Companions

What Companions Are

Companions are one of many types of SORC Card that come in the form as; MAC, Cameos (or other NPCs—like Cohorts) that assist and guide Characters throughout their Campaigns and even during downtime. When Players acquire Companions, it creates a Bond between it and the Character, but it's up to the Character to keep that Bond in good Standing and the Companion in a healthy Mood. Each Companion has its dynamic details—that change at any given time—recorded on a Companion Sheet, aligned to its physical Companion Card. The base Card is the first tier of any Companion at its Young stage, establishing its core Name, Role, and Rank and its two default Abilities. Companions possess unique Abilities tied to their specific type, beginning with two Abilities at the Young stage, gain a third at Ascendant, and unlock a fourth at Elder, with existing Abilities growing stronger with each tier, as printed on the new upgraded physical Card. Just as its Abilities, Companion Vitality increases as it progresses through successive growth tiers from Young to Ascendant and finally Elder versions providing the aforementioned upgraded stats. Ability and Vitality values scale dynamically based on the Companion's active Growth Tier. The Companion Card and Sheet (below ) is where dynamic data is recorded and lives tracking it's; current Standing, Mood, Growth, Exposition Quest status—for Companions not in the party from its Quarters (see Domains) where they partake in their duties, whether that is of providing resources, protection, or just as pets for the Character’s Family and other Companion NPCs that act as friends. Additionally, the Sheet tracks all temporary stats, like buffs and debuffs reflecting active buffs or debuffs that shift the Card's printed values. Saddles for mounting provide easier handling of Companions that can be mounted; while Summoning devices, such as a magic whistle, can also be used, as long as the Companion Slot for its size isn't occupied.

Companion Sheet

The Companion Sheet directly correlates with its respective Companion Card and serves as the primary log for all fluid, changing data. While the Card provides static base values, the Sheet is used to track the creature's current Growth Tier, Mood, and Standing. It monitors the Companion's Exposition status—denoting whether they are currently active in the party, resting in their designated Quarters, or assigned to specific duties within the Character's Domain. Additionally, the Sheet accounts for all temporary stats, including active buffs, debuffs, equipped gear (such as saddles, bags, barding and mounted footwear), summoning device modifiers, and current health or upkeep history. All narrative progress—including gifting, Bond Quests, and any accepted Nicknames—are also recorded here. Note: Companions do not change their Armaments, so their default Attacks and Protection Score (PROTS) do not change, so their Equipment or Gear enhances performance only, such as speed and the Character's ability to handle them.

Companion Variants

Eligible Biotics and Robotics types may use shared Companion forms only when their Cards permit them. Each Companion Card defines its form, role, Abilities, outputs, and needs. Cameos are a Companion type and follow the shared Companion rules for Standing, Mood, upkeep, Abilities, and Performance Tiers, together with their listed type-specific conditions. Companions support combat, travel, and exploration, and many carry their own Backgrounds and mission statements. See descriptions below.

• Pets (small or tiny): Small or tiny Biotics or Robotics Companions bonded for companionship and the unique benefits listed on their Cards.
• Guardians: Larger Companions that protect and fight alongside their owner; some can be mounted, and hired Guardians require daily pay and care.
• Agathions (hovering magical beings): Magical beings that hover near the Character and have forms, alignments, and Abilities shaped by their nature; they cannot be mounted.
• Cohorts (NPCs): Humanoid companions who assist during adventures and can help with caretaking, carrying gear, and managing inventory.
• Cameos: Named, story-bearing Companions. Their SORC Cards define their support Abilities; their linked stories define their history, questions, responses, loyalty, and permanent-departure conditions. A party may have one Cameo. Each Character must have Companion slots available equal to the Cameo’s Size; a Cameo may be no larger than Goliath, and a Behemoth occupies three slots. The party discusses each choice, and the final decision-maker rotates among Characters. A Cameo will not join through a Character below Neutral Standing; if any Character in the party is Hated with it, it attacks. Below Neutral, it gives only brief, choice-free regression warnings; no ordinary story conversation is available. Standing and Mood are tracked separately. Defense begins at Respected Standing and Calm Mood; fighting alongside the Character requires Adored Standing or higher and the appropriate Mood. A Cameo’s own story supplies any more specific conditions. Serein, as Index-7, attacks any party that includes an Omnè Character. Cameo Interaction System. Serein’s branching dialogue demo.
• Temps: Temporary summoned creatures, magic constructs, hirelings, or other allies who assist the party for a limited time.
• Drafts: Heavy animals or beasts bred to pull loads. Non-organic Vehicles may also be used for hauling; see Vehicle SORC Cards.
• Provisions: Companions whose Cards list the supplies or resources they provide. Biotic livestock may provide dairy, fiber, wool, meat, and leather; Robotics Companions provide only the outputs listed on their Cards.

Each Cameo Episode is divided into Segments; every Segment ends at a Hook with three choices, including one permanent Abandon choice. The story controls its gates and departure outcomes. For Serein, Tolerable does not initiate an attack, Disliked and Hated trigger an attack when the Character enters detection range, Hated is permanent, and Annoyed or Distressed Mood causes departure separately from Standing. A Cameo’s story sets the maximum time between Hooks, measured in months, and any Quest or destination deadline. If the party neglects the authored objective until its deadline passes, the Cameo departs. The story also states how long a Cameo below Neutral remains with the party while ignoring that Character’s requests.

Digital Cameo access: Campaign interactions are run by a signed-in GM, who reads the choices aloud and submits the player’s answer. The Serein demo is open beta and can be explored without GM sign-in. GM Assessment. Note: Different Companion types may be restricted to specific classes, such as Warlocks and rangers using summons and guardians. Companion eligibility is separate from canonical category and Encounter Card form: Biotics describes living beings, Robotics describes robotic types, and eligible Biotics and Robotics may use Pet, Guardian, Agathion, Cohort, Cameo, Temp, Draft, or Provisions forms only when their Cards permit them. Mechanisms and Vehicles have their own SORC Card categories and are not Companions. Robotics uses only the roles, outputs, and upkeep listed on its Cards. Vehicles follow bonding, upkeep, and Mood rules where their Vehicle Cards specify them; maintenance, charging, oil, and repair replace food and rest. See Mechanisms SORC Cards and Vehicle SORC Cards.

Companion Development Stages

Every Companion comes in three development stages: Young, Ascendant, and Elder. Each stage represents a different point in the Companion's maturity and development. This applies to all Companions, whether acquired through physical Box Sets or downloadable content. When a Companion is first acquired, its stage is determined by the specific card or ticket. Players receive all three stages as separate cards in a set, representing the same Companion at different points in their life, and select which stage they want to bond with initially.

Stage Characteristics: Each stage carries different stat values, physical appearance, and size category. These differences reflect the Companion's growth and maturation:

• Young: The Companion at an early stage of development. Young Companions have lower stat values, a smaller or juvenile appearance, and typically occupy a smaller size category. They are curious, energetic, and still learning. Young Companions require more frequent upkeep and are more responsive to training and bonding in early stages.
• Ascendant: The Companion in full maturity. Ascendant Companions have moderate to optimal stat values, a fully developed appearance, and their standard size category. Ascendant Companions represent the baseline performance and are the most common stage characters bond with. They balance capAbility with upkeep requirements.
• Elder: The Companion in advanced age. Elder Companions have higher stat values reflecting years of experience, a mature or weathered appearance, and may occupy a larger or more imposing size category depending on type. Elder Companions have enhanced Abilities but require specialized upkeep suited to their age. They carry wisdom and experience that manifest in bonuses and unique behaviors.

Stat Scaling by Stage: Each Companion Card lists stat values for all three stages. Primary and Secondary Ability values scale with stage, as do Life totals and Performance Tier bonuses. The specific stat adjustments are listed on the Companion Card itself, with Young representing a baseline, Ascendant as the middle tier, and Elder as the peak.

Box Set and Downloadable Content: Each Companion has three different Growth Tiers; which adjusts their Abilities and Vitality stats (see Growth here). The three versions of each Companion Card are; Young, Ascendent and Elder. The Character can only advance their Companion, in the sequential order listed above, if they've reached the Growth Tier of its young version and have acquired the Card’s successive version. For instance, a Character must first acquire the Young version of a Companion, max the Young versions tier in Growth, and acquire the Ascendent version before using it. This routine continues from Ascendant to Elder. Once a Companion advances to a new Growth Tier, its previous version can no longer be used in that ongoing campaign. However, that weaker, earlier version remains available for use in entirely new campaigns starting at lower levels and ranks. This restriction ensures players do not accidentally field an under-leveled Young Companion in a high-rank module where it would be in extreme danger.

Physical Box Sets only include the Young Ascendant, Eldas punch-out Cards. Downloadable content companions are acquired the same way through Companion Tickets, which specify the stage. Players can trade tickets before redemption or hold multiple stages of the same Companion without conflict, as each stage is treated as a separate Companion Card for tracking purposes until bonded. A player may retain their physical Card for tabletop play after trading its digital profile, but they immediately lose the ability to use that Companion online. Conversely, an unregistered physical Card that is lost carries no online digital record and can be registered online by whoever finds it. (See SORC Cards).

Bonding and Stage Selection: When a character acquires a Companion, they choose which stage to bond with. Once bonded, that Companion remains at its selected stage. Companions do not automatically advance through stages during play, they remain the stage selected at bonding. A character may bond with a Companion at any stage permitted by their Rank and Standing, provided they already own the required earlier tier version to exchange for the successive card. Furthermore, because growth stages can alter a creature’s size category, upgrading a Companion requires the character to immediately have open Companion slots equal to the new stage's larger size.

Growth System Integration: A Companion's development stage is separate from the Character's Growth progression. However, as Characters age and advance through Growth milestones, they may choose to retire an older Companion and bond with a younger version of that type, representing passing it down through the character's life, or upgrade to an Elder version for increased capAbility. This allows Companions to remain mechanically relevant across a character's entire adventuring lifetime.

Companion Role

Each Companion Card lists a Role, the primary function the Companion serves. Role determines what duties the Companion can perform, how they contribute in and out of combat, and what upkeep they require. A Companion may have more than one Role.

• Guardian: Combat and protection. Fights alongside the Character, defends the party, and can be mounted. Examples: wolf, warbear, trained cat.
• Mount: Travel and transport. Carries the Character and their gear across terrain. Examples: horse, strider, Gryphlet.
• Provisions: Passive resource production. Provides dairy, fiber, and wool daily at Content Mood or above; meat and leather may be obtained if slain. Examples: moorback goat, sheep.
• Draft/Labor: Hauling, plowing, and heavy work. Carries loads, pulls wagons, and supports the homestead. Examples: mule, ox, workhorse.
• Pet: Bonding and passive benefit. Provides Presence Bonus each year accompanied. Examples: cat, rat, barn owl, tiger.
• Agathion: Supernatural presence. Hovers at the Character's shoulder. Provides Presence Bonus and unique Abilities tied to their alignment. Examples: Cherub, Imp, Wisp.
• Cohort (NPC): Humanoid support. Can act as caretaker, caddy, and combat ally. Carries gear, manages inventory, and provides social presence.
• Cameo (NPC): Story-bearing support with the Abilities printed on the Companion Card and conversations provided by its linked story. Serein's Cameo Card provides field defense, evidence comparison, and recoverable memories.
• Temp: Temporary summoned or hired assistance. Useful for specific tasks or limited encounters. No long-term bonding or Mood system applies.

Companion Prerequisites

Characters can only acquire Companions at or below their own rank, a character cannot receive a Companion of higher rank than themselves. This is the primary Prerequisite and is always enforced. Some Companions are additionally restricted by character class, race, or faction standing. A Companion with a faction restriction cannot be acquired or maintained by characters who hold Disliked or Hated standing with that faction.

When a Character receives a Companion Ticket, the ticket displays the Companion type and rank. This information is visible before redemption, allowing the Character to trade the ticket with another Player or turn it in to a keeper for gold before summoning. Once summoned, the Companion is bound to that character.

Race and Companion Affinity: A character's race can influence how quickly Mood develops with certain Companion types. Some pairings are natural, bonding is faster and upkeep lighter. Others are friction-filled and slow. An Agathion that leans radiant, for example, would have a notably difficult time warming to an Orcling character. Affinity and incompatibility are noted on each Companion Card.

Hirelings can come in various forms, including squires, bodyguards, cartographers, experts, and henchmen.

Companion Tickets

Companion Tickets are the rank- and module-bound items used to acquire Companions, with redemption, trade, and eligibility rules governing what happens after a ticket drops.

Companions are acquired through Companion Tickets, items exclusive to the module in which they are found. A Companion Ticket's rank cannot exceed the rank of the module it dropped in, and cannot exceed the rank of the Character who rolled it. Rank is determined at the point of the drop, at the boss itself, not the keeper. The boss may drop a Companion below its own rank. If the module ranks based on LVL, refer to the Module Rank by LVL table in the previous section. Characters may hold tickets even when their Companion slots are full, they just cannot redeem them until a slot opens.

To redeem a ticket, the Character brings it to the appropriate keeper, the ticket indicates what type of keeper is required. The character does not know which specific Companion they will receive until they roll at the keeper. The roll determines the Companion within the eligible pool for that ticket's rank and type. There is no fee to receive the Companion, it was earned on the drop roll.

Before redeeming, the Character knows the Companion type and rank listed on the ticket. This allows tickets to be traded with other Players before summoning. Characters may also turn a ticket in to a keeper in exchange for gold rather than redeeming it for a Companion.

How tickets drop: Guaranteed from module milestone completions. Boss encounters have a low chance to drop a ticket, the higher the module rank, the lower the drop chance. No tickets drop from standard encounters.

Summoning Companions

Companions can be summoned as long as the Character has an open Companion slot of the appropriate size. Each Companion type has a corresponding summoning device, a whistle, an orb, a token, or a similar item listed on the Companion Card. The summoning device must be in the Character's possession to call the Companion. Companions that are at a safe keep, in the wild, or roaming freely return when the device is used, provided they are within range (range listed on card). Companions that do not respond to a summoning call within the expected window may have wandered too far, been harmed, or are refusing due to low Mood, the GM determines what has occurred. Behemoths and Goliaths that were released into the wild (see Companion Movement) are automatically summoned when the Character returns to the area and uses their device. Companions cannot be summoned into spaces smaller than their size category allows. A character without a summoning device cannot call their Companion remotely.

If a Companion is killed during an adventure, it can be resurrected to bring it back into play. Common Companions are easier to acquire, but characters may develop bonds with their Companions, and may want to be careful with their lives, eventually providing them a safe keep, like a home. Common and Uncommon are the Companions that always come in box sets as punch out Cards. Companions of rank Rare and above can be resurrected the same way Characters can (see dying and death below). Until resurrected, passing Companions of Rare rank and above go to the boneyard. Upon resurrection, the Companion's mood resets to Distressed, the lowest mood tier.

Companion Lifespans: Companion lifespans vary by rank. Common and Uncommon Companions have the shortest natural lifespans and cannot be resurrected upon death. Rare Companions live significantly longer, decades to centuries depending on their type. Epic Companions have extended lifespans measured in centuries. Legendary Companions may live for many centuries. Unique Companions are extraordinarily long-lived. Divine Companions are immortal and do not die of natural causes. Specific lifespans for each Companion are listed on their card.

Companions need rest, care, and proper nourishment. While they can survive without direct care, their performance is influenced by their overall condition. They have three tiers of performance: Basic, which provides standard capAbilities; Intermediate (INTRM), offering enhanced Abilities and resilience; and Advanced (ADV), where the Companion reaches peak performance with maximum effectiveness in travel, combat, and support roles. A character's management and care determine which tier they operate in during their adventures.

Companion Names and Nicknames

Every Companion has a generic Name that describes what they are, for example, Moorback Goat. This name is fixed and comes with the Companion Card. Characters may give their Companion a Nickname of their choosing. Common and Uncommon Companions will respond to any nickname given. Companions of Rare rank and above already carry their own name and have their own identity, they may or may not accept a nickname given by the Character. A Companion that does not accept a given nickname will not respond to it. Whether a Companion accepts a nickname is at GM discretion, including what roll to use and which dice. Cohorts and Cameos, which are NPCs, always carry a name of their own and follow the same nickname rules, they may accept a nickname but will not respond if they do not. These naming rules do not apply to summons such as whistle-calls, scroll summons, or other temporary conjurations.

Companion Vitality

Companions, Bosses, and Mobs only have Life Vitality. They do not have Mana, Stamina, or Endurance and do not expend them. Only Life can be depleted. They also do not have Traits or ATTRs, their Abilities are innate and built into their card, requiring no trait or attribute Prerequisites. What they have is: Life, Abilities, Armor, and ATTKs.

Companion Ability Structure

Each Companion has one Primary Ability and one or more Secondary Abilities, all listed on their card.

The Primary Ability is the Companion's defining power, the single most impactful thing they do. It reflects their core nature: a guardian's devastating charge, a pet's unnerving distraction, a Provisions Companion's moment of surprising defense. Every Companion has exactly one. Its value on the card is what scales with Performance Tier advancement.

Secondary Abilities are additional options available to the Companion in play. A Companion may have one or more depending on rank and type, Common and Uncommon Companions tend to have fewer; higher-rank Companions carry more. Secondary Ability values also improve as the Companion advances through Performance Tiers.

In combat, the Player draws from the full set, Primary and Secondaries together, and selects which to use on their turn. The Character can use one Companion per round, for combat or another purpose. Each Ability on the card has its own defined effect, range, and value. The Companion's hand is fixed, what is on the card is all that is available. This makes each Companion's combat role distinct, deliberate, and worth knowing well. Further information on each Companion's Abilities can be found in the module by referring to the mod-ref# on the card.

Companions that participate in combat act on their owner's turn, controlled by the Player, but they are not tools. Mood shapes their cooperation and performance. A Companion at high Mood is a willing, capable ally. At Uneasy or Wary Mood, a Companion may hesitate or act cautiously. At Annoyed or Distressed Mood, the Companion abandons the campaign. A Cameo provides defense beginning at Respected Standing and Calm Mood; at Adored Standing and above, and when in the right Mood, the Cameo will fight alongside the Character aligned to it. Companion Cards and stories specify any applicable Mood, loyalty, and permanent-departure conditions. The Companion acts on the Player's turn or as specified on their card.

Cherished Standing does not override a Cameo story’s stated loyalty or permanent-departure conditions. A Cameo’s story defines when it remains, leaves, or permanently ends its companionship.

Companion Movement, Flight and Glide

Flying Companions have two distinct movement types. Flight is combat movement, measured in ft./turn and subject to the restrictions listed on the Companion Card. Glide is travel movement, used out of combat for long-distance travel, measured in travel time rather than ft./turn. Saddles may affect glide travel duration. Neither flight nor glide can be used in confined spaces unless the Companion Card states otherwise. Rider weight and gear affect travel range and speed during glide.

Behemoths and Goliaths in Confined Areas: Behemoth and Goliath Companions cannot enter areas smaller than their size category. When a character must enter a confined space their Behemoth or Goliath cannot follow, they may release the Companion into the wild temporarily. The Companion will survive on their own while the Character is inside. When the Character returns to the area, the Companion is automatically summoned, but only if the Character has their summoning device. Without the device, the automatic summon does not occur and the Companion may have moved on. The character is at risk of losing the Companion permanently if they return without a summoning device and the Companion cannot be located. The GM determines the outcome.

Mounting

A Companion can be mounted when it can bear the rider's weight and practical size, likes the rider (see Mood), and the rider has the STR and/or AGI to ride it. Tiny Companions can be mounted by Tiny entities, including those temporarily shrunk by magic, when these conditions are met. Follow any mountAbility details on the Companion Card.

Companion Mood

Companion Mood tracks the Companion's current emotional and behavioral state and affects cooperation, performance, resource output, and behavior during play. Standing tracks the Companion's relationship with the Character and is recorded separately.

Companions track Mood, their current emotional and behavioral state, separately from Standing. Mood is shaped by upkeep, gifting, care, time, and Experience (XP). It is tracked on the Companion Card and Sheet and directly influences performance, buffs, and behavior in play.

Mood Scale: Distressed, Annoyed, Uneasy, Wary, Calm, Content, Comfortable, Tranquil, Devoted. Distressed is the lowest tier. Devoted is the highest and is reached only through a Bond Quest. Common and Uncommon Companions have no Bond Quest and cannot reach Devoted, their Mood caps at Tranquil.

Starting Mood: All Companions begin at Calm when first acquired, regardless of rank or type.

Race Compatibility: Certain character races have a natural affinity with specific Companion types or races, bonding comes more naturally and Mood advances faster. Others may find the relationship slower to develop. Compatibility is noted on each Companion Card. Characters with a favorable racial pairing require fewer gifts and less time to advance Mood tiers. Incompatible pairings are not impossible, just slower. This reflects the natural dynamics between species across Essentia.

Mood Effects

Mood Effects translate each Mood tier into concrete bonuses, penalties, cooperation changes, and Companion benefits for the owner.

Mood shapes every aspect of a Companion's behavior in play, combat performance, cooperation, resource output, and the bonuses they pass to their owner. A well-bonded Companion is a meaningful mechanical advantage and a narrative anchor. A neglected one becomes a liAbility.

Mood	Effect	Example
Distressed	-1 to all Companion Ability rolls. Companion abandons the campaign. Companion Cards and stories specify any permanent-departure conditions.	A guardian leaves the party and ceases following the Character's commands.
Annoyed	No bonuses. Companion abandons the campaign. Companion Cards and stories specify any permanent-departure conditions.	A mount leaves its owner, or a Droid withdraws its assistance and departs.
Uneasy	No bonuses. Companion follows orders without enthusiasm.	A pet that hides at the start of each session, reluctantly emerging when called.
Wary	No bonuses. Standard compliance, cautious.	A companion that stays close but offers nothing extra, present, but not engaged.
Calm	Base performance. No bonuses or penalties.	Standard performance. The Companion does its job and nothing more.
Content	+1 to all Companion Ability rolls. Provisions begin producing resources.	A guardian that greets its owner eagerly at camp, focused and ready.
Comfortable	+2 to all Companion Ability rolls. Companion begins gifting owner unsolicited items or resources daily (cap: 1d4/day).	A moorback goat leaves extra milk each morning without prompting.
Tranquil	+3 to all Companion Ability rolls. Owner gains +1 to all rolls while Companion is present in the same zone. Bond Quest becomes available for eligible Companions.	A war horse charges without hesitation, the steadiness of the bond bolstering its owner's resolve.
Devoted	+4 to all Companion Ability rolls. Owner gains +2 to all rolls while Companion is present. Devoted Ability unlocks, unique per Companion Card. Companion remains loyal while at Devoted Mood. The GM may issue an Exposed title to a character who abuses this loyalty, see Titles under Prestige.	A Bond Quest completed, years of trust built, the Companion acts as an extension of the Character's will. Abilities available to no other version of that card become accessible.

Mood Decline Resistance

Mood Decline Resistance sets how much consecutive neglect a Companion can withstand at each tier before dropping to a lower Mood.

Higher Mood tiers are harder to lose. The number of consecutive days of neglect required to drop one tier increases as Mood climbs. Neglect includes missed feedings, no exercise, no activity, untreated injuries, overwork, or prolonged absence without a caretaker.

Tier	Consecutive days of neglect to drop one tier
Annoyed, Wary	1 day
Calm, Content	2 days
Comfortable	4 days
Tranquil	7 days
Devoted	Cannot decline from neglect alone. Only sustained betrayal or abandonment, at GM discretion.

Overworked: If a Companion is used beyond their daily action threshold (listed on their Companion Card), Mood drops 1 tier at the end of that day regardless of upkeep quality.

Bond Quests

Bond Quests are Companion-specific, module-driven objectives that deepen the relationship and provide the only route to the Devoted Mood tier for eligible Companions.

Companions of Rare rank and above with Bond Quest eligibility (noted on their card) unlock a Bond Quest once their Mood reaches Tranquil. Bond Quests are module-driven, they are embedded in the module and tied to the specific Companion. The GM may create or alter Bond Quests for their campaign if they choose. Through a Bond Quest, the Companion's history, nature, and story unfold as the relationship deepens. Completing a Bond Quest is the only path to Devoted. Common and Uncommon Companions have no Bond Quest and cannot reach Devoted.

Upkeep

Upkeep covers the regular food, care, rest, activity, and resources required to maintain a Companion’s condition and Mood.

Companions require daily upkeep to maintain and improve Mood. Upkeep applies to all Companions as a group, they are managed as one unit, not individually. Upkeep needs vary by Companion type and are listed on each Companion Card. Companions in their Favored environment are self-sufficient, no upkeep is required while they remain in that environment. General upkeep categories include:

• Feeding: Organic Companions require appropriate food and water daily. Type and quantity are listed on the card. Vehicles require maintenance, charging, oil, and repair rather than food and rest.
• Exercise and Activity: Companions need regular physical engagement suited to their type. Guardians and mounts need movement and stimulation. Provisions need grazing and open space. Neglecting this causes Mood to decline.
• Rest: Companions need adequate rest between uses. Repeated overwork without rest triggers Mood decline regardless of other upkeep.
• Injury Care: Injured Companions left untreated decline in Mood each day until treated. Treatment type depends on the Companion, healing Abilities, or a vet NPC. Vehicle damage and repair are handled under the Vehicle SORC Card.
• Presence: Some Companions are sensitive to their owner's absence. Extended time away, even with a caretaker, may cause Mood to decline past the Absence Threshold listed on the card.

Caretakers

Caretakers maintain a Companion’s needs when the owner is absent, preserving the Companion’s safety, upkeep, and campaign continuity within the stated limits.

When a character leaves a Companion at their safe keep, one or more caretakers are required to maintain upkeep. Caretakers can be family members, hirelings, or assigned NPCs. Caretaker quality determines how well upkeep is managed, a negligent or unskilled caretaker may let Mood slip even under otherwise stable conditions. The GM determines caretaker effectiveness based on who is assigned and how well they are supported.

Without a caretaker, Companions will leave. What happens to them after that is unknown, they may survive in the wild, be found by another, or simply disappear. If a Companion is locked up without a caretaker, they will die. The GM may issue an Exposed title to a character who abandons or locks up a Companion without care, see Titles under Prestige.

Even with a reliable caretaker, some Companions are sensitive to extended absence from their owner. Once the Character has been away beyond the Companion's Absence Threshold (listed on their card), Mood begins to decline 1 tier per week regardless of caretaker quality. Upon return, the Character must restore full upkeep and gift the Companion to rebuild Mood.

Gifting

Gifting explains how appropriate gifts affect Companion Mood and how Players can use items and attention to strengthen an ongoing bond.

Gifting is about discovery. No guide will say what a Companion wants, that is learned through time spent together. What they accept with enthusiasm, what they ignore, and what they refuse tells a character something about them. Give too much of one thing and they tire of it. Pay attention, and the bond deepens. Ignore it, and gifts become noise.

Characters can gift Companions to improve Mood. Gifting is capped at once per day per Companion. Mood progress accumulates over multiple days, it does not jump tiers immediately. The number of successful gifts required to advance a tier increases as Mood climbs.

Learning Preferences: A Companion's Preferred and Disliked gift categories are not revealed at acquisition, they must be discovered through Experience (XP). When a gift is accepted enthusiastically, the category is revealed as Preferred. When a gift is refused or ignored, the category may be Disliked. Players learn their Companion's tastes through trial over time. Some Companions are harder to read than others, the GM determines how quickly preferences become clear. For example: a common pet may have no obvious tell at first, but slip them a piece of sugar and they light up. Over time, the Player confirms sugar (sweet treats) as a Preferred category. Try giving the same treat every single day and the effect diminishes, mix in other gifts to keep it meaningful.

Over-Gifting: Gifting the same category repeatedly in a short period reduces its effect and may eventually cause the Companion to lose interest. A Companion that receives the same type of gift too often may begin treating it as a Standard gift rather than Preferred, or stop responding to it entirely for a time. Variety is rewarded.

Gift Type	Effect
Standard gift (not disliked, not over-used)	+1 Mood progress toward next tier
Preferred gift (discovered preference, not over-used)	+2 Mood progress toward next tier
Beloved gift (rare, meaningful, GM discretion)	Immediate +1 Mood tier
Disliked gift	No effect
Disliked gift repeatedly	May cause Mood to drop 1 tier at GM discretion
Over-gifted category	Effect reduced or lost temporarily, GM discretion

At Comfortable Mood and above, Companions gift back, items, resources, or finds, rolled daily (cap: 1d4/day). Provisions gift resources only (dairy, fiber, and wool). The quality and frequency of Companion gifts scales with Mood.

Provisions Production

Provisions Production governs the dairy, fiber, and wool a qualifying Provisions Companion can produce at the required Mood and care level. Provisions may also provide meat and leather when slain.

Biotic livestock serving as Provisions Companions produce the resources listed on their Cards once their Mood reaches Content or above. Resource quality scales with Mood, and each Companion Card lists quantity and quality thresholds. At a safe keep with a caretaker, they produce their listed resources each day at Content Mood or above. When slain, they may provide meat, hide, or other drops as listed in the module. Robotics Companions follow only the output and upkeep listed on their own Cards.

Card-listed planetary outputs may include atmospheric condensates, bioluminescent spores, regolith-eating microbes, photosynthetic resins, neuro-reactive saps, corrosive enzymes, and venoms from Captopril vipers, Eptifibatide rattlers, and Chlorotoxin scorpions. These are possible outputs only when a Companion Card lists them; they do not assign livestock-specific resource rules to Robotics. For descriptions of planetary resources, see the Tomes of Essentia.

Companion Ailments

Companion Ailments record injuries, sickness, and other conditions that reduce a Companion’s effectiveness and require care or recovery.

A Companion Ailment is a temporary debuff the GM applies quietly after specific events, an injury not fully healed, an unsettling encounter, time in a hostile environment, or circumstances the Character may not fully understand. Think of it like a cold: the Companion is simply off for a bit, a little slower, a little less accurate, a little more cautious than usual. The Player notices the difference but may not know why. Ailments are not tied to Mood directly, but Mood influences how quickly they resolve: higher Mood helps them clear sooner, while declining Mood may let them linger. Ailments resolve on their own over time. The GM tracks them and determines when they lift, no action is required from the Player unless the GM indicates otherwise.

Performance Tiers

Performance Tiers measure a Companion’s current operating quality and determine the stat, Ability, and resilience improvements available through care and management.

Each Companion operates at one of three Performance Tiers, Basic, Intermediate (INTRM), or Advanced (ADV). As they advance, their stats improve. Current stats are recorded in the Companion slot on the Character sheet and updated each time a tier is reached. Tier progression is determined by sustained Mood LVL and consistent upkeep over time, held at Comfortable or above long enough, a Companion naturally advances. Neglect pushes them back toward Basic. The GM tracks tier progression.

Tier	Stats	AvailAbility	Story Depth
Basic	Base values as printed on card	Standard. Responds when called.	Surface-LVL. Limited engagement before rest needed.
Intermediate (INTRM)	+1 to Life, +1 to Primary Ability value	Increased. Longer engagement duration.	Personality and history begin to surface through interactions.
Advanced (ADV)	+2 to Life, +2 to Primary Ability value, Secondary Ability values improve	Maximum. Extended engagement duration.	Full story depth accessible. Bond fully expressed. Companion feels truly alive.

Companion Aging

Companion Aging explains how age, development stage, lifespan, and retirement choices affect a Companion over the course of a Character’s adventuring life.

Each Companion race has its own natural lifespan, noted on their Companion Card. It is rare to acquire a Companion with a shorter lifespan than the Character's own, and many higher-rank Companions are immortal by nature. Aging is handled narratively rather than mechanically. The GM may introduce aging elements through roleplay, story events, or Bond Quests at their discretion.

When a Companion dies of natural causes, the Character is expected to treat the passing ceremonially and respectfully. Failure to do so, dismissing the death, abandoning the body, or showing indifference, may cause the GM to issue an Exposed title reflecting the Character's disrespect. See Titles under Prestige.

Companions of higher ranks are extraordinarily long-lived and will rarely die of old age during a character's lifetime. However, Companions may be passed down to family members across generations, a Companion bonded to a parent may outlive them and bond anew with their child. Players can take on these inherited roles in later sessions, beginning with an existing Companion and the history that comes with it.

Accompanying

At every long rest, the Character decides which Companions accompany them. This decision determines which Companions are active, present, and counted toward all Mood, upkeep, environment, and presence bonus rules. Companions not chosen to accompany are left behind, at a safe keep with a caretaker, or released into appropriate care. The term "accompany" applies universally across all companion rules.

The Presence Bonus (see below) is lost if a Companion goes unaccompanied for more than 2 consecutive months. It rebuilds at the same rate, +1 to the associated Trait per year accompanied, once the Companion accompanies again.

Companion Presence Bonus

Companion Presence Bonus describes the passive benefit a Companion grants its owner when the Companion is present and the conditions that govern that benefit.

Each Companion grants +1 to a specific Trait per year they accompany the Character. The Trait is unique to each Companion type and listed on their Companion Card. Not all Companions of the same category grant the same Trait, refer to the card. Examples:

Companion	Type	Trait
Mule	Draft	Strength
Tiger	Pet	Agility
Moorback Goat	Provisions	Constitution
Cherub	Agathion	Piety
War Horse	Guardian	Courage
Barn Owl	Pet	Perception

Companion Environments

Companion Environments identify the spaces and conditions in which different Companion types can safely live, travel, rest, and perform their roles.

Each Companion Card lists Favored and Disliked environments. These reflect where the Companion thrives and where they struggle.

Disliked Environment: The character must actively compensate to keep the Companion functional. This costs 1 Endurance Chip from the Character every 3 hours of in-game time. Mood also drops 1 tier every 3 hours the Companion remains in a disliked environment.

Favored Environment: The Companion sustains itself, no upkeep required while in a favored environment. Mood rises 1 tier passively every 3 hours. No additional actions are granted to the Character from this.

Companion Equipment and Gear

Companions can be equipped with gear appropriate to their type and size, harnesses, armor (barding), saddles, signal whistles, and more. All equipped gear is recorded on the Companion Sheet alongside current stats, including its accepted nickname given by the Character, if there was one provided.

Armor for Companions provides PROTS bonuses and varies by type: scale barding, hide wraps, plate barding, chain mail coverings, and more. Saddles improve rider comfort and stAbility, but custom or travel saddles increase travel duration. Signal whistles can be used to call a Companion home from a distance. Equipment for Companions is not included on the Companion Card by default, enter the green portion of the card's ref # at the website for available equipment and digital content.

Safe Keeps and Home Duties

Characters can provide their Companions with a safe keep at their home or property. Safe keep types vary by Companion: stables for mounts and Drafts, kennels for pets and guardians, aviaries for flying Companions, enclosures for large or exotic creatures, and pens or pastures for Provisions Companions. Companions kept at home can be assigned duties during downtime, including guard duty, draft labor, Provisions resource production (dairy, fiber, and wool), and other roles suited to their type. Duties are determined by Companion type and the Character's property setup.

A Family member or Cohort Companion may be assigned as the keeper for a home quarter. A keeper can handle feeding, watering, grooming, cleaning, exercise, companionship, and other daily upkeep appropriate to the Companion. The Character records the assignment and remains responsible for ensuring the Companion has a suitable quarter, a capable keeper, and the care required by its type.

A safe keep requires a keeper, a hired or assigned caretaker responsible for the Companions left behind. Without a keeper, Companions cannot simply be released or abandoned. If left without care and no way to leave, they will die. If left able to wander but without care, they will leave, and what becomes of them is unknown. Characters who abandon Companions without proper arrangements face consequences: damaged standing with factions and higher powers who care for the Companions' welfare, and potential Exposed titles issued by the GM. Abandonment may also affect your alignment depending on your ideological stance toward such cruelty. See Titles under Prestige. Failing to arrange a keeper means the Companion holds its slot, it is not free, and no new Companion can fill that slot until the situation is resolved.

Provisions and other farm animals kept within a Domain are vulnerable to predators, wolves, large birds of prey, and other wildlife may hunt them during the Character's absence. Guardians assigned to protect them actively defend the animals and land from predators and other threats.