[HOE] Witch Familiars (comments and help wanted)

[Horace Black <horaceblack@yahoo.com>]

I working on witch familiars, this is what I have so
far (note this is a work in progress), let me know
what you guys (and gals) think.  Thanks in advance.
                                   Horace Black
Witch Familiars

 
  Some animals are more than they appear.  There are
animals that are linked to the hunting ground in the
same way as the witch; these special animals are
called familiars.  The witch bonds with her familiar
in a supernatural way, so that the two become bonded
with one another.
  The familiar provides the witch with special
abilities that embody the essence of that animal type
and in return the witch takes care of the familiar.
  All familiars grant the witch special abilities, for
these abilities to work she must spend a Fate Chip and
have her familiar within her line of sight.
  In order to gain a familiar the witch must take the
Familiar Edge. 

Familiar				5
  Some witches have special animal companions, but
unlike the usual animal Companion Edge these animals
grant the witch special powers. 
  The witch magical bonds with these creatures and if
the familiar is ever killed or dies the witch must
make a Hard (9) Spirit roll or loose the ability to
cast spells for 1 month.  However, she may call for
another familiar without having to buy this edge
again.  If the witch has intentionally killed the
familiar through neglect or abuse, she must make an
Incredible (11) Spirit roll or loose her ability to
cast spells for 1 year and may never again have a
familiar.
  This Edge confers all the benefits as animal
companion also and the witch may only have one
familiar at one time.

ALLIGATOR
White Chip: With a White Chip the witch can breath
underwater for 1 minute for every level of Witchcraft
she possesses.
Red Chip: The witch gains natural armor of +1 to all
areas for 1 round per level of Witchcraft possessed.
Blue Chip: With a Blue Chip the witch’s mouth alters
as she grows great jaws which are capable of doing STR
+ 1d10 damage.  These jaws last for 1 round for every
level of Witchcraft.
Legend Chip: Alligator’s are known for being tough
critters and when the witch spends a Legend Chip so is
she.  She grows in size gaining +2 Size, plus +2 Armor
to all locations.  These effects last 1 round per
Witchcraft level.


ARMADILLO
Nocturnal, burrows, armor, timid, good swimmers, rolls
into a ball to protect them.
White Chip: When a witch spends a White Chip she gains
+1 armor and she may spend as many White Chips as she
can.  This effect last for 1 round for each level the
witch has in Witchcraft.
Red Chip: Armadillos are renown for there ability to
burrow.  When a red Chip is spent the witch grows
claws and can dig 1’ per action, with these effects
lasting for 5 rounds.  If she chooses she may attack
with these claws using Fightin’: brawlin’ doing
Str+1d6 and attacking twice per action.
Blue Chip: Spending a Blue Chip causes a magical force
field to come up surrounding the witch, thus all
attacks against the witch are at a +10 penalty.  This
effect lasts for 5 rounds.
Legend Chip: When a Legend Chip is spent, the witch
rolls up into a protective ball.  While in this
protective ball she can take no other actions, but she
is immune to all damage while being in this protective
ball.  This balls protection last for as long as the
witch concentrates.
 
BADGER 
burrows, builds homes underground, nocturnal, digs
very quickly, good fighter, sleeps underground for
long periods in the winter,
White Chip:
Red Chip: The witch grows vicious claws that do STR
+1d6 in damage, this last for 1 round per Witchcraft
level.
Blue Chip: 
Legend Chip: The witch is able to quickly burrow
underground (10 feet) in 1 action and survive in this
environment for four hours.  She simple pops out of
the ground when she wishes.

BAT  
rebirth, transition, initiation, changes for the
better, moon magic.
White Chip: 
Red Chip: Nocturnal-Sonar vision
Blue Chip: Flight
Legend Chip:

BEAR
Introspection, strength and self-knowledge
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

CAT  
White Chip: Because cats possess heightened reflexes,
the witch is able to tap into this power and gains a
+5 bonus to Climbin’, Dodge and Sneak rolls.  This
power works for 1 hour and only one white chip can be
spent on this power at one time.
Red Chip: Cats are said to be able to look into the
spirit world.  When a red chip is spent the witch is
able to see the true nature of a creature or through
an illusion.  Thus if she spends a red chip, she could
tell if a survivors is disguised, either with magic or
make-up and the witch will also know any arcane
backgrounds a character might possess.  If used on an
item or area it reveals its true nature.  This power
works for 1d6 minutes.
Blue Chip: Cats possess a very keen vision and when
the witch spends a Blue Chip, she gains the ability to
see in complete darkness as if the area was covered in
the light of a full moon. This ability lasts until the
next witching hour (Midnight).
Legend Chip: Cat’s are known for their nine lives. 
Witches can draw upon this ability by spending a
legend chip.  When she does this she negates all
damage done to her in one attack, but she can only do
this only nine times.

CROW  
White Chip: Crows are known as trickster. Granting the
witch a +5 bonus to Bluff rolls whenever a White Chip
is spent.
Red Chip: Crows seem to know things that others
shouldn’t.  This gives the witch +5 bonus to Knowledge
(Arcane) rolls.
Blue Chip: The witch gains the ability of flight,
equal to her Pace plus 12, for a number of minutes
equal to her Witchcraft level.
Legend Chip: In some cultures crows are known as
shapeshifters and the witch gains the ability to take
on someone else’s form until midnight.  This has to be
human and the witch looks and sounds like the person,
but gains no special knowledge or powers possessed by
that individual.

DOG  
companionship, faithfulness, warnings, loyalty, earth
and moon magic.
White Chip: Dogs are excellent guards and when a white
chip is spent the dogs powers are transferred to the
witch.  The witch senses any creature that comes
within 50 yards of her. This effect lasts for 8 hours.
Red Chip: Dogs being faithful creatures can discern
falsehoods easier than some folk.  The witch knows if
someone is being deceitful to her for 1 minute per
level of her Witchcraft.
Blue Chip: Dogs have a keen sense of finding objects
others have lost or abandoned.  With a Red Chip the
witch gains a +5 to Scroungin’ rolls for four hours.
Legend Chip: Once again calling upon the dogs keen
senses the can find any item of Rare or less if
searched for in an area where it might be found
(Marshal’s call).

EAGLE 
Potency, healing power, illumination and spirit
White Chip:
Red Chip: Heightened Site
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip: The witch gains the ability of flight,
equal to her Pace plus 18, for a number of hours equal
to her Witchcraft level.

FALCON  
astral travelling, healing, soul healing, the release
of a soul for a dying person and magick.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

FERRET  
getting information, seeing truth behind the façade.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

FOX  
cunning, slyness, elusiveness, cleverness,
invisibility, fire magic
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

FROG
Cleansing, peace, emotional healing
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:


HAWK 
clear sightedness, being observant, far-memory,
overcoming problems, courage, defence, wisdom,
illumination, new life, creativity, recalling past
lives, truth and experience. The hawk is the messenger
to the Great Spirit, for they are the greatest flyers.
The hawk relays prayers swiftly. The hawks medicine is
the ability to see far and to open the spirit to inner
visions.
White Chip: Defense Bonus
Red Chip: Heightened vision
Blue Chip: Bravery Bonus
Legend Chip: See inter the Spirit world

LIZARD
Dreaming, letting go, elusiveness
White Chip:
Red Chip: Camouflage
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip: Regenerate lost limb

OWL  
wisdom, shadow work, far-seeing, darkness, air magic.
The owl's flight is silent. Owl is the keeper of
Moonlight Vision and those who honour the owl come to
understand magic, wisdom, the mysteries and powers of
the night. The Celtic Shaman holds the owl in high
regard, recognising the owl as a magical bird who
brings visions, inner knowing and acceptance. The
owl's magic is knowledge of the soul.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

RABBIT 
faith, nurturance, fertility, movement, sensitivity,
luck, moon magic
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

RACOON  
curiosity, dexterity, cleanliness, secrecy, disguises,
moon and earth magic.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

RAT  
shrewdness, adaptability, success, social,
restlessness, earth magic.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

RAVEN  
inner journeys, dreams, destiny, air magic. Like their
relatives, the crows, ravens were known throughout
Europe as death birds and other-world messengers.
Valkyries wore black raven feathers in their role of
Choosers of the Slain. Dead warriors on the
battlefield were called "feeders of raven" in skaldic
verse. Some of the skald's kennings (metaphors) for
the raven included "blood-swan" and "blood-goose".
Among the Celts, ravens were sacred to the other-world
Bird Goddess Rhiannon, and also incarnations of the
death-dealing Morrigan. Ravens brought omens of death.
It was often said that ravens could foretell outbreaks
of the plague.
Because of their association with the other world,
ravens were viewed as oracles and teachers of magic.
Ravens gave magical instruction to the Celtic God Lug
and to his Norse counterpart Odin. An adept in the
first stage of Mithraic initiation took the title of
Raven, which was linked with the lunar sphere. Later
stages carried the titles of Bridegroom, Warrior,
Lion, Persian, Sunrunner, and Pater. A 14th century
Italian manuscript said that the high position and
honour would surely come to a person who owned and
amulet showing a raven standing on a serpent's tail.
Among the Eskimo, Siberians and Indians of some
north-western American tribes, Raven was a major God
who married the Great Mother, brought dry land out of
the sea, and finally sacrificed himself to provide
magical wisdom for men. In Christian tradition,
however, ravens were often said to be the souls of
wicked persons.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

SNAKE  
health, fertility, faith, magical power, sun and water
magic
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

SKUNK  
respect, self-esteem, playfulness, steadiness,
patience, earth magic.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

SQUIRREL  
awareness, sociable, playful, preparations, activity,
energy, earth magic.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

TOAD
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

TURTLE
Mother earth, love & protection, healing & knowledge
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

WEASEL  
sly, loners, ability to escape tight spots relatively
unharmed, observation, secretive, earth magic.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:

WOLF  
spirit, freedom, intelligence, social, guardianship,
protection, wisdom, earth and moon magic. The wolf is
the Sage the Great Teacher. The wolf tolerates no
shirking of duty, and they mate for life. The wolf
preys natural upon the weak and therefore insures that
they do not multiply.
The wolf's medicine is inner strength, courage, love
and loyalty.
White Chip:
Red Chip:
Blue Chip:
Legend Chip:




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