Familiars
Familiars are animals (most usually bestial or draconic) bonded through a magical connection or created through magic. Absolutely any animal can become a familiar, though some are more common than others.
Though “familiar” is used as an overall term for any animal bonded to a Sentient or Mystic, there are actually three categories of familiars:
Familiar
Bonded familiars are usually given to the owner at a young age (both the age of the familiar and the owner). Sometimes a person will be gifted an animal born on the same day as them in hopes they will bond as a familiar, as it’s believed to be good luck when a successful bond is able to be forged with an animal that shares the same day of birth as its owner. The familiar will grow with their tamer, and eventually their souls will bond and they will share knowledge, power, and life force. Familiar such as cats have been known to live extended lives with their tamers, well beyond their natural lifespans; though it is rare for their lifespan to be extended by more than twenty years.
The death of a familiar or tamer is like the death of a family member; though it doesn’t physically harm the other they carry an exceptionally strong emotional burden.
Familiar can be “tamed” by force in order to control them, though this is stressful for them and rarely the magical bond created will ever be as strong as one forged naturally.
Famila
Familia are formed from a chunk of a person’s soul. This can be done in multiple ways; making objects out of things such as clay, leaves, or fabric, and bonding the soul to it to turn it into an animal. It can also be done by violently ripping out a chunk of soul and turning it into a fully-formed animal. Both methods have benefits and consequences that vary from person-to-person.
Famila are usually created by ceremony, but serveral have been accidentally made.
Their natural lifespan is not that of whatever animal they have been made in the image of; but instead they will naturally live until their creator’s own death. They can be killed, however, and if they do die before their creator it can be a devastating loss due to their direct connection to their creator’s soul.
Familie
Familie are a temporary form of familiar. When a person and an animal feel a strong bond of understanding or reliance on each other, such as during a natural disaster or rehabilitating injured wildlife, a magical connection may be formed.
Many travellers feel this connection with the animals who pull their caravans; as well as farmers and their livestock may form a strong familie connection and understanding of each other’s needs.
Familie can be sold or freed without any negative effects to the person or animal’s soul; it is simply a temporary connection that connects both lives in a special type of understanding. Though the connection will fade after separation, familie leave lasting effects on the people they have connected with.