Fudge Familiars

Oct 5, 2020 #fudge #rpg #magic #rules #character

Introduction

A familiar is a small magical creature bound to a keeper. Depending on the setting a familiar can look like a normal animal, or might be a different kind. In some settings familiars are actually spirits. Whatever shape familiars take, these rules remain the same.

The creature

Suitable creatures are usually animals (or spirits in the shape of animals). Some example familiars include:

• Raven

• Owl

• Cat

• Hare

• Rat

• Lizard

• Snake

• Toad

However, that is just an example list, and the actual animal depends on setting and keeper. Spirit animals such as a wolf or bear or coyote could also be suitable, in some settings.

The bond

The bond is what allows the keeper to commune with their familiar. The Level of the bond determines the range and how deep the communion is. The intelligence of the familiar also increases with the Level of the bond.

Range is defined like spell ranges in Spell Crafting. Communication is a cumulative list of abilities that each bond Level grants. The bond is always bi-directional.

Friendship

The familiar feels kinship and friendly towards the keeper. The keeper feels the bond with the familiar.

Emotions

The keeper is able to read the emotions of the familiar. The familiar will also react to the emotions of the keeper.

Surface Thoughts

The keeper can read the surface thoughts (what it is actively thinking) of the familiar. The familiar can also "hear" the surface thoughts of the keeper, and can thus be given commands silently.

Vision

The keeper can see through the eyes of the familiar by concentrating. When doing so the familiar can also see through the eyes of the keeper.

Hearing

The keeper can hear through the ears of the familiar by concentrating. When the keeper does so, the familiar can also hear through the ears of the keeper.

Telepathy

Full telepathic bidirectional communication. This means that the keeper and familiar can now exchange complex ideas and thoughts. The communication can be initiated by either party. Note that at this level the familiar has the intelligence of a child.

Scrying

At this level the keeper can use the familiar as a scrying device, allowing them to cast spells through the familiar as if it would be a scrying device. See Spell Crafting for more details.

Astral projection

The keeper can project their soul to the area where the familiar is. The keeper is unable to physically interact, but is able to fully see and hear and look around.

Soul swap

The keeper can swap their spirit into the body of the familiar and thus take control of it. During this time the spirit of the familiar resides in the keeper's body.

Caring for the familiar

The keeper must care for their familiar. This usually takes the form of having a skill in animal care or another appropriate skill. For every week that the familiar goes uncared for the keeper (and familiar) gets a -1 penalty to all activity.

The other side of the coin of the bonding is that the bond extends to the well-being of the familiar and keeper. Whenever either the familiar or the keeper is wounded, the wound penalty is applied to both. If the keeper gets sick, or is poisoned the familiar doesn't automatically contract the disease, but it will be at similar penalty. If the familiar is sick or poisoned the keeper will also feel the pain of the familiar and operate at a penalty reflecting the condition of the familiar.

If the familiar dies, the keeper will immediately fall unconscious and will have to make a Fair Health check. If the Health check succeeds the keeper wakes up after 1 hour. However, if the Health check fails the keeper will remain unconscious until they make a successful Health check. They may retry once per day. Once the keeper wakes up, they will be at -2 to all actions for one week. The next week they will be at -1, until one week after that they can operate normally. The penalties reflect the deep sorrow that the keeper feels for having the bond to the familiar break. The process is the same if the bond is severed for some other reason too. If the bond is broken, the familiar dies.

Creating a familiar and familiar Levels

To create a familiar the keeper must first acquire (depending on a culture this could involve taming, trapping or simply purchasing) an animal of suitable type (in some settings this could be a magical creature or spirit that needs to be summoned).

Once the keeper has the potential familiar at hand they must bond with it. Bonding is a ritual task worth 20 Task Points, with a Task Difficulty of Mediocre and a Task Turn of 1 hour. Once the bonding ritual is completed, the familiar is a Level 0 familiar.

Boosting the Level of the bond

Once the initial bond is created, the keeper may further increase the level of the bond by performing another bonding ritual. The Task Duration is 1 day but the Task Difficulty and Task points required to complete the ritual increase with the Level. See the Level Table for the required values.

Boosting the abilities of the familiar

It is possible for the keeper to enhance the abilities of the familiar. The keeper can enhance the familiar like one would create a magical item. See the rules for Item Crafting for more details on the process. The only difference is that no Binding Task needs to be performed (it's replaced by the bond), and the keeper can only place one enchantment per Level of the familiar. Each enchantment is also limited by the Level of the familiar unless stated otherwise.

Note that the level of the bond also dictates how far away the familiar can be in order for the keeper to use them as an Amulet, Augment, Bias, Focus or Juju. If the familiar is enchanted to be a Talisman the familiar can also activate the spells it has been enchanted with. This is a common way for keepers to protect their fragile friends from harm.

Example familiars

Korri the crow

Korri is a black crow. Korri is often sent on spying missions on behalf of his mistress. He is not equipped with a lot of spells, or other enchantments, but is a high level so his mistress can see through his eyes. Korri often uses the Speak spell to talk to others, or to convey a message from his mistress (often veiled threats). Since Korri is Level 6 he is of human intelligence, and can think logically (even more so than an average crow).

Talisman Spell Descriptions

Endurance

This spell allows the target of the spell to perform physical activity without tiring for the duration of this spell.

Speak

The Speak spell makes all around the target of the spell to be understood, no matter what they speak (even animal).

Mooses the rat

Mooses is a white fat lazy rat. Mooses' master is also quite lazy and the two never stray far apart.

Talisman Spell Descriptions

Confusion

The Confusion spell will strongly confuse the target and make them distracted (-2 to all activity). Mooses' master often triggers this effect after letting them hold the fat fluffball. And then uses their confusion against them.

Storage

The Storage spell creates a pocket dimension where one item can be stored to or retrieved from. The item can not weigh more than 5kg. Retrieving an item also requires using a charge and can be done by Mooses or his keeper. Mooses' keeper has trained Mooses to use this power to pick pockets of whoever is holding him (while they are Confused from the other power).

Orion the black cat

Orion is a black cat. He is always around his master, often in places you least expect! Orion has been enchanted as a talisman allowing him to Blink (teleport), turn invisible.

Talisman Spell Descriptions

Blink

With this spell the caster can blink (teleport) to any location within 2 Zones away. Caster needs to make an Awareness or Perception check when re-materializing or spend 1 Combat Turn getting re-oriented.

Invisibility

This spell makes the target and everything they wear invisible. Any new objects picked up while this spell is active will also become invisible as soon as the caster wears them (or pockets them).

Cloak shape

This spell allows the caster to turn themselves into a cloak. The cloak can be any color the caster chooses. Use the shape shifting rules to see how long the transformation takes.

Specter the mini-dragon

Specter is a 1.5 meter (5 foot) long (head to tail) dragon. Specter is black, has small wings, which help her steer herself while flying, but she flies using magic. Specter's keeper is a relatively old wizard who has put quite a lot of enchantment into Specter, therefore the range of their bond is quite long indeed.

Talisman Spell Descriptions

Teleport

Teleport teleports the caster anywhere they know. If the spell fails the caster is not teleported. After the spell finishes (successfully or not) the caster must make an Awareness (or Perception) check, or else needs 1 Combat Turn to orient themselves.

Chain Lightning

Chain Lightning is like Lightning Bolt, except that it strikes up to 7 targets within the same zone.

Flying

This spell allows the caster to fly a whole day. It is 4 Manipulation Concepts for moving in any direction, and doing complex moves, plus 2 more for speed.