Anwyn
Fantasy Express
Novus 2nd Edition
Novus 1st Edition
| Lvl: | 3 | Hits: | 50 | Move: | 10’ |
| DEF: | 24 | AR: | — | ||
| Attacks: | 13 Claws or Bite (9) | ||||
| Stats: | Chr: 9(-1)/4; Con: 18(2)/7; Dex: 15(1)/6; | ||||
| Int: 12(0)/5; Spd: 19(3)/8; Str: 6(-2)/3; | |||||
| Will: 7(-1)/4; Wis: 18(2)/7 | |||||
| Skills: | Perc. (7); Stealth (10); Tracking (7) | ||||
| Size: | varies | ||||
| # Enc: | 1 | ||||
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Abilities:
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A Familiar Spirits is a minor spirit entity that can be summoned by a spell caster to become his familiar. The Familiar Spirit generally has a neutral outlook, tending to adopt the views and moral and ethical standards of the spell caster that it is bonded to and serves.
Like all other spirits, on their home planes, Familiar Spirits have only their body of light. When summoned to the mortal plane, the Familiar Spirit must take on a mortal form. The physical form that it takes appears to be random and once taken, it can take no other physical form. While these physical forms resemble normal animals, they are still just a spirit made manifest, and as such they share a number of characteristics (listed in the stat block above), regardless of their form.
It is conjectured that the Familiar Spirit patterns its form after a nearby example, but this is unproven. What is known is that sometimes, a Familiar Spirit is unable to take its own physical form. These are known as Disembodied Spirits (see below).
Familiar Spirits are able to mentally communicate with their masters at a distance of up to 1 mile, and they may freely travel from the mortal plane to the Ethereal Plane, just as all other spirits can do. Familiar Spirits are also immune to damage from non-magical weapons and to all types of control spells that are not associated with their summoning.
If a spell caster is unhappy with his Familiar Spirit, he may freely dismiss it, and it will then return to its home plane. However, once dismissed, the caster must wait at least a month before attempting to summon another Familiar Spirit even if the year between castings of the Summon Familiar spell have already passed.
Familiar Spirits start off at the minimum experience needed for third level and they will earn a number of experience points equal to half of those earned by the spell caster that is bonded to them, so that they can slowly increase in skill and power.
Here is a listing of some of the forms that Familiar Spirits may take, along with some other information regarding the specific forms.
Types of Familiar Spirits
| Lvl: | 5 | Hits: | 37 | Move: | 5’ |
| DEF: | 25 | AR: | — | ||
| Attacks: | 17 Pinch/Scratch (3) | ||||
| Stats: | Chr: 9(-1)/4; Con: 10(0)/5; Dex: 19(3)/8; | ||||
| Int: 10(0)/5; Spd: 12(0)/5; Str: 5(-2)/3; | |||||
| Will: 5(-2)/3; Wis: 20(3)/8 | |||||
| Skills: | Perc. (10); Stealth (14); Tracking (10) | ||||
| Size: | 6”-12” tall; 3-5 lbs | ||||
| # Enc: | 1-4 | ||||
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Abilities:
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Some believe that Nature Spirits are related to the lesser Elemental Spirits because of they reflect nature and the elements just like the lesser Elemental Spirits, but they are not true Elemental Spirits.
Though Nature Spirits are normally invisible to the naked eye, they exist throughout the natural world and are known to inhabit all types of organic and inorganic substances. They may only be seen by those who summon them, or those who have the [[Second Sight]] (see p. 30) or through a spell that allows one to see invisible creatures and beings.
There are five types of Nature Spirits. When on the mortal plane they appear as tiny humanoids, often made of their elemental substance. Nature Spirits are usually only summoned by Shamans or Druids. If summoned, they can be asked to perform a single small service, but only if the service in question is of a short duration, usually one hour or less.
Nature Spirits can only affect the material world in the most minor of ways. They may lift or carry small or tiny items that are less than 1 pound in weight, and they may pinch or scratch foes. This form of attack only does 3 points of damage (no scaling damage, and Boon Points from attacks cannot increase the damage in any way). And since Nature Spirits are, in fact, spirits, they are also immune to non-magical attacks and to all types of control spells that are not associated with their summoning.
Nature Spirits may also, rarely, be called upon to serve as Familiars for a spell caster. However, they will never serve anybody who is evil, and they consider the spell caster who summons them as their friend, not their master. Unlike Familiar Spirits, a Nature Spirit can choose to dissolve the Familiar bond as well. If bonded as a Familiar, a Nature Spirit will be able to communicate telepathically with their “friend” for a distance of up to one mile, and they will be able to hear their friend call (in a mundane fashion, not through a spell) for them even if they are upon the Ethereal Plane.
Each type of Nature Spirit also has unique abilities associated with its form. They are as follows:
Specific Nature Spirits
In the center of all creation are the mortal planes; numerous dimensions side by side. Surrounding these mortal planes is the Ethereal Plane, known as the lowest of the Spirit Planes. Above that we have the Astral Plane, which serves as the home to many spirits and also the gateway to other planes, even further removed, such as the Elemental Planes and beyond that the planes of the gods, and even beyond them is the Light that shines upon all.
There are some Spirit Entities that live in the Ethereal Plane, but these are few and far between. More live among the Astral Plane. On the spirit planes, Spirit Entities appear as geometric shapes, pulsing with an inner light, this is often referred to as its “body of light”. Those with the proper lore can easily discern one type of spirit from another.
Spirit Entities can easily traverse from the mortal planes to any of the Spirit Planes at will, only taking physical form on the mortal planes. The form taken is determined by the type of spirit.
All spirit entities have the following in common:
- Immune to non-magical weapons
- Able to turn ethereal or corporeal at will. Transformation takes 1 minute.
- Immune to influence or control spells, except for those related to summoning.
Sample Spirits
Dragons are creatures of legend. Dragons are vastly powerful creatures, both physically and magically. It is said by some scholars that Dragons were among the first creatures to arise, that they soared across the skies when humans were still living in trees.
Whether this is true or not, we may never know, but history and legends are filled with Dragons as far back as anybody can remember.
Unlike other creatures, we present you with not one, but 5 different stat blocks for Dragons. We have provided one stat block for each “age” or stage of development that that a Dragon has. Wyrmlings cannot fly, and Wyrmlings and Young Dragons cannot cast spells.
When a Dragon becomes an Adult Dragon, he may learn spells from a single School of Magic. When he becomes an Old Dragon, he can learn spells from a second School of Magic and when he becomes an Ancient Dragon, he may learn spells from a third School of Magic. The Dragon is considered to be a Major Adept in whatever Schools of Magic that he learns.
Dragon Specifics
There are a group of lower planes known as The Nine Hells, and sometimes called Hades. Hades, the Nether Realms (see p. 96), and the Shadow Realms (see p. 110) are collectively known as the Infernal Realms.
The evil inhabitants of Hades are known as Devils. Unlike the chaos of Demons, Devils are very orderly, and faithfully adhere to a chain of command known as the Order of Ascendancy. Devils are ruled over by a sinister being of untold power known as Asmodeus. It is rumored that Asmodeus and the other arch-devils once resided in the upper planes, but that they plotted to overthrow the gods and were subsequently banished to the planes of Hades.
It is said that Asmodeus now seeks a position of eminence and respect among the mortal planes, to regain what was lost with his banishment. It is also said that Asmodeus even has a sense of humor, a quality that is never attributed to the ruler of the Demon hordes.
When summoned, Devils need to be dealt with firmly, and without hesitation. Anything else shows weakness and while Devils are generally willing to aid those of a similar outlook, they are loathe to render service to those that they deem incompetent. Even worse than incompetence are those who are in league with Demons, and Devils can literally smell the “demon stink” on those who consort regularly with Demons.
All Devils despise Demons and will always attack them on sight. It is said that the lower planes are in a constant state of war between Demons and Devils.
Devils are, in a manner similar to Demons, repulsed by holy symbols and artifacts of divine magic.
All Devils have the following attributes in common:
- Immune to venoms and poisons
- Immune to non-magical weapons (damage from such weapons heals almost instantly)
- Repulsed by Holy Symbol: Devil must make Save vs. Will or avert its gaze and be unable to approach wielder for 1 minute.
- Hurt by Holy Oil and Holy Water as described in the Bless Water/Oil spell description (p. 66).
- Immune to all influence and control spells that are not specifically designed for controlling or influencing devils.
Specific Devils