Familiars are mystical companions bound to magic users through contracts and serve varying roles, from assistants in mundane tasks to vital allies in battle. They are categorized into three main types, with a rare fourth option that is scarcely discussed in the magical community.

Type 1: Summoned Familiars

A Summoned Familiar originates from another dimension or plane of existence. These beings form a pact with the magic user, agreeing to lend their powers and services. They can range from ethereal creatures to humanoid entities and may act as guides, fighters, or assistants in magical tasks.

• Key Traits:

  • Temporarily summoned when needed or residing in a pocket dimension tethered to the user.

  • Their contracts are often fluid, requiring regular maintenance and mutual respect to avoid breach.

  • While some can be intimidating or even dangerous, a Summoned Familiar’s aid is invaluable in battle or when complex spells are involved.

Type 2: Enslaved Familiars

An Enslaved Familiar is a creature from the magic user’s world that is bound against its will or through coercion. These familiars are treated as property, often serving with unwavering loyalty due to the constraints of their contracts.

• Key Traits:

  • A highly controversial practice, frowned upon in most magical societies.

  • Enslaved Familiars have no autonomy, and their bonds are often one-sided.

  • Many magical governing bodies regulate or ban this practice outright.

Type 3: Soul-Linked Familiars

A Soul-Linked Familiar chooses their magic user willingly, creating a deep bond that is rooted in mutual trust and companionship. These relationships are the most celebrated and ethical form of familiar contracts.

• Key Traits:

  • The contract allows the familiar full autonomy, with both parties able to terminate the bond if desired.

  • They often grow stronger with the magic user, creating a synergistic relationship.

  • While not obligated, a Soul-Linked Familiar often risks its own life to protect its partner.

Rare Type: Fusion Bond Familiars

The Fusion Bond Familiar is the rarest and most extraordinary type, resulting in the permanent merging of a familiar’s mana with the magic user’s.

• Key Traits:

  • The familiar is not "gone" but becomes a part of the magic user, its consciousness melding with its partner’s.

  • The fusion grants the magic user a dramatic boost in power and often unique abilities tied to the familiar’s original nature.

  • Conditions for this fusion are so rare that they are more myth than fact, occurring only when the bond between magic user and familiar is absolute, and both share a life-threatening moment that requires the ultimate sacrifice.

  • This process is irreversible and binds the two together eternally.

In all types, a magical contract governs the familiar’s role and behavior. Whether the contract is ceremonial or instinctual, it ensures balance and clarity between the magic user and their companion. While the bond can usually be dissolved, the Fusion Bond is a permanent and unique exception.