| abstract
| - This ritual is used by wizards to create a familiar. Such a creation is usually made from pieces of metal and wood, and often looks like a toy mannikin or soldier. Some wizards claim that the best familiars (particularly warrior familiars) are made from armour taken from the dead on the field of battle at midnight; less mystical wizards claim that this is rank superstition. This ritual cannot be learned, but must be performed whilst referring to the correct scroll or book. However, Experience Points must be paid the first time the spell is used, just as if a spell had been learned. Subsequent castings (as long as the book or scroll is present) do not require more points to be expended. To make a familiar, the wizard must collect together the necessary pieces of metal, wood, leather or other materials, then carve, shape or fix them together into a figurine of no more than 1 foot high or 1 foot long. Creating complex joints for the familiar's limbs is not necessary; this flexibility will be added by the spell. Construction takes three days, during which time the wizard must not eat, and may only drink water. Each day a construct test must be made. On a failure, another day must be spent making the familiar. On a failure of 30 or more, the materials are spoilt due to clumsy workmanship, and the whole project must begin anew. If the wizard stops during the construction process for any reason, then the process must be started again - however, the materials can be reused. Once the figurine is successfully made, the wizard must spend a whole waking day (16 hours) performing the spell to bring the familiar to life, doing do nothing else at all, apart from resting for five minutes every hour. When casting the spell, the wizard must chant the necessary words, make gestures and perform certain ceremonial steps around the familiar (a large room is essential for this purpose). Any interruption by anyone else during this period will mean the whole process is ruined, the materials must be discarded, and the wizard must start again from scratch. At the end of the ritual, if it has been successful, the familiar will come to life. It will sit up, look around, and see its potential master. At this point the gamesmaster should make a Fel test for the wizard, but not tell the player the result of the roll. On a successful test, the familiar will walk forward, touch the wizard's hand, and become a friend for life. However, on a failed test, the familiar will be nervous. It must make a Cl test; on a success it will reluctantly come toward the wizard, who may make another attempt at a Fel test. If this Cl roll is also failed, the familiar will flee the wizard, and on getting more than 10 yards away, will fall to pieces - the whole ritual must be performed again. On a roll of 99 or 00, the wizard has had a disaster, though doesn't yet know it. The familiar will have been animated by a minor Chaos Daemon, which will appear to be friendly, but will have its own agenda. It will act mischievously, and generally do everything in its power to make things go wrong for the wizard whilst still appearing to be helpful.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)