Familiar Beast

(Major Favorable Trait)

A character with this mystic trait has brought to them thru some means (usually a summoning ritual) a familiar beast which is bound to them. Familiar Beasts generally look like ordinary animals, but are actually creatures from one of the outer dimensions (often Aphranius) that possess much higher intelligence, Longevity, a Mystic Sense (or several), and the ability to speak a wide variety of languages. Some have additional skills, such as being literate, or minor magical powers or knowledge of their own.

A character bound to a Familiar Beast, besides having considerable control over the beast, gains some special abilities thru it. For one they share wounds. The character adds the maximum number of wounds that the beast can take to their own total, this means that when either is wounded they both feel it. The same is true of the feedback/side effects from magical mistakes, they both share the results of the character's results (so, for example, if a failed spell puts the caster to sleep it will also cause their familiar to fall asleep). If one is killed violently then so is the other (natural death by old age and disease based death does not do this). They also share magical defenses (but not physical ones).

The caster can use the senses of their familiar beast, seeing thru their eyes, hearing thru their ears etc. This is useful for getting a chance to eavesdrop on places that may be hard to get into or places difficult to reach. The beast can do the same with the caster's senses if they choose - once bound there is no privacy from the beast.

The beast will have all the normal appetitites of a normal animal of it's form and shape, and some of the drives and dislikes (a cat will still dislike water, for example, a fish still needs to breathe water).

Despite stories to the contrary, familiar beasts cannot cast spells. They may have occult knowledge though.

The type of familiar beast varies, but generally should be smaller than the caster, and usually (though not always) a domesticated species. Most are mammals or avians.

A player may ask the GM to choose a familiar for them (which may get a unique or unexpected beast) or can choose from the following list: