Sorceress of Secrets
She who discovered fire, Cave Mother grants those who show her proper respect the flames of the first fire and the basic means of survival.
Summoning Rules
Spirit Level: 1st
Constellation: Mage
Binding DC: 15
Totems: You gain a totem bonus on the spirit’s binding check if you meet some or all of these conditions.
- Cave Mother’s seal is drawn in a cave or underground.
- You are female or have sired a son.
- You mix an assortment of white and black nuts into the mixture created as part of Cave Mother’s ceremony, which requires 2 ranks in Survival).
Ceremony: You wet a mixture of twigs, rock filings, and herbs with your own saliva. Then, you chant Cave Mother’s name three times before throwing the mixture into a fire built on the center of Cave Mother’s seal.
Manifestation: The smoke fills the seal, showing you visions of your ancestors’ daily lives. The smoke leads up to your own childhood before quickly dispersing, leaving the mixture on the ground in the shape of a woman’s face who beckons you over to begin the binding process
Legend
The most ancient known records of humanoid writing refer to an ancient woman known as the Cave Mother, she who brought the secrets of farm and flame to an ancient people. According to the legend, Cave Mother was cornered by a ghoul one fateful night while she gathered nuts and berries for her people. Thinking quickly to save her life, Cave Mother challenged the ghoul to a game of chance, using her knowledge of nature to tip the odds in her favor and forever steal its sorcerous powers for her own.
Granted Abilities
Major Granted Abilities
- Ghoulish Fire: You unleash a 10 foot blast of fire around you, causing creatures within this area to take 1d4 points of fire. The damage increases by 1d4 points at 3rd level and every 2 binder levels thereafter. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. This fire ignites those who fail their save ablaze, causing them to suffer 1d6 points of fire damage at the start of their turn unless they attempt a DC 15 Reflex save to snuff it out as a full-round action. You and your vestigial companion are not subjected to this damage. After using this ability, it becomes expended for 5 rounds.
- Capstone Empowerment: Your ghoulish fire becomes white-hot, ignoring fire resistance equal to your binder level. This does not suppress fire immunity.
Minor Granted Abilities
- Deceptive Knack: You gain an insight bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks equal to ½ your binder level. You may take 10 on these checks if you use them to cheat.
- Gather Provisions: As a full-round action, you can conjure a magical nut that, when eaten as a move action, heals a number of hit points equal to your binder level and nourishes you as if you had eaten a day’s worth of meals. This nut vanishes if it is not eaten within 5 rounds and a creature can only eat one nut per binder level every 24 hours.
- Read the Stars: You always know which direction is north, as if you were under a constant know direction effect.
- Undead Bane: Any weapon or supernatural attack that you use deals an additional 1d6 points of damage to undead creatures. This damage can only be dealt to a single creature once per round.
Signs and Influence
Physical Sign: Your hands become calloused from work and your body wrinkled as if from old age. Whenever you activate one of Cave Mother’s granted abilities, your voice becomes raspy as if you were breathing smoke for 1 minute.
Personality: You easily lose patience with those who demand your aid. Whenever someone questions you, you answer with your own question, a cryptic remark, or simply scold the questioner.
Favored Ally: Any (arcane spellcasters; living only)
Favored Enemy: Undead (any)
Vestigial Companion
You gain the service of a spectral servant that appears as a male child of your race. This functions as unseen servant, except as follows. The servant lasts for the duration of the pact, has a Strength score equal to your Charisma bonus plus ½ of your binder level (min. 1), and if the servant dissipates you can call it back into existence as a full-round action. This granted ability replaces gather provisions.
