Mote: Companion Summoning — A Permanent Ally
Description: This Mote enables a Magic-User to summon a creature that becomes their permanent companion. Unlike temporary summons, the companion is a lasting presence — a living extension of the caster’s will with its own personality, capabilities, and emotional bond with its master. This Mote encompasses the full range of permanent magical companions, from small familiars to intelligent creatures and animal followers.
Acquiring and Ranking: Uses the standard Mote system and Class Skill rules.
Core Companion Rules #
Mental Link: The companion possesses an Intelligence of 9-18 (roll d10+8) and maintains a permanent mental link with its master. The master may see and hear through the companion’s senses at any time by concentrating. This sense-sharing has unlimited range and requires the master’s full concentration while active.
Loyalty and Personality: The companion retains its own personality and alignment. It behaves as a charmed creature — loyal to its master and unwilling to disobey direct orders — but interprets ambiguous or complex instructions through the lens of its own nature. It is recommended that master and companion share the same alignment. Differing alignments do not prevent summoning but may cause the companion to interpret orders in unintended ways.
One Companion at a Time: A Magic-User may only have one companion at a time. Once summoned the companion cannot be dismissed normally and remains with the master indefinitely.
Stat Scaling: The companion does not naturally gain HP as the master levels up. Its statistics scale with the caster’s rank in this Mote as shown in the table below.
Alignment Reaction Check #
When a companion of differing alignment receives an ambiguous or morally complex order, roll 2d6 and apply the following modifier based on alignment difference:
| Alignment Difference | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Same alignment | No roll required |
| One step removed (e.g. Lawful/Neutral) | -1 |
| Two steps removed (e.g. Neutral/Chaotic) | -2 |
| Opposite alignment (e.g. Lawful/Chaotic) | -3 |
Results:
- 9 or higher: Companion follows the order as intended
- 6-8: Companion follows the order but interprets it through its own alignment — the goal is achieved but perhaps not as the master intended
- 5 or lower: Companion follows its own judgment entirely, acting in accordance with its alignment rather than the master’s intent
Summoning Process #
The conjuration may only be attempted during a full moon. A basic component from the specific type of creature desired is required — for example hair from a cat or a skull fragment from a gremlin.
Success Chance: Base success chance equals the flat base rate for the caster’s current Mote rank plus a bonus per caster level as shown in the table below. Subtract 10% per asterisk (*) in the creature’s Hit Dice.
Failure: If the attempt fails the components are destroyed. Components from the same specific creature cannot be reused. A new attempt requires new components and must wait for the next full moon.
Rank Progression Table #
| Mote Rank | Min Level | Flat Base | Per Caster Level | HP per Caster Level | HD Adjustment | Upon Death Penalty | Bonus Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | 1st | 10% | +1.5% | +1 HP | (INT – 10) / 2 | Full damage; 1 year before summoning another | — |
| Charm | 3rd | 15% | +1.5% | +1 HP | (INT – 9) / 2 | Full damage; 6 months before summoning another | Deliver touch spells via line of sight through master’s sense-sharing |
| Incantation | 5th | 20% | +2% | +2 HP | (INT – 8) / 2 | Save vs. Spells for half damage; 3 months before summoning another | Temporarily dismiss and resummon companion within 30′ range |
| Enchantment | 7th | 25% | +2% | +2 HP | (INT – 7) / 2 | Save vs. Spells for half damage; 1 month before summoning another | Companion may be taught spells from the master’s known spells. Companion HD counts as 1 caster level |
| Grand Mote | 13th | 30% | +2.5% | +3 HP | (INT – 6) / 2 | Save vs. Spells for no damage; must wait until next full moon | Companion may be taught spells from the master’s known spells. Companion HD counts as 1 caster level plus 1 additional level per HD asterisk |
INT may be substituted with Knowledge Arcana skill value when calculating HD Adjustment. Use whichever value is higher.
Grand Mote rank reaches 100% success chance at 29th level before asterisk penalties.
Touch Spell Delivery (Charm Rank) #
The companion may deliver touch spells on behalf of the master at a range of up to 100′. The master must be actively using their sense-sharing ability to establish line of sight through the companion at the moment of delivery. The target receives their normal saving throw as if the master had delivered the spell personally. While sense-sharing for this purpose the master may take no other actions that round.
Teaching Spells (Enchantment and Grand Mote Ranks) #
The master may teach the companion spells from their own known spells. This process follows the same rules as a master teaching spells to an apprentice — the companion must spend the required training time and the spell must be within the companion’s capacity based on their HD caster level equivalent.
At Enchantment rank: The companion’s HD counts as 1 caster level for determining which spell levels it can learn.
At Grand Mote rank: The companion’s HD counts as 1 caster level plus 1 additional level per asterisk in their Hit Dice. A companion with HD 3** therefore counts as a 5th level caster for spell learning purposes.
The master does not lose knowledge of taught spells. Teaching a spell to a companion is an act of sharing rather than transferring — the master retains full access to the spell.
