Silver Marten

SILVER MARTEN by Reagren Wright

These unique species of the marten have been around for a long time, but their uniqueness was only discovered in the last 60 years, although some argue they may have been around long before the Elf/Dwarf Wars. Like the typical marten, they are long, slender, and agile mustelids adapted to living in the dense, coniferous forests of the Great Northern Wilderness. They have bushy tails and large paws with partially retractile claws. They are carnivorous animals with a diet that consist of squirrels, mice, rabbits, fish, insects and eggs, although they will eat fruit and nuts when prey is scarce. They are solitary animals, meeting only to breed. They mate in the late summer and their liters of 2-4 are born the following spring. They are known to creep into humanoid farms where they eat not only eggs but also poultry and rabbits. Their fur is polished silver in color all year long. For centuries, they have been valued by fur trappers because their pelts can be made into beautiful silver fur clothing (typically increase standard price by 170%).
Sixty years ago when a Wizard from Bizantium was out in the Northern Wilderness and came across one. Wanting the animals as his familiar, he cast the well-known spell on the animal. Instead of establishing a two-way telepathic/empathic communication, a strange P.P.E. absorption and channeling occurred. The wizard reported this phenomenon to a Bizantium wizard guild and word spread about these creatures like wildfire across the PF world. However, the practical guidelines and warnings of how to use this animal is traveling slowly, thus many mage has blow up his/her companions and regardless if the mage survived put him or herself into a coma. Some speculate that during the Elf/Dwarf Wars these animals where probably widely used, but as a result of too many accidents or discontinued use, they were taken to the Great Northern Wilderness during the Millennium of Purification perhaps in the hope of being killed off by natural predators. Instead, the Silver Martens endured. The question now is will more daring mages risk life and limb to get one, only to get themselves killed trying to use their talents.

Alignments: Considered selfish

Hit Points: 2D6+2. It gains an additional six once the Familiar Link spell is used.

S.D.C.: 2D6

P.P.E.: 1D4 as a base. See below

Natural Abilities: Climb 90%, acrobatics 80%, prowl 60% (75% in snowy background), Leap up 15 feet (4.6 m) long, Nightvision 60 feet (18.3 m), P.P.E. Absorption and Channeling (special).

P.P.E. Absorption and Channeling: This unique ability among these particular martens can only come about if someone cast the spell Familiar Link on the animal. Once the spell is cast, the animal will indeed become the mage’s (or witch) familiar, however there is no two-way telepathic/empathic communication between the two. Instead the marten gains the ability to absorb P.P.E. from spell casting or any of the other options of acquiring P.P.E. Gaining P.P.E from spell casting and ley lines is an automatic ability, drawing and absorbing it from magic objects or living beings has to be initiated by the mage. The marten will automatically absorb any P.P.E. used by a spell, talent or power equal to its hit points and the mage’s total. For example, the marten has 9 hit points and the 3rd level mage has 28 hit points for 37 P.P.E. (do not include the 6 hit points gained from the magical enchantment). Any P.P.E. spell, talent, or ability that is directed at the mage and/or in his/her vicinity, and the martin is within 30 feet (9.1 m) of him/her, the P.P.E. is absorbed by the marten, thus negating and canceling out the effect. For example, someone cast a Carpet of Adhesion spell at the mage, the 10 P.P.E. used to cast the spell gets absorbed by the marten. If the marten and mage come to a Wall of Stone (3rd level earth warlock spell), the 15 P.P.E. used to make the spell is absorbed by the marten and the wall ceases to exist. After the P.P.E. is absorbed, the mage owner can drawn upon it if the animal where a P.P.E. battery (must be within 30 feet/9.1 m of its owner). There is no limit to how often this can be done except for the specific limit to how much the marten can hold. The marten cannot hold any more P.P.E. than the total hit points between itself and its mage owner. If the marten should absorb 1 P.P.E. more that it’s total possible, the marten will explode doing 1 point of damage per P.P.E. point, meaning if the marten mentioned above absorbed 38 P.P.E. it will explode doing 38 points of damage. The blast radius is 40 feet (12.1 m). As in the normal familiar link, the mage will take the same amount of damage even if miles apart, lose an additional 10 hit points, and has a 50% of going into a coma. To make matters worst, if the marten is at /or near a nexus (PFRPG book page 181), it will continue to absorb P.P.E. until its body detonates. There is nothing the mage can do except take the animal beyond the absorption range. The marten can hold absorbed P.P.E. equal to the P.E. attribute of its owner in minutes (P.E. of 15 means 15 minutes) before it instantly fades away. Except for the lack of a telepathic/empathic report, all other aspects of the familiar link are established between the marten and its mage owner. It’s important to remember the absorption and channeling will only occur if the marten is within 30 feet (9.1 m) of its mage owner.

Speed: 18 (12.6 mph/20 km).

Attacks Per Melee: Two (three if it becomes a familiar)

Damage: Bite does 1D4+1 point of damage and claws do one point of damage.

Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +2 to strike, and +6 to dodge.

Magic: None, accept when the Familiar Link spell is used on it.

Psionics: None

Value: Their fur is worth 50gp. A Silver Marten fur coat or cloak can cost 500-1000 gold depending on the quality.

Average Life Span: 4-8 years.

Habitat: Forest and woodlands.

Range: Found any where in the Great Northern Wilderness and the forested regions of the Northern Hinterlands.

Language: None, although with the familiar link they will understand and obey their mage owner, but cannot speak to him/her.

Enemies: They are preyed upon by large birds of prey and large predators like wolves or lynxes. Humanoids however are their worst enemies (they not only make coats out of them, they could end up blowing up).

Allies: They can make playful pets when they are raised as young. However, like all members of the weasel family, they have bad smelling musk.

Size: 1 1/3 to 1 ½ feet (30-40 cm).

Weight: 4 ½ to 5 lbs (2 to 2.25 kg).