Adder of the Barrows (Terram), Might 12
The Adder of the Barrows is an eerie, petrified predator (Size -4) native to ancient megalithic tombs, grassy burial mounds, and forgotten stone barrows scattered across ancient hillsides. Imbued with deep earth magic, its flesh has fused into a living, supple Body of Stone, making it look as though it were carved from ancient, weathered rock veins.
Governed by an Infamous reputation and a Loathsome Appearance (Presence -6), the adder avoids the sunlight, preferring to coil within dark, sealed sarcophagi and subterranean burial vaults. Local peasants and superstitious villagers whisper fearful stories of the "Barrow Worm"—a venomous stone snake that guards ancient treasures, slips through solid rock walls like water, and leaves a trail of withered, dead vegetation in its wake.
Hermetic Utility: How It Uses Its Powers on Behalf of Its Magus
When successfully bound as a familiar (featuring an incredible total bind cost of 0), the Adder of the Barrows offers extraordinary subterranean utility, defensive support, and destructive versatility:
· Fluid Subterranean Movement (Slither Through Stone): Through its MuTe15 personal power, the adder can slither through packed earth and even hard stone as if it were river clay. This allows it to tunnel directly into enemy covenants, bypass locked stone doors, scout sealed underground chambers, or retrieve hidden treasures from behind masonry walls.
· Versatile Spells (Master of Terram): Using its powerful Focus Power, the adder can duplicate any non-Ritual Muto or Perdo Terram spell up to level 10, costing 1 Might point per magnitude. This provides the magus with a flexible, on-demand toolkit for altering stone, weakening masonry, or manipulating earth obstacles on the fly.
· Decimating Foliage (Wither the Green): With its PeHe20 lesser power, the adder can instantly wither up to 10 cubic paces of plant material, clearing away thick overgrowth, destroying enemy crops, or breaching wooden-and-vine defenses with a single touch.
· Lethal Ambush and Protection: Backed by its high Ambush Predator quality (granting automatic initiative and a +3 attack bonus on the first round), incredible Slippery defense against grapples, and venomous stone fangs, it acts as a silent, deadly guardian inside a magus's laboratory.
Hardening the Trial: Making It Harder to Close In and Befriend
Binding a Might 12 creature is mathematically trivial, but befriending the Adder of the Barrows is a claustrophobic, grim, and hazardous ordeal:
· The Labyrinth of the Dead: The adder nests deep within ancient barrow mounds and sealed subterranean vaults. A prospective magus must risk disturbing angry spirits, navigating unstable burial tunnels, and breaking into sacred or cursed tombs just to find it.
· Loathsome and Repulsive Presence: The adder possesses a Loathsome Appearance. It does not welcome warmth or companionship; it strikes defensively from the dark, and its stone-cold, intimidating presence causes instinctive revulsion in those who try to approach it unprepared.
· Earning the Trust of the Tomb-Dweller: The adder cannot be won over with flattery, bright lights, or surface-world luxuries. To earn its trust, a magus must demonstrate a deep reverence for the silence of the earth and the lore of the dead, often leaving offerings of rare minerals, ancient grave-goods, or performed rites of stone-shaping in the dark. Only when the magus proves they are as patient, enduring, and unyielding as stone will the barrow adder allow the bond of a familiar to be forged.
Characteristics: Int -1, Per -2, Pre 0, Com 0, Str -8, Sta +3, Dex +3, Qik +3
Size: -4
Season: Summer
Gender: Female
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Magic Animal, Lightning Reflexes (Initiative on Surprise Attack: +9), Tough (Soak: +3), Ways of the Mountain, Infamous, Terram Monstrosity [Monstrosity: Body of Stone], Magical Air
Qualities and Inferiorities: Ambush Predator (Bonus: Automatic Initiative, +3 Attack 1st round), Loathsome Appearance (Presence: -6 normally, +3
when trying to intimidate), Slippery (Bonus: +6 defending Grapple attacks), Venomous
Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus Power × 1, Terram Resistance, Improved Defense × 1 (Fangs: +2), Improved Damage × 1 (Fangs: +3), Lesser Power × 1, Personal Power × 1, Improved Initiative × 1 (Fangs: +3), Vis Mastery
Reputations: Venomous 4
Combat:
Fangs: Init: +6, Attack +11, Defense +11, Damage -4
Soak: +6
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1), -3 (2), -5 (3), Incapacitated (4), Dead (5+)
Abilities:), Awareness 2 (prey), Brawl 4 (fangs), Hunt 4 (prey), Penetration 4 (Perdo), Terram Resistance 5, Stealth 5 (stalking prey Survival 4 (rocky areas)
Powers:
Master of Terram, Points: 1 or 2, Initiative: -2, Terram
R: Varies, D: Varies, T: Varies
Duplicates any of a range of non-Ritual Muto or Perdo spells pertaining to Terram, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of the effect.
The level of the effect cannot be greater than 10.
MuTe25 or PeTe25 (Base 25); Focus Power (25 levels)
Slither Through Stone, Points: 1, Initiative: +4, Terram
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
The Adder of the Barrows can slither through earth, and even hard stone, as if it was river clay.
MuTe15 (Base 3, +2 Sun, +1 Hard Stone, +1 special); Personal Power (15 levels, +2 Initiative cost)
Wither the Green, Points: 3, Initiative: -5, Herbam
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
The Adder of the Barrows can cause up to 10 cubic paces of plant material to wither.
PeHe20, Design: 20 levels, Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Group); Lesser Power (20 levels, -1 Might cost)
Total to Bind: (-7*5) + 25 + 10 = 0
Suitable Te and Fo for Binding: Muto, Perdo, Animal, Herbam, Terram