Faemiliars

After the Fae were banished from Ga'leah to their new world of Allutheria, they set about the task of shaping the world that was to be their prison into their new homeland. Quickly enough, the Fae realized that although there were Fae who were strong in magic and those who were weak, there were few of their kind willing to take on the menial tasks necessary to make the creation and execution of their world effective. Worse yet, some of the Fae missed the many wild creatures that called the land of Ga'leah home or mourned the loss of loved ones in the Great War. 
Faemiliars were first created to fill these three voids. Crafted by magic, they were made by the Fae to serve as pets, companions, and servants to their Faery masters. Learning from the mistakes the Gods had made with them, the Fae determined that Faemiliars should have no use of Magic itself, but would instead be given one special ability they could utilize in service to their Fae masters. They were also given both a human and an animal form to aid in the work they would be given.
While Faemiliars are a very common species in Allutheria, they are seldom seen and rarely recognized in Ga'leah. Because of their scarcity, they are the subject of many superstitions throughout the human world of Ga'leah. In Allutheria, however, they are widely accepted as a part of life and treated as lesser citizens of Allutheria. Because of the wide array of roles they fill for the Fae, their culture is vast and varies greatly.
== History ==
Faemiliars did not officially exist until the creation of Allutheria. Because of the vast population of Fae and creatures crafted by the gods in Ga'leah, the Fae had no need for creatures to serve as pets, companions or servants whilst they were permitted to live there. However, once banished to the emptiness of Allutheria, the Fae found that they had need of lesser creatures to fill a variety of positions for their Fae Masters. These beliefs are widely held as fact among the Fae, although there are some rumors of early experimentation with the concept of Faemiliars during the Great War there has never been proof that any pre-date Allutheria.
There were some who missed the creatures of Ga'leah and longed to once more bond with animals such as horses, cats, and wild creatures like lions. Others were concerned that with the blow to the Fae population caused by the losses they had suffered in the Great War, that there would be no Fae willing to be given the menial tasks necessary for day to day life. Still other Fae missed the children, spouses, siblings, and parents they had lost in the Great War and wished to find a way to fill the void they left behind.
It is unknown now which Fae can be attributed with conceiving of the Faemiliars nor which Faemiliar was the first in creation. However, after the first one was created and word of the creature's existence was passed from Fae to Fae, more and more Fae sought to copy the creature by creating one of their own. Soon, there were Faemiliars all over Allutheria with more and more being created every day.
Before long, they became the most prevalent species in Allutheria second only to the Fae themselves.
== Culture ==
Faemiliars perform a wide variety of services for the Fae. Some are treated as treasured companions, others as pets, and many as mere servants. Faemiliars can be found in ever Freehold and Court in Allutheria, with only a few exceptions. Because of this, the culture of Faemiliars themselves is as vast as the jobs they do and the places they call home.
=== Loyalty ===
Nothing is more important to Faemiliars than loyalty. They owe their very existence to the Fae that created them and most are well aware of this fact.  If they fail to be useful to their Fae Masters, it is very simple for a Fae to replace a Faemiliar with another. Possessing only one magical ability with which to defend themselves, most Faemilars realize that without the protection of their Fae, the world of Allutheria could potentially become a very dangerous and frightening place.  Against the much broader magical abilities of a Fae most Faemiliars would stand little chance of victory even when attempting to defend themselves.
It is this fear and respect for the power the Fae have that keeps most Faemiliars in line.  Even those with strict masters who demand much and give very little by way of affection or gratitude typically have very loyal Faemiliars willing to carry out their master’s orders in fine detail whether they approve of said plans or not.  However, in some cases, Faemiliars have very kind masters who treat them with love and respect as companions or pets.  These Faemiliars often understand how lucky they are to have such kind masters and are doubly loyal and eager to please them.
=== Strays ===
There is nothing worse to a Faemiliar than being branded a ‘stray’.  While some Faemiliars are killed when they cease to be of use to their masters, others are simply cast out to fend for themselves, and in some very rare cases, Faemiliars will run away from their masters to seek freedom from their oppressors.  Any Faemiliar without the bond of ownership with a Fae is termed a ‘stray’ and is looked upon with suspicion and derision.  It is believed, however erroneously, that a Faemiliar without a master will waste away, dying a slow and terrible death without a Fae to replenish the magic which keeps them alive.  While this is not true, Faemiliars were made to bond with Fae and will feel an extremely powerful urge to bond with Fae and other creatures when they lack the Bond of Ownership.
Other Faemiliars will typically avoid the company of a stray.  Many fear that if their masters see them with a stray, that they will be termed unruly and cast out or destroyed.  There is also the common concern that their Fae masters may find the stray useful and bond with them, calling into question the usefulness and position of the Faemiliars already in service to the Fae.
There are some Fae in Allutheria who exist by hunting stray Faemiliars, trapping them, and harvesting the magic used in their creation.
=== The Bond of Ownership ===
The Bond of Ownership is the supernatural force exerted on a Faemiliar that keeps them loyal to their Fae Master.  Typically, it is established at the moment of Creation with the Fae who serves as Creator.  It can, however, be severed by the Fae at any time if the Faemiliar does not live up to their expectations.  A Faemiliar, however, can rarely sever the Bond of Ownership by themselves.
Once severed, a Faemiliar will feel an all-consuming need to share a Bond of Ownership with another master.  The Fae always serve as the best masters for Faemiliars because they, as a species, first gave the Faemiliars life.  Faemiliars who have escaped from Allutheria and into Ga’leah have also been known to share a Bond of Ownership with Witches, Druids, and sometimes even Humans though typically the Human must have power of some kind or another to make the Faemiliar feel safe and protected.
Although there are few instances of it, some tales told by Faemiliars in Courts where they are given more freedom and ability to socialize with one another, tell of Faemiliars whose willpower is strong enough to not only break the Bond of Ownership with their Fae Master, but also to resist forming a Bond with anyone else.  However, there are also tales of such strong willed Fae being worn down and demoralized by years of existing on their own to such a point that anyone with enough power who happens upon them could force a Bond of Ownership on the unsuspecting Faemiliar and, in essence, enslave them.
== Characteristics ==
Faemiliars vary greatly. But, all Faemiliar have two forms. One is decidedly human, and the other is typically more bestial in nature. These Animal forms can range from tiny insects to great elephants and even hybrid animals with the characteristics of more than one creature. It is most common to find Faemiliars in the forms of domesticated animals, but wild animals also sometimes serve as inspiration. Faemiliars are also not hampered by the physical limitations of the inspiration for their animal form and may come in many different size and colors that would not be found in the species naturally. However, attempts to recreate supernatural creatures such as Dragons and Phoenixes has proven to be incredibly difficult and typically results in a misshapen and often weakly powered Faemiliar that is very often destroyed by the Fae soon after its creation.
A Faemiliar's human form can also vary greatly and is not bound by the natural pigmentation of Fae or Humans allowing Faemiliars and their natural human forms to come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
== Reproduction ==
Faemiliars are told by their Fae Masters that they cannot reproduce sexually and are incapable of bearing live young. However, there are tales of the Faemiliars who escaped Allutheria being able to conceive and give birth to living offspring with both humans and other Faemiliars. It is believed, though it has never been confirmed, that there is a magical contraceptive within the fabric of Allutheria placed there by the magic of the Fae to prevent Faemiliars from being able to reproduce on their own.
== Abilities ==
Faemiliars are able to shift between their human and animal form at will. 
Aside from this, Faemiliars are given one supernatural ability to utilize in their service to their Fae Master. This is the only magical ability they can exhibit beyond shapeshifting and must in some way contribute to their purpose in life. The are limitless possibilities for Faemiliar Abilities and some of the more common gifts are likely held by many, many Faemiliars throughout Allutheria.
== Weaknesses ==
Faemiliars are creatures of magic. They were created by Faery Magic and need it to survive in the manner to which they have become accustomed. To leave Allutheria and venture into Ga'leah is to jeopardize their existence because of the lack of inherent Faery magic in that land.
The longer they remain distant from Allutheria, the more difficult it becomes to change forms or to utilize their abilities. The Faery magic of Allutheria can only be supplemented by bonding with a Fae, Half-Fae, Druid, or Witch in Ga'leah. Even then, the ease with which a Faemiliar can shift or use their ability is dependent upon how much magic their Master can allow them access to at any given moment. In many cases of individuals with little to no magical ability, this can prove traumatic and detrimental to the Faemiliar.
Unless a Faemiliar is granted an invulnerability as a magical ability, they can be injured, sickened, and die just as any creature can. Even those with invulnerability could still potentially be infected with the Blight if given the right circumstances.
Category:Supernatural Creatures
Category:Species