Demonic familiar

Demonic familiars come in three varieties. The simplest form are those demoniacally influenced or affected. The second are Demons that possess otherwise ordinary animals. The third variety are not actual animals at all, but rather the physical manifestations of those Demons.

Benefits
As with all familiars, the demonic sort can aid in spellcasting. They add +3 or one level to mystic skills. Some are spellcasters in their own right. Unless explicitly noted, they do not automatically gain the full repertoire of their mage's spells. They do retain the ability to act as a competent assistant with any spell, however. Demonic familiars—as with any familiar—have the trait sense supernatural evil; they can smell their own.

Influenced or Affected
An animal familiar may be enchanted with a diabolical spell. This alters, augments, or enhances the creature. This is the easiest and simplest method; it employs only a lesser Demon. This is also the method that is compatible with an extant familiar.

Possessed
There are several advantages to a demoniacally possessed familiar. The ritual to summon it is less involved, and the necessary sacrifices less heinous. Unless its flesh is altered, it is easier to hide the familiar within polite society. As congress with Demons is illegal in some areas—and frowned upon in many others—it is to the wizard's benefit to keep the nature of their occult companion occulted. Should the familiar ever fall in battle, the Demon is simply banished to Hell. This is also the only standard way to gain a major Demon as a familiar. However, the bargaining to gain its service may be more than the mage bargained for, so to speak. Demoniacally possessed animals—as opposed to demoniacally influenced—can pass the taint down to their offspring. Some mages may breed strains of beasts with the demonic blood background this way from their familiars.

Manifest
Any power level of Demon can be used as a familiar in its manifest form (but good luck getting a greater demon). Minor Demons are the most common variety, however. Unless the Demon has the ability to shapeshift, their demonic nature is obvious. Bringing a Demon fully and physically into the world this way is more difficult. The rituals are more involved, there is almost always some form of pact, and some form of sacrifice is always required. Often, the magic that binds the Demon to the mage limits how far they may roam. The Demon must keep their master within the Demon's aura of profane presence. In other words, these Demons cannot travel farther than about twenty paces from the wizard.

Lords of Hell
There is one type of wizard that proudly acknowledges its connection to the infernal, the lords of Hell. Indeed, these summoners have built their entire magical tradition around their unholy minions. They conjure lesser Demons who are then advanced into minor ones.

There are 13 demonic familiars used by the lords of Hell. They begin their careers as a lesser Demon, essentially a glorified persistent spell effect. As the lord of Hell progresses the familiar's power level is enhanced. It grows into a minor Demon and gains new abilities. In other words, the familiar starts out with just the first ability, but gains the others as their master progresses in level. These increases are noted as Familiar 2, Familiar 3, et al. These are gained in order.

Belle Blood splatter Chattering skull Flowers in mist Green flame Lurking shadow Ornithoptera Razorblade butterfly Seeking hands Shriekbat nemesis Smoke raven Snow moth Vade mecum

Whenever the lord of Hell gains a level in that tradition, their demonic familiar also automatically gains a level. This way you don't need to track experience points separately. Unless otherwise noted, the saving throws for the demonic minions of the lords of Hell have a target value of 18. (A mnemonic for this is that it's 6+6+6.)  +2D4 in choice of saves Sense Venial Sin Temptation apprentice +1D8 to life point capacity Trait: Infernal Influence Temptation master Inflict Venial Sin Trade Souls</li> Sense Deadly Sin</li> Inflict Deadly Sin</li> </ol> Per additional odd-numbered level: +1 to maximum life point capacity