FREQUENCY: Very rare
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level VII])
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 8
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 1 (9)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: [SB]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: [SB]
MAGIC RESISTANCE: [SB]
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Any (see below)
SIZE: S (see below)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII | 1,800 + 12

The guardian familiar takes the form of a small black cat set to guard
the treasure of a high-level wizard (thus the guardian familiar may be
of any alignment -- the same as that of its summoner). It will never
leave its position on top of the treasure or chest, nor does it attack
unless it is itself attacked or attemopts are made to get at the treasure.
If it attacks, it does so with two raking claws (1-4 HP of damage
each) and by biting with its sharp teeth for 1-6 HP of
damage. During its attack, the creature grows progressively larger,
eventually resembling a bobcat; it reverts to normal size if melee is
suspended -- this appears to be a power of the creature designed to
deter robbers.

The guardian familiar will have MR whcih varies according to the
experience level of its master. The familiar of a 10th
level MU will have 50% MR and the incremental
variation will be 5% per level in either direction, so the familiar of a
6th level MU will have 75% MR. Note that a
MU of 4th level or below will not be able to secure the services
of a guardian familiar.
 

The guardian familiar has nine lives (and is the creature upon which
the traditional 'cat with nine lives' is built). Each time it is
slain, up to the 9th time, it is instantaneously reborn, stronger than
before. At each rebirth, add 1 to its number of HD (re-rerolling HP),
add 2" to its movement,
improve its AC by 1 and add one point of
damage to each of its attacks. Thus when the guardian familiar has
been slain four times it will be reborn at '5th level' -- it will have AC4,
a movement ratte of 20", 5 HD and will deliver 5-8/5-8/5-10
HP of damage with its attacks. This 'pyramiding of powers' can
be stopped by the following spells (or powers which duplicatet their
effects)  so long as the creature's MR is overcome: -- [disintegrate],
[flesh to stone], [temporal stasis], and of course [wish] and [alter reality]  (if used properly).
Holy  (Unholy)  word will banish the <l>
creature back to its plane of origin.

If attackes choose to break off melee at any time, the guardian familiar will
not pursue but will return to continue its duties.

The guardian familiar should not be confused with the normal
familiar, as delineated in the first level MU spell [find familiar]. <e>
Its means of summoning, though
they involve the casting of a [find familiar] spell, are known only to a
small group of arcane magicians (and those few who they train in
their specialist art)  and are believed to involve bargaining with the
denizens of the Outer Planes on which the guardian familiars dwell. <l>

Naturally, the guardian familiar will, if killed a ninth time, remain
dead and will not rise again.


 

      by Trevor Mendham