The Natives of Pangaea (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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drowningdeep2020-06-21 03:29 am
pangaean) wrote in drowningdeep2020-06-21 03:29 am
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FAMILIARS
Familiars are mysterious, ambivalent creatures that began showing up in Pangaea centuries ago. Most people attract one over the course of their lives, often around the age of puberty. Pangaeans haven't failed to notice that this roughly coincides with the time children begin to learn how to use magic. Familiars tend to be animals that have some significance or relevance to their master, though at times the association isn’t obvious. They are particularly drawn to outsiders, and outsiders often wake up to a new familiar upon arrival. These familiars are magical in nature, able to change their forms to a degree (they can shrink themselves, for one, and large familiars often do) and not constrained by most physical and natural laws. They have no means, and seemingly no desire, for verbal communication. (With occasional exceptions for things like parrot familiars, which can talk like parrots do if they feel like it.) But they are known to be capable of nonverbal communication, if they so choose. Such communication is rare, and only happens to get across important ideas, but there's never any difficulty understanding. Familiars themselves are highly intelligent, and understand words and situations on at least as high a level as their masters. When a sufficient bond exists between master and familiar, the animal can even anticipate its owner’s will.
Familiars can be fitted with collars, and outsiders will find theirs already wearing one with a single common focus gem attached. (Collars, like accessories, can transform to fit any focus gem.) Collars can only be fitted with five focus gems at a time, whereas accessories can carry six. But unlike with accessories, one can develop affinities to both their familiar and their spells this way. Through affinity with both the spell and one’s familiar, the power of spells cast can reach far greater heights than an accessory can manage. But the initial power of spells cast through familiars, without any affinity built, is far weaker than casting a spell through an accessory.
Familiars show a marked aversion - perhaps even a sulky jealousy - toward accessories, and refuse to be present while their owner is wearing one. As such, it’s impossible to use both at the same time.
Familiars can be fitted with collars, and outsiders will find theirs already wearing one with a single common focus gem attached. (Collars, like accessories, can transform to fit any focus gem.) Collars can only be fitted with five focus gems at a time, whereas accessories can carry six. But unlike with accessories, one can develop affinities to both their familiar and their spells this way. Through affinity with both the spell and one’s familiar, the power of spells cast can reach far greater heights than an accessory can manage. But the initial power of spells cast through familiars, without any affinity built, is far weaker than casting a spell through an accessory.
Familiars show a marked aversion - perhaps even a sulky jealousy - toward accessories, and refuse to be present while their owner is wearing one. As such, it’s impossible to use both at the same time.