A familiar is a being whose corporeal form and ties to the physical plane are dependent upon the magical energy supplied by a mage. Typically, in exchange for this energy, the being in question allies with the mage. Or they end up under contract and forced through spiritual bindings to perform acts of service, depending on the nature of the mage.
There are many kinds of familiars. Only the ones created by the mage are automatically less powerful. There are quite a number of demons and other beings that can be summoned and bound to a mage as a familiar that, without the spiritual bindings, would easily be able to destroy the mage in question.
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A familiar is a being whose corporeal form and ties to the physical plane are dependent upon the magical energy supplied by a mage. Typically, in exchange for this energy, the being in question allies with the mage. Or they end up under contract and forced through spiritual bindings to perform acts of service, depending on the nature of the mage.
There are many kinds of familiars. Only the ones created by the mage are automatically less powerful. There are quite a number of demons and other beings that can be summoned and bound to a mage as a familiar that, without the spiritual bindings, would easily be able to destroy the mage in question.