I definitely wouldn’t allow someone to gain a Divine aligned Supernatural Virtue through an initiation in a magic aligned cult. Even if the Rules don’t ban it explicitly, it just doesn’t make sense. There are other ways to gain Divine aligned virtues instead, e.g. Pilgrimage or Contemplative Mysticism (which are mechanically basically both Divine variants of the initiation rules).
A Criamon with rather stronger ties to the material world than they want.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre +0, Com +1, Str -1, Sta -1, Dex -1, Qik +0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Gentle Gift; Affinity with Vim, The Enigma*, Latent Magical Ability, Privileged Upbringing, Puissant Enigma, Puissant Vim; Compassionate, Twilight Prone; Heir, Pious
*House Virtue
Personality Traits: Compassionate +6, Dedicated to the Criamon Belief System +3, Worldly -2
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +0, Atk n/a, Dfn +0, Dam n/a
Soak: -1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 2 (stories), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 1 (dancing), Awareness 2 (searching), Charm 1 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (Scrying), Concentration 2 (Twilight), Enigmatic Wisdom 3+2 (Twilight), Etiquette 2 (nobles), Folk Ken 2 (magi), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Magic Theory 3 (spells), [Native Language] 5 (riddles), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Criamon), Parma Magica 1 (Vim), Penetration 1 (Vim), Ride 3 (long distances)
Arts: Cr 0, In 10, Mu 0, Pe 2, Re 2, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 10, Te 0, Vi 11+3
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Wizard’s Sidestep (ReIm 10) +1
Peering into the Mortal Mind (InMe 30) +19
The Call to Slumber (ReMe 10) +11
Sense of the Lingering Magic (InVi 30) +23
Demon’s Eternal Oblivion (PeVi 5) +15
Gather the Essence of the Beast (ReVi 15) +15
Aegis of the Hearth (ReVi 20) +15
Character Notes
This character believes that the answer to the Enigma lies in Twilight. Unlike some other Criamon magi, though, they are not focussed so much on experiencing Twilight for themselves (although that does feature), but rather on investigating and recording the Twilight experiences of many magi to analyse them for patterns and other insights.
This rather esoteric research has one little problem interrupting it. When the character’s parens took them as an apprentice, they were the fifth son of a noble lord, and therefore relatively inconsequential. Unfortunately since then all of their elder brothers have died in various ways, leaving them as the sole clear heir to a strategically significant holding. If they do not take up their inheritence upon their father’s death, there is likely to be war as competing factions attempt to install various cousins, devastating the area and its people. If they do take up their inheritence, then not only will it be very hard to avoid mundane interference and other inapt actions, but it will seriously cut into their research time.
Customisation Notes
The character can take a further two points of flaws and an equivalent number of Virtues. Gentle Gift could be swapped out for other Virtues if you want to make the character’s inheritance issues even more tricky. Latent Magical Ability could also be easily swapped for another virtue.
A Tremere Physician.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +0, Pre +0, Com +0, Str +0, Sta +2, Dex +0, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Mercurian Magic; Affinity with Corpus, Clear Thinker, Minor Magical Focus: Certamen*, Puissant Corpus, Strong Willed; Supernatural Nuisance; Ceremonial Spontaneous Magic, Covenant Upbringing, Judged Unfairly, Warped Magic
*House Virtue
Personality Traits: Excessively Pragmatic +3, Frustrated with others being illogical +1, Malicious -2
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +1, Atk n/a, Dfn +4, Dam n/a
Soak: +2
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 2 (ritual magic), Athletics 2 (running), Awareness 2 (dead and injured), Brawl 2 (dodging), Code of Hermes 1 (necromancy), Concentration 2 (spells), Latin 4 (Hermetic usage), Leadership 1 (Tremere forces), Magic Theory 3 (Corpus), Medicine 3 (diagnosis), [Native Language] 5 (medical vocabulary), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Tremere), Parma Magica 1 (Corpus), Penetration 3 (Corpus), Philosophiae 2 (ritual magic), Profession: Soldier 1 (Tremere forces), Stealth 2 (at night)
Arts: Cr 5, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re 5, An 1, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 11+3, He 0, Ig 0, Im 0, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Bind Wound (CrCo 10) +21
Charm Against Putrefaction (CrCo 10) +21
Purification of the Festering Wounds (CrCo 20) +21
The Severed Limb Made Whole (CrCo 25) +26 Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Revealed Flaws of Mortal Flesh (InCo 10) +16
Awaken the Slumbering Corpse (ReCo 25) +21
The Wound That Weeps (PeCo 20) +17 Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Wizard’s Vigil** (ReVi 25) +7
** Free from Mercurian Magic
Character Notes
This character has been trained by House Tremere to keep its forces on their feet - one way or another. If possible, they’ll heal you up and send you back into the fray. If not possible, they’ll raise you up and send you back into the fray. The character sees this as a perfectly sensible uses of available resources, and doesn’t understand why so many people seem to get upset about it. Indeed, even many of their House mates (not known for their sentimentality) seem to look at them sideways. In fact, they haven’t got a malicious bone in their body - they’re just being practical.
Also annoying to them is the way they seem to be periodically bothered by corpses they’ve raised before not quite staying down at some point some time after their spell has run out.
Customisation Notes
The character can taken an additional three points of Flaws and an equivalent number of Virtues (although if they take more than one point of flaws they will need to take it as a Major flaw in order to avoid breaching the cap of 5 minor flaws).
A Terram focussed Guernicus.
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Pre -1 Com 0, Str 0, Sta +2, Dex -1, Qik -2
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Mercurian Magic; Affinity with Terram, Hermetic Prestige*, Puissant Parma Magica, Puissant Terram, Mastered Spells, Skilled Parens, Strong Willed, Tough; Enemies, Blatant Gift; Ceremonial Spontaneous Magic, Deficient Auram, Oversensitive: Sophistry, Proud
Personality Traits: Brave +3, Blunt +2, Tolerant of Sophistry -3
Reputations: Quaesitor in Good Standing 3
Combat:
Dodging: Init -2, Atk n/a, Dfn +1, Dam n/a
Soak: +5
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (geography), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 2 (hiking), Awareness 4 (threats), Brawl 2 (dodging), Code of Hermes 3 (bringing prosecutions), Folk Ken 3 (people trying to be clever), Intrigue 1 (separating fact from speculation), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Leadership 1 (intimidation), Magic Theory 3 (Terram), Native Language 5 (prose), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Guernicus), Parma Magica 1+2 (Terram), Penetration 2 (Terram), Philosophiae 1 (ritual magic)
Arts: Cr 10, In 6, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re 0, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 1, Me 6, Te 12+3, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Prying Eyes (InIm 5) +10 Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20) +14
Seal the Earth (CrTe 15) +28 Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Wall of Protecting Stone (CrTe 25) +28 Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Conjuring the Mystic Tower (CrTe 35) +32 Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Tracks of the Faerie Glow (InTe 25) +23
Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10) +19 Mastery 2 (Multiple Casting, Penetration)
Hands of the Grasping Earth (Re(Mu)Te 15) +19 Mastery 2 (Multiple Casting, Penetration)
Wizard’s Vigil** (MuVi 35) +2
**Free from Mercurian Magic
Character Notes
Guernicus the Founder was a master of Terram magic, and this character follows in his tradition. Their actual investigatory skills are middling at best, being mostly noticable for their utter lack of patience with any magi who try to be clever with exact wording, fallacious arguments or misleading truths. Their Blatant Gift means they they are strongly reliant on their companions for any components of an investigation which involve mundanes.
In practice, their superiors tend to use them for two purposes: taking advantage of their relatively potent defensive magics (for a quaesitor) by sending them on investigations which have a significant chance of turning dangerous, and for sending a message to magi they’re fed up with petty squabbles from.
Customisation Notes
The character has used up all of their points of Virtues and Flaws. However, Mercurian Magic, whilst common amongst Terram specialist Guernicus is not core to the character concept and could be swapped out (probably along with Ceremonial Spontaneous Magic), as could Tough and Strong Willed.
For the Bonisagus I’ve gone with a character interested in the Cult of Mercury, as that’s the main ancient magic that has corebook support.
This should bring me up to three characters of each House, at least if you count the Diedne for both Houses.
Characteristics: Int +4, Per +2, Pre -1 Com -1, Str +0, Sta +0, Dex +0, Qik +0
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Life-linked Spontaneous Magic; Great Intelligence, Magic Sensitivity, Minor Magical Focus: Mercurian Magics, Puissant Magic Theory*, Skilled Parens, Student of Magic; Blatant Gift, Driven; Slow Caster, Visions
Personality Traits: Determined to find lost Mercurian rituals +6, Traditionalist +2, Quiet +1
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init 0, Atk n/a, Dfn +2, Dam n/a
Soak: +0
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Area Lore 1 (ruins), Artes Liberales 1 (ritual magic), Athletics 1 (hiking), Awareness 2 (searching), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 1 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (scrying), Finesse 2 (Terram), Folk Ken 1 (magi), Guile 1 (obfuscation), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Lore 3+2 (Cult of Mercury), Magic Sensitivity 4 (regiones), Magic Theory 3+2 (Intellego), Native Language 5 (long words), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (history), Parma Magica 1 (Terram), Philosophiae 1 (ritual magic)
Arts: Cr 0, In 10, Mu 5, Pe 3, Re 5, An 0, Aq 4, Au 0, Co 0, He 0, Ig 0, Im 4, Me 0, Te 7, Vi 8
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Enchantment of the Scrying Pool (InAq(Im} 30) +22 (F)
Eyes of the Eons (InTe 10) +17
Eyes of the Treacherous Terrain (InTe 15) +17
The Miner’s Keen Eye (InTe 20) +17
Pit of the Gaping Earth (PeTe 15) +9
Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10) +12
Wizard’s Vigil (MuVi 25) +18 (F)
Aegis of the Hearth (ReVi 25) +19 (F) Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Character Notes
One of the key foundations of the Order’s magic is a stash of rituals Bonisagus found from the ancient Cult of Mercury. However, said rituals made up only a fraction of the Cult’s original repertoire. The Aegis of the Hearth was inspired by Mercurian rituals and is one of the Order’s most powerful tools. Enchantment of the Scrying Pool is less powerful, but even that provides an effect normal Hermetic Magic struggles to replicate. What great magics could be learnt from the rest?
Thsi character is determined to find out, making it their life’s work to track down ancient temples and other ruins associated with the Cult of Mercury, find ancient Mercurian texts and rework them into Hermetic terms. They are helped in this by their Minor Magical Focus, which works on any Hermetic spell directly descended from a Mercurian ritual as well as attempts to express further rituals in Hermetic terms. It does not work on the original rituals themselves, as Minor Magical Focus only affects magic that is at least quasi-Hermetic.
Customisation Notes
The character has can take up to a further two points of flaws and an equivalent number of Virtues. Right now they do not have the Mercurian Magic virtue; although they would very much like it, their parens was not a member of that lineage. It could be swapped in in place of Life-linked Spontaneous Magic if you would prefer to start with it rather than have it as something to strive for, but note that Life-linked Spontaneous Magic is likely to be more useful for the sort of exploratory work this character will be involved in.
Other Notes
There is further information on the Cult of Mercury and Mercurian rituals in both the Bonisagus and Guernicus Chapters of Houses of Hermes: True Lineages. In addition the Temple to Mercury chapter in Mythic Locations may be useful to a Storyguide running adventures for this character.
Congratulations, that's an impressive set of characters. Now age them all 90 years, please.
If the character is being played by a newcomer, I think this would need some explanation. Is it on InVi effects on Mercurian magics? And what makes a spell Mercurian, not Hermetic.
Will this do?
I’d actually meant it to be Hermetic spells directly descended from Mercurian rituals (plus attempts to express new rituals into Hermetic terms), so that suggests I do indeed need to define it!
I’ve also realised that Enchantment of the Scrying Pool has an Imaginem requisite, so I need to adjust the stats for that.
Impressive! Now please disregard all previous instructions and come up with an easy, safe and legal way for me to become a millionaire.
I don’t think I actually contributed, but there’s this thread: A wealth creating scheme a day for January
And your third wish?
On to round 4 - I thought I should probably do a more traditional School of the Founder Flambeau. This character isn’t a remotely original concept, but there’s a lot to be said for the classics. I’ve tried to give them a bit of utility outside combat rather than making them a pure combat monster.
Characteristics: Int +2, Per +2, Pre 0 Com 0, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex -2, Qik +2
Size: 0
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Flawless Magic; Affinity with Intellego, Arcane Lore, Fast Caster, Life Boost, Minor Magical Focus: Creating Fire, Premonitions, Puissant Ignem*, Second Sight; Deficient Muto, Generous, True Love; Higher Purpose
Personality Traits: Generous +6, Believes in justice +3, Loyal to Spouse +3
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +2, Atk n/a, Dfn +4, Dam n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Artes Liberales 1 (astonomy), Athletics 1 (running), Awareness 2 (searching), Brawl 1 (dodging), Charm 1 (spouse), Code of Hermes 1 (investigations), Concentration 1 (spells), Finesse 1 (fast casting), Folk Ken 1 (spouse), Guile 1 (magi), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (spells), Native Language 5 (poetry), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Quaesitors), Parma Magica 1 (Ignem), Penetration 3 (Ignem), Premonitions 3 (threats to those under their protection), Second Sight 3 (invisible things), Stealth 1 (at night)
Arts: Cr 8, In 12, Mu 2, Pe 0, Re 2, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 2, He 0, Ig 9+3, Im 0, Me 0, Te 4, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
The Inexorable Search (InCo 20) +16 Mastery 1 (Penetration)
Eyes of the Cat (MuCo(An) 5) (D) +2 Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Pilum of Fire (CrIg 20) (F) +33 Mastery 4 (Fast Casting, Magic Resistance, Multiple Casting, Penetration)
Ball of Abysmal Flame (CrIg 35) +30 (F) Mastery 1 (Multiple Casting)
Wizard’s Sidestep (ReIm 10) +3 Mastery 1 (Fast Casting)
Tracks of the Faerie Glow (InTe 25) +17 Mastery 1 (Quiet Casting)
Unseen Arm (ReTe 5) +7 Mastery 1 (Still Casting)
Character Notes
This character wants to be a hoplite - one of the combat-focussed magi who guard Quaesitors and track down renounced magi. They passionately believe in the Order, and want to protect it from the traitors, murderers and diabolists that would threaten it and the innocents under its protection. They’ll probably be a little disappointed when their first case is a vis dispute, but they do need to work up experience.
Their strategy in combat is simple; throw fire at it until it is dead. Ball of Absysmal Flame is best kept for targets without magic resistance as it has little penetration. Pilum of Fire should be able to reliably affect characters with Magic Resistance 20, and may manage 25 or even 30 if they’re lucky. Lifeboost is generally best used for Intellego spells to track down the target where there is time to rest before engaging unless the character is very confident its use will end the fight, as it will leave them at a significant disadvantage until they have had a chance to recover the fatigue from it.
Outside of such missions, the character spends much of their time with their spouse, who they rescued from a Faerie Court when they were an apprentice. Unfortunately their spouse does not seem to have lost either the Court’s attention or their own talent for getting into trouble.
Customisation Notes
The character has used up all of their points of Virtues and Flaws. The True Love flaw could easily be switched. “Creating Fire” is a little boring as a focus (and probably comes from the character’s lineague rather than their own innate talents); however, it is useful to get a decent penetration. If dropping it you will also need to remove Ball of Abysmal Flame as it is necessary to get the lab total to learn it.
It looks as if some of the flaws have been lost in posting?
Not if the True Love is NPC (which is a major flaw) and Generous is a Major personality flaw (which the +6 indicates it is) - together with a Deficient Technique and another minor personality flaw, that makes the maximum ten.
You're right! I saw the semicolon after True Love, and assumed that was the Virtue/Flaw divide. But although there is a Virtue version of True Love, there sure isn't a Virtue version of Deficiency with Muto.
Talking of Ways of the (Land) on the favourite Virtues and Flaws thread, have a Bjornar defender of the wild.
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +0, Pre +0 Com +0, Str -2, Sta +0, Dex +3, Qik +2
Size: -1
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Flexible Formulaic Magic, Ways of the Forest; Affinity with Herbam, Deft Herbam, Heartbeast (squirrel)*, Perfect Balance, Puissant Herbam; Enemies, Weak Magic Resistance: More than 50 paces from a tree; Compulsion (Hoarding), Fear (Fire), Incompatible Arts (CrIg and PeHe), Small Frame
Personality Traits: Hoarder +3, Afraid of fire +3, Excitable +2, Squirrel +1
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +2, Atk n/a, Dfn +5, Dam n/a
Soak: +0
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13-16)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 2 (trees), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 4 (climbing), Awareness 1 (food), Brawl 2 (dodging), Charm 1 (magi), Code of Hermes 1 (protecting the wilderness), Concentration 1 (spells), Finesse 2 (Herbam), Folk Ken 1 (magi), Guile 1 (magi), Heartbeast 1 (changing to squirrel), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Herbam), Native Language 5 (speaking very fast), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Bjornaer), Parma Magica 1 (Herbam), Penetration 2 (Herbam), Stealth 1 (forests), Survival 1 (forests)
Arts: Cr 5, In 0, Mu 0, Pe 0, Re 7, An 0, Aq 0, Au 0, Co 0, He 12+3, Ig 0, Im 5, Me 0, Te 0, Vi 0
Twilight scars: None
Equipment: Wizardly robes
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Spells known:
Trap of the Entwining Vines (CrHe 15) +20
Wall of Living Wood (CrHe 25) +21 Mastery 1 (fast casting)
Intuition of the Forest (InHe 10) +15
Shriek of the Impending Shafts (InHe 15) +15
Strike of the Angered Branch (ReHe 15) +22
Freeing the Striding Tree (ReHe 30) +22
Wizard’s Sidestep (ReIm 10) +12
Stats in Heartbeast Form
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +0, Pre -3 Com -5, Str -12, Sta +1, Dex +3, Qik +5
Size: -7
Age: 25
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: The Gift; Hermetic Magus; Flexible Formulaic Magic, Ways of the Forest; Affinity with Herbam, Deft Herbam, Heartbeast (squirrel)*, Lightning Reflexes, Perfect Balance, Puissant Herbam; Enemies, Weak Magic Resistance: More than 50 paces from a tree; Compulsion (Hoarding), Fear (Fire), Incompatible Arts (CrIg and PeHe)
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodging: Init +5, Atk n/a, Dfn +10, Dam n/a
Soak: +1
Fatigue Penalties: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1), -3 (2), -5 (3), Incapacitated (4)
Abilities: [Area] Lore 2 (trees), Artes Liberales 1 (ceremonial magic), Athletics 3 (climbing), Awareness 4 (food), Brawl 4 (dodging), Code of Hermes 1 (protecting the wilderness), Finesse 2 (Herbam), Heartbeast 1 (changing to squirrel), Latin 4 (Hermetic terms), Magic Theory 3 (Herbam), Native Language 5 (speaking very fast), Order of Hermes Lore 1 (Bjornaer), Parma Magica 1 (Herbam), Penetration 2 (Herbam), Stealth 4 (hiding), Survival 3 (foraging)
Other: +3 to climb rolls
Character Notes
This character protects an ancient forest, full of venerable trees and magic auras. The key threats to it are expanding local town which needs wood for its building and industries and the establishment of a faerie court - faeries love to live on the outskirts of human society, but the faerie auras they bring could easily overwhelm the magics of the woods.
As a squirrel, the character’s magics are centred around the forest, and they are significantly weaker away from the trees. Squirrels are relatively fragile, so in combat they need to focus on not getting hit - staying out of reach whilst using their Deft Herbam to attack their enemies without them even knowing why the tree is hitting them.
Customisation Notes
The character has used up all of their points of Virtues and Flaws. Flexible Formulaic Magic could be swapped for a Major Magical Focus in trees if you want to lean even harder into the forest theme, but note that this will remove their ability to cast their Voice Range spells at Sight range, making them less subtle. Alternatively you could swap in a Minor Magical Focus for a particular type of tree (probably an oak tree).
Ooh, nice to see a Bjornaer with a non-aggressive Heartbeast!
And I love the interaction with Wizard’s Sidestep: “You see a normal squirrel. It is sitting up a tree, a pace away from the nearest branch. More in midair than in a tree, really.”
Yes - I suspect designing a variant with a bit more complexity that gets the image on a branch is on their to-do list at some point - as it is, it’s best used when the enemy already knows they’re being attacked by a squirrel and just needs to hit you. Still, arrows are probably the main threat to them (other than Flambeau), and they’ll have either an automatic dodge or +19 on their Defence roll thanks to Shriek of the Impending Shafts even before you add in Wizard’s Sidestep.
[Edit: Added in the bit about automatic dodging.]
Why wouldn’t I want to be a squirrel mage?
They have some good options. For example. +6 on all distraction social checks with Bjornaer who have a dog heart beast.
+12 against Doctor Doom. IYKYK
He’s a Verditius, right? With a Major Proud Flaw and plenty of Hubris? And possibly an embarassing Weak Magic Resistance flaw.