Animal Companions

In Skies Below, no classes get animal companions, even though many people love pets. This is because I want animal companions to be separate from class, something the player can focus on or neglect as they wish! Players can buy or befriend animals, or try to tame one for themselves. As the animal levels up, they'll gain a better connection to the owner, and more ability to act with the party.

There are six general 'classes' of animal companions. Each companion can only have one class, but maybe they can take a level from two if it could logically work. It's only possible to command one animal in a given combat encounter, or else it becomes too confusing to command them properly.

Attack beasts deal light damage unless equipped with a specialized weapon, and hunting birds deal damage as unarmed. Mounts and beasts of burden have ten inventory slots, pets and attack beasts have 5, and hunting or messenger birds have 1. They have 1 vigor at level 0, plus 1d6 for each level. It costs 100 exp to reach level 1, and 200 to reach level 2. I use Skerples price list for buying tame animals (found here: https://coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2017/09/osr-medieval-price-list.html ). Currently I don't have any system for taming a wild animal, preferring to run that through roleplay.

These should be used as a baseline rather than absolute RAW. For example, if a player buys a warhorse rather than a normal riding horse, it could have higher vigor or the ability to attack. On the other hand if they buy a noble horse of fine breed, it could have more speed. Something else to consider is Awakening, as that would pretty fundamentally alter how people can interact with the animal.

Mount

Examples: rouncey horse, Eland antelope, deep gecko, Gombian ostrich, , pebbled rhino
Stat bonus: +1 speed
Level 1: passenger, signal
Level 2: steady on, unposted

• Passenger: able to carry one adult or two children, in addition to the rider.
• Signal: whistle, call out, or make another distinct, loud noise to call upon the mount from anywhere, as long as it can hear.
• Steady on: when the mount is startled, the rider can make a will save to calm it down quickly.
• Unposted: the rider can command the mount to wait for them, and it will stay where it is until it either hears the signal, the rider commands it again, or immediate danger appears.

Substrata Mounts by Darren Bartley - fightPUNCH

Attack beast

Examples: mastiff, ivory tiger, komodo drake, sawbeak goose, sheepspider, pond hippo
Stat bonus: +1 attack
Level 1: battle training, fetch
Level 2: vicious training

• Battle training: able to enter a feint stance.
• Fetch: able to grab and return with small items when directed properly.
• Vicious training: deals medium damage, and can fight effectively while wearing custom armor.

Pet

Examples: shepherd dog, Abyssinian cat, rosy boa, Maran hen, puffbeetle, iron rat
Stat bonus: +1 vigor
Level 1: fetch, an understanding
Level 2: tracker, copycat

• Fetch: able to grab and return with small items when directed properly.
• An understanding: the pet and master have a unique understanding, and can communicate clearly at a rate of about one word per round.
• Tracker: a well trained pet can track a scent for nearly any distance, anywhere (except through water or an extremely pungent area), and can sniff out magic or invisible creatures.
• Copycat: once per day, the pet can borrow a skill from the master, including skill stars.

Tavias kid by Alexander Nanitchkov

Beast of burden

Examples: mule, ox, mountain toad, oak owl, trench slug, wagon crab
Stat bonus: +2 vigor
Level 1: saddlebags
Level 2: stubborn strength, unmoved

• Saddlebags: able to carry +10 inventory worth of items as long as it doesn't have to move quickly.
• Stubborn strength: able to make strength checks with 16 strength outside of combat.
• Unmoved: for one round per day, the beast of burden can be given a command which it always ignores, becoming immovable for one round.

Hunting bird

Examples: falcon, killer bat, minidactyl, salt glider, ripper cricket, blood hornet
Stat bonus: +1 armor piercing
Level 1: fetch, bird of prey
Level 2: distraction

• Fetch: able to grab and return with small items when directed properly.
• Bird of prey: once per day while travelling the wilderness, a hunting bird may be sent out to catch small game and return with it, providing a ration.
• Distraction: grants +1 armor piercing to the master's attack when they target the same foe.

Nomad Hawk Master by Kaz Foxsen

Messenger bird

Examples: dove, spotted raven, cloud serpent, courier flea, moon squirrel, leaf bat
Stat bonus: +1 destination
Level 1: fetch,
Level 2: signal, carrier

• Fetch: able to grab and return with small items when directed properly.
• Signal: when the master whistles, calls out, or makes some other loud predetermined signal, the messenger bird can hear and return no matter where it is.
• Carrier: +1 inventory slot.

Character history

When rolling up a new character, players can use these to generate a good framework for a backstory. Background, secrets, and connections have mechanical effects, but players can be allowed to come up with whatever else the GM allows, within reason. Secrets are also freeform and can be invented, but they should have some dramatic impact if discovered.

Hometown

Where the character grew up. Could be where they spent their whole life, or a childhood home that they left as soon as they could, or a place their family moved to for whatever reason.

Contradiction by Jeff Chen

1. Farming village
2. Port village
3. Mining camp
4. Roadside inn
5. Logging camp
6. Castle outpost
7. Farming town
8. Seaside town
9. Mining town
10. Merchant town
11. Castle town
12. Foresting town
13. Plains city
14. Coastal city
15. Mountain city
16. Trade city
17. Forest city
18. War camp
19. Ruined city
20. Nomadic caravan

Collecting the Payment by Stefano Scuccimarra

Background

This is more what the character grew up doing. Players can choose any from 1-10, or they can roll 1d20 for one. Most likely they were apprenticed to their parents, being raised to take over the family profession before they decided to become an adventurer.

1. Beggar: panhandler skill, ragged outfit, tin cup.
2. Farmer: farmer skill, stained outfit, and a hoe or pitchfork.
3. Carpenter: builder skill, hardy outfit, handsaw.
4. Cook: cook skill, stained outfit, pot & spoon, common spices.
5. Blacksmith: smithing skill, hardy outfit, hammer, and steel ingot.
6. Surgeon: surgeon skill, stained outfit, bandages.
7. Gardener: apothecary skill, stained outfit, bag of seeds.
8. Scribe: poet skill, clean outfit, quill & inkwell.
9. Painter: painter skill, stained outfit, brush.
10. Poacher: survivalist skill, camouflage outfit, knife.
11. Trader: linguist skill, exotic outfit, 5 foreign silver coins.
12. Heir: fine outfit, 10 silver coins.
13. Minstrel: musician skill, plain outfit, instrument.
14. Actor: politician skill, fine outfit.
15. Jester: comedian skill, ridiculous outfit, inflatable ball.
16. Criminal: pickpocket skill, ragged outfit, 3 silver.
17. Courier: +1 speed, running outfit, hometown map.
18. Squire: politics skill, surcoat, short sword.
19. Wizard's apprentice: +1 magic, eccentric robes.
20. Wizard's subject: ragged outfit, -1 maximum vigor, random magic power.

Siblings by Petar Milivojevic

Secret

Players should roll these in secret, or come up with their own if sufficiently dramatic.

1. Banished from nobility
2. Fled noble life
3. Ran away from justice
4. Escaped wrongful conviction
5. Hidden gender
6. Deserted the war
7. Member of a cult
8. Holds a powerful grudge
9. In a long term relationship
10. Kills small animals
11. Unusual tastes
12. Embarrassing interests
13. Stolen treasure
14. Stolen weapon
15. Stolen status symbol
16. Killed someone important
17. Hunting a rival
18. Eats human flesh
19. Hates anyone of a certain race
20. Cannot swim

Fly high, my friend by Mauro Belfiore

Scars

Characters should start with one scar, from growing up in a dangerous world. Each time they get wounded, it should also leave a scar.

1. Cut across the eye
2. Cut across the mouth
3. Broken nose
4. Foggy eye
5. Cuts on the arm
6. Missing teeth
7. Missing finger
8. Missing toes
9. Cut on chest
10. Cut along neck
11. Punctures in torso
12. Burn on face
13. Burned arms
14. Missing hand
15. Missing foot
16. Missing ear
17. Missing eye
18. Cut across forehead
19. Punctures in arm
20. Cut across nose

Connections

Players can roll one of these when they create a character, usually getting a benefit along with an open ended question for them to answer, perhaps at character creation or perhaps gradually as they play. For the negative ones, such as debts, I would recommend giving them an exp bonus for paying them off or otherwise solving them. These can be recorded on the party sheet, unless the player wants to keep them on their sheet.

1- People

1. Your sister Matihl travels with you as a guard. What was she like as a child?
2. Your brother Sigund is coming along to cook. How was growing up with him?
3. Your lover is with you to repair leather and metal items. How did you meet?
4. Mentor Vimatn demands weekly reports. What was their teaching style?
5. Parents write weekly letters. What do they write about?
6. An obsessive hanger on tends to get in the way. Why are they following you?

2- Business

1. Owe 1d100 gold to the cult of the Inner Moon. Were you a member?
2. Debt of 1d100 gold with Baron Kihlig. How long will they give you?
3. You owe 1d100 gold to Shosturv, your friend. How good of a friend are they?
4. An assassin fulfilled a 1d100 gold contract, yet to be paid. Who did you need dead?
5. There is a bakery you partly own. Why did you set out?
6. You're the business partner to an innkeeper. What made you leave?

3- Animals

1. Pet dog came with when you left your home. What does it like most?
2. Hunting bird tagged along. What do you feed it?
3. Family mule sent along with you. Does it follow or lead?
4. Stole a horse. Whose was it?
5. Missives by bird come from far away. Why do they write to you?
6. A war dog has taken a liking to you. Just how friendly is it?

4- Reputation

1. People say you're a lucky one. Is that totally wrong?
2. Everybody thinks you're rich. Do you try to live up to that?
3. They say you're clumsy. What was the start of that?
4. There's supposedly an air of mystery around you. What causes that?
5. You're said to be fashionable. How do you handle that pressure?
6. Some say you're an incredible lover. Is it flattering or uncomfortable?

5- Rumors

1. Word has it that you're cursed. What's the supposed curse?
2. There's a story that you had a violent outburst. What really happened?
3. Innkeepers say you trashed a room once. How bad was it?
4. You're said to have survived impossible odds in a fight. Did you get lucky?
5. A noble scion is supposedly betrothed to you. Who are they?
6. Of a crew that ostensibly hid great treasure, you're the last remaining. What keeps you from getting it?

6- Other

1. A nomadic wizards cursed you to fall short of your destiny. Are you after them?
2. A bandit leader owes you bigtime. Did you mean to help them out?
3. The heir of Nuliwim County wishes you stop adventuring and join them. How do they know you?
4. Baron Shuladn begrudgingly owes you a favor. Is that more trouble than it's worth?
5. You covered for a squad of deserters. Where did they go next?
6. You are native to a strange and distant land. What brought you here?

Magic item: Saddle of Flight

This saddle will allow you and your horse (or other mount), to fly at high speed. It does not however, prepare the animal for this in any way, causing it to panic and requiring that you keep it calm and try to stay steady while flying.

In a roleplaying game, you could fly at a higher speed than your animal runs, but require handle animal or similar skill checks in order to remain on the animal. Maybe it could even grow accustomed to it over time, and require less difficult checks, or develop a desperate fear of heights and get even harder to stay on each time you lift off. Story-wise, it would be hilarious and terrifying, and probably create some tension depending on how everyone feels about the animal.