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Chaosium Digest Volume 36 Number 05
Chaosium Digest Volume 36, Number 05
Date: Monday, May 27, 2002
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
* More Advice for Keepers: The Advantage of Occupational Themes (CTHULHU)
by Christopher Hardesty
* Unnaturally Familiar: Fiendish Friends for Immortal Sorcerers (CTHULHU)
by Christopher Hardesty
Editor's Note:
A pair of Cthulhu articles from Christopher Hardesty are featured this
issue. The first discusses the value of themes for Investigators in Call of
Cthulhu. The second provides info on familiars for those nasty Mythos
sorcerers. As if Mythos sorcerers weren't already nasty enough...
Enjoy!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* TENTACLES TOMES: Legacy of Pavis at the printers!
We are happy to announce that the Tentacles Tomes 2: Legacy of Pavis is at
the printers! There will be 50 fresh special-bound copies available at
Tentacles!
As an extra kick the Tome will include a Pavis Cartoon by Ortiz Guillermo!
The Tome is also available at:
http://www.tradetalk.de
LEGACY OF PAVIS
The third in the P&BR Companion series, the 'Legacy of Pavis' contains the
last of the original campaign material on which the series was based, plus
much more. The Cult of Pavis is at last revealed in all its glorious
complexity, and the Flintnail dwarves stand up to be counted.
Come with us as we explore the bizarre ruins of Old Pavis as the Hero Wars
begin to unfold their epic events around us. Lead your Heroes into danger
and glory as the Old City begins to rise again.
Check out the complete content:
http://users.bigpond.com/jalmar/companion.html
Fabian Kuechler
--
~Tentacles Press~
tentacles.press@tentacles-convention.de
* Esdevium Games, distributors of games in the UK, sold out of The Black
Seal shortly after it was published. Esdevium Games have been resupplied by
Brichester University Press, publishers of The Black Seal. Your Friendly
Local Games Shop should now be able to reorder The Black Seal for you should
you have missed its first appearance.
The Black Seal is the magazine of modern horror gaming and is devoted to
supporting Cthulhu Now and Delta Green games. It retails in UK stores for
£7.99.
For those who cannot get to a shop in the UK or live overseas, The Black
Seal is available by mail order.
Please check out our web site http://www.theblackseal.org for full details
of issue contents and ordering information including easy-to-use PayPal
buttons.
Adam Crossingham
editor@theblackseal.org
http://www.theblackseal.org
* Best of Glorantha 2001 Finally Announced!
The GTA hears first about Winners of the Best of Glorantha 2001 awards:
Best Glorantha Visual Art
Simon Bray's Heortling "wood cuts" in Thunder Rebels and Storm Tribe
Best Hero Wars Scenario
Saddled with the Nightmare, by Simon Bray and Martin Hawley
Best Hero Wars Description
Pavis Hero Wars by Ian Thomson and Issaries, Inc.
Best Gloranthan Website
Nick Brooke's Etyries.com
Best Glorantha in Print, English
Thunder Rebels, by Issaries, Inc.
Best Glorantha in Print, non-English
Pavis Hero Wars by Multisim (French)
Best Hero Wars House Rule
Benedict Adamson's Enhanced Simple Contests to replace Group Simple
Contests
Best Glorantha Playing Aid
Uz, The Trolls of Glorantha, produced by The Unspoken Word
Best Glorantha Short Fiction
John Hughes's Helden novella
Best Issaries, Inc. Publication
Thunder Rebels
Best Licensed Product
Uz, The Trolls of Glorantha, produced by The Unspoken Word
Spirit of Glorantha
Life of Moonson (Gloranthan material from the LARP of the same name by
Nick Brooke, Chris Gidlow, David Hall and Kevin Jacklin, with Rick
Meints and Michael O'Brien).
Best of the Best of Glorantha 2001
Nick Brooke's Etyries.com
Greg Sez: "Fans picked Nick's site and its contents in both categories
in which it was nominated. Material from Nick's site also won last year
during the Best of Glorantha contest. His site is full of original
material, entertaining and humorous in its perspective, and chock full
of stuff which is pretty much canon, as far as the Western religions go.
The clincher was his parody of the Sartarites in his "Rough Guide to
Sartar" (although it was posted in 2002, it is a brilliant example of
the material on his site). My congratulations to Nick for a job well
done -- and to the other winners."
Congratulations to each winner, who should sport the winner's logo on
their websites soon. Check for the full story at
<http://www.glorantha.com/gta/best2001winners.html>.
GLORANTHAN TOP 20 WEB SITES
We would also like to announce the winners of the Top 20 Gloranthan Web
Sites. Note that duplicate numbers indicate tie votes.
1. Wesley Quadros' Glorantha site III
2. Nick Brooke's Etyries.com
2. John Hughes' "Questlines"
4. Peter Nordstrand's Hero Wars page
5. David Dunham's Glorantha Page
6. Bruce Ferrie's Glorantha Page
6. James Frusetta's "Troll Wonderhome"
6. Simon Phipp's RuneQuest/Glorantha Site
6. Bo Rosen's "Arumbobo's Heroes"
10. Efendi's "Liber ob Sciscitatora" (Japanese language)
10. Malion's "TOME: The Book of Secrets of Glorantha" (Japanese
language)
10. Master Gollum's Glorantha Page (Spanish language)
10. Multisim's official Hero Wars site (French language)
10. Michael O'Brien's Glorantha Page
10. Jamie Revell's "Trotsky"
10. Jonas Schiott's "East Wilds" and Hero Wars pages
10. Hiroki Shimizu's "Gathering Storm" (Japanese language)
18. Kalikos (Finnish language)
18. Steve Marsh's HeroQuest Home Page
20. Ian Thomson's "Pavis"
Congratulations to the winners. As soon as we have full details on the
RPGHost Top RPG Sites lists, we will have details at
<www.glorantha.com/gta/top20list.html>.
ORLANTH IS ALMOST DEAD!
We have been having our usual problems with layout, but Orlanth is Dead!,
volume 2 of Sartar Rising, is nearing completion. We expect to send it to
the printer at the end of next week. After that, both Hero's Book and
Imperial Lunar Handbook volume 1 are nearing completion, and editorial work
has started on volume 3 of Sartar Rising. We still do not have a final
release date for HeroQuest, but hope to make an announcement soon.
HEROQUEST PATRONAGE
We have decided to list all current GTA members in HeroQuest (except for
Anonymous members, of course), even if they do not choose it as the book
they receive for their patronage choice. If you have been thinking of
joining the GTA or upgrading your membership, now is the time to do it!
Ensure that your name is enshrined forever in HeroQuest; go to
<www.glorantha.com/gta> or email us at <gta@glorantha.com> for details on
how to join or upgrade!
Hawkbear aka Mark Leymaster
* Howdy Folks!
This Month's report is a brief one. Hopefully we'll have lots of good news
for you next month.
Origins Awards
We here at Chaosium are honored to have received several Origins Awards
Nominations from The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Designs.
Best Game-Related Short Work: How Nyarlathotep Rocked the World by Greg
Nicoll. From Song of Cthulhu .
Best Graphic Presentation of a Book Product: Call of Cthulhu 20th
Anniversary Edition.
Best Illustration: Call of Cthulhu 20th Anniversary Edition : interior art -
by Paul Carrick
Best Roleplaying Adventure: Unseen Masters - by Bruce Ballon.
You can vote for your favorite books and games at
http://www.aagad.org/originsawards/
The Summer Cons
We're really looking forward to see you folks this summer ate Origins & Gen
Con. Those shows are always a good reminder as to why we work so hard all
year. Because somewhere out there, you folks are enjoying our books and
games.
We still need volunteer GM's to run events for us at Origins & Gen Con. If
you're planning to attend these shows, and have some time to spare, drop us
a line! mailto:dustin@chaosium.com
Our d20 plans & the fate of BRP (one last time)
While we've tried to make it clear in the past that Chaosium is not
abandoning our classic Call of Cthulhu line, we're still (as of May 17th)
getting email from upset cultists who think we're switching entirely to d20.
So it bears repeating: Chaosium will continue to support our Basic Role
Playing Call of Cthulhu & Stormbringer lines. While some of our future
releases will be dual stat releases (including BRP & d20 material), we will
continue to print BRP only releases as well. We've been publishing BRP
system books for over 20 years, and with your support, will do so for the
next 20 years as well.
So why are we printing ANYTHING using the d20 system? Because there are
thousands of gamers out there we'd like to introduce to our game lines, who
might not look at our books otherwise. We want and need those extra sales,
and those new Chaosium gamers, so we can continue printing Books and Games
for another 26 years. So we hope most of you will see this as an opportunity
to find more Chaosium players, and ensure we can keep printing the books you
want.
Here's our upcoming releases: Go let your local shop know you want these
books!
Support your local shop - it's where new Chaosium gamers come from.
At the printer:
The Creature Companion #2375 $21.95 ISBN 1-56882-133-6
Our Manual of Mythos Monsters is expected to release in June/July.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2375.shtml
H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands (Hardcover)
#2394, $34.95 ISBN 1-56882-157-3
We'll be releasing a hardcover edition of our Dreamlands Sourcebook in
June/July.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2394.shtml
For Call of Cthulhu Fiction:
Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (reprint)
#6022 $16.95 ISBN 1-56882-119-0
Our reprints have been delayed in favor of newer books. Expected SUMMER
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6022.shtml
Disciples of Cthulhu II
#6033 $13.95 ISBN 1-56882-143-3
February Release.
This Book should be sent to the printer soon. Summer release.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6033.shtml
The Necronomicon 2nd edition
#6034 $19.95 ISBN 1-56882-162-X
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6034.shtml
Other Nations
A Cthulhu Mythos Novel
#6025 $13.95 ISBN 1-56882-128-X
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6025.shtml
The White People & Other Tales
The Best Weird Tales of Arthur Machen Vol. 2
#6035 $14.95 ISBN 1-56882-147-6
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6035.shtml
For Call of Cthulhu
Miskatonic University
a 1920's Sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu (BRP)
by Sam Johnson and Friends
A Manuscript is now in house, and we hope to release this book in August.
#2389 $39.95 ISBN 1-56882-140-9
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2389.shtml
Pulp Cthulhu: Reckless adventures in the 1930's (dual stat d20 & BRP)
A new setting for Call of Cthulhu & Call of Cthulhu D20.
8800 $29.95 256 pages ISBN 1-56882-159-X Expected July
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20cthulhu/8800.shtml
d20 Cthulhu GM Screen
#8801 $19.95 ISBN 1-56882-159-X
June release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20cthulhu/8801.shtml
Secrets of Japan
Modern Day Exploration of the Land of the Rising Sun
#2392 $27.95 ISBN 1-56882-156-5
by Michael Dziesinski
A manuscript is in house, and we hope to release the book this Fall.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2392.shtml
For Stormbringer & Dragonlords of Melnibone
Cults of Law & Chaos
A New Dragon Lords of Melniboné D20 sourcebook.
This book is currently being written by Gareth Michael Skarka.
Release Date Unknown.
2020 $23.95 192 pages ISBN 1-56882-158-1
http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2020.shtml
Arkham Horror
Classic Game of Lovecraftian Monster Hunting
#1051 $59.95 ISBN 1-56882-163-8
Expected Fall 2002
http://www.chaosium.com/arkham_horror
For more information about our upcoming releases, see our web page!
Thank you for your support everyone. We literally couldn't be here without
you!
Dustin Wright- Chaosium Colorado "Leng Embassy"
/|\_(@jjjj@)_/|\ http://www.chaosium.com
27 Years of Quality Mayhem and counting
Support your local game shop!
-------------------
More Advice for Young Keepers: The Advantage of Occupational Themes
**How does it all begin?**
A Cthulhu campaign is never quite so hard for many Keepers as in the very
beginning. On one hand, players often resent being streamlined into
"investigators", and yet this is exactly what the rulebook and sourcebooks
always assume, with very little information for Keepers on how the
transition is supposed to take place. Are the investigators retired from
their chosen professions? Are they just "weekend warriors"? Do they have
an eccentric and wealthy patron? Only Great Cthulhu himself seems to know,
and he/she/it does not seem willing to reveal this information anytime soon.
**Linking a Campaign**
I have found that one of the best ways to get a campaign started is for the
Keeper to decide upon a specific occupational theme. By choosing such a
theme, Keepers will find it far easier to involve investigators, without the
abandonment of a player's respective occupations. When using published
scenarios and sourcebooks, a few changes to fit your theme are in order, but
such changes are often necessary in most cases in order to comply with a
current campaign anyway.
As an example, suppose the Keeper chooses to use "Organized Crime" as a
theme for his campaign. At the outset, he should decide if the players will
actually be members of an organized crime ring, or simply individuals that
become accidentally involved with such activity. In either case, the Keeper
should also provide players with an approved list of occupations that will
easily integrate into the chosen theme. Good communication with players is
the key to success, and a wise Keeper will explain to his players exactly
why he does not want someone to play a "Tribal Fisherman" or "Anarchist".
Most players will be understanding and more than willing to cooperate.
Anyone who is not will make a nice appetizer for a wandering Dhole.
Now that you have decided upon your theme and made a list of available
occupations, it is time to work out all the little details that actually
form a campaign. Continuing the example above, perhaps the Keeper decides
that the crime lord of a rival syndicate is the twisted pawn of the Mythos.
The Keeper than sets upon the specifics concerning the main plot, red
herrings, NPC statistics, etc. There is no need for the Keeper to fret over
how players become investigators, because in such a case, the players are
automatically involved in the action simply by virtue of their approved
occupations.
Keep in mind that it is not necessary to assume that players must begin with
inclinations to investigate the supernatural. Let the supernatural elements
of Lovecraftian horror unravel around them while they go about their
"normal" activities. For example, perhaps your players are in a cemetery
late a night, digging up the body of a recently deceased gangster, in order
to transport the body to another location. While digging up the grave, one
player notices strange movement among the gravestones and decides to
"investigate". Meanwhile, the other players discover that the corpse is
missing. Not wanting to report to their boss this ominous fact, they search
for clues and discover the evidence of a small tunnel leading further
underground. At the same time, the player who stumbled off to investigate
the movement among the graves comes face to face with a ghoul. The
possibilities abound. In the example above, the ghouls might be allies to
the rival crime lord, who himself might be a ghoul hybrid. With this simple
premise, the Keeper has provided players with the motivation of further
investigations, while at the same time providing an anchor for their
individual occupations.
**Some Suggested Themes**
*Organized Crime*
As above, the theme either involves the investigators actively as members of
an organized crime ring, or as "regular Joes" tangled up in mob activities.
Suggested occupations for players include Bookie, Bootlegger/Thug, Fence,
Forger/Counterfeiter, Gambler, Gangster, Hit Man, Hooker, Loan Shark, Punk,
Shifty Accountant/Lawyer, Uniformed Police Officer (Corrupt), Private Eye,
Police Detective (Corrupt) and Smuggler. The Investigator's Companion
(#2370) contains details for all of these occupations. Keepers who opt to
make the investigators "regular Joes" should approve a player's chosen
occupation to make sure it will work in his campaign. What better way is
there for a player to "Escape from Innsmouth," than haphazardly firing their
Tommy gun while speeding away in their Model T from a Deep One mob?
*Take the Money and Run*
A slight variation of the organized crime theme, the Keeper adopts a more
generalized approach with the criminal element. Suggested occupations
include Bank Robber, Burglar, Con Man, Forger/Counterfeiter, Fence, Hooker,
Pick Pocket, and Punk. As a starting point for a campaign, the Keeper might
begin with the players planning a bank robbery, using an abandoned house as
a hideout. Later, as they work on the details of their clever plan, an evil
presence within the house itself hatches a sinister plan of its own.
*Good Cop, Bad Cop*
Another variation on criminal themes includes this classic opposite, wherein
the investigators fight crime. Suggested occupations include Agency
Detective, Bounty Hunter, Federal Agents, Forensic Specialist, Police
Detective, Private Eye, Uniformed Police Officer, Bail Bondsman, Judge,
Practicing Attorney, Prosecuting Attorney, and Forensic Surgeon. This type
of theme works well with many published scenarios, as most begin with the
mysterious death of some noted individual or the theft of a mythos artifact.
*Reading, Writing, Arithmetic*
Nothing could make investigations easier than belonging to some benign
institution as Miskatonic University or some similar educational stronghold.
This theme provides Keepers a simple way to unite players, as members of the
institution directly, or as participants on a school-sponsored event.
Suggested occupations include Field Researcher, Professor/Teacher,
Researcher, Student/Intern, Dilettante, Librarian, Museum Curator,
Psychologist and Parapsychologist.
*Fringe Benefits*
In this theme, players are automatically individuals with an interest in
what is weird, strange, or disturbing. Suggested occupations include
Parapsychologist, Occultist, Museum Curator, Librarian, Librarian, Flapper,
Dilettante, Book Dealer, Antique Dealer, Professor/Teacher, Student/Intern,
Field Researcher, Madhouse Attendant, Gravedigger, Psychologist, Alienist,
Photojournalist, Columnist, Private Eye, Explorer, and Treasure Hunter.
*Holier Than Thou*
In this last suggested theme, players assume occupations with a religious
orientation, providing them with a background in supernatural belief. An
interesting theme for roleplaying, players will be forced to fit their
ever-growing knowledge of the Mythos into their traditional religious
beliefs. Suggested occupations include Catholic Priest, Bible Salesman,
Charismatic Cult Leader, Deacon/Elder, Itinerant Preacher, Missionary,
Protestant Minister, Rabbi, Parapsychologist, and Occultist.
**Last Words**
Of course, all of the above are merely suggestions. Many other
possibilities exist for clever Keepers. Perhaps the investigators are
members of a Ghost Society or other organization that investigates
paranormal activities. The investigators might have a wealthy patron, a
former investigator himself who now directs the players from behind the
scenes and provides them with much needed funds and equipment. At best,
this article simply opens Keepers to new considerations before starting a
campaign. Either way, the individual Keeper always has the last word.
-------------------
Unnaturally Familiar:
Fiendish Friends for Immortal Sorcerers
Those cultists who through their loyalty and accomplishments have become
faithful servants of the Mythos often receive as gifts powerful familiars to
assist them. This article deals primarily with three types of such allies:
the animalistic demon, the scholarly daemon, and the channeling beast.
Individual Keepers are left to theorize exactly how such beings fit within
the framework of the Mythos.
** Animalistic Demons **
Nyarlathotep seems to be the primary giver of such fiends, and he grants
these demonic entities only to the most faithful of servants. The best
example of such a creature may be found in the Cairo section of The Complete
Masks of Nyarlathotep (#2361), where investigators might have the misfortune
of meeting Omar Shakti and his "pretty white cat," Hetep. Nonetheless, such
entities may take any animal form, though cat is by far the most common. The
bestial form is itself dependent upon the sorcerer's chosen host, which is a
specially prepared (mummified) animal corpse. In most cases, no animal
greater than the size of a large dog (SIZ 7) is used.
Once the sorcerer prepares and offers the mummified corpse to Nyarlathotep,
the Messenger of the Gods will then send forth an evil spiritual being to
possess it. Now animated by the indwelling spirit, the animal corpse
assumes its natural living appearance. If the sorcerer should ever die, the
demonic spirit abandons the host corpse and returns to its own realm.
However, if the familiar should ever perish, such is not the case of the
sorcerer, who lives on.
The demonic spirit is able to transform the host body into a highly
exaggerated form. In the example of Hetep, it was able to change from the
innocent form of a white cat into that of a demonic cat-thing whose
appearance was much like that of a hairless lion. Such transformations
increase the host size by 2d6 points. Each demonic being is unique and has
its own special attack, which it may use in either form. While the natural
attacks of the host are also available to use, the demon familiar prefers to
use such attacks only when in its hybrid form, thus drawing upon its
increased strength and size.
Animalistic demons are primarily guardians, never straying very far from
their master unless commanded to do so. Such familiars can learn any
language possessed by their master, though their proficiency never increases
beyond 30%. The sorcerer is able to communicate telepathically or verbally
with his familiar, though the demon itself usually only communicates
telepathically, since the tongue of its animal host is often unable to mimic
the human language effectively. Any spell known by their master may be
learned by the familiar at an accelerated rate. The fiendish familiar also
has knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos beginning at 50% and increasing as
normal.
* Characteristics for Animalistic Demons *
While in host form, these familiars retain all the characteristics of the
host when alive, with the exception of Intelligence, Power, and natural
armor (if any), which never changes in either form. Hit points and damage
bonuses change accordingly. The change from animal to hybrid takes one full
round. When in hybrid form, characteristics are as follows:
STR 10 plus 2d6; CON 10 plus 2d6; SIZ as host plus 2d6; INT 12 plus 1d6; DEX
as host plus 1d6; POW 16 plus 1d6.
Animalistic demons have any basic skill that was available to their animal
host, with the addition of Track (75%) if not usually available to it.
Keepers may provide other skills as desired. However, when changed into
hybrid form, the familiar often suffers a penalty to skills such as Sneak
and Hide due to the increased size. Suggested penalties are from -10%
to -20%, though Keepers may choose to ignore this effect. As noted above,
each animalistic demon has a special attack available to it in both forms.
Keepers should design and develop a special attack that would surprise
investigators. In the case of Hetep above, its tongue could extend like a
tentacle rather quickly in order to strangle its victims. This, of course,
was quite a disturbing experience for any cat-loving investigator.
Sanity losses are as follows:
When the demon dies or abandons the animal host after the death of its
master, investigators suffer 0/1d3 sanity loss for realization that the
animal was a mummified corpse. Witnessing the hybrid form costs 1/1d6. If
witnessed in combination with the actual transformation, sanity loss changes
to 2/1d6+1. Killing this dreadful creature returns 1d4 sanity points to an
investigator.
** The Scholarly Daemon **
This type of familiar was first introduced in "The Secret of Castronegro"
(Cthulhu Companion #2304). In that scenario, investigators matched wits
against the highly evil Bernardo Diaz and his intelligent familiar,
Greedygut. The greatest difference between animalistic demons and scholarly
daemons is reservation. Daemon familiars are more reserved and never engage
in physical combat. Bound by Nyarlathotep to a specific item worn or
carried by their master, such as a ring or necklace, a scholarly daemon will
assist its master in mystic research. Such familiars are valuable
assistants, having an extremely high Cthulhu Mythos, Power, and
Intelligence, as well as an abundant knowledge of the occult. This
knowledge lends great assistance in matters of spell research, adding +1 to
the spell multiplier of any tome used to learn a spell.
The complex ritual used by Nyarlathotep to fashion the binding item limits
an individual wearing the item to only one daemon. Once a daemon dies, the
item will not attract another until a different individual wears it. The
number of such items throughout the world is very few and chances are that
an active investigator will never stumble upon one in his lifetime. If an
investigator should ever find one, it would be quite foolish to wear it,
since Nyarlathotep often curses such items. Chopping off the finger was the
only way one could remove the ring worn by the cultist, Bernardo Diaz, in
"Castronegro".
Scholarly daemons communicate with the wearer of the binding item
telepathically. This telepathic link is constant, so long as the person
wears the item, allowing the daemon to know his every thought and whim
(though not vice versa). These familiars often already know 1d6 spells
initially and can learn any spells known by their master at an accelerated
rate.
* Characteristics for Scholarly Daemons *
Scholarly daemons have the appearance of humanoid toads or rats, though they
vary in color and skin features. The skin of such daemons may be fur,
quills, scales, slime, etc. Their eyes are quite large and yellow. Basic
characteristics are as follows:
STR 1 plus 1d6; CON 3d6; SIZ 1 plus 1d6; INT 16 plus 1d6; POW 16 plus 1d6;
DEX 12 plus 1d6.
Skills include Cthulhu Mythos (50%), Listen (70%), Spot Hidden (90%), Hide
(80%), Sneak (100%), Climb (80%), Dodge, and Jump (90%).
Sanity loss for meeting this familiar are 0/1d4, unless the daemon is one
personally bound to you, in which case the loss changes to 1/1d8 due to the
unnerving effect of the telepathic link. Killing the daemon will return 1d4
sanity points to an investigator.
** The Channeling Beast **
This last familiar is somewhat more mundane than the previous two. An
animal is killed, usually no greater than size 7, and its inner body parts
removed. These various parts are mixed with a pint of the sorcerer's own
blood in an enchanted bowl. While mixing the components, the sorcerer
invests the bloody concoction with a point of POW. The sorcerer then cooks
it all over low heat until it becomes a nasty mess of dried blood and burnt
flesh. At this point, the sorcerer eats half of it while sewing the other
half into the corpse. The following night, exactly 5 minutes before
midnight, the corpse will "revive" and appear before its master.
This familiar has all of the physical and mental characteristics common to
it during life. Thus, most sorcerers choose a species with good
intelligence and power. The sorcerer can also see and hear through his
familiar with minimal concentration (one round and 1 MP). Using the
familiar in this way, the sorcerer is able to cast any spell known to him as
though physically present. This type of channeling can only occur while the
sorcerer "possesses" the familiar. Any physical damage done to the sorcerer
breaks the link, as does the death of the channeling beast.
The familiar is also able to "mimic" death. Investigators who encounter a
channeling beast may find that it appears alive, stuffed/mummified, or as
fresh corpse. It is quite unsettling to witness a dead cat surrounded by
flies and worms suddenly springing to its feet and bounding away. Once
killed, the familiar reverts to its natural state.
Sanity loss for meeting this familiar:
Realization that spells are being channeled through it, 0/1d3.
Witnessing it spring to life after appearing dead, 1/1d3.
Killing this beast returns 1d3 sanity points to an investigator.
** Endnotes **
Familiars are not limited to the three types mentioned in this article, and
many possibilities exist for imaginative Keepers. No one has yet delved
seriously into the curious nature of Keziah Mason's nasty familiar, Brown
Jenkin (see Arkham Unveiled #2325). The three familiars discussed here are
not physically very powerful. The danger, however, lies in their ability to
surprise opponents and cast spells. Combined with an assault by their
masters, these familiars become a frightening extension of any cultist's raw
power and a great addition to any Keeper's campaign.
--
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