These Old Games: X2 - Castle Amber 2026 - Session 3.1 Be Strength and Warning and Speed Forever

Let's take a moment to stat up Gabby's familiar, a giant rabbit named Gronk.

Gronk:

AC 6, HD 1/2, hp 7, #AT Special, D None, Save As Gabby, ML 10

Gronk has several special abilities.

He can identify plants at will. This ability can detect decay, poison, and other unsafe conditions. His armor class reflects his high speed. Gronk has more HP than normal thanks to his bonding with Gabby. Gronk rolls his own initiative at a +3 every melee round. He is surprised only on roll of 1.

He can move at 240'/80' for up to 10 rounds. He can also deadstop at those speeds, allowing him to run and hide in shadows in the same round. He has a 50% chance to hide in the shadows, but is more likely to hide behind something rather than in the shadows. He can listen at doors on 1-5, an ability he extends to Gabby. Gronk, like all rabbits, can see better in the dark than humans. This is another ability he extends to Gabby.

Gronk is not terribly inclined to listen at doors. He finds it weird and unrabbit-like. When he identifies plants, he expects to eat.

Gronk has no attacks. If he wins initiative, he can blow through humanoid opponents, meaning he can always escape combat in any direction he wishes. He cannot do the same to other creatures or animals.

Gabby can cast spells through him, as if the spell originated at his location. I don't know where this rule came from. It is not in the from Timothy Brannon's books. This ability is something I have always done for Magic-Users, but I don't know where I got the idea from. This ability does permit Gronk and other familiars to make attack rolls to touch someone if required by the spell. Gabby believes it's wrong to cast a harmful spell (blight, charm, cause light wounds, etc.) using Gronk as a conduit. Evil Witches and Magic-Users do not suffer from this limitation.

All of the rest of Gronk's "abilities" tend to fall in the category of "being a rabbit" and will be explained as they occur. They don't affect combat as they are flavoring.

Alexei and Lance followed Gabby through the door to the Indoor Forest. Gronk thumped in warning.

"Hey, your guys are here," said Gronk.

"Am I hearing things?" Lance asks Alexei.

"Of course you are, I'm talking to you," said Gronk.

Alexei, being an Elf and a Bard, succeeded in not looking surprised, but couldn't think of a response. Gabby saved him from his silence.

"Hey, what did I tell you about sitting in the grass?" asked Gabby.

"The killer trees will magically appear and try to kill me," answered Gronk before thumbing in mock alarm. As if summoned, tenticles appear on the right side of the path, with a third appearing behind Gabby on the left.

Characters in Purple, Killer Trees in Red

Roll for initiative!

Lance and Alexei had their bows ready and went first. They target the tree accosting Gronk. They easily hit, severing two of four limbs. The remaining limbs missed the rabbit. The second tree retracts its limbs, frustrated by the bowmen.

The next round saw the third tree also back off, as Gabby slowly walked out of reach. She set a large bowl-like shield down on the path and spread a large blanket to sit on. The Bard and Elf sent two more arrows after the tentacles, but missed. The tree flailed its limbs uselessly.

The killer trees grumbled in frustration as Gabby began humming a tune. Pleased, Alexei sat down and pulled out his lute to play along. Gabby said nothing as she picked through a pile of harvested plants on the shield. The trees went silently, listening to the party.

(Witches normally don't use shields. This is on loan from the rakasta so she can carry more plants.)

Gronk seated himself next to Gabby, placing himself between the herbs and the two strangers. Sorting through her plants, she distractedly placed some in front of Gronk. The rabbit muttered the name of each as he grazed from the offerings.

"Mint... Ooh, clover. Nice," he said.

Lance gawked at the rabbit, causing Alexei to elbow him. Not sure what to do, Lance pawed through his pack, pulling some rations and two wineskins out. As an afterthought, he pulled an apple out.

"My name is Gabriella Durant," she said. "Such kindness is appreciated. You wouldn't happen to have some meat in there?"

"For the rabbit?" he asked.

"No. For the trees, silly."

Lance shrugged, pulled some jerky out and sniffed it. "Do trees here normally eat meat?"

"Unfortunately, yes," she answered.

"Ahem," said Alexei, nodding to Lance without missing a beat in the tune he played.

"Oh," said Lance. He stood and pulled off his sword, placing it between himself and Gabriella before settling back to his knees. "My name is Lance, man-at-arms of the Lady Khouri. My companion is Alexei Gleeman."

Gabby responded by placing her silver dagger on top of Lance's sword. "Well met, kind sirs."

"Pfft," said Gronk. Gabby smiled and patted the rabbit on the head.

"Sorry, my friend. Gentlemen, this is Mon Seigneur Gronk, Chevalier du Bois de Lilas, le Défenseur des Voies Anciennes et Secrètes." Neither man understood anything beyond the name, the severe tone, and the gravity of the title.

Gronk honked at them before continuing his forging.

"Allow me to offer such hospitality as I may, in this accursed place." She pulled out four small bowls and several thimble-sized cups. Lance offered her the wine, and she beamed.

She cast the Ritual Spell, Bonds of Hospitality, upon them all and they all drank except for Gronk.

"As the lord defender of the Witch, I may not be bound by such magic. Instead, I offer you my respect and care on the lady's behalf," said Gronk as he bobbled through a lagomorphic version of a bow.

Gabriella removed Gronk's cup from the blanket, kissed it, and poured it into the grass as an offering to the forest. When she returned the cup to the blanket, Lance and Alexei solemnly bowed their heads, in respect of the sacrifice. Gronk repeated his odd bow to the lady before thumping in respect to the forest.

"Peace and kindness to you and all you defend, great sir," Alexei said to the rabbit. "We thank you for your consideration."

Gronk looked pleased. "They are so civil compared to the rakaska."

Gabby shrugged, then placed some berries and leaves in each little bowl. The rabbit didn't seem to mind eating this. Once they were done, the ritual was complete. All participants are unable to engage in hostility for the next 24 hours, or they will be sickened. Except the rabbit, of course.

Gabby gathered up her belongings, packing them away. She flicked through the herbs on the shield, selecting several large leaves. She gestured towards the jerky Lance had produced, and he handed them over.

Unbeknownst to the men, the ritual included the two closest killer trees. Gabby took the jerky and leaves over to the wounded one and set them on the ground within its reach. It ate all of it and was healed. This one tree will ignore Gabby, Lance, and Alexei from here on out.

"You mentioned the rakaska. Are they the cat-men we saw?" asked Alexei.

"Yes, I am in their employ. I keep them well and healthy," she waved, indicating the herbs she had collected. "However, I grow tired of this agreement."

She pulled a large silver key on a chain from her tunic. "I wish to be free."

If you like the Witch character I am using, thank Timothy S. Brannan.

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