This ritual MUST initially be cast at rank 1. The mage cannot improve his rank with this ritual until he has successfully summoned a familiar. This ritual requires that the mage isolate himself from all outside distraction for 24 hours. The mage draws a magic circle on the ground and sits within it. In a brass brazier, he stokes up a fire of charcoal and adds various incenses, herbs or other materials depending on the nature of the mage. The value of these items (excluding brazier) must total at least 100 silver pieces. Once the items are burning, the mage begins his incantation and must continue until the familiar appears or the ritual will fail automatically. Otherwise, the chance of a familiar appearing is equal to ((MA – 15) x 6). Additionally, the mage may choose to perform a Ritual of Preparation in increase cast chance by up to 30%. Critical or Grievous success is possible with a very low roll (consult the Critical/Grievous table). If a familiar does not appear, the mage cannot try again for one year. Once a mage has successfully gotten a familiar, cast chance follows normal casting rules for the ritual, i.e. 20% + 3% per rank. This initial ritual takes 3 hours to perform.
Fate and Luck Points
Fate Points cannot be used for the initial roll to determine the type of familiar. Luck points can be used to reroll a failed ritual. Luck points cannot be used on special ability or characteristic rolls at all. Fate points can be used on special ability rolls, but only to reroll a new ability. It cannot be used to declare a roll and the second roll must be used. Fate points can also be used to reroll characteristic rolls.
Levels of Success
- Normal Success - Familiar arrives. Roll on the appropriate familiar table (Land, Sea or Underground) depending on where ritual was performed, to determine type of familiar and then generate as indicated below.
- Critical Success - Familiar arrives. Generate as indicated below except that, instead of making a normal roll on the familiar table, the player has a ((MA – 15) x 5) percent chance of getting a special familiar. Otherwise he may choose any of the familiars on the Familiar table. The familiar’s stat rolls are at +1 per die.
- Grievous Success - Familiar arrives. Generate as indicated below except that the mage may choose whatever familiar he wants from either the Familiar Table or the Special Familiars list. Familiar will have 2 special abilities instead of one and stat roll is at +1 per die.
Familiar Table - Land |
| 01-05 | Badger |
| 06-11 | Cat, house |
| 12-16 | Chipmunk |
| 17-19 | Crow (Raven) |
| 20-23 | Dog |
| 24-26 | Eagle |
| 27-29 | Falcon |
| 30-34 | Ferret |
| 35-38 | Fox |
| 39-41 | Hawk |
| 42-45 | Meerkat |
| 46-49 | Mink |
| 50-53 | Mongoose |
| 54-56 | Owl |
| 57-60 | Rabbit |
| 61-65 | Raccoon |
| 66-69 | Rat |
| 70-73 | Skunk |
| 74-78 | Squirrel |
| 79-82 | Squirrel Monkey |
| 83-87 | Weasel |
| 88-90 | Wolverine |
| 91-95 | Woodchuck |
| 96-00 | Special – If a special familiar is indicated, the GM should determine which familiar appears based on the mage. For example an imp will not appear if the mage is good nor will a brownie or pseudo-dragon appear for an evil mage. |
Special Familiars
Blink Dog
Brownie
Elven Cat
Imp
Pseudo-dragon
Stirge
Snake, Winged |
Familiar Table - Sea |
| 01-09 | Barracuda |
| 10-24 | Dolphin |
| 25-29 | Eel, Electric |
| 30-34 | Eel, Weed |
| 35-40 | Fish (normal, GM will determine type) |
| 41-49 | Otter, River |
| 50-61 | Otter, Sea |
| 62-76 | Seal |
| 77-88 | Shark |
| 89-95 | Sting ray |
| 96-00 | Special – If a special familiar is indicated, the GM should determine which familiar appears based on the mage. For example an imp will not appear if the mage is good nor will a brownie or pseudo-dragon appear for an evil mage. |
Special Familiars
Sea Sprite |
Familiar Table - Underground |
| 01-19 | Bat |
| 20-38 | Centipede |
| 39-57 | Spider, Giant |
| 58-76 | Snake, Poisonous |
| 77-95 | Snake, Constrictor |
| 96-00 | Special – If a special familiar is indicated, the GM should determine which familiar appears based on the mage. For example an imp will not appear if the mage is good nor will a brownie or pseudo-dragon appear for an evil mage. |
Special Familiars
Spider, Phase |
No matter where the familiar may be found, the familiar will also have the following initial stats (remember to add +1 per die for critical and grievous success; however if a die roll indicates a stat above 26, the stat is 26):
| Stat | Dice |
| STR | 1d4 |
| DEX | 2d6+13 |
| CON | 3d6 |
| INT | 3d6 |
| KNOW | 1d4 |
| WP | 3d6 |
| MA | 4d6+1 |
| LUCK | 3d6+7 |
| CHA | 4d6+1 |
| PER | 4d6+1 |
Familiars without inherent special abilities (e.g., flight, burrowing, poison, etc.) gain an additional 4 stat points that can be spent on any one stat, or split between up to 4 stats. These additional points cannot raise a stat above 25 without GM permission. Familiars with a lesser special ability (e.g., brachiating) gain 2 points instead of 4.
The familiar has a “level” that is equal to 1 when the ritual is first used. This can be increased later by using the ritual again (q.v.). Level is used to determine strike chance, saves, special ability effects, etc.
Strike Chance 20% + DEX + (Level x 4)
Damage 1d4 (+1 at ranks 4, 8, 13, 20 and 22)
Hit Points CON + (Level x 1.5)
Defense DEX + DEX bonus + (Level x 2)
Protection 1 (or LUCK PROT)
TMR As per MM
Saves Use normal rules (stat bonus + (Level x 2))
Notes:
Protection: Protection improves to 2 at rank 5, 3 at rank 10, 4 at rank 15, 5 at rank 20 and 6 at rank 22. The protection is magical in nature and does not reflect the toughness of it’s skin.
Saves: When in physical contact with it’s master, the Familiar gains the benefits of it’s masters save in addition to it’s own. If both saves are successful, the effects are reduced even further. Example: If a mage is hit by a bolt of fire for 12 points of damage (save for half), his familiar sitting on his shoulder would get it’s own save for half damage. If it’s master also made his save, damage would be quartered.
Contact Range
Level also determines Contact Range. Contact Range is equal to Level x 10 feet. At level 22, contact range extends to 500 feet. If the familiar is within Contact Range, then the mage can remotely sense through their familiar, sense their emotions and establish a telepathic link. Special abilities (c.f. Special Ability Table below) are gained by the mage only when the familiar is within 10% of contact range, or 5 feet, whichever is greater. Thus, if the familiar is level 5 or less, special abilities are gained only when the familiar is within 5 feet. There after, it increases by 1 foot per level (50 feet at level 22).
Special Abilities
The familiar will start with a special ability (2 if grievous success was rolled). Roll on the Special Ability table to determine special abilities. Note: The initial ability the familiar gains is free, i.e. the mage doesn’t have to pay the cost associated with it. All additional abilities gained later must be paid for. See rules after the abilities list for more info on gaining additional abilities.
Special Ability Table
| Roll | Cost | Power | Description |
| 01-03 | 3 | Protection | Grants +1 Protection (+2 at level 8, +3 at level 12, +4 at level 18 and +5 at level 22). The familiar also gets this bonus. |
| 04-08 | 4 | Defense | Grants +1 Defense per level (+25 at rank 22). The familiar also gets this bonus. |
| 09-11 | 5 | Magic Saves | Grants +1 per level to magic saves (+25 at rank 22). The familiar also gets this bonus. Note: Once this ability is gained, a familiar cannot gain the All Saves ability. |
| 12-13 | 5 | Mental Saves | Grants +1 per level to mental saves (+25 at rank 22). The familiar also gets this bonus. Note: Once this ability is gained, a familiar cannot gain the All Saves ability. |
| 14-15 | 4 | Normal Saves | Grants +1 per level to normal saves (+25 at rank 22). The familiar also gets this bonus. Note: Once this ability is gained, a familiar cannot gain the All Saves ability. |
| 16 | 7 | All Saves | Grants +1 per 2 levels (+1 at level 1, +2 at level 3, etc.) to all saves (+15 at rank 22). Not cumulative with Magic Saves ability. The familiar also gets this bonus. |
| 17-19 | 5 | Spell Points | Grants +1 Spell Point (+2 at level 5, +3 at level 10, +4 at level 15, +5 at level 20 and +6 at level 22). |
| 20-23 | 4 | Spell Storing | The mage can pre-cast a spell that will be stored by the familiar. The spell can be released on a moment’s notice (roll normal initiative). The spell will originate from the familiar. If the mage cannot see the familiar, he can release by remotely sensing through the familiar (q.v.). A familiar with an INT of 12 or higher, and an MA of 15 or higher can also release the spell on it’s own volition. One additional spell can be stored at ranks 8, 15 and 22. |
| 24-25 | 4 | Healing | Once per day the mage can have his familiar touch a target and heal him of 2d4+2 damage. This process is controlled by the mage and cannot be invoked by the familiar independently. Use of this ability increase to twice per day at rank 12 and 3 times a day at rank 22. |
| 26-28 | 5 | Spells | The number of spells that the mage can have memorized at one time (as determined by Spell Memory skill) in increased by 1 per 2 ranks (+1 at rank 1-2, +2 at ranks 3-4, etc.) |
| 29-30 | 4 | Circle of Protection | Once per day, the mage can have his familiar generate a Circle of Protection (GM will determine which circle when this ability is generated but it will NOT be a Greater Circle) at an effective rank equal to the familiar’s level. This ability can be used twice per day at level 5, 3 times at level 10, 4 times at level 15, 5 times at level 20 and 6 times at level 22. It takes 2 full rounds to generate the circle. If the familiar has multiple uses, he can expend another use to keep an existing circle going without generating it anew. |
| 31-32 | 3 | Luck | Grants the mage 1 Luck Point (see CharGen rules under Luck). Grants one additional Luck Point at level 10 and 20, and a Fate Point at rank 22. Thus, at rank 22, the mage will have 3 Luck Points and 1 Fate Point. |
| 33-35 | 7 | College | Grants the mage the ability to learn GK spells of another college up to rank 1, plus 1 rank per 3 levels; round down (rank 2 at level 3, rank 3 at level 6, etc.). At level 22, the mage can learn them to rank 10. The mage may only learn and cast the spells if the familiar is within contact range. The player can suggest a college to the GM but the GM will ultimately decide. This ability can only be rolled once. |
| 36-38 | 3 | Stronger Link | The link between the mage and the familiar is greatly strengthened. Range for all abilities with a range is increased to 1 mile per level. |
| 39-40 | 5 | Increased Cast chance | When in physical contact with the familiar, mages cast chances for spells and rituals is increased by 1% per 3 levels (round up; +8 at level 22). |
| 41-47 | 1 | Increase INT | Amount of increase dependent on current value of stat:
| Current Stat | 1-8 | 9-19 | 20+ |
| Increase | +3 | +2 | +1 |
|
| 48-54 | 1 | Increase WP |
| 55-61 | 1 | Increase CON |
| 62-68 | 1 | Increase PER |
| 69-76 | 1 | Increase KNOW |
| 77-83 | 1 | Increase STR | STR – The familiars Physical Strength is increased by 2. This ability can be gained more than once. |
| 84-86 | 4 | Ability transfer | While within range, the familiars primary stat (as determined by the GM) is transferred in some respect to the Mage. Examples would be an Cat's Agility, a Wolverine's Strength, etc. The amount transferred is equal to +1 for every 4 ranks in the Find Familiar ritual (+6 at rank 22). In any event, this will not raise a players stat above racial max. |
| 87-88 | 5 | Spell Points | The familiar has 1 spell point per 3 levels (8 points at level 22). The mage may use these spell points if the familiar is within contact range. Familiar’s with an INT of 10 or higher, and an MA of 15 or higher, can use the points themselves to detect magic. If the familiar has the Skill special ability, then it can be taught the Power Perception skill. If the familiar has an MA of 20 or higher, and the Skill special ability, it can be taught spells (using skill slots from the skills special ability). |
| 89-95 | 3 | Speech | The familiar gains the ability of speech. The voice will be appropriate to the type of creature, i.e. a Cats voice will have a feline sound to it, a dogs would have a growl to it, etc. But the voice is easy for all to understand. The familiar will know a number of ranks in languages equal to level. Max rank in a single language is 10. Initially the familiar will only know languages that the mage knows. However, when the Find Familiar ritual is cast again to bring existing abilities up to current rank, the mage can have their familiar learn other languages, either by including someone who knows the language as a willing participant in the ritual, or using a primer for the language. This ability may be rolled more than once. If it is rolled a second time, the character may choose Literacy in lieu of additional language ranks. |
| 96-99 | 2 | Skill | The familiar may be taught a skill of the mages choice that a creature of that type might not normally have. The skill must initially be a skill or skills that the mage possesses but, when the ritual is cast again to improve the familiar, the mage can impart skills that he doesn’t possess by either including someone who knows the skill as a willing participant in the ritual, or using a primer. The familiar can have a maximum number of ranks equal to level in all skills. Max rank with a single skill is equal to level/2 (round up). The skill must be something that it would be physically possible for the familiar to have. For example, you could not teach an Eagle to become an Armourer. This ability may be rolled more than once. |
| 100 | ? | Choose | The mage may choose a Special Ability. |
 | | | |
Once a familiar is summoned, the mage cannot summon another one unless the first one dies. However, this ritual may be used again to improve the mage's familiar. The purpose in this is obvious; since this ritual must initially be cast at rank 1, the mage may improve his rank after successfully summoning a familiar and then cast it again to make his familiar more powerful. However, the mage cannot improve by more than 2 ranks without successfully casting this ritual again. Thus, if the mage initially cast this ritual at rank 1, he cannot improve beyond rank 3 without successfully casting it again. Recasting the ritual takes 1 hour.
Unless otherwise noted, a special ability can only be gotten once. If the ritual was cast successfully and the new ability indicated is a special ability that the familiar already has or has given it’s master, the ritual is considered to have failed and no ability is gained, although the points are still retained. As with the original ritual, a brass brazier is required, but the value of the materials is (rank x 250) silver pieces. As with the initial casting, critical and grievous success is possible. If the roll results in failure, the mage may not try again for 90 days.
The player is required to keep a log of all of his Find Familiar Ritual results. The log should indicate the rank at which it was cast, the level of success, and the results of any Special Ability table rolls. It should also indicate the game date.
- Normal Success - The familiar’s “level” increases to the mage’s current rank with the ritual. Familiar's special ability is updated to current rank. Familiar also gains (New Level – Old Level) points to spend on new abilities. Thus, if the familiar was level 1 and is now level 3, he has 2 points. When the familiar has at least one extra point, he may roll on the special abilities table again. The roll will indicate the next ability the familiar gains (or will gain). Depending on the cost of the ability and how many points the familiar has saved up, the mage may purchase the ability immediately or will have to save up to purchase the ability. No new rolls on the ability table may be made, until the current ability has been fully purchased. Also, if the cost for a given talent is more than can be earned by the spell given the current rank of the spell (i.e. if the mage is rank 18 when the ritual is cast and they get an ability that costs 7 there is no way they will ever be able to gain the required points). When this happens, the ritual is considered to have failed and the result is ignored. Normal ritual failure rules still apply though.
- Critical Success - As Success, but the familiar gains 1 additional point to spend on the abilities.
- Grievous Success - As success, but the familiar gains an additional 3 points to spend on special abilities.
When the mage achieves rank 22 with Find Familiar, he automatically gains the final ability, even if he would not otherwise have enough points for it. If the mage acquired an ability at rank 22, and is rolling for a new ability at rank 22, they gain the new ability immediately, regardless of the cost.
Example
Bob the mage casts Find Familiar at rank 1 and summons a weasel. He rolls a 92 on the Special Abilities (SA) table which gives his familiar the speech ability at rank 1 (he does not need to pay the 3 point cost indicated by the speech ability since it is his free rank 1 ability).
Bob improves his Find Familiar ritual to rank 2 and casts it on his weasel. He gets normal success on the cast chance. His weasel is now level 2 which also raises the familiar’s speech ability to level 2 (the weasel is either level 2 with one language or level 1 in two languages). Bob also gets one “point” to spend on a new ability. He rolls on the SA table and gets a “22” indicating the “Spell Points” special ability. Since this ability costs 5 points, and Bob only has one, he simply records that this will be his next ability and nothing else happens.
Bob improves his Find Familiar ritual to rank 3 and ponders whether he should cast it or wait until he is rank 4. If he casts it at rank 3 then even Grievous Success will not give him enough points to by the Spell Points special ability. However, if he does cast it, then he might get Grievous Success and be that much closer to the 5 point cost of the Spell Points special ability. Bob decides that, as long as he has the money for the materials, he will cast the ritual every rank since there it gives him more chances for Critical and Grievous Success, and thus more points to spend on special abilities. Bob casts the ritual and gets Critical Success. He adds 2 more points to the one he got at rank 2.
At rank 4 he gets Normal Success. He now has 4 points.
At rank 5 he gets Grievous Success giving him 3 more points, for a total of 7 points. He uses 5 to buy the Spell Points special ability, leaving him with 2 points. Since he has extra points, he rolls on the SA table. His roll is a 47 which is a +1 IQ for his familiar for a cost of 1 point. He had 2 points left. He subtracts 1 for the IQ boost and still has one left. Thus he rolls again on the SA table. |
Abilities common to all familiars
- The familiar gives the mage a +5 hit points. The extra hit points are only gained if the familiar is touching the mage.
- The mage is able to “remotely sense” through the familiar’s senses if it is within contact range. This requires total concentration on the part of the mage. The mage can only use senses that he himself possesses. For example, if the mage is totally deaf, then he will not be able to hear through his familiar either.
- An empathic link always exists between the mage and the familiar when they are within contact range. The mage and familiar can feel each others emotions.
- The mage may initiate a telepathic link to his familiar at will if it is within contact range. The mage can telepathically communicate with the familiar. Doing so requires moderate concentration. The mage can walk and look around, but can’t use any active skills or engage in combat without dropping the link.
Death and Injury of a Familiar
For each point of damage taken by a familiar, the mage also takes a point of damage if the familiar is within contact range. If they are outside of contact range, they take the damage as soon as the familiar comes within contact range but, in this case, the damage is non-lethal.
There are both permanent and short-term effects if a mage’s familiar dies. The permanent effects are:
- The mage suffers a –2 to his CON (both current and racial max).
- The mage’s rank with Find Familiar is reduced to 1 although all EXP that may have been spent getting it to a higher rank are recovered and may be used to eventually raise his rank over time. However, the mage must still have a new familiar to raise his rank. The reason for this is because once a familiar is summoned at rank 1, the Find Familiar ritual becomes specific to that familiar.
- All abilities granted by the familiar are lost. If the ability was one where the mage had to spend his own EXP (e.g., College or Profession), then he will eventually recover the EXP.
The short term effects of a familiar’s death depend on whether the familiar was within contact range of the mage when it died. If it was in contact range, the mage suffers the following effects:
- All spell points are lost and cannot be recovered by any means for 30 days.
- The mage will be unable to cast any spell for 30 days.
- The mage suffers a –20 to all activities for 30 days.
- The mage immediately suffers 3d12 damage. This damage can be healed normally.
If the familiar was not within contact range when it died, the mage suffers the following effects:
- All spell points are lost and cannot be recovered by any means for 24 hours.
- The mage will be unable to cast any spell for 24 hours.
- The mage suffers a –20 to all activities for 24 hours.
- The mage immediately suffers 2d12 damage. This damage can be healed normally.
Resurrecting a Familiar
Because of their magical nature, the effect of resurrecting a dead familiar is to restore it to life as expected, but it will no longer be a familiar. It will be a normal creature. If a familiar is resurrected or raised from the dead it can automatically become the mage’s familiar again after the mage does the Ritual of Find Familiar again, but it must still be developed back up from rank 1 and its special abilities and stats determined again.
Familiars and Null Magic Zones
If a mage and/or familiar enters a null magic zone, the mage will temporarily lose all powers granted by the familiar and, for all practical purposes, is out of contact range. The familiar will also lose its magical protection, reverting to a Protection of 1. |