Familiars

[Mari]

Familiars

Messengers of the Gods

Just as witches have power over nature so too do familiars have the power to aid the beings they are bonded to in the course of their goals. Familiars can be anything from the stereotypical cat to other animals. Typically a familiar is only created when a magic user has need of one.

Originally Familiars were the helpers of witches but as new races came to the planet those that had magic began attracting familiars with similar mindsets and goals to them. While there are many familiars that can be created usually it is a one to one ratio. The planet does not allow for more familiars than magic users but given that magic is inherant in some races its likely that a familiar has many options besides a witch to bond to.

Usually a familiar's personality traits will mesh with its mage. Likewise the alignment of the being matches that of his or her familiar. A good familiar cannot stand to be in the presence of evil any more than an evil one can stand being in the middle of an encampment of good people. It is too much work to break a familiars will given the sheer stubbornness these creatures can possess and any magical being with half a brain will not even try to do so. Familiars may change to human and back but this is to assist their mage.

Because of the close connection with its mage a familiar will possess gifts that assist its summoner. A vampire might control one crow or a murder of crows depending on age and need.
A witch might control a dog, lemur or any number of animals that help it. The true irony is that many Yalanzens have familiars that are their own horses and never even know it!

A familiar may or may not choose to reveal themselves to their practitioner of the arts but if they do not let it be known they are somewhat intelligent they risk whatever treatment their form dictates they get.

Typically a familiar gets 5 abilities but older familiars or the familiars to the Gods may have more depending on need. Some familiar options for forms are but not limited to:

• Cats
  
• Lemurs
  
• Dogs
  
• Snakes
  
• Rats
  
• Bats
  
• Spiders
  
• Scorpion
  
• prairie dog
  
• Horse
  
• Rabbit
  
• Wolf
  

Some of the powers that one might find with a familiar depend on the race of the being that is bonded to it but their powers are always beneficial to their summoner.

Basic Familiar Abilities

• Telepathy The ability to speak with ones mage silently over great distances. This power may be hightened to speaking with other familiars or the deity that tasked the familiar.
  
• Empathy The ability to sense what ones mage is feeling. This allows the familiar to aid their charge.
  
• Omnilingualism The ability to speak many different languages regardless of ones native tongue.
  
• Energy Manipulation The ability to control energies to assist ones mage in spell casting.
  
• Mage Sight The gift to see the lay lines where magic is strongest and to see spells that have been cast on others.
  
• Enhanced Senses Hightened sense of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. These powers will depend on the shape that the familiar takes to assist his or her mage.
  
• Shapeshifting (to human and back) The ability to turn into an animal and back instantaneously.
  

Advanced Abilities

• Magical Poison
  
• Poison Claws
  
• Enhanced Speed
  
• Divine Messenger
  
• Healing
  
• Sensing
  
• Enhanced Lifespan
  
• Teleportation
  

It should be noted that familiars DO NOT attack each other. While they may not like each other, they have non aggression pact with other familiars. The Gods may deem a being worthy of a familiar in order to facilitate their goals or agendas.