Secondary) is 8.

Skills: Creature Powers =9

Scholar 8

Add 3 Skill Bonuses. It costs a single add to get a skill to the default value, another to increase it to ten.

Schticks: 2 Creature Schticks, see limitations below.

Unique Schticks

1. It can completely avoid an attack that would inflict damage by running away at the cost of a fortune point. It will then become lost, see below.
2. The familiar has a Dodge rating four points higher than it's attack skill because of it's small size.
3. The familiar usually earns a single experience point each session. The gamemaster may award more under exceptional circumstances. A variant rule states that the familiar always has half as many points as it's master.
4. It is immune to Summoning used by anyone but it's master, except for Purification and Warding Circle.
5. The master can use the familiar's Fortune and Magic points when they are in physical contact.
6. When it has lost contact with it's master, it will start looking for him. Under these circumstances it is usually not noticed by guards et al and can sneak with great resourcefulness, using Dodge as Intrusion.

Limitations

1. They can't be healed by mundane doctors (characters using the Medicine skill).
2. All schticks must always be agreed upon with the gamemaster
3. They are not subject to supernatural creature juncture modifiers (FS p. 122), because their link to their master allows them to draw power from him.
4. If the Familiar is killed the Sorcerer suffers a Backlash and takes Wound Points equal to the Familiar's Magic x 2.

Sample Familiars

Abacus the Fox Fetch

Bod 3, Chi 7 (Magic 8), Mnd 5 (Per 8), Ref 5

Skills: Creature Powers 9, Scholar 8, Sorcery 10, Deceit 9.

Creature Schticks: Dematerialisation (not flesh, living plants, earth, bedrock, flowing water), Immortality.

Sorcery Schtick: Divination (single-schtick).

Abacus appears as a silver-white fox with large violet eyes, usually sitting on his master's shoulder or pacing right behind him. He is physically frail, and will seek to avoid physical conflict if at all possible. Instead, he roams the spirit world for his master, speaking with spirits there and providing his master with rumours and tips from his immaterial allies. He also enjoys playing pranks on others, for which his master often has to assume responsibility.

Shou Lung the Pocket Dragon

Bod 3, Chi 4 (Magic 8), Mnd 7, Ref 6

Skills: Creature Powers 9, Scholar 8, Medicine 11

Schticks: Blast (Fire: Damage 10), Flight.

Shou Lung appears as a 1' long, wingless dragon, with emerald green scales, and sapphire blue eyes. He's usually hidden in his master's satchel, which features nice silk padding, air vents, and a small spy hole. Fond of cigars, he always smokes one while relaxing, puffing little smoke rings. He's grumpy and irritable, especially when called upon to help patch up the wounded 'idiots' who gallivant around, getting shot, and making his life difficult. When severely threatened or annoyed he blasts the offender with a gout of flame. He also finds it useful for lighting his cigars.

Wretch-Vomit the Twisted Dwarf

Bod 6 (Str 8, Toughness 8), Chi 4, Mnd 5, Ref 5

Skills: Creature Powers 9, Scholar 8, Intimidation 11

Schticks: Blast (Foul Spew: Nauseating Chunks), Abysmal Spines (Claws: 11 Damage).

Wretch-Vomit is a mere 1' tall, but is equally broad, and rippling with sinewy muscle. His skin is blotchy, putrid yellow, with pulsing green-black veins. His features are wrinkled and evil, his hair is greasy red, and his eyes are pure black. His gnarled hands are tipped with tiny black claws. He wears a custom-made tiny suit. He acts as a bodyguard, labourer, and torturer for his master, enjoying his prolonged 'information extraction' duties immensely. He's utterly sick and sadistic. The only things he believes in are his master, and inflicting misery.