Pizza Man Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 If you are going to pay the points for a familiar, it should be USEFULL. So you have a talking crow....OK. How does it benefit you? Here is what I came up with. Background/History It was the summer session at the university and Sol was looking to create something of value. He succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations. He was just a first year student, He mastered the cantrips, learned the spells, and empowered his first staff. He wanted to make a homunculus, but he wanted a work of art-the standard formula just wouldn’t work. Haunting the local book shops, Sol stumbled across a great find…in an old glass case there was a stuffed pixie. It was more than a hundred years old, and completely illegal. Sol bought it for a single gold piece. He visited a wig shop and purchased golden elven hair. Sol commissioned a doll maker for the finest softest clothing he could afford. The rest of the ingredients were at the school: his alchemy class equipment, a thousand ants crushed and powdered, enchanted clay, and of course 2 pints of his own blood… For three days and nights he poured his heart and soul into his creation. The masters were amazed. Sol had produced a masterpiece. He called her Circe’ after a mythical mage of yore. She was beautiful, with long golden hair, and graceful limbs. But she was empty, and lifeless. Little Circe’ was animate, and would do whatever Sol told her to, but she would not speak, or smile, or show any sort of emotion. Sol felt he was not finished, that he had left something out. It was a wise old master who saw though his student’s disappointment. “You have given your creation form and beauty, but to give it life you must bind it to you as a familiar, in soul as well as blood.” Sol began to research anew. In an old tome, he found his answer. Locking himself in a room with Circe’, he began the ritual of binding. When the candle burned low, and then incense burned out, he broke a gemstone and released a swirling storm of embers. It was too much for Sol, the room spun with the whirling embers, and he blacked out. Morning. Sol opened his eyes with a groan. He had a headache. Circe’ stood before his face, staring at him as passionless as ever. Then her eye twinkled, she smiled and said, “Good morning, Master.” Personality/Motivation Homunculi are supposed to exhibit their master’s personality and quirks. Circ’e breaks the rules. Her master is serious, she is bubbly and happy. She loves to laugh, sing and dance (and in general fascinates bards). Circe’ and Sol are best friends just as master and familiars are supposed to be. She eats and sleeps, just like Sol does. She definitely has a sweet tooth. And kittens. Circe’ LOVES kittens. She has learned a few spells with her master at the university, and carries a focus at all times: A miniature wand that Sol empowered for her. But she really loved learning to speak Draconic with her master. So few take that course that she feels its like a secret language just for the two of them. Sol thinks not quite sure where the singing and dancing come from. He speculates that some remnant of Pixie’s personality may have remained in the skin. All in all, Sol is quite happy with his new friend. Quote: CANDY! Oh Master! We must get some! You know, for your journey. I’m just thinking of you, Master. Powers/Tactics Circe is not meant for combat. She will go desolid and hide in Sol’s pocket or under his hat. She even has a sliding window in Sol’s hat so she can peep out. She has a number of useful qualities that she can pass onto her Master. Her life support will extend to him, granting Master self contained breathing and longevity. Her fly spell can be cast upon Sol as well. And her Detect Magic was taught to her by the head master himself, to aid a promising young student who had succeeded so well. It is discriminatory and can analyze magic. She prefers to cast her fly spell and just leave it on all day. Moving at 4M just won’t cut it for her. Campaign Use At 35 points, you can use her yourself if you want. She is designed to be useful for a mage Appearance Circe’ looks just like “I Dream of Jeanie.” She is 12 inches tall. She will probably be smiling at something when you first meet her. Follower at 35 points to character Familiar Circe’ Characteristics: 3 STR 16 DEX 8 CON 10 INT 8 EGO 20 PRE 5 OCV 8 DCV 3 OMCV 3 DMCV 3 SPD 2 PD 2 ED 4 REC 20 END 10 BODY 20 STUN Run 4M Swim 4M Jump 4M Fly at 25M (see below) Total Cost: 48 Powers: 13 Flight 25M. Reduced END (0 END +1/2) Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4). OAF wand (-1) Usable by others, Circe and Master only (+1/4), Only if recipient remains close to grantor (+0) within 4 meters, Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra time (Full Phase -1/4)……44 active points 8 Detect Magic. A large class of things. 16- (unusual group) Discriminatory and Analyze. Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4). OAF wand (-1), Extra time (Full Phase -1/2)……..25 active points 16 Desolidification Reduced END( 0 End +1/2), Cannot pass through Solid Objects (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), OAF wand (-1), Extra Time (Extra Phase -3/4)……60 Active points 15 Life Support Longevity: 400 years, Immunity to all terrestrial Diseases and all terrestrial Poisons (10 points), Usable by other (+1/4) 6 Telekinesis 3 STR, Affects Physical world +2, Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4). OAF wand (-1), Concentration (-1/2) 18 Active points, 2 END 5 Mind Link to Master, One specific Mind 33 Regeneration/Can only be killed by killing Master, shared Life force/ 1 Body per Hour, Heal limbs, Resurrection Total Powers Cost: 96 Skills, Perks n’ Stuff: 6 Striking Appearance +2/+2D6 3 Acrobatics 12- 3 Charm 13- (15-) 3 Stealth 12- 3 KS: Arcane/Magical Lore for use with Detect Magic Spell 3 Concealment 11- 8 PS: Performance/Sing, Dance 17- (19-) Fascinate Bards 1 Literate in common 1 Language: Draconian Basic Conversation Total Cost: 31 Total character cost: 175 Complications 50: 15 Physical Complication: Tiny. Frequently, Slightly Impairing 25: Subject to Orders. Must obey creator. Very Common, Total 10: Will not willingly go more than a mile from her master. Panics if forced beyond that distance. Circe trying not to be bored in Alchemy Class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... 13 Flight 25M. Reduced END (0 END +1/2) Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4). OAF wand (-1) Usable by others, Circe and Master only, Only if recipient remains close to grantor (+1/4, -1/2 = -1/4) within 4 meters……37 active points Bold added by me. From 6E1, pg. 354: The minimum value of UOO, regardless of modifiers, is +1/4. Other than that, it looks great. Fun background, some useful abilities, and inexpensive enough to add a bit of color to character without being a point drain. I'm sure I'll steal this and slightly modify it at some point. Thanks for sharing. EDIT: Forgot to ask. What's the SFX of her Desolidification? I am guessing it's just there to avoid damage, but what does it look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... The minimum value of UOO, regardless of modifiers, is +1/4. Aha! Hero designer doesn't know that. and here I thought I was all that. I will tweak it a bit, fix it up. FIXED: Rewrote the need to stay close, and added: Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra time (Full Phase -1/4)……44 active points Forgot to ask. What's the SFX of her Desolidification?Hmmmm. Let me ruminate on that for a bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... She stands on the bridge between the realm of dreams and the waking realm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... Other than that, it looks great. Fun background, some useful abilities, and inexpensive enough to add a bit of color to character without being a point drain. I'm sure I'll steal this and slightly modify it at some point. Thanks for sharing. EDIT: Forgot to ask. What's the SFX of her Desolidification? I am guessing it's just there to avoid damage, but what does it look like? OK, Circe' goes slightly blurry, like she's not quite focus, and she loses all color, like Jeanie's black and white episodes. OK, so now I'm interested...how would you tweak her to fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... Modifications would be made entirely dependent on the campaign I would use it in. That and I think I'd make her look like someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... I was looking for a quick ans easy image, but a little google search came up with these...I searched under sucubus for the bat wings traditionally used by Homculi. (and thats another -1/2 Restrainable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... I commissioned this years ago and misplaced it. Didn't like the wings, too small, but here is my sorcerer, Vos and his Homunculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... If ever in doubt always fall back on DA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... OK, I'm working on the master right now and I ended up tweaking Circe. I changed her life support...It had the same error that Bigbywolfe found...the usable by others showing -1/4 when it should be + 1/4th. She originally had granted self contained breathing because I envisioned her as a tiny air elemental...but now that she is not, She grants immunity to all disease and poisons.---a bit more useful for a starting character. But now I'm 3 points off, so I removed the "Persistent" from her desolidification. She really didn't need it. and all is well in the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Re: If you are going to have a Familiar... And since I brought this up again, here is a steam punk Homunculous http://witchysaint.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d33uzyi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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