Lunar Familiar Charm

[Flagg]

I had an idea for a Lunar Charm, based on one of the Advanced Shapeshifting powers from the Amber DRPG.


I don't recall Lunars having their own Familiar creation Charm. This Charm would allow a Lunar to shapeshift a part of his own flesh and blood into an animal.


I have pretty solid ideas as to the mechanics, but I'm a litte uncertain as to which Charm tree to hang this on, and where. I don't have my Lunars book on me at the moment.


Ideas?


-S

 

[Persell]

Would it be an out-growth of the Wondrous Lunar Transformation tree?


The Lunar would gain the ability to carve out a portion of his own shape, imbued with his own Essence and nature and sculpt it to a familiar ( perhaps limited to his own animal totem?).


The real issue with placing the charm would seem to be that it creates a seperate entity, potentially with it's own spirit, which does not seem to fall within the existing trees.


Perhaps the Lunar must commit essence to the existance of the Familiar?


Just my two cents.  Other, more learned, folks here will likely have better suggestions.

 

[Persell]

I don't recall Lunars having their own Familiar creation Charm.

They do. Check Pack-Forming Presence on E:tL pp. 189-190.

This Charm would allow a Lunar to shapeshift a part of his own flesh and blood into an animal.
I have pretty solid ideas as to the mechanics, but I'm a litte uncertain as to which Charm tree to hang this on, and where. I don't have my Lunars book on me at the moment.

Fwiw, I agree with Eldred's placement of such a Charm. The reason I couldn't resist posting is because this is a cool idea for creating a homunculus styled Charm that allows a Lunar to sprout forth critters from his/her very form. I'd suggest limiting it to the Lunar's own shape library and varying the essence cost depending on what is 'created'. Things that spring to mind are hordes of rats, a tyrant lizard and even a human being shape that a Lunar learnt.


I personally wouldn't construct it like a familiar, and would encourage the Lunar to acquire other extant Lunar Charms such as; Sense-Borrowing Method to build a way in which such a 'tool' would relate to its creator, and be utilised. I'd even go so far as to suggest that the creation has a mind of its own, that is in part born from the mind of its creator, and requires Charms to control fully. The images invoked in my mind when I read your initial post Stillborn were of Lunars who called forth armies of critters from their very forms (based on their shape libraries), or of spy-like Lunars who created temporary instant familiars of varying types for reconnaisance (rats for small pipes, sparrows for high places, chickens for peasant farm recon )


Also in the recon/spy mode, while using such a Charm tree it would be possible to make use of learnt human shapes that allow a Lunar to conceal (slightly) that they have killed the human to acquire their shape. Sprout a human and have it do stuff. I'd be building a 'dumb' character though and require that for any challenging task the PC be controlling their critter somehow.


My primary reservation for such a Charm is that it doesn't quite work thematically with Lunars and the tattoo-ing vs Wyld energies gig. I can conceive of a Chimera using/creating it, but a Silver Pact Lunar doesn't feel like a likely candidate.


Mechanics would be simple enough, critter created would have a variable essence cost, and the essence would be based on the utility of the critter (humanoids being among the most expensive), and probably willpower and maybe even health related costs. The essence remains committed until the critters die or are returned to their creator. Leading to stories where the creator has to hunt down rogue critters to regain their essence (yay, story opportunities = good, imo).


Er ... my stream of consciousness rant that answered your question early on and then went off on a slight tangent.  :shock: