Friends and Familiars is a rather motley collection of well-developed people and animals who may interact with or even be part of your party. Whilst intended as NPCs, the could always be used as player-characters if they appeal or you are pushed for time - like, when a party member dies mid-game. That's the people, I mean, most of us don't want to play someone's familiar!
Jumping in without further ado, each entry begins with name and portrait, a handful of ideas about how they have become involved with the party, full stat-block, and a quite detailed backstory to flesh them out.
This motley crew includes an 8th-level ranger who happens to be undead but has continued to fight the good fight for some ten years after his demise, a clockwork automaton which is self-aware, an Outsider which is a shadow mastiff and very intelligent, a hunan fighter who is very annoying, a pixie, an aristocratic fighter who is search for a lost brother, another Outsider appearing as a fiery black horse, a tiny imp, a giant white tiger which is magical in nature, a human cleric who likes to attach herself to good-aligned parties, a construct that looks like a gargoyle, an undead snake, a brash human wizard seeking excitement, and finally a very intelligent owl which was a druid's familiar until the poor fellow died at the hands of a drider.
There's plenty here to fuel a chance encounter or even hang a whole adventure on.
Return to Friends and Familiars page.
Reviewed: 1 November 2019