Bind the Familiar
A few Tremere retain familiars from their days as mortal magi. Unfortunately, the original rituals and pacts used to establish bonds with spirits no longer function in undeath, and the Embrace often severs spiritual ties. Many thaumaturges have simply done without, dismissing familiars as a quaint archaism of mortal wizardry. After all, the Tremere can transform mortals and beasts into ghouls with a draught of vitae - and the blood oath is far easier and more reliable than ritual binding. Still, there are those thaumaturges who yearn for more enlightened companionship. Though a number of monsters penned in Ceoris owe their unfortunate existences to familiar research, the rituals used by mortals were eventually adapted successfully. What follows is the most common familiar ritual used, though others exist.
Beginning at dusk, the caster paints a circle of fresh human blood on a large stone slab, inscribing its circumference with the sigils that comprise his True Name. The vampire must be sure to finish the last symbol at the stroke of midnight. With the circle's power still fresh, the vampire takes the beast intended to host the familiar spirit and drains it almost entirely of blood. He places the dying animal within the circle and feeds it vitae in a parody of the Embrace. The caster then begins incantations over the beast, starting in a low whisper and growing in volume with each spell. When he can repeat the evocations no louder, he ends the ritual, waiting in still silence. If the ritual succeeds, the spiritual smell of blood draws a spirit to the animal, where it is captured by the warding circle. The spirit can struggle - and usually does= bit the blood magic always prevails. Once the spirit succumbs, the ritual fuses it with the beast and restores the animal to full health. The new familiar may inwardly resent its bondage at first, though it can be bribed with blood and mollified with good treatment.
System: The caster completes the ritual described above. The player spends five blood points and rolls Intelligence + Occult. The difficulty depends on the intended level of the familiar + 4. Botching results in a truly horrific fate; the caster may be possessed by the spirit, or he may have created a savage gremlin. Failure carries no consequence apart from wasted effort. Familiars can be grouped in five ascending ranks of potency and intelligence by level. Level-One familiars are small, harmless creatures little more intelligent than their natural counterparts (e.g. toads, rats, sparrows). Level-Two familiars are notably more cunning than their form suggests, and warn of intruders - though they are powerless to stop anyone from entering their master's haven (e.g. cat, owl). Level-Three familiars may be larger and more dangerous, like a wolf; or a smaller familiar that is as intelligent as a 10-year-old child. Familiars chosen for their intelligence can perform fairly complicated tasks and serve as messengers, although they cannot speak. Level-Four familiars may be dangerous animals with childlike intellects, or small creatures as intelligent as their master. Such a being can communicate telepathically with its master regardless of the distance separating them, and does its best to act as an assistant within the limits of its form. Level-Five familiars are extremely potent, possibly more intelligent than their masters, and certainly in possession of lore and secrets unknown to those who command them. They may speak and perhaps possess a few mystical tricks of their own (subject to Storyteller's discretion). All familiars are loyal as if bound by the blood oath, though they may struggle against or accept their servitude depending on their strength of will and the master's treatment. Familiars must be fed a number of blood points of their master's vitae equal to their level each week, or take ill and die within a night. So long as they are properly fed (their normal diet as well as blood), familiars never age and remain perfectly healthy.
At Storyteller discretion, Tremere who purchase this ritual with bonus points may begin play with a familiar as a Background equal to the creature's level.
