#but Ellyas named Nessie for Callan

[soulsxng]

Some info about Cephlani familiars and the bonding process behind that. Also a list of Callan and Ellyas' familiars, so I can link them to their bios.

Gonna start by saying that Cephlani familiars are made from a very specific, living ink. Though they end up looking like tattoos after a little time, the ink is actually first injected into the Cephlani-- well beyond the dermal layer of skin where a tattoo is supposed to be.

Once this happens, the next time the Cephlani goes to sleep, they're whisked into a sort of dreamscape. (yes, for those of you that know Shilo, it's just a different area of the dreamscape where his Dreamers are kept.) In this dreamscape, they can convene with what are essentially a type of spirit, that takes the form of different animals and beasts. Generally, the way it works from there, is that the Cephlani and a beast choose each other outright, which results in a bond being formed, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, a Cephlani instead chooses a beast one-sidedly (Generally the more powerful ones are this way), and they then have to prove themselves in some way, to get that beast to agree to bond with them. If they succeed, the bond is completed. If it doesn't succeed, it can do some fairly major damage to the Cephlani-- if not outright kill them, depending.

Anyway, when they next awaken after that, the ink will have risen to become visible in a form more similar to a stylized tattoo version of the beast. It can move about as it pleases anywhere on the Cephlani's body, including shrinking or growing to take up more or less space. As the bond ages, the familiar will be able to leave their Cephlani partner's body as they please as well (unless they're deliberately being held back), but at first they can only leave when they're called to do so. Outside of the Cephlani's body, they maintain their more tattoo-esque appearance, albeit in a three dimensional form.

Most Cephlani have multiple familiars, with the average for an adult being between three, and six. For example, Callan and Ellyas' familiars are below!

Callan's familiars:

Thistle - A raven, and Callie's first familiar. Typically can be found sitting on his shoulder, both when he's in and outside Callan's body. It's pretty rare that he's in though; he's a sweet and social boy!

Nessie - She generally takes the form of a small, fan tailed fish, and usually sits on the inside of one of Callie's wrists. Outside of his body however, she's a massive isonade that, because she takes so much of Callan's energy, is only called out for emergencies.

Oisin - A wyvern (She looks like Legiana from m.onster hun.ter, if you want a ref) that Callan bonded to as part of his ceremony to become sworn brothers with Ellyas. Likes to stay on Callie's back.

Yula - She looks similar to a red bellied black snake, but is only about 8 inches long. She's Callie's newest familiar, and have only been together for about two years. She moves around a lot, but will commonly peek out from under the collar of Callan's shirt when he's moving around.

Ellyas' familiars:

Kiwi and Lychee - Came together, so they count as one familiar. Kiwi looks like a lesser sac-winged bat, while Lychee looks similar to a Honduran white bat. Both actually get to be five or six feet tall when outside of Ellyas' body, but remain small, otherwise. Tend to stay either around his upper shoulder blades, or around his collarbone.

Iona - Essentially a black leopard. She likes to take the form of a kitten, so she can be spoiled, and is kind of a brat. Stays outside of El's body more often than not, but hangs around on El's back otherwise.

Ham - A beast that looks somewhere between a werewolf and a grizzly bear. Has a pink nose, which is why El named him Ham. Iona pushes him around a lot, so where he stays when inside El's body tends to change fairly often.

Crem - A wyvern (He looks like Nargacuga from m.onster hu.nter, again for ref purposes) that Ellyas bonded to as part of his ceremony to become sworn brothers with Callan. Tends to stay on one of El's arms.

Bubs - Actually more of an elemental than anything, and as such, their form tends to change between different aquatic mammals. Tends to favor a tiny whale, or-- more often-- a seal or sea lion. Likes to be on El's wrist, to mimic Oisin, because she looks up to her.