Familiar

"Every servant has his place, no matter how lowly or modest. To know it is his greatest comfort, to excel within his greatest solace, and his master's contentment is his greatest reward."

- Anonymous Imperial servant

Familiars are artificial creatures and constructs utilised by many organisations and individuals within the Imperium of Man. A Space Marine Librarian or an Inquisitor sometimes make use of Familiars to aid them in their command of the Warp and help focus their powers. In this capacity, the familiar becomes a psychci-symbiote, allowing their master to mentally link with them, seeing through their eyes and controlling their actions. Often, familiars are either living creatures controlled by the mind of their master via arcane psyber neuro-implants or are cybernetic creatures controlled by voice or coded vox-signal command.

Background
Familiars are artificial creatures and constructs that slavishly follow and attend to their master. Familiars can be based on a wide number of living creatures, bio-constructs or pure automata. These are restricted to creatures smaller than an adult human (anything else would class as a Servitor), and by their nature cleave to a single master unless instructed otherwise. Mostly, familiars do not possess any significant degree of intelligence and are trained or programmed to perform certain tasks on command. Familiars are either living creatures controlled by the mind of their master via arcane psyber neuro-implants or are cybernetic creatures controlled by voice or coded vox-signal command. Such slaved creatures are the strange fruit of ancient sciences and arcane superstitions, and the ownership and command of familiars utilise many technologies that the Machine Cult considers sacred. A trailing throng of bonded familiars is a sign of status both within the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Imperium at large.

Most notably, Space Marine Librarians and psychically-gifted Inquisitors often make use of Familiars, which aid them in their command of the warp and help focus their powers. Familiars can take many forms from tiny mechanical beasts and creatures sensitive to the warp to indentured servants with which their master has crafted a bond. Familiars can be an incredibly powerful tool for Librarians. They are psychic-symbiotes, allowing the Librarian to mentally link with them, seeing through their eyes and controlling their actions. Familiars can communicate with their masters in most cases (whether this is part of their nature or by choice) and the bond between a Librarian and his familiar will never be fully understood by other Battle-Brothers. Despite their status as tools of the warp, familiars are generally tolerated by the Astartes (with the exception of Chapters like the Black Templars who have no patience for anything connected to the Immaterium). They are also mostly harmless and not perceived as a threat. In some cases, however, they can cause trouble, their curiosity making mischief for those around them. Familiars have a habit of "complicating" things, especially if their master is incapacitated or absent.

Controlling a Familiar
In many respects, familiars function as other creatures. Familiars are controlled by their masters through the use of simple commands. These are generally single words, short sentences or the equivalent. Should a master come under attack, the familiar automatically moves to its master's defence, attacking the assailant unless it receives specific instruction (or possesses an instinct) to the contrary. Upon completing a task, the familiar returns to its master's side unless it's received prior instructions or some other instinct applies.

Psy-Bonded Familiar
A psy-bonded (or psyber) familiar is a living creature bonded to its master by arcane technology. Interface circuitry in both familiar and master (called a psyber-lure) allows the creature to be directly and precisely controlled, with the master having access to the sensory experiences of the creature and able to give it instantaneous commands at great distance. Owing to the idiosyncrasies of the little understood technology, usually only small non-sapient creatures can become psy-bonded. Example psy-bonded familiars include the following:
 * Psyber-Eagle - Psyber-eagles are created as gifts from the Adeptus Mechanicus to the grandees of the Imperium. Within the Calixis Sector, most famously, Lord Marius Hax himself is accompanied by a pair of psy-bonded eagles of prodigious size and splendour, gifts from the Mechanicus Fabricator-Lords of the Lathe System. The eagle's circle above him in the vast vaulted halls of the Lucid Palace, their eyes those of their master scanning from on high.
 * Psyber-Raven -

Cyber-Creatures
Cyber-familiars are semi-intelligent machine versions or cybernetic adaptations of living creatures controlled by a master, loyalty to whom is hardwired in the creature's brain. Some cyber familiars are created as assistants to serve prominent adepts and the Mechanicus, or merely as amusements for the wealthy, while others are fitted for war with implanted weapon systems and all manner of crude but effective augmetics. The cyber-creature may also have numerous items of equipment or weaponry implanted within their bodies just as a human can, such as a respirator, auspex or gun. Example cyber-familiars include the following: terrible sight to see unleashed.
 * Adeptus Arbites Cyber-Mastiff - Cyber-mastiffs are usually deployed under the control of Adeptus Arbites or enforcer units to bring down recidivists and heretics. Shaped in the form of a hound made of metal and guided by the brain and nervous system of a hunting creature, they are a fearsome extension of the Emperor's law, and a truly

Servo-Skulls
Servo-skulls are human skulls (often that of a favoured servant or low ranking tech-priest) that have been fitted with rudimentary machine-spirits, support systems as well as an anti-grav motor to provide lift. These constructs are devoted to a particular task and have the basic equipment to carry out the purpose that they have been programmed to perform. Their advantages are their small size and manoeuvrability, which allows them to enter otherwise inaccessible spaces or hazardous areas that would endanger their operators, as well as the ability to act as additional "eyes and ears" for their masters. the servo-skull is synonymous with the Adeptus Mechanicus, who regard these creations as excellent servants and their machine-spirits as exceptionally faithful and pure. Servo-skulls can also be found serving faithfully with the other Adepta and the high-ranking elites of many hive worlds.

Familiar Technology

 * Berserker-Chip - Also known as "lobos" and "butcher-jobs," these devices are surgically imbedded in the creature's brain. When triggered, the chip sends it into a near uncontrollable bloodlust and frenzy, backed by heavy doses of combat drugs pumping into its remaining organic tissues. These chips are activated either by a command word or signal sent directly to the beast.