Familiars

When the First Mage began teaching his students the arts of magic, he told them that they must each bind themselves to an animal, in accordance with his agreement to the Gods. They put this condition in place in order to ensure that the human mages would stay connected to the earth.

A mage shares his or her senses, and soul, with the familiar, and the two are bonded for life. Through the spell that binds them together, the familiar is granted a basic sentience, and an extended life-span to match that of his or her mage, so that they age at the same rate. Mages tend to be drawn to animals that correspond with their natural element, such as an air mage with a hawk familiar, or a water mage with a seal familiar. This is not always the case, but it works as a general rule.

If a mage does not bind a familiar, the consequences are severe. They find themselves becoming increasingly ill, running mysterious fevers and, eventually, symbols burn themselves into their skin, spreading from their mark. They lose control over their powers, until they ultimately... well, go BOOM!