Intelligent magical items as Companions.

[Tarumath]

If an intelligent magical item is your companion, then what is its species keyword?

They don't have one? a keyword for representating the broad powers of the powerful item? are you supposed to stat its personal spirit instead, making the companion the same as an allied spirit?

[Yelm's Light]

I'd stat the spirit, and write up any inherent abilities of the physical item separately (which would be generally unlikely to improve).

[jajagappa]

Generally I think of it as some sort of awakened spirit.  However, it can simply be that object in which case the "species" can just be a distinguishing feature of that object (e.g. Eversharp Axe, Resilient Helm, Bright Shiny Ring).

Examples that my HQG players have created:

Companion: The Last Tear – Magical spear, the last tear shed by the Sky Tribe after laying waste to the area now known as the Starfire Ridge (they were killing their kin)

Star Daimon (takes the shape –only – of a person the wielder has lost, in Aren’s case, his wife) 4W

Still point in the midst of the Storm 17

Burn with a cold fire 17

Companion: Magic Lead Spoon (Intelligent Item) – “The Heckling Spoon”

Magical Spoon 16 (non-human companion “species”) (The Heckling Spoon is one heck of an instrument for making music, and also one terrific spoon for eating and digging!)

Gloomy 15 (distinguishing characteristic) (The Heckling Spoon has a personality like Eeyore and Marvin the Paranoid Android; it likes to play sad songs and make comments about the futility of everything; Hendrick uses the Heckling Spoon as the straight man in his comedic performances and to play tragic parts in his stories)

Darkness 18 (The Heckling Spoon is made of lead and has the Darkness rune carved in its bowl; it creates magical darkness and demoralizing magics)

Companion: Drunbrahn, Father's Magic Sword

Cool Headed Advisor 17 [note: generally acted as an ancestral spirit in the sword]

Cold Cutting Wind 13

Binding Wind 13

Companion: Intelligent 2-Handed Warhammer 

Ability: Ignite Fuel 4W

Personality: Hot Tempered 17

Species: Fire Daimon 17

 

[David Scott]

52 minutes ago, Tarumath said:

If an intelligent magical item is your companion, then what is its species keyword?

They don't have one? a keyword for representating the broad powers of the powerful item? are you supposed to stat its personal spirit instead, making the companion the same as an allied spirit?

I’d just do it as a human companion. If you start stating it as a spirit you’ve made something else. 

Rodney the irritating sword

sword (value)

irritating (value)

death rune (value)

 

norbert the worldly staff

worldly (value)

staff (value)

truth rune (value)

[jajagappa]

There's another example in the Eleven Lights book, specifically the Red Sword of Cinsin (p.118) with the following:

Runes
Air 11W
Fight without wielder + 2
Cut through anything +1
Wounds never heal + 2
Other
Keyword: Proud 13

There's no rating given for the Sword itself, though perhaps it is implied with either the Rune or the Keyword.  But I think it gives you another approach you can use to such an object.

[Jenx]

I can give an example from a character of mine (the campaign he was in sadly died just as it was beginning. Oh well):

Companion: Three Horns of Iron, The Magical Chariot
A beautiful chariot, decorated in gold, bronze, blue and white. On its front it has an iron head of a three-horned beast and appears to be drawn by four rams made out of bronze. The chariot doesn’t have a driver, but seems to move on it’s own.
 

 - Magical Chariot, drawn by four bronze rams 7W

 - Three Horn, a protective spirit 18

 - [                               ] 13

(Note: I never did come up with a third ability for the chariot)