Headless Sorcerers

From: Michael Cule <mikec_at_room3b.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 1998 20:59:40 +0000

>If the head of a sorcerer is taken using this ritual, is that sorcerer then
>considered to be dead as far as any familiars are concerned?
>
>In other words, would the familiar begin to loose those STATS that were
>added to it during its creation?
>
>If not would the familiar be under the indirect control of the Thanatari?
>
>If it were not I could envisage the interesting situation whereby the
>familiar might feel duty bound to help his master to a proper death or
>release and thereby doom itself to change back to its incomplete former
>self.

Oh! What a lovely idea.... I *must* steal this....

I would say that the MGF answer is that the sorcerer isn't dead enough to break the enchantment. His soul and mind and (part) of his body are still in the world.

On the other hand the familiar would be feeling the agony of his master's soul and mind as it writhes in horrendous, Chaotic torture and descends into madness. The familiar has every reason to want to save his Master and have the agony end for both of them.

Is the familiar under the Thanatari's control? Only if the Thanatari knows enough about sorcerers to ask the question....

So: a PC sorcerer is approached by a large black cat which is desperate to communicate something to him.... A nice plot hook, yes!

And BTW, I would say that if the Familiar gets hooked up with another sorcerer before all the Stat bonuses given by the old it gets to keep the old stuff as well as keeping the new. This leads to the picture of the more powerful familiars conducting interviews for new Masters....

Hmm, the PC sorcerer in my group has yet to create a familiar. And he's hanging around with a Lhankhor Mhy Acolyte. Possibilities.....

• -- Michael Cule

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