Homunculus

The Homunculus (plural Homunculi) is a Vagabond mythical familiar, and a peculiar equine-like being with magical origins. Held together by mysterious magic, these small horse-shaped creatures are the creations of Hedgewitches or other powerful Imbuers, and are bonded to their master for life. They can be constructed of most any material, including branches, stone, paper, or simply a living doll. 
Legend has it that the first homunculus was the result of an attempt to resurrect the dead, and that a homunculus is the spirit of a deceased equine inhabiting a new physical body. Skeptics claim that the miniature equines are merely drones, enacting their creator's will. In truth, homunculi are neither ghosts nor merely extensions of their master. They are their own, new being, brought to life by powerful magic. 
Homunculi are incapable of any kind of speech, and do not have any "voice" beyond the sound their components are capable of making (bells jingling, rocks rubbing together, etc). Their intelligence is hard to know, as they don't seem to understand full complex speech, but are capable of interpreting simple commands from their bonded equine. They have distinct personalities, and can communicate with a Familiar Whisperer. 
Homunculi are living, and draw their energy from their master. Because of this, they cannot exist too far away from their equine partner; if their master is more than 100 ft away, they will collapse into useless items and animate again when their master returns. They have no need to eat or rest, but the harder a homunculus works, the more exhausted their master becomes. Homunculi feel no pain, and as long as their master is alive, even a damaged or destroyed homunculus can pull itself back together. When a homunculus's master dies, the homunculus falls apart, the life force permanently drained from its components. 
== Creation Rules ==
=== The Homunculus will always: ===
* have 4 limbs and be equine in shape
* be half its masters height or shorter
* be made up of 3 or fewer different substances/types of items, or be a doll/statue/toy that has animated
* be made of solid materials (no water, fire, or fog) 
=== Homunculi can: ===
* be surrounded by a faint glow, the color of their master's teke
* be made out of non-living organic materials (feathers, bones, horns, cut flowers, taxidermy body parts)
* be made out of any inorganic material (glass, gemstone, paper, coins, clocks, fabric, spoons, buttons)
* have a shape that somewhat defies gravity, with improbable weight distribution or things like ribbons/twigs holding up heavier components. some pieces of a homunculus may "float" in place inside a teke glow
=== Homunculi can not: ===
* consist entirely of a full skeleton or taxidermy of any creature
* be "elemental" - no ice, water, fire, etc. Rocks and dead plants are acceptable 
* be made of currently-living plants, flesh, or other organic material
* use teke to hold anything except for hold their own form together
__NOEDITSECTION__
Category:Mythical Familiars