Those cultists who through their loyalty and accomplishments have become faithful servants of the Mythos often receive as gifts powerful familiars to assist them.  This article deals primarily with three types of such allies: the animalistic demon, the scholarly daemon, and the channeling beast. Individual Keepers are left to theorize exactly how such beings fit within the framework of the Mythos.

Animalistic Demons

Nyarlathotep seems to be the primary giver of such fiends, and he grants these demonic entities only to the most faithful of servants.  The best example of such a creature may be found in the Cairo section of The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep (#2361), where investigators might have the misfortune of meeting Omar Shakti and his "pretty white cat," Hetep.  Nonetheless, such entities may take any animal form, though cat is by far the most common. Thebestial form is itself dependent upon the sorcerer's chosen host, which is a specially prepared (mummified) animal corpse. In most cases, no animal greater than the size of a large dog (SIZ 7) is used.

Once the sorcerer prepares and offers the mummified corpse to Nyarlathotep, the Messenger of the Gods will then send forth an evil spiritual being to possess it.  Now animated by the indwelling spirit, the animal corpse assumes its natural living appearance.  If the sorcerer should ever die, the demonic spirit abandons the host corpse and returns to its own realm. However, if the familiar should ever perish, such is not the case of the sorcerer, who lives on.

The demonic spirit is able to transform the host body into a highly exaggerated form.  In the example of Hetep, it was able to change from the innocent form of a white cat into that of a demonic cat-thing whose appearance was much like that of a hairless lion.  Such transformations increase the host size by 2d6 points.  Each demonic being is unique and has its own special attack, which it may use in either form.  While the natural attacks of the host are also available to use, the demon familiar prefers to use such attacks only when in its hybrid form, thus drawing upon its increased strength and size.

Animalistic demons are primarily guardians, never straying very far from their master unless commanded to do so.  Such familiars can learn any language possessed by their master, though their proficiency never increases beyond 30%.  The sorcerer is able to communicate telepathically or verbally with his familiar, though the demon itself usually only communicates telepathically, since the tongue of its animal host is often unable to mimic the human language effectively. Any spell known by their master may be learned by the familiar at an accelerated rate.  The fiendish familiar also has knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos beginning at 50% and increasing asnormal.

Characteristics for Animalistic Demons
While in host form, these familiars retain all the characteristics of the host when alive, with the exception of Intelligence, Power, and natural armor (if any), which never changes in either form.  Hit points and damage bonuses change accordingly.  The change from animal to hybrid takes one full round.  When in hybrid form, characteristics are as follows:

STR 10 plus 2d6; CON 10 plus 2d6; SIZ as host plus 2d6; INT 12 plus 1d6; DEX
as host plus 1d6; POW 16 plus 1d6.

Animalistic demons have any basic skill that was available to their animal host, with the addition of Track (75%) if not usually available to it. Keepers may provide other skills as desired.  However, when changed into hybrid form, the familiar often suffers a penalty to skills such as Sneak and Hide due to the increased size.  Suggested penalties are from -10% to -20%, though Keepers may choose to ignore this effect.  As noted above, each animalistic demon has a special attack available to it in both forms. Keepers should design and develop a special attack that would surprise investigators.  In the case of Hetep above, its tongue could extend like a tentacle rather quickly in order to strangle its victims.  This, of course, was quite a disturbing experience for any cat-loving investigator.

Sanity losses are as follows:
When the demon dies or abandons the animal host after the death of its master, investigators suffer 0/1d3 sanity loss for realization that the animal was a mummified corpse.  Witnessing the hybrid form costs 1/1d6.  If witnessed in combination with the actual transformation, sanity loss changes to 2/1d6+1.  Killing this dreadful creature returns 1d4 sanity points to an investigator.


The Scholarly Daemon

This type of familiar was first introduced in "The Secret of Castronegro" (Cthulhu Companion #2304).  In that scenario, investigators matched wits against the highly evil Bernardo Diaz and his intelligent familiar, Greedygut.  The greatest difference between animalistic demons and scholarly daemons is reservation.  Daemon familiars are more reserved and never engage in physical combat.  Bound by Nyarlathotep to a specific item worn or carried by their master, such as a ring or necklace, a scholarly daemon will assist its master in mystic research.  Such familiars are valuable assistants, having an extremely high Cthulhu Mythos, Power, and Intelligence, as well as an abundant knowledge of the occult.  This knowledge lends great assistance in matters of spell research, adding +1 to the spell multiplier of any tome used to learn a spell.

The complex ritual used by Nyarlathotep to fashion the binding item limits an individual wearing the item to only one daemon.  Once a daemon dies, the item will not attract another until a different individual wears it.  The number of such items throughout the world is very few and chances are that an active investigator will never stumble upon one in his lifetime.  If an investigator should ever find one, it would be quite foolish to wear it,since Nyarlathotep often curses such items. Chopping off the finger was the only way one could remove the ring worn by the cultist, Bernardo Diaz, in "Castronegro".

Scholarly daemons communicate with the wearer of the binding item telepathically.  This telepathic link is constant, so long as the person wears the item, allowing the daemon to know his every thought and whim
(though not vice versa).  These familiars often already know 1d6 spells initially and can learn any spells known by their master at an accelerated rate.

Characteristics for Scholarly Daemons
Scholarly daemons have the appearance of humanoid toads or rats, though they vary in color and skin features.  The skin of such daemons may be fur, quills, scales, slime, etc.  Their eyes are quite large and yellow.  Basic characteristics are as follows:

STR 1 plus 1d6; CON 3d6; SIZ 1 plus 1d6; INT 16 plus 1d6; POW 16 plus 1d6;
DEX 12 plus 1d6.

Skills include Cthulhu Mythos (50%), Listen (70%), Spot Hidden (90%), Hide (80%), Sneak (100%), Climb (80%), Dodge, and Jump (90%).

Sanity loss for meeting this familiar are 0/1d4, unless the daemon is one personally bound to you, in which case the loss changes to 1/1d8 due to the unnerving effect of the telepathic link.  Killing the daemon will return 1d4 sanity points to an investigator.


The Channeling Beast

This last familiar is somewhat more mundane than the previous two.  An animal is killed, usually no greater than size 7, and its inner body parts removed.  These various parts are mixed with a pint of the sorcerer's own blood in an enchanted bowl.  While mixing the components, the sorcerer invests the bloody concoction with a point of POW.  The sorcerer then cooks it all over low heat until it becomes a nasty mess of dried blood and burnt flesh.  At this point, the sorcerer eats half of it while sewing the other half into the corpse.  The following night, exactly 5 minutes before midnight, the corpse will "revive" and appear before its master.

This familiar has all of the physical and mental characteristics common to it during life.  Thus, most sorcerers choose a species with good intelligence and power.  The sorcerer can also see and hear through his familiar with minimal concentration (one round and 1 MP).  Using the familiar in this way, the sorcerer is able to cast any spell known to him as though physically present.  This type of channeling can only occur while the sorcerer "possesses" the familiar.  Any physical damage done to the sorcerer breaks the link, as does the death of the channeling beast.

The familiar is also able to "mimic" death.  Investigators who encounter a channeling beast may find that it appears alive, stuffed/mummified, or as fresh corpse.  It is quite unsettling to witness a dead cat surrounded by flies and worms suddenly springing to its feet and bounding away.  Once killed, the familiar reverts to its natural state.

Sanity loss for meeting this familiar:
Realization that spells are being channeled through it, 0/1d3.
Witnessing it spring to life after appearing dead, 1/1d3.
Killing this beast returns 1d3 sanity points to an investigator.


Endnotes

Familiars are not limited to the three types mentioned in this article, and many possibilities exist for imaginative Keepers.  No one has yet delved seriously into the curious nature of Keziah Mason's nasty familiar, Brown Jenkin (see Arkham Unveiled #2325).  The three familiars discussed here are not physically very powerful.  The danger, however, lies in their ability to surprise opponents and cast spells.  Combined with an assault by their masters, these familiars become a frightening extension of any cultist's raw power and a great addition to any Keeper's campaign.


Credits: Christopher Hardesty