Familiar CYOA 0.3

MAGE’S FAMILIAR

Well, it appears you’re dead. Unfortunate. Your soul and consciousness flies, formless, through the Astral Plane and to your final destination, the light at the end of the tunnel. Before you cross the threshold, though, mystic runes and symbols appear around you, and the light you were fast speeding to abruptly disappears like a snuffed torch, and all goes black.

“Ah! It worked!”

You blearily blink your eyes open and try to get your bearings. Everything feels off, you try to sit up, only to realize the world around you is far, far bigger than you’re used to. A voice speaks to you, no, inside of you, probing your mind, distant echoes of awe and wonder. Somehow, it puts you at ease, it’s a voice you can trust, a voice that will help you if you help it, the voice of your Master.

Wait, Master?

Knowledge floods into your mind, and you instantly learn the basics of the world you’re in, a realm called Catheridge, a country called Xeria. A world of magic, ancient wonders, and fantastic races. Thoughts of Earth become fuzzy, distant memories, overridden by the knowledge and power seeping into your head. The world around you clears, and you look up to your new companion, who is a…

(Choose WIZARD or WITCH)

WIZARD - Knowledge and Power

Wizards are male, scholarly, studious mages who draw power from Rule Magic, which was designed by Io, the Master of Time and Father of Gods; though Wizards tend not to be overtly religious. Runes, glyphs, incantations and foci are what they use to channel their magic, and a Wizard’s familiar aids them by specializing in a certain school of magic and passively sharpening their senses and focus. You help him study, do little errands, and enhance the power of his spells. Wizards are respected throughout the country, and their advice and knowledge is well regarded.

WITCH - Compassion and Mystery

Witches are female, mysterious, wild pariahs who draw power from spirit magic, created by Eva, Mother of Nature and the Spiritual Caretaker. Alchemy, hexes, sorceries, and fetishes (no, not THAT kind of fetish, you perv) are how they channel their magic, and a Witch’s familiar is their source. Though you can’t personally cast anything, you feel power lying dormant in your body, a mysterious force that can only be harnessed by your master. Witch’s familiars tend to be more independent, clever, and aloof than a Wizards, but they are deeply connected to their master. Witches are feared and shunned in civilized society, but nonetheless are the only masters of spirit magic, and can become a force to be reckoned with.

You take a moment to examine your new life partner and take in every aspect of their body. They’re so much bigger than you, but you feel safe before them…

(Choose ONE of the below, based off of your master’s class)

Your Wizard is a…

Young Student: A freshman teen at the prestigious King’s Academy in the capitol city of Xeria, Ambition City. He’s a young, wide-eyed apprentice, somewhere around 15 or so, who’ll be spending the next 5 years learning all there is to know about wizardry. It’s going to be some time before you see the world outside of the city, but it’s safe, poses little danger or adventure, and there are plenty of other familiars (read: anons) like yourself you can hang out with.

Adult Mage: A young man in his 20s, once apprenticed to a wizard outside of the academy. He has ideas and theories he wants to put to the test, and a wanderlust to see the world and delve into its many secrets. This fellow is going to be joining an adventuring party soon, and you’ll be able to enjoy many of the sights, sounds, and dangers the world of Catheridge has to offer. There’s no other wizards or witches in this group, however, so aside from your master, get ready to be a little lonely. Maybe you’ll see other mages on the road?

Elder Master: (You are an Improved Familiar!) An older wizard of high status and renown, he decided to bid his old familiar farewell and use his powerful magic to summon a better, stronger familiar, which happens to be you. This Wizard is a font of knowledge and is supremely powerful, using his abilities to help govern and further unlock the great secrets of rule magic. He sits in a council of other archmages, with their own familiars, and it’s a tight, prestigious circle to be in. However, you’re going to have a lot of responsibilities as an Improved Familiar, expected to learn and cast spells of your own, send messages back and forth, and participate in a lot of very risky, very dangerous magical rituals.

Your Witch is a…

Orphaned Waif: Saint Adella’s Orphanage for Girls and Animal Shelter exists in the seedier, forgotten underbelly of Ambition City, and is run by a Madame Circe. On the surface, it looks like a two-part, large manor, one section devoted to the orphans, and the other devoted to animal care. Below the surface, though, the Madame teaches young girls the secrets of witchcraft, and your new master happens to be one such girl. The orphanage is safe, the Madame kind-hearted, and the animal shelter houses a good number of other familiars. It allows for a good deal of privacy when you’re not with your Master.

Wandering Mistress: The wilds of Xeria are host to many small, tight-knit communities and solitary wagons and travelers. Your master happens to own one such wagon, and, in fact, is part of a trader’s caravan that carouses the country. Having a good grasp of the basics of alchemy and spirit magic, this lovely vixen decided it was high time to get a familiar. Her wagon is cozy and the people of the caravan exotic and friendly. But traveling the roads can be dangerous and treacherous at times, and your master will rely on you to help keep the people safe. The caravan’s large enough to host one or two other witches, but aside from that you and your master have plenty of time to get well acquainted.

Wizened Hag: (You are an Improved Familiar!) Okay, so she’s not really a spring chicken, but don’t underestimate this old and experienced dame. This master of spiritual magic learned all she could from her previous familiar, and used its knowledge to ascend to the next level. This kind, mature lady works with a coven of several other witches (and their familiars!) to help keep their secluded part of the forest and a nearby village safe from dangers, while also occasionally practicing… questionable arts. Expect to take part in or assist with complex alchemy, scout the forest and land on a regular basis, and hunt for rare and valuable reagents!

SPECIES

Now that you’ve had a chance to share thoughts with and get to know your master, you take a moment to look over yourself, and, well, suffice to say, you aren’t human anymore. The type of creature you are is mostly aesthetic, but there are certain things to consider when you realize what you are, which is a…

(Choose ONE species group, and any animal you can think of belonging to it, or ONE of the specific options if you’re an Improved Familiar)

MAMMAL: One of the broadest and most common types of familiar. Mammals range from the timid mouse to the clever fox. Anything from house cats, rodents, mustelids, and small canines fall in this group. Hell, you could even be a small monkey if you want. They move swiftly over the ground, can take a fair amount of punishment, and, depending on the specific animal you choose, don’t draw attention when taken out to settled society.

AVIAN: Ravens and owls tend to be the common picks, but any bird smaller than a hawk is eligible to be a mage’s familiar, bats fall under this group as well. Avians, obviously, can fly (which is a lot of fun), and are well suited to delivering written notes between places. Avians tend to perch out of reach, as they are quite fragile, and usually don’t draw attention unless you perch on your master’s shoulder, or arm, or head. Mind the talons if you’re a bird of prey!

REPTILE: Geckos, snakes, frogs, toads (yes, I know frogs and toads technically aren’t reptiles), turtles, and regular ol’ lizards fall into this category, and are one of the more exotic choices for a mage’s familiar. Expect stares in public. Reptiles tend to be docile and passive, but can exhibit surprising bursts of speed and a good deal of them are either poisonous or venomous. Try not to get too cold, however.

INSECT: No, nothing like a fly or bee. Insect familiars are intimidating and creepy, and can be large spiders, scorpions, ants, or centipedes. You can creep and crawl all over the place, and, uniquely, are naturally resilient to mind-affecting spells and illusions, as insect minds are hard to comprehend and have unique senses when compared to other familiars. You’re very sneaky and are the smallest of the familiars, but also quite easily squash-able and can scare the living daylights out of most people, so watch out!

IMPROVED FAMILIARS

Improved Familiars are specific creatures that are inherently magical or fantastic, they’re far more capable and stronger than regular familiars, but have more responsibilities and restrictions as well. If you have the good fortune to be such a creature, choose one from the 9 presented below. Improved Familiars are locked into a set of certain perks, with only enough flexibility to choose 1 extra perk, as opposed to the regular 3.

CARBUNCLE: The carbuncle is a magical, levitating beast with a bright red gem embedded in its forehead. It’s a colorful, curious, and charming creature, floating playfully around its master. Physically, it resembles a vibrantly blue colored fox, with a white belly, and a huge, fluffy tail just begging to be touched. Mages with carbuncles tend to get along well with children. A Carbuncle’s locked perks are Charming, Ray, and Speedy.

ELEMENTAL: Technically 4 familiars in one. Elementals are, well, raw elements given form and consciousness. In Catheridge, each of the 4 elements correspond to one of the core deities of the realm, and elementals are seen as manifestations of their power. Regardless of their origins, elementals can take the form of burning fire, surging water, stout earth, or swirling wind, taking whatever shape they please, be it animalistic, humanoid, or just a formless mass. An Elemental’s Locked perks depend on the element you choose.
Fire: Ignite, Luminous, Resistant: Fire
Water: Freedom, Sturdy, Resistant: Cold
Earth: Digger, Sturdy, Resistant: Acid
Air: Speedy, Warper, Resistant: Shock

IMP: A tiny, infernal, humanoid thing with a pointy tail and bat-like wings, imps are denizens of the Burning Plane who savor trickery and encourage their owner to practice darker magics. Since you yourself aren’t technically from the Burning Plane, however, you can just do whatever you like. You’re about a foot tall, but have a humanoid frame and legitimate hands for manipulating objects, in addition to wings to fly with! Imps are locked into the Detector, Vanish and Venomous perks.

MYSTICAL: Sometimes a wizard or witch loved their old familiar so much that instead of getting an entirely new creature, they infuse their old familiar with potent magic and an ascended body. Mystic familiars can resemble any of the 4 classes of regular familiars, except you emit a soft glow and are covered with runes. A Mystic Familiar’s body resonates with the strength of their master, and sometimes they can have skin like starlight, emit soft wisps of flame, and other cool effects. Mystical Familiar’s locked perks are Detector, Telepathic, and Wand User.

POOKA: A tiny fey creature resembling a rabbit crossed with an elf, pookas are the favored familiars of powerful witches. They’re extremely fast, handy survivalists, and pranksters and thrill-seekers. They love to have fun, sometimes at the expense of others, and are adept at procuring and pilfering supplies. Out of all the familiars, pookas tend to be the more personable. A pooka’s locked perks are Guide, Pickpocket, and Speedy.

PSEUDO DRAGON: You’re a tiny little dragon! You’re about the size of a house cat with a wingspan comparable to a hawk. Pseudo dragons tend to be friendly, playful familiars that are also highly protective of their masters. You can breathe little gouts of flame and are the apex predator of insects, rodents, small birds and snakes. Pseudo dragons are locked into the Breath Weapon, Sturdy, and Telepathic perks.

TIMEKEEPER: Timekeepers resemble brilliant, clockwork spheres that can burst apart, revealing a shining core beneath them. Timekeepers are servants of Io, and, as a result, tend to be sign of a highly prestigious wizard when called as familiars. Timekeepers make great living journals, as they can store all sorts of information within their core. Timekeeper locked perks are Detector, Guide, and Luminous.

VOID WORM: A creature of magic from the depths of space, void worms are long, floating, luminous, snake-like beings of chaos and illusion, favored by wizards who practice Evoking and Illusion, and witches who contemplate The Stars and The Unknown. Void Worms slide through the air like eels in water and glow brightly with any color they want on the spectrum. Void Worms are locked into the Freedom, Luminous, and Mind Shock perks.

WISP: Appearing as a floating ball of harmless, yet comforting blue flames, taking a shape vaguely reminiscent a human head. Wisps in Catheridge are agents of fate and guides to the lost. Appearing and disappearing to help guide travelers to their destiny, for good or ill. They’re mysterious creatures, but experienced Mages can get one as a familiar. Wisps are locked into the Ignite, Luminous, and Warper perks.


FOCUS

Now that you’ve had time to gather your bearings, your new master nods and you close your eyes. Each mage in Catheridge dedicates themselves to one field of mage. Schools for wizards, and Mysteries for witches. This field dictates what kind of mage your master will be, and grants you a special power based upon it…

(Choose ONE category, and then ONE of the TWO powers listed under it.)

Your Wizard’s School is…

Universalist: Your master does a little bit of everything, studying magic just for magic’s sake. As a result, he’s quite flexible, and can accomplish anything given enough time to prepare.
 -Telekinesis: You can lift stuff with your mind! Anything within arm’s reach for a normal human you can lift and manipulate as long as the object in question is under 10 lbs. or so. You can manipulate mechanisms with this power, open doors and chests, turn things on and off, and so on.
 -Attunement: Your master can store a relatively low power spell in you that you can use at will. Anything from a self defense spell, to utility. Less strain on his mind and a nifty power for you! Using the spell yourself is relatively weaker than if your master cast it, lasting a shorter duration, not dealing as much damage, etc.

Abjuration: Abjurers are the defensive masters of the magical world, specializing in wards, counter spells, and resistances.
 -Forcefield: You can cover yourself in a spherical field of force that defends against one incoming attack or spell, then shatters. The field can be reconstructed after a brief cool down, around 30 seconds or so.
 -Return to Sender: You can attune yourself to an element or type of non-physical damage of your choice and can absorb energy from spells of that damage type in your body, releasing it back as a missile to your target. If you choose the element you have the Resistant perk for, absorbing the element heals you and gives you a burst of energy. This attunement lasts until you sleep and can’t be changed once made.

Conjuration: Conjurers are the summoners of the magical world, specializing in teleportation, calling creatures to their aid, and creating something from nothing.
 -Recall: Lost? Separated from your master’s side? No worries! With recall, whenever you leave within 10 feet of your master, you can teleport to his side at will. This works regardless of where you are in the Realm. Great for scouting and sending messages!
 -Summon Friend: Conjurers are never alone, and so are their familiars. Summon Friend allows you to create a bond with another willing animal or familiar (get their master’s permission!) and summon them to your side for a few minutes. Regular familiars can befriend animals in their species group (a mouse can befriend a lion, but not an eagle).

Divination: Diviners are the secret finders and seers of the magical world, specializing in detection, prediction magic, and knowledge.
 -Danger Sense: Familiars tend to be more aware of the world around them, and this power amplifies that by tenfold. You can sense attacks and dangers before they happen and warn your master. This allows you to dodge attacks with ease, avoid traps, and generally keep you and your master safe.
 -Peek: Peek allows you to share your vision with your master, letting him see things without exposing himself when stealth is needed. You can also set up a magical “camera” in a spot you touch that both you and your master can see through that lasts until you dismiss it.

Enchantment: Enchanters are the charmers and controllers of the magical world, specializing in charms, compulsions, and manipulations of the mind.
 -Cheer: You can spur your friends and master, improving their focus on whatever task they have at hand. They function better in combat, focus better with their studies, and become less prone to mistakes.
 -Heckle: You can jeer, chirp, and distract enemies, sending waves of physic disturbances to them to force them to split their focus. You can make an enemy more prone to mistakes, unable to focus, and make it easier for your master to take advantage of them.

Evocation: Evokers are the offensive powerhouses of the magical world, defending their country from invasions, creating, and destroying with the power of raw magic.
 -Force Dart: Simple, efficient. Force Dart lets you throw an unerring… well, dart of force at any target you can see. The dart hits with the strength of a solid punch when launched at enemies, and can break most small objects with ease. It’s also quite spammable.
 -Elemental Touch: For familiars that like to live dangerously, Elemental touch infuses your paw, tail, limb, whatever with a surge of elemental power that can be released with a touch. It can start fires, cause frostbite (and freeze food!), release a surge of electricity, and melt through flesh and wood with acid. Please use responsibly.

Illusion: Illusionists are more than just stage magicians, creating figments and phantasms to confound their enemies and amaze their friends.
 -Disguise: You can magically alter your appearance to resemble that of any other small critter or animal you can think of. The disguise is an illusion, and other mages might see through it, while common folk will be none the wiser.
 -Spook: You can enhance your stealth and make quick noises and moving shadows in a small area, causing paranoia to anyone in the vicinity with scuttling noises, distant cries, and movement at the edge of their vision. Or you can just muffle the noise you make and cover yourself in shadow.

Necromancy: Ever the controversial school, Necromancers create undead and command the powers of life and death.
 -Zombified: You don’t go down easily. Your body is fueled by necromantic energy, and as such you have no heartbeat, blood flow, or nervous system. You can be decapitated, cut in half, burned, whatever, and all that needs to be done is have your master put you together again. Scars are forever, though!
 -Lifesense: You can sense the living and un-living energy of creatures around you, switching your vision to a foggy blur where living creatures appear as glowing auras and undead creatures appear as black, crackling auras. The range for this is limited to about 50 feet or so, but it sees through all surfaces.

Transmutation: Transmuters are the movers and shakers of the magical world, able physically change their surroundings and themselves with magic.
 -Enlarge: You can grow up to the size of a horse! This increases your strength several times over, and, assuming your body type supports it, allows your master to use you as a traveling mount. This ability requires focus to maintain, and significant distractions (like combat) will end it, but otherwise this ability can be used at will.
 -Wallop: You can infuse yourself with a burst of great strength, and release it with a single rapid, charging strike. Used against a creature, the force of the blow easily sends them flying. You can knock doors off hinges, and even charge through walls. The exertion is tiresome, though, fatiguing your little body, and you won’t be able to use the ability again until you get some rest.


Your Witch’s Mystery is…


The Body: Witches of The Body specialize in sorceries that alter the living form, potions that promote health and well being. She and her familiar contemplate the purpose of the mortal body, and work to ever improve it.
 -Humanize: You can change your body and take on a more human form, although not very aged, you’d look like a small child. The change isn’t perfect, though, and you still retain some animalistic or unusual features, such as ears, a tail, unusual hair, tufts of fur or feathers, and so on. This change lasts as long as you can focus on it, but your perks become unavailable while human.
 -Cleanse: You can heal those you touch, purging toxins, closing cuts, mending bones, and even curing the sniffles! The worse the condition, the longer you have to remain in contact with your patient. Minor cuts and bruises heal in seconds. Cleansing poisons and viruses takes a minute or two. And broken bones and serious injuries or burns can take upward of an hour.

The Forest: Witches of The Forest specialize in all things of the natural world and woods. They get along with fey, befriend animals, and attune themselves with nature. She and her familiar contemplate the splendors of nature, and work to keep it safe and balanced with society.
 -Wild Shape: You can take the form of a fierce predatory animal for a few minutes, such as a wolf, cougar, shark, roc, owl, bear, owlbear, and so on. The form is more than capable in combat, and you can have your master ride you for the brief time it’s active, assuming you’re large enough. The ability only lets you become an animal or magical beast, with basic forms to start and more powerful ones as your master gets stronger.
 -Forest Stride: While near your master, you and your witch are, for all intents and purposes, unable to be tracked while out in the wilderness. This applies to more than just forests; plains, deserts, tundra, and mountains are fine too. Underbrush and natural terrain slides harmlessly past you, and creatures hunting for you cannot find your scent or even sense your presence unless you approach them directly or start casting something.

The Lake: There are great things beneath the waters, and witches of The Lake specialize in the powers of what lies below, both mundane and eldritch. She and her familiar contemplate the secrets of water, and work to master its contents.
 -Suffocate: This particularly cruel ability lets you fill the lungs of any living nearby creature with water. Not enough to drown the victim, but definitely enough to force them into a coughing, hacking fit for a bit. More than enough time to let your Master take advantage of the victim. The ability can be used once every few minutes. In addition to this, you no longer need to breathe air.
 -Reflection: It is said the surface of clear water can reveal distant places, and you can use them to your advantage. Reflection allows you to attune yourself to any 2 bodies of relatively clear, enclosed water (so the ocean’s out of the question, but anything smaller than a lake is fine) and allows you to dive between them as portals. Your master can join you as well, but the surface must be big enough (not necessarily deep enough) to fit through.

The Mind: Witches of The Mind specialize in mental manipulations and the essence of consciousness. What makes a person a person? She and her familiar contemplate themselves, the minds of others, and work to master mental magic.
 -Through Your Eyes: You can look at a single person, close your eyes, and see the world through theirs, like a backseat passenger in their head. You can’t communicate with your mental ride (unless you’re telepathic, then you can become a voice in their head! Yay, insanity!), but anything your subject sees, hears, and says, you become privy to. Use this with your master or subject before you sleep and you will share dreams with them. The effect ends when you open your eyes, and overrides your sense of hearing (and vision, obviously).
 -Memory Lapse: Long and short of it, you and your master can wipe the memory of people, and make them forget you met or even existed. You cannot wipe your master’s memory, so don’t get any bright ideas. You can only wipe the memory of your existence, however, and the effect only takes place when you leave the sight of those interacting with you. Get creative!

The Moon: Witches of the Moon specialize in nocturnal magic and the mysteries of the night. They move about in the shadows, control lycanthropy, and manage insanity and mental illnesses. She and her familiar contemplate the wonders of the night, and work to spread or control the madness it might incur.
 -Lunacy Control: Lycanthropy is an uncommon affliction in Xeria, but witches of The Moon can spread it with a complex hex. As her familiar, you can mentally exert control of a rampant lycanthrope or lunatics of the night who otherwise aren’t… all there. You give up control of your body while controlling someone in this way. Shifted Lycanthropes can be controlled easily, while lunatics and maniacs are more… risky.
 -Nocturnal Blessing: You and your master are just… better, in the night. When the sun sets, you both get a surge of speed and strength, becoming twice as fast, twice as strong, and gain enhanced vision in darkness. Additionally, you become a shadow in the night, moving like a flitting bat in the corner of your eyes. During the night, you (but not your master) are nigh undetectable unless you directly approach someone.

The North: Witches of The North (or South, I don’t discriminate, though there ain’t much down there in Catheridge) specialize in freezing cold and auroral splendor. They fear not the winter, and have let the cold embrace them and their familiar. You both contemplate the wonder of the Northern Lights, and work to spread and master the cold sting of winter.
 -Northern Lights: You can both summon the aurora! Sort of, in a minor fashion. You can fill the air directly above you with a scintillating curtain of colors about 30 feet across. The colors dance and fascinate all who see them in the immediate area, and for a minute or so, the aurora is all they can focus on. Other mages and familiars are immune to this effect. The lights follow you, and also provide a pleasant warmth in the area underneath it. It lasts until dismissed.
-Rimefrost: You emit a constant aura of cold, bits of snow and frost constantly fall off of you, and you can suppress or intensify this aura at will. You and your master become immune to the rigors of extreme temperatures (staying cool while it’s hot, and functioning fine in the cold). While the aura is suppressed, you’re still cool to the touch. Intensified, the aura can quickly cause frostbite in those near to you. You’re also great for preserving food and cooling drinks.

The Spirit: Perhaps a little redundant, given witches practice “Spirit Magic,” but Witches of The Spirit are adept at communicating and dealing with the intangible, ghosts, spirits of the wild, and so on. She and her familiar contemplate the afterlife, and work to appease spirits and put ghosts to rest.
 -Ghostwalk: Every minute or so, you and your master can become ethereal for a few seconds. Allowing you to pass through solid barriers, walls, and the floor. You get shunted to the nearest open space if you’re still ethereal while in a solid object. While ethereal, you can’t interact with objects, but your master can still cast spells and you can use any magical perks you have (Ray, Ignite, Mind Shock, etc.).
Spirit’s Call: You and your master can see, call, and communicate with the spirits of the wild, mysterious, intangible beings who control the flow and well-being of the natural world. Spirits can manifest as guardians in a pickle, and can empathetically communicate the state of the area around you, showing visions and emotions. Helping these spirits makes it easier to live in the wild and curries their favor when in a time of need.

The Unknown: Beyond the stars, past the planes, there lies a dark, unknown void in which unknowable terrors lie, and witches of The Unknown seek to understand and commune with these beings. She and her familiar contemplate life beyond the stars, and, through sheer force of will, call upon the power of these beings without succumbing to madness.
 -Visions of Horror: With a gaze, you and your master can wrack the brain of any creature in your sight with visions of the great terrors from beyond. Suffice to say, it’s not easily comprehended, and usually induces a manic frenzy in those afflicted, you can do this every few minutes. Any attempts to physically and magically scare or frighten you fails to work, as the visions you’ve seen are far worse than anything Catheridge can produce.
 -Aberrant Anatomy: You’re… weird. Too many eyes. Slimy or slick skin. Bones in places they shouldn’t be. And, of course, tentacles. Whatever the case is, you possess an alien and unnatural anatomy, a “gift” from the things beyond. And your anatomy makes you hard to kill, hard to mentally control, and hard to restrain. Your master can temporarily grant herself these alien features as well, lasting for a few minutes before reverting and needing to rest.

The Winds: The sky and clouds above are the ultimate symbol of freedom, and witches of The Winds are blessed with control over these powers, allowing flight, summoning storms, and crossing terrain quickly. She and her familiar contemplate the ebb and flow of the wind and clouds, and work to embrace the freedom they bring.
 -Tease the Wind: From a light breeze, to a powerful gale, you and your master can conjure blasts of wind at will, with momentary rest periods depending on the force of the air used. Making a cool breeze is almost effortless, while summoning a gale to blow enemies away leaves you quite winded. You also move faster than normal when traveling with the wind.
 -Call of the Clouds: You and your master can create a cloud at ground level, obscuring everything around you and making things uncomfortably moist. While in the cloud, your master can conjure lightning to strike those trapped in it, and you both gain the ability to fly while the cloud persists (assuming you couldn’t fly already). The cloud can move with you or your master, or remain where it is, and lasts for a few minutes or until dispersed. Your both float gently and safely to the ground when the cloud is dismissed, and the cloud cannot be summoned again until your master rests.


PERKS

As you gain understanding of your focus, you finally take the time to get used to your new body. Moving around, experimenting with your limbs (or lack thereof), and seeing what personal powers and perks you have, while your master watches, amused. Once you get used to everything, you take a moment to think about what you can do and the opportunities this brings.

(Regular familiars can choose THREE. Improved Familiars choose ONE in addition to their locked perks. Perks can NOT be “stacked” for greater effect)

Breath Weapon - You can breathe (or just fire off, if you lack a mouth) a small gout of fire, frost, acid, lightning, or whatever. Choose one element to be inherent to your breath, your choice can’t be changed once made. The breath isn’t immediately fatal, and requires a short recharge time, but the wounds it can leave can be quite debilitating.

Charming - You’re adorable. Whether through playful antics, extreme fluffiness, or just the best puppy-dog eyes ever, you can get people fawning over you if you stay relatively docile. You won’t be actively targeted in combat unless the opponents are truly heartless bastards. And you help your master in social situations be being friendly with people you meet.

Detector - You’re a living magical radar, able to detect magical auras and effects in the area around you, out to 100 feet or so. If another mage casts a spell near you, you detect it. Once magic is detected, you can immediately inform your master about it and where it comes from. Without this perk, mages need to cast a minor spell to detect hidden magical effects.

Digger - You can enhance your claws or conjure magical ones to burrow and dig through relatively soft material such as, dirt, sand, wood. You can burrow into the ground for safety or dig small holes through walls. Try not to ruin your master’s living quarters.

Freedom - You’re unnaturally good at not getting grabbed, constrained, or caught up in hazards. You can easily slip out of the hands of people who try to grab to grab you. You can disentangle yourself from vines, webbings, and ropes with ease. And cluttered terrain and thick underbrush poses little to no obstacle to you.

Guide - It’s easy to get lost in the vast realm of Catheridge, and knowing where refuge is can mean the difference between survival and starvation. You always know where north is, what time it is, the current phase of the moon, and what direction the nearest settlement is. If you go off the beaten path, you can guide your master to the nearest road with ease.

Ignite - Named because fire tends to be the most common choice, you have the ability to burst into flame for a short time. Or ice spikes. Or electricity. Whatever you want, really. Like Breath Weapon, you can only choose one element. This ability refreshes every few seconds, and is typically used for self defense in case unwanted hands or fangs head your way.

Luminous - You can glow brightly like a torch. Or candle. Or like a flash of burning magnesium. You can control your light as you see fit, but can only maintain a blinding level of light for a short period before it gets exhausting. If you turn up your light to max, it has the effect of a flash-bang, and anyone even remotely looking in your direction is blinded for a short time. (Including your Master, make sure he or she knows to close her eyes!)

Mind Shock - You have the ability to send a wave of psionic force to sentient creatures you can see. With a glowing glare, you give the victim a nasty headache, dazing and disorienting them for a time. If done from stealth, the target believes they just got a nasty headache all of the sudden. Other mages can resist this assault, depending on how powerful they are.

Pickpocket - You’re always finding little things you shouldn’t have, aren’t you? You’re adept at bluffing, sneaking, and purloining small goods from other people, a coin here, a ring there. Who’d miss it, right? With experience, you might be able to snatch a wand from a wizard. Don’t get caught, though, or else you AND your master are in for some trouble!

Prodigy - Had to be special, hunh? Took a look at those neat Improved Familiars but don’t want be in service to some old person? Well you’re in luck. Sort of. By choosing Prodigy, your younger master managed to nab an Improved Familiar long before they should have the experience to do so. As a result, the people around you expect your master to do great things, and the stress has taken a toll, for now. You can be an Improved Familiar (if you aren’t already), but only gain the locked perks (since you technically spent the free perk on this one) of that Familiar and you give up your Focus power. Not all is lost, though, with time, dedication, and a close and unbreakable bond, you’ll be able to select a Focus again, and take your master to even greater heights (you still lose the free perk, though).

Ray - One of the common self-defense choices, especially for airborne familiars, ray gives you, well, a ray of energy you can blast things with, it can be a hot, searing ray, a shocking ray, ray of frost, whatever element, really. You can shoot the ray every few seconds or so, and it has pretty hefty range, able to cross a football field before fizzling out. The ray has little piercing power, so it’s not fatal to other humans, but it still hurts, and makes hunting small animals a breeze.

Resistant - The life of a mage is dangerous and filled with many elemental hazard. With Resistant, you don’t have to worry about one of them. Choose an element when you take this perk, and you are now functionally immune to it. You can only pick one, though! As this perk can’t be taken multiple times.

Speedy - Speed is a valuable tool to familiars, as you live in a world larger than you are. Piss something in this large world off, and if they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you. If you’re a ground based creature, you can run faster than a human at full sprint, and keep the pace up for a good while, easily long enough to leave your pursuer in the dust. If you can fly, you can out speed arrows with ease, and are highly agile and maneuverable in the air.

Sturdy - As a rule of thumb, familiars ARE tougher than a regular animal of their kind, but not by much. You can take maybe one magic missile to the face or a sword swing and not die, but it’s still really inconvenient. With Sturdy, you become a tougher nut to crack, able to take five or so solid hits in combat and still keep trucking. You aren’t invincible, but you can at least take a hit.

Talkative - Telepathy is cool, but tricky to control sometimes. Stray thoughts can be conveyed “out loud” and sometimes cause a lot of embarrassment. With Talkative, you can physically speak, scream, shout, and let it all out. You can only speak the King’s, though (Xerian Common is spoken almost everywhere). Sometimes familiars like to keep things to themselves and say only what they need.

Telepathic - Normally, familiars can only communicate with their masters and other familiars, in a method only mages understand, but with Telepathic, you can share your thoughts with the world. And have mental conversations with anyone you see. Keep a lid on it, though, as “stray thoughts” can be conveyed to everyone in the area, and most common folk aren’t used to random voices in their head.

Vanish - A handy alternative to speedy. Creatures have a much harder time killing things they cannot see. As an emergency response, your body naturally goes invisible to the naked eye, allowing for convenient getaway. There’s no cool down to this ability, but it only goes off in times of duress, fear, and high stress. Familiars with this perk who’s masters get mad at them often disappear in the middle of the argument. Which is relatively handy at getting said master to calm down when they realize they’re scaring the crap out of their companions.

Venomous - You have a bite or sting that carries a potent venom. If you don’t have a natural bite or stinger, though, you can’t really take this perk then, can you? Your venom takes a few seconds to kick in, and causes wooziness and blurred vision in those afflicted. With enough doses, you can knock out persons afflicted. Insects and Reptiles that take this perk increase the power of their venom, to the point where it can be lethal.

Wand User - At the end of the day, a wand is a tool, and tools are meant to be used. With this perk, you can borrow or get a wand from your master that’s charged with a single spell they know (Use D&D spells as a base). The spell can’t be something too powerful. Spells up to the strength of a fireball are about the max. The wand only has a certain amount of charges (around 10 for low level spells, less charges as the power increases, up to 3 for the most powerful). Once expended, your master will have to spend some time recharging the wand, a process that takes at least a day.

Warper - Another handy perk. Some familiars can bend space a little in order to warp short distances, with some strain on the body. You can’t jump very far. Maybe 20 feet at a time. And once the jump is made, you feel as if you just benched like 200 pounds. You can jump again once you catch your breath. You can jump between spaces and obstructions like windows, cages, and so on. Try not to jump straight up. 20 feet is not a nice height to fall from.