MaMote: Mandragora — The Study of Sentient Plants
Description: This Mote focuses on the identification, harvesting, and use of the mandragora plant for drug creation, construct animation, and familiar bonding. It represents a distinct magical tradition rooted in natural philosophy and herbalist lore, progressing from basic plant knowledge to the creation of permanent magical constructs.
Acquiring and Ranking: Uses the standard Mote system and Class Skill rules.
Note: This Mote may be pursued alongside the Companion Summoning Mote. A caster may possess both a Summoned Companion and a Manikin Familiar simultaneously — these are completely separate systems with distinct mechanics.
Cantrip Rank — Harvesting and Recognition #
The caster learns to safely identify and harvest mandragora plants in the field. This foundational knowledge is prerequisite to all higher rank abilities in this Mote.
Rule: The caster may recognize mandragora plants on a successful Knowledge Arcana or INT check and harvest their roots safely. Untrained harvesting of mandragora is dangerous — the plant’s scream is lethal to unprotected humans at close range.
Progression Note: At higher ranks the harvested roots may be refined into soporific or hallucinogenic compounds. The Cantrip rank establishes the safe harvesting technique that makes this refinement possible.
Charm Rank — Animal Training and Drugs #
The caster learns the traditional method of mandragora harvesting using trained dogs and gains knowledge of the plant’s first medicinal applications.
Bonus General Skill — Dog Training (Dogs only): The caster gains the Dog Training General Skill, limited to dogs specifically. This reflects the ancient practice of using trained dogs to pull mandragora roots from the ground — dogs were used because the plant’s lethal scream affects humans but not animals. The dog is trained to pull the root on command while the handler retreats to a safe distance.
Drug Recipes: The caster learns to refine harvested mandragora into two drug compounds. Both drugs require a successful Alchemy check to prepare and are administered to targets through food, drink, or direct contact.
Comatose: The target must make a save vs Poison. On a failure the target falls into a deep sleep lasting 1d6 days. The target cannot be roused by normal means during this period.
Truth Serum: The target must make a save vs Poison. On a failure the target must truthfully answer 1d6 questions asked by the caster. The target is aware of the compulsion but cannot resist it.
Incantation Rank — Manikin Creation #
The caster learns to animate mandragora roots into constructs called Manikins and to preserve them permanently.
New Spell — Create Manikin (5th Level Magic-User Spell)
Range: Touch Duration: Special (see Plant Durability potion) Component: One mandragora root (consumed in casting) Area of Effect: One mandragora root
Description: The caster animates a harvested mandragora root into a Manikin construct. Create Manikin is a highly specific version of the 7th level Create Normal Monster spell, restricted entirely to the creation of Manikins. Its reduced spell level reflects this specificity and the mandatory material component requirement.
The created Manikin follows the caster’s commands but degrades over time without magical preservation. See the Manikin creature entry for full statistics and capabilities.
Note: Create Manikin allows the caster to create a permanent magical construct before reaching name level (9th level of experience), representing one of the few pre-name-level permanent item creation options available in this system.
New Potion — Plant Durability: When applied to a Manikin this potion imbues the effect of a Permanence spell, causing the Manikin to exist indefinitely without degradation. The caster must know both the Plant Durability recipe and possess Alchemy skill to brew this potion. See standard potion creation rules for time and cost requirements.
Enchantment Rank — Advanced Potion Components #
The caster learns to prepare mandragora as the primary component in a range of powerful potions.
Potions Unlocked: Invulnerability, Treasure Finding, Heroism, Plant Control, and various Philters of Love.
Requirements: This rank provides component knowledge only — the caster knows how to prepare mandragora for use in these potions. Actually creating them requires both the Alchemy General Skill and 9th level of character experience. Both requirements must be met before these potions can be produced.
Note: The 9th level requirement reflects the complexity and power of these compounds — they are name-level achievements that cannot be shortcut through Mote investment alone.
Grand Mote Rank — Enchantment and Familiars #
The caster achieves mastery over Manikin creation, learning to enchant them with spells and create a more sophisticated Manikin Familiar.
Enchanted Manikin: The caster may enchant a Manikin with a single known touch spell of 4th level or lower. The enchanted Manikin may cast that spell automatically on any intruder detected in the wizard’s laboratory. The spell activates once per intruder encountered and uses the caster’s level for all effect calculations at the time of enchantment.
Destruction Penalty: If an enchanted Manikin is destroyed the caster immediately loses Hit Points equal to the Manikin’s original HP total. These lost Hit Points are not permanent — they recover at a rate of 1 HP per full day of rest. This penalty reflects the deep magical bond between the caster and their enchanted construct.
Example: An enchanted Manikin with 8 original HP is destroyed. The caster immediately loses 8 HP, recovering 1 HP per day over the following 8 days of rest.
Manikin Familiar: The caster learns to create a more sophisticated Manikin that functions as a permanent familiar rather than a stationary laboratory guardian.
The Manikin Familiar differs from both standard Manikins and Summoned Companions in the following ways:
| Feature | Manikin Familiar | Summoned Companion |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | Static, as listed in Manikin creature entry | Variable, d10+8 (9-18) |
| Alignment | Always matches caster exactly | Own personality, may differ |
| Obedience | Utterly obedient, no interpretation | Loyal but interprets orders |
| Personality | None beyond caster’s will | Fully retained |
| Alignment Reaction Check | Never required | Required if alignments differ |
| Origin | Construct | Living creature |
| Laboratory restriction | None — travels with caster | None |
The Manikin Familiar may accompany the caster freely, execute orders without hesitation, and never requires an Alignment Reaction Check regardless of the nature of the command. It is a perfect instrument of the caster’s will rather than a relationship with a living being.
See the Manikin creature entry for full Manikin Familiar statistics and capabilities.
