Mythic Squirrel

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Hi collective ArM wisdom!

I'm trying to build a squirrel as a familiar and was wondering if one of the books already contains one? From reading up on squirrels in the middle ages, it seems they were known, sometimes even used as pets, but the bestiaries have no "mythic squirrel" included. Any help would be appreciated.

In building the stats, currently I'm leaning towards these Qualities: Camouflage, Fast Runner, Good Jumper, Sharp Ears, Skilled Climber, Timid, Tireless. I still need re-wrap my head around the Magical Animal rules from RoP:M, it's been too long...

2

Ratatoskr is a gossipy mythic squirrel from the Prose_Edda. Does your magus in need of a familiar live in a tower or tree?

Cheers

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3

I've seen Ratatoskr, which is the most mythic squirrel I could find... but my magus is from Greece :wink:

4

... and doesn't descend from Varangians, or does he? :wink:

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5

Touché :slight_smile:

6

I had a quick Google for "medieval bestiary squirrel" but didn't turn up very much. However, there was a passing comment somewhere that the squirrel might be a symbol of avarice (collecting all those nuts!)

7

There is a - perhaps Macedonian - fable, quite harsh and misogynist. It is difficult to date, as is typical for fables. I don't have an English translation of it at hand, and don't read Macedonian.

If this fable is old enough, it just might provide a Greek magus with some thoughts about a squirrel familiar.

Cheers

8

Lords of Men, page 45, under exotic pets includes the squirrel (as well as monkey and magpie)
They went with Crafty, Defensive Fighter, Skilled Climber and Timid for Qualities, and Lightning Reflexes as a virtue.

9

Thanks. Defensive Fighter seems strange, but this gives me something to build upon!

10

Im designing a familiar for a newbie player: Are there any obvious things wrong with the following?

If it gets board approval I will copy it it to racoon masks; 30 familiars thread (with improved formatting) if allowed.

Bob

Magic Squirrel

Magic Might = 18

Characteristics: Int+2,Per +2,Com 0, Pres 0 Quick+9, Dex+2, Str -16, Sta 0

Size:-8

Age: 6

Qualities:

Camouflage:+3 to rolls to hide when not moving

Defensive fighter: Grants extra fatigue level

Good Jumper: +3 to all rolls involving jumping

Virtues:

Dowsing

Gossip:

Flaws:

Personality Traits: Squirrel+3,

Reputations: Bold, acquisitive

Combat:

Bite: Init Attack Defence, Damage

Claw: “

Soak:

Fatigue Levels: +1 from defensive fighter

Wound Penalties

Abilities: 360 for summer

Brawl(dodging):4

Athletics(climbing): 4

Awareness(nuts): 4

Survival(Forests):3

Dowsing(nuts): 5

Area Lore:Cambridge(Nut bearing Trees):4

Legerdemain(Hiding small objects):4

Stealth(Hiding from predators):2

Finesse(burying things with magic): 2

Powers:

Personal Power: (See the hidden riches) +5 xp in Finesse

Lesser Power: (A cache for the Future) 10 xp in Finesse

Lesser Power x2 : (Leap from Tree to Tree) -3 might cost

Lesser Power: Hands of the Magical Animal -2 might cost.

A cache for the future: Mu(Re)Te 15

Might Cost:3, Init: 3

Range touch, duration Sun, Target Part

The squirrel can bury objects up to size -6 in the Earth. Based on Rock of Viscid Clay

Leap from tree to tree: ReAn(He) 35

Might cost: 4, Init -5

The squirrel can teleport to any tree to which it has an arcane connection (usually a nut)

Sniff the hidden riches: InTe (20)

Might cost: 2, init: 7

Range Personal, Duration Conc, Target Vision

The squirrel can see through the earth to detect buried objects up to 3 paces. (Based on The Miner’s Keen eye)

Hands of the Magical animal ReTe 15.

Might cost 0 Init:7.

Range Touch, Duration Sun, Target Individual

Vis: 2 intellego in its eyes.

11

I like it in general. It's adorable.
My only critique is that in the RoPM book, none of the designed Magical Animals have the non-magical Qualities that their mundane selves get, using Magical Qualities to simulate it instead. Oh, and the Vis in the squirrel should be increased based on the size-modified Might.

12

Age is usually irrelevant for magical creatures as well.

13

There is a mundane squirrel pet on p. 44 of Lords of Men. That would be a good base, then add magical qualities. I like the magic qualities Bob wrote in above.

14

Hi,

  • Might 18 is unexpectedly high for a squirrel. Nothing wrong with that.

  • The rules for creating animals with Might differ from those for creating animals, sometimes to great confusion. The rules don't combine; if the critter has Might it does not have Animal Qualities, it has to buy all its Abilities from scratch, its base characteristics are all 0 rather than one of the choices in the mundane creation rules, it does not get any free virtues or flaws but balances them like a normal character, and probably a few other differences I'm missing at the moment. The magical version does start off at its 'natural' Size at no cost or reimbursement, and does get flight if that is 'normal' for the form.

Anyway,

Ken

15

An Infernal squirrel (!) might be symbolic of avarice, but a Divine one symbolizes prudence. A magical squirrel is a scholar, hoarding objects of value, and a faerie one is a wise but distracted creature with great curiosity and a store of secrets.

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