I have a question about the Shadow Soul (infact several questions)

as stated in the Rule Book

This familiar is granted by the “Shadow Soul” Subterfuge skill card. The Shadow Soul’s speed is 5 and it has the Flying ability. The Shadow Soul cannot end its movement in the same space as another figure, nor can figures end their movement in the same space as the Shadow Soul. At the start of its owner’s turn, the Shadow Soul’s owner may either:
A) Swap places with the Shadow Soul
B) Move the Shadow Soul to an empty space adjacent to the owner
C) Do nothing with the Shadow Soul. The owner then receives his normal turn, including movement, even if he swapped places with the Shadow Soul.

and in the FAQ v1.3

Q: Shadow Soul can be used to block an Ogre from attacking if it is placed two spaces ahead from a hero in a corridor as he has insufficient speed to reach a hero, attack, and withdraw from the space held by Shadow Soul. Is this intentional?
A: Yes.

My questions are...

1 - How far can the Shadow Soul go from it's owner ?

2 - If he can go further than adjacency of the owner can he (the owner) swap places with the shadow soul?

3 - Can the Shadow Soul move through objects or NPC ?

4 - Will the Shadow Soul take penalty from the terrain ?

Thank you.

The Shadow Soul is a familiar, so except as otherwise noted it follows the rules for familiars on page 14 of the JitD rulebook. Thus, it gets to move after it's master's turn, receiving movement points equal to its speed (5), and can go anywhere it can reach under the normal movement rules. All familiars also have the ability to move through enemies by default, and can normally end their movement in the same space as another figure, though the Shadow Soul is forbidden from the later. Since it has the Fly ability, it is not hindered by obstacles, either. However, familiars cannot perform movement actions (except using stairs) or go to town.

I can't see any reason to think the swap ability would be limited to adjacent spaces; that would be severely limiting and isn't remotely suggested by anything that I can find.

Antistone said:

...and even this is a house rule, although a very reasonable one for all other familiars (the Shadow Soul could still keep up with its owener via its special action).

Parathion said:

I'm prepared to argue that it's an error in the rules and using a staircase should never have been listed as a movement action in the first place, but it's true that it's not precisely what the rulebook says.

Gigel said:

Generally Antistone covered things already, but just in case you need some different clarity...
1. The Shadow soul can go any distance from its owner as long as it stays in the dungeon.

2. Yes, at the appropriate time.

Note that there are 2 different periods the Shadow Soul 'operates'.
First, at the start of the owner's turn , when A, B or C can be activated - the owner (hero) can swap places with the shadow soul, 'call the shadow soul home' (bring it adjacent to the owner), or do nothing with the Shadow Soul.
Then the owner gets his normal turn.
Then, as a familiar, immediately after the owner's turn the Shadow Soul gets its turn - 5MP to move with.
So basically the Shadow Soul can roam forward, getting to places the hero cannot, then on later turns the hero can switch places with the Shadow Soul at the start of the heroes turn, and take their whole turn starting from where the Shadow Soul was. Then perhaps later, the hero will 'call the Shadow Soul home' so that the Shadow Soul can again move ahead of the hero. Or the hero might instead retreat back to a safer place by swapping back with the Shadow Soul. There are all sorts of possibilities.

Corbon said:

Ahhhh now I can understand it ) now it really makes sens I couldn't understand the "call home" (button) I always though that is one of the options... move around the owner which was kind of st.upid... but thanks a lot not it's clear