written by Jonathan Long

Familiars

The Druid starts out with a Lesser Familiar. In order for the Druid to upgrade to an Intermediate or Greater Familiar, she must sacrifice one level point per level of the Familiar. This means that an Intermediate Familiar costs 2 level points total and the Greater Familiars are worth 3 Level points. However, the Familiars are also worth their full value if you want to set one Familiar free and "upgrade". Thus, a level 2 Druid can set his Lesser Familiar free and get an Intermediate Familiar. At level 3 he could set his Intermediate free and upgrade to a Greater. The Lesser Familiars are worth 1 level point by themselves. This means that the level 2 Druid can pick up a 2nd Lesser Familiar, and a level 3 Druid could run 3 Lesser Familiars.





Lesser Familiars

Attack Dice2
Defend Dice2
Body Points3
Mind Points2
Feat of Strength7
Feat of Dexterity5



Cat: Movement 1D10

Infravision: The Cat has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can see heat and sense motion. Any character within 5 open spaces of the Cat can be seen. If the Druid is traveling with the Cat, he/she may look through its eyes, thus also gaining the ability.

Sneak Attack: The Cat is quick and silent. It may sneak past monsters in its path by rolling anything but a skull. If the Cat is the first character to enter a room, its attack is raised by one Combat Die. This ability may only be used if the Cat is moving independently of the Druid.

Giant Rat: Movement 1D10

Plague: The Rat's attack carries disease. If the Rat attacks by itself, and it successfully takes off at least one Body Point, the character will continue to lose one Body Point until death unless the disease is removed by a pure potion. This disease is magical and will even affect creatures normally unaffected by it.

Rat Pack: Rats move in groups. Every time the Druid and Rat enter a room with another Rat in it, you roll 1D6. On a roll of 4 or higher, the Rat joins you, and your specs go up to reflect it. One roll per Rat.

At any time should the Druid lose the familiar, he/she may pick up a rat by entering a room with a rat on the furniture, and rolling 1D8. On a roll of 7 or 8, the Rat becomes the new familiar for the duration of that game. The Druid may chose at the beginning of the next game if he/she will keep the Rat or pick a new familiar.

Giant Frog: Movement 1D10

Poison: The Frog's attack is venomous. If the Frog attacks by itself, and it successfully takes off at least one Body Point, the character will continue to lose one Body Point until death unless the venom is removed by a Venom Antidote. This venom is magical and will even affect creatures normally unaffected by it.

Fire Resistance: The Frog's moist skin gives it a natural resistance to fire. The Frog gets an extra two red die (2D6) in defense to all fire attacks: Firestorm, Ball of Flame, DragonFlame, Fire of Wrath, etc. If the Druid is moving with the Frog, they get this resistance also.

Essence of the Frog: By taking the frog as a familiar, the Druid gains the ability to leap. Once per game, the Druid may ignore any furniture in their path (except Bookshelves and Cupboards)

Great Horned Owl: Movement 1D12 (or 2D6)

Infravision: The Owl has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can see heat and sense motion. Any character within 5 open spaces of the Owl can be seen. If the Druid is traveling with the Owl, he/she may look through its eyes, thus also gaining the ability.

Shriek: The Owl has a shriek which will instill fear in any monster in earshot. Monsters affected will lose 2 combat die in both attack and defend (will not lower below 1). Monsters defend by rolling 1D6 per each Mind Point. On a roll of 6, they regain their confidence.

Dragonet: Movement 1D12 (or 2D6)

FlameLick: Once per game the Dragonet may blow flame on one adjacent character. This flame will inflict 2 Body Points of damage. The victim then rolls two red die (2D6). For each 5 or 6 rolled, the damage is reduced by 1 Body Point.

FrostLick: Once per game the Dragonet may blow icicles at one adjacent character. These icicles will inflict 2 Body Points of damage. The victim then rolls two red die (2D6). For each 5 or 6 rolled, the damage is reduced by 1 Body Point.

Bane Resistance: As Dragon-kin, the Dragonet is immune to DragonBane. If the Druid is moving with the Dragonet, he/she also gains this immunity.

Vampire Bat: Movement 2D12

Echolocation: The Bat has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can sense anything with mass. The bat can "see" anything (walls, monsters, furniture) within a five space radius. If the Druid is traveling with the Bat, he/she also gains this ability.

Leech: Any time the bat attacks, he drains energy off his target. For every three Body Points he takes off via attack, he absorbs one. If the Bat is at full health, these points are transferred to the Druid. This ability will not give the Druid or the Bat more than his/her starting number.

Ferret: Movement 1D10

Sneaky: The Ferret is quick and silent. It may sneak past monsters in its path by rolling anything but a black shield.

Trip Attack: Any creature who tries to attack the Ferret has to roll 1D6. On a roll of anything but a 5 or 6 the Ferret successfully trips its opponent and they forfeit both their attack & the rest of their turn.

Increased Defense: The ferret is a extremely quick animal, and is very hard to hit. Thus, it has a higher defense. The Druid, by taking this familiar, also takes on some of these characteristics, and may raise his/her defense by one as well.

Hawk: Movement 2D12

Flying Attack: If the Hawk is independently attacking a flying creature, it may attack twice in one turn.

Quick Response: If the Hawk is attacked with any kind of projectile weapon or spell, it gets one extra combat die, or one extra red die (1D6), in defense. Eagle Eyes: When the Hawk is moving with the Druid, the Druid may look through the bird's eyes, vastly improving his/her own accuracy with projectiles. Any monster attacked by the Druid using this ability loses one combat die in defense.



Intermediate Familiars

Attack Dice2
Defend Dice2
Body Points3
Mind Points2
Feat of Strength7
Feat of Dexterity5



Lynx: Movement 2D6

Infravision: The Lynx has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can see heat and sense motion. Any character within 5 open spaces of the Lynx can be seen. If the Druid is traveling with the Lynx, he/she may look through its eyes, thus also gaining the ability.

Sneak Attack: The Lynx is quick and silent. It may sneak past monsters in its path by rolling anything but a skull. If the Lynx is the first character to enter a room, its attack is raised by two Combat Die. This ability may only be used if the Lynx is moving independently of the Druid.

Faerie Dragon: Movement 1D10

Regeneration: The Faerie Dragon may cast this on any one hero, including itself. The recipient of this spell will regenerate 2 lost Body Points of damage for 1D6 rounds. This spell will not give a Hero more than his/her starting number.

Ruse: Once per game the Faerie Dragon may cause multiple images of itself and the Druid to appear, giving them both 3 extra defend die. The ruse lasts for 2 turns.

Bane Resistance: As Dragon-kin, the Faerie Dragon is immune to DragonBane. If the Druid is moving with the Faerie Dragon, he/she also gains this immunity.

Badger: Movement 1D10

Aggressive Nature: The badger is by nature an ornery animal. If it is ever singled out and attacked apart from the Druid, it goes into a berserk frenzy and its attack goes up by two die, and it gets two attacks until it can no longer "see" a monster.

Tenacious*(1): Typical of your species, you show a great deal of tenacity in the face of terrible odds. If you suffer body hits from a trap or attack which lower your Body Points to zero, once per game you may reset them to one.

Diamond Back Rattlesnake: Movement 2D10

Defend = 4
Sneaky: The Rattler is quick and silent. It may sneak past monsters in its path by rolling anything but a black shield.

Poison: This viper's attack is venomous. If the snake attacks by itself, and it successfully takes off at least one Body Point, the character will continue to lose two Body Point until death unless the venom is removed by a Venom Antidote. This venom is magical and will even affect creatures normally unaffected by it.

Quick Response: The Rattler has lightening quick reflexes, and has a higher defend than the other intermediate familiars (4). If the Druid is traveling with the snake, he/she gains an additional 4 attack die (without having to subtract one), instead of the usual 2.

Raccoon: Movement 2D6

Mind Points=4 Feat of Dex=12
Infravision: The Coon has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can see heat and sense motion. Any character within 5 open spaces of the ringtail can be seen. If the Druid is traveling with the Raccoon, he/she may look through its eyes, thus also gaining the ability.

Cunning: The Raccoon is an extremely intelligent animal, and has very skilled hands. The Coon can disarm traps and pick locks without a toolkit on a D20 roll of 12 or lower.

Wolf: Movement 2D8

Scent: The Wolf has an excellent sense of smell, and can detect even the slightest air currents coming from secret doors, which it detects automatically from a two space radius.

Pack Hunter: The Wolf is an instinctive hunter who hunts best in a pack. Whenever the Wolf is moving with the Druid, they gain the ability to attack twice per turn.

Fox: Movement 2D8

Attack =4 Mind Points =4
Scent: The Fox has an excellent sense of smell, and can detect even the slightest air currents coming from secret doors, which it detects automatically from a two space radius.

Tactical Advantage: The Fox is an extremely cunning animal who instinctively knows how to keep his opponent off balance while attacking, and thus has a higher attack (4). The Fox may also perform a Coup De Grace. If the Fox successfully lowers a Character to one Body Point, the Druid may order a Coup De Grace. At this point, both the Fox and the victim roll 1D6 per Mind Point. If the die total for the Fox is higher, the Coup De Grace is successful.



Greater Familiars

Attack Dice2
Defend Dice2
Body Points3
Mind Points2
Feat of Strength7
Feat of Dexterity5



Note: Greater Familiars DO set off traps and activate rooms.

Puma: Movement 2D10

Infravision: The Puma has the ability to "see" in the dark. When moving down a dark corridor or in a dark room, it can see heat and sense motion. Any character within 5 open spaces of the Puma can be seen. If the Druid is traveling with the Puma, he/she may look through its eyes, thus also gaining the ability.

Sneak Attack: The Puma is quick and silent. It may sneak past monsters in its path by rolling anything but a skull. If the Puma is the first character to enter a room, its attack is raised by three Combat Die. This ability may only be used if the Puma is moving independently of the Druid.

Hyena: Movement 2D10

Berserk: The Hyena is by nature a viscous animal, and twice per game it may go "berserk". During this time, the Hyena gets one extra attack and one extra attack die until it can no longer "see" a monster.

Carrion Craving: The Hyena is a scavenger who feeds off the remains of dead animals. Your Hyena has gained a particular liking for the taste for carrion. Whenever the Hyena skips a turn after a big battle to finish off a bodily Undead (Phantoms, Bean Sidhes, Undines, and Spectres are incorporeal), they gain one extra combat die in both attack and defense for 3 turns.

Razorback: Movement 2D8

Feat of Str =12
Aggressive Nature: The Warthog is by nature an ornery animal. If it is ever singled out and attacked apart from the Druid, it goes into a berserk frenzy and its attack goes up by one die until it can no longer "see" a monster.

Tenacious*(1): Typical of your species, you show a great deal of tenacity in the face of terrible odds. If you suffer body hits from a trap or attack which lower your Body Points to zero, once per game you may reset them to one.

Double Attack: The Warthog excels in close combat, and may attack two adjacent characters in one turn.

Grizzly Bear: Movement 2D6

Feat of Str. =17 Attack =6
Claws: The Grizzly has massive claws which it may use to attack any two adjacent characters each turn.

Roar: Five times per game the Bear may stand up on its hind legs and roar. This instills fear in every monster in earshot. Characters affected lose 4 dice in both attack and defend (although it will never lower a character below 1), and may not attack for 1D8 turns. Monsters defend by rolling 1D8 per Mind Point. If they roll an 8, they regain their confidence.

White-tailed Stag: Movement 2D8

Attack =5
Antlers: The Deer has antlers which it uses with great skill in combat. For every adjacent character that is attacking the Deer, it's defend goes up by one. This bonus is not calculated when it is attacked by a monster using a ranged spell or weapon. If the Druid is traveling with the deer, he or she also gains this ability.

Danger Sense: The Deer has a great feel for danger. Whenever the Druid pulls a "Wandering Monster", the Deer may attack first, even if it has already performed an action that turn.




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