Familiars

Familiars are enchanted creatures who follow and guide new witches to protect them while they learn the craft. After their work is done, they run away to their next charge. While they are often cats, other animals, like dogs, rabbits, crows and snakes can be familiars as well. Familiars are naturally attuned to the seasons and phases of the moon and can be helpful in teacher the young witch a heightened awareness of his or her environment. As seen with Tuatha, even evil witches have familiars; guiding them down the path of evil.

Becoming Human
Certain familiars can become human as a reward for their faithful service so they can guide and train other familiars as well like Katrina.

Powers and Abilities
If a Familiar becomes a normal human, it will retain certain capabilities of animals, such as the un-shed lives, agility and enhanced senses and/or the ability to communicate with othe ranimals.

Familiar Warlock
When a familiar betrays its witch, it becomes a warlock and the first thing it does is kill its former charge to obtain her or his powers.

To become a permanent warlock, it must shed all of its lives before the next full moon. If it succeeds, the warlock becomes immortal. But if it fails, it becomes a familiar again for all eternity. In a cat's case, it needs to shed all nine lives before it can become immortal.

Appendices

 * (Book of Shadows text:)

Familiars

 * Familiars are enchanted
 * creatures who follow and
 * guide new witches to protect
 * them while they learn the
 * Craft. While they are often
 * cats, other animals, like
 * dogs, rabbits, horses and
 * snakes can be familiars as
 * well. Familiars are naturally
 * attuned to the seasons
 * and phases of the moon and
 * can be helpful in teaching
 * the young witch a
 * heightened awareness
 * of her environment.