[Runequest] Spirits in Animals

[Lev Lafayette]

Last post for the day, I swear :)

Somewhere in one the last few issues of Wyrms Footnotes (I can't find
where at the moment... maybe I dreamt it) there was a comment about
incorporating spirit magic spells in animals to represent extraordinary
abilities. Not only would this make sense in terms of simulating the
sensibilities of cultures which follow the equivalent spirit magic in
the real world, but it would be devastatingly easy in terms of actual
game mechanics.

For example, a rabbit could have an intrinsic spirit of Mobility, an
eagle could have Farsee, a horse Strength, a mule Vigor, an armadillo a
point of Protection.

One could even vary the quantity and type of intrinsic spirit magic.
Some cats would come with a point of Bladesharp. Others would have
Befuddle, I'm sure. I am reasonably certain my rats have Detect Food.

I would also like to suggest the spirit magic spells 'Fly' in this
context. 1 magic point per 2 SIZ points to bring flight at (insert
normal movement rate).

Finally, if I may steal from Swordbearer (where I get a fair bit of my
RuneQuest tweaking from), such animals provide good targets of sacrifice
for shaman who want to get spell spirits. Sure, you could just wander
around the spirit plane and dumb luck will eventually find you a
Mobility spirit... Or you could catch and sacrifice a rabbit..