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Touko using the Sealed Box

Touko Aozaki and her Familiar, the Sealed Box.

Familiars (使い魔, Tsukaima?) are special assistants used by the Magi. Since it's natural for a Magus to separate himself from society, the use of Familiars capable of performing small, simple errands is considered orthodox.

Although a different entity, Familiars are seen as an extension of the Magus as there is both a mental and physical connection between the two. The symbol of the Magus itself and fundamentally different from creatures like the Daemons or Spirits who are summoned and then bound by a contract.

Nature[]

There are several ways to create a Familiar. The most traditional is by placing the leftover thoughts of an already departed Soul, of a dead Human, into the body of a dead animal. Following that, the Magus needs to repair the animal corpse so that it can move again and by transferring a part of the Magus body, that has a great concentration of Magic Circuits (eyes, hair, blood, etc.), into the body of the dead creature in order to give it a new life.[1] Hair that is loaded with the weight of years and thoughts can be considered a true copy of the Magus, so when you give this kind of thing when resurrecting a dead dog or cat, you get a Familiar subject to the Magus, and the older the hair, the more powerful the Familiar created will be.[2]

Familiar schema (Japanese)

Connection between master and Familiar.

By absorbing the body part, the resulting Familiar will gain Magic Circuits that the original never had before in its previous life[2] and will be able to use Magecraft just like the Magus.[1] However, Magical Energy cannot be produced independently and must be supplied by the Magus through their spiritual connection. Thus, a Familiar requires a master to maintain both its powers and life.[1] The creator Magus is typically addressed as “master,” and is tied to the Familiar by their spiritual connection. The connected Familiar is endowed with a portion of its master’s abilities, but not so much that it surpasses its master.[3]

When reborn, the Familiar has now become a completely different being. For example, it can understand the language of men or transform into a human. Its behavior also changes, and in general, it adopts the temperament of its master.[2] This type of Familiar will form its own personality and will be capable of reasoning and acquiring experience apart from the Magus while sharing the same knowledge. Magi need something that has about the same level of rationale and reasoning, but can think independently.[1][2] That way they can act as a teacher, and have the Familiar be a teacher to them,[1] and help compensate for the Magus' weaknesses.[2] It is better to discover new things that way, and it also makes it easier for them to realize their own mistakes.

Len mbaa

Len, a Familiar with abnormal powers.

There is also a chance of the arising of abnormal powers. A good example of this would be Len, who not only has Succubus-like aspects but is also capable of living for long periods of time without a master and forging contracts with individuals other than her creator. However, the presence of a personality also makes this type of Familiar more independent from the Magus and many Magi really do not like that method. But some Magi make insurance by passing everything on to their Familiars. To explain it simply, it is a spare self that is a little behind on abilities. Important to note that this is by no means a form of resurrection, as the Familiar is still a being completely different from the one whose soul it received.[1]

Additional notes[]

Zoukens Blood Worms

Blood Worms, one of Zouken Matou's types of Crest Worms.

Familiars like the ones mentioned above can be made out of pretty much any creature: cats, dogs, birds, etc. Actual, living animals can be turned into Familiars as well and Magi prefer this type more as other types since they are quick to create and are easy to control. But these animals become magical monsters over time[1] and the best example for this are the Crest Worms who make up the body of Zouken Matou.

Humans can also be turned into Familiars, but that is seen as a monstrous act and impractical (due to the Magical Energy burden) by most Magi.[1] Also, Familiars without souls can be used, however the modern versions of these are weak.

Completely different types of Familiars also exist. Examples of those include magic constructs such as Touko Aozaki's Puppets, magical plants like Harriet Frise's Alraune, Golems, Dolls and spiritual beings such as Apparitions.

Nrvnqsr Chaos's 666 beasts (or rather body itself) are also Familiars. What makes these particularly different from other Familiars are that they all are generally equal in power as each one of them is Nrvnqsr himself.

Transfer of the master's consciousness into the body of regular Familiars is possible and most Magi do so to remote control them while they are out on recon or exploring missions. However, it is impossible to take control of a Familiar that has its own soul and personality. In this case, the best that the Magus can hope for is to share the Familiar's senses (like receiving a video-feed of everything that the Familiar sees and hears). Even transference into a Familiar without a soul doesn't mean that the Magus has completely transferred himself. Destruction of the body (this also includes through natural means like aging) of the Magus will mean the destruction of the soul of the Magus. But there are ways to get around this, for instance, complete transference of the soul using the Dress of Heaven, Michael Roa Valdamjong's (Remake) Resurrection, or the vampiric method that Zouken Matou had resorted to.

List of Familiars[]

Ghost Liner[]

ArcherGilGOStage1

Gilgamesh, a Ghost Liner recorded in human history.

Ghost Liner: Boundary Record Belt (境界記録帯(ゴーストライナー), Kyōkai Kiroku Tai(Gōsuto Rainā)?)[37][38][39] is the greatest type of Familiar, that is, Servants.[40] Strictly speaking, they are not a Familiar and rather fall more on the side of a summoned being. Servants are called Familiars only due to some similarities (spiritual connection, dependence on Magical Energy) and for the sake of formalities. And, unlike familiars, Servants possess free will.[3] They need to be put in a class of their own however, as it would be impossible to summon Heroic Spirits without the help of the Holy Grail and there is no need to use something as powerful as Command Spells to control regular Familiars.

"Ghost Liner" is a Clock Tower term, meaning a manifestation of a Heroic Spirit engraved into human history.[38][41] They are not Familiars created by Magi themselves, but Familiars called forth from the history of humanity itself, so they use the term with the nuance that they are "calling forth a phenomenon that was once recorded." It’s a liner based on the perception that Servants are not living creatures but something more like scrolls and documents.[42]

Puppets[]

Puppets (人形, Ningyō?) are a special type of Familiar that are not any kind of life form, but rather mystic constructs whose actions are controlled (directly or indirectly) by the Magus. Their users are known as Puppet Masters (人形遣い, Ningyō-tsukai?) and follow the philosophy that the Magus himself does not need to be strong, but rather he needs to make the strongest creation. They are sentry type Familiars akin to Golems, just differently constructed.

Known Puppet Masters are Touko Aozaki, Cornelius Alba, Van-Fem and the unnamed Master of Assassin during the Third Holy Grail War.

Automata[]

Main article: Automata

The Dead[]

Dead

The Dead.

The Dead (死者, Shisha?) are the traditional Familiars of the Dead Apostles.

They are created in the original Tsukihime continuity when a Vampire's victim who had their blood sucked and then received some of the Vampire's own blood, does not manage to become a Ghoul.

They are mindless and soulless puppets that are 100% controlled by their creator, so they are not proper members of the Blood-Sucking Species. As such, they can be programmed and manipulated to follow a fixed route or to do other things.

They deceive death by eating the flesh of their victims, in order to maintain their bodies, but over half of the absorbed energy is sent to their master. They also won't leave a trace when they get destroyed, as their bodies turn into ash.

In the Tsukihime Remake continuity, The Dead represent the slave caste in vampiric society (Remake) a classification for the Stages I-III of the Vampire curse and are seen, from the sire's point of view, as "objects". These slaves are completely bound to their sire and return to being corpses when their sire gets destroyed or if the sire doesn't need them anymore.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Kagetsu Tohya - Twilight Glass Moon, Fairy Tale Princess - a day - Streets - Evening - Arcueid's room
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Mahoutsukai no Yoru - Chapter 10: "Howling at the Moon"
  3. 3.0 3.1
    [v] Fate/complete material III: World Material - Theory of Magic - Magecraft: Familiar, p.045

    Familiar
    The creator magus is typically addressed as “master,” and is tied to the familiar by a karmic line. The connected familiar is endowed with a portion of its master’s abilities, but not so much that it surpasses its master.

    The classification of Servants as familiars is based on the bond between a single Servant and a single Master, and the “path” that forms between Master and Servant which resembles a karmic line. The path serves multiple purposes, such as allowing the Master and Servant to be aware of each other’s status, and enabling the Master to supply the Servant with energy.

    Familiar schema (Japanese)

    Master --(Karmic line)-> Familiar (Endowed with the master’s abilities)


    Difference between Servants and familiars
    Servants and standard familiars seem similar, but they are fundamentally different beings. The act of having Heroic Spirits serve as familiars is a human contrivance.
    Unlike familiars, Servants possess free will. Leaving aside its enormous strength, the Servant that most resembles a familiar is Berserker, who lacks free will and obeys his Master’s every order.

    使い魔
    魔術師が使役する存在。 工房にこもって研究を続ける魔術師が、忙しくて手がつけられない雑用をやらせるために用いることが多い。
    作り方には制作者である魔術師が自身の肉体の一部に手を加えて疑似生命を作るのと、他の生物を使い魔に作り換える方法がある。
    制作者である魔術師は慣例的に "主人"と呼ばれ、 使い魔とは因果線 (ライン) で結ばれる。 因果線で結ばれた使い魔には、 主人の能力が一部付与されるが、主人を凌ぐような力はない。
    サーヴァントが使い魔に分類されるのは、1対1のマスターを持つことと、 この因果線に似た"パス"がマスターとサーヴァントとの間に形成されていることに由来する。 パスは複数の役割を持っており、マスターとサーヴァントがお互いの状態を感知することができたり、 サーヴァントに魔力を供給することができるようになったりする。

    Familiar schema (Japanese)


    サーヴァントと使い魔の違い
    サーヴァントと通常の使い魔は、似ているが本質的にはまったく別のものである。 英霊を使い魔として使役するのは、人の手に余る行いだ。使い魔と違い、サーヴァントは自由意志を持つ。強力さはさておき、 使い魔的な側面がもっとも強いサーヴァントは、 意志を持たず、マスターの命令に従うバーサーカーではなかろうか。

  4. Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works route - Day 11: WitchCraft - Interlude 11-2: Witch's plan
  5. Fate/strange Fake Volume 6 - Interlude: "A Mercenary is a Free Man I"
  6. Fate/Zero Volume 1: The Untold Story of the Fourth Holy Grail War - Act 3 Part 1 -162:26:39
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Fate/strange Fake Volume 4 - Chapter 11: Day 2, Morning "The Gods Return From Twilight"
  8. Fate/strange Fake Volume 1 - Prologue VII: “Visitor & ●●●●"
  9. [v] Kara no Kyoukai Special Pamphlet - Encyclopedia: Cornelius Alba [Person's name], p.031 [T]

    Cornelius Alba [Person's name]
    Magus. An old friend of Touko's.
    Rumour had it that this young man was the next director in line of the Sponheim Abbey, an organization within the Clock Tower.
    Although he was fifty years old, he had the appearance of a handsome youth.
    As a magus, his abilities were first rate, but his personalities were quite troublesome.
    Although it did not appear in the story, his Familiar was a black hound. Alba, who could not easily love another person, favoured creatures who could easily love people.
    He had quite an air of a protagonist: donning his crimson long coat and top hat, strutting down the street with his black Doberman by his side.

    コルネリウス・アルバ【こるねりうす―あるば】【人名】
    魔術師。橙子の旧友。            
    時計等に組する中部組織、シュポンハイム修道院の時期院長と噂される青年。
    年齢は五十に届くが、外見は二十代の美青年。
    魔術師としての実力は一流なのだが、性格にやや難あり。
    本編では登場しなかったが、使い魔は黒い猟犬。簡単に人を愛せないアルバは、簡単に愛する事の出来る生き物が大好きなのであった。
    真っ赤なロングコートにシルクハットを被り、傍《かたわ》らに黒いドーベルマンを連れて街を闊歩《かっぽ 》する姿は、中々に主人公然としている。

  10. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 1: case. Adra Castle Separation - Chapter 5 Part 2
  11. 11.0 11.1 Fate/strange Fake Volume 7 - Bridge Chapter: "Beginning of the End"
  12. Fate/strange Fake Volume 1 - Chapter 1: "The War Begins"
  13. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 8: case. Grand Roll (Upper) - Chapter 5 Part 5
  14. [v] Lord El-Melloi II Case Files material - Encyclopedia: Aozaki Touko [Person], p.096

    Aozaki Touko [Person]
    The Grand-class doll maker that has appeared in some form or other in a multitude of Type Moon works.
    In the Case Files timeline, her Sealing Designation was removed when she made her appearance. However, since a certain ending in Fate/stay night has her described as “Sealing Designated,” that will probably only last for a few more years…
    Between things like the special “box” she keeps inside for special occasions, to the crystal familiars she collects that fire beams like a certain little sister, in a story like Case Files where magi are the main attraction, her abilities become even more impressive.
    After being given entirely free reign in the Iselma incident, she began to follow the Heartless case entirely out of a sense of curiosity. In the middle of the incident, however, the Neutralist faction commissioned her for a formal investigation. In normal circumstances she would have simply refused the assignment, but at that time the compensation she was supposed to receive from Iselma had been reduced to ash (by her own hands). Oh, what a travesty, doll maker!
    Furthermore, due to circumstances, she already had experience visiting the Spiritual Tomb of Albion.
    From the start, though only for a short time, the reason for the removal of her Sealing Designation was because Millieune Carillon, head of Sealing Designations and the one responsible for removing her Designation, and her were…

    アッド【礼装/そのほか】
    グレイの持つ宝具・最果てにて輝ける槍に付与された封印礼装。
    魔女モルガンによって加工され、彼女の知る中で最もアーサー王に心酔していない円卓の騎士が、人工人格の基礎となった。『アトラスの契約』の事件を考えれば、その細工はむしろあのタイミングで「アーサー王の復活をとどめる」ために仕組まれた形跡がある。まるで、「復活に協力するが復活してほしくない」とでもいうような、奇妙な仕掛けであった。
    加工される以前の正体は、ロゴスリアクト・レプリカ。かのアトラス院の七大兵器から引き継いだ超演算機能こそが、内側の最果てにて輝ける槍を封印しつづけている。限定解除の鎌はもちろん、ハンマーや盾や鉤槍、果てはブーメランにまで変形するのも、この演算機能の応用によって、ロンゴミニアドの能力の一部を表出させたものだ。『アトラスの契約』で顕現した騎士も理論的には同様。その性格は過去の騎士と現在のアッドが複雑にまじりあった、厳密にはどちらでもないものだったが、だからこそ最後の疑似宝具を展開できたのだろう。
    グレイにとっては、本当に長い間唯一の友達だった。
    なお、アッドの名前は、加えるのアッドと、ロンゴミニアドのアドから。

  15. Fate/Grand Order - Nahui Mictlan: Golden Sea of Trees Travelogue - Section 19: The Cosmic Tree
  16. Fate/Zero Volume 4: Flames of Purgatory - Interlude: Sometime, somewhere
  17. Fate/strange Fake Volume 2 - Chapter 3: Day 1, Early Dawn "Ensemble Versus Illusion"
  18. Fate/Apocrypha Volume 1: Apocrypha: Great Holy Grail War - Chapter 2
  19. Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works route - Day 12: moonlight (II) - Betrayal
  20. Fate/Apocrypha Volume 1: Apocrypha: Great Holy Grail War - Prologue
  21. 21.0 21.1 Fate/Apocrypha Volume 2: Round Dance of Black / Festival of Red - Chapter 1
  22. Fate/stay night- Heaven's Feel route - Day 14: servant eater - Foolish
  23. Fate/stay night [Unlimited Bladeworks] - Episode 12: "The Final Decision"
  24. Fate/Zero Volume 3: The Scattered Ones - Act 12 Part 2 -64:21:13
  25. Melty Blood Re-ACT - Arcade Mode - Arcueid route
  26. Fate/Grand Order material I - Mephistopheles, p.314-325.
  27. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 3: case. Twin Towers of Iselma (Lower) - Chapter 2 Part 3
  28. Fate/Zero Volume 1: The Untold Story of the Fourth Holy Grail War - Act 2 Part 4 -172:38:15
  29. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 6: case. Atlas Contract (Upper) - Chapter 1 Part 1
  30. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 6: case. Atlas Contract (Upper) - Chapter 2 Part 4
  31. Fate/side side materiale 2
  32. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 4: case. Mystic Eyes collection train (Upper) - Chapter 4 Part 3
  33. Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] - Episode 3: "The First Battle"
  34. [v] Lord El-Melloi II Case Files material - Encyclopedia: Volumen Hydrargyrum [Mystic Code], p.099

    Moon Spirit’s Spinal Fluid(Volumen Hydrargyrum) [Mystic Code]
    Supreme Mystic Code of the El-Melloi family.
    The term Supreme Mystic Code refers to a Mystic Code sufficient to be called symbolic of a family of similar level to one of the Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower. In Volumen Hydrargyrum’s case, it was created by Lord Kayneth in his early twenties, a clear demonstration of the once-Lord’s exceptional talent.
    Ever changing in form, it is a Mystic Code capable of performing both offensively and defensively without showing any openings. Its true nature however is that of a remote processor.
    Upon inheriting it, Reines followed the advice of El-Melloi II and created a familiar out of it, endowing it with an elementary kind of artificial intelligence. It was the best advice for Reines who, rather than having the exceptional Magic Circuits of her predecessor, instead boasted a talent for precise control.
    By forcing it to remember Reines’ precise control, the artificial intelligence is able to imitate it perfectly. The newly christened Trimmau being capable of taking so many various forms is primarily a result of this advice she received.
    In addition, because of Trimmau’s nature, it has also learned a great many things from Flat’s magical hacking. Though that has included a large amount of unnecessary wit and famous sayings, Reines has thus far turned a blind eye to it for the sake of the other merits it brings.

    月霊髄液(ヴォールメン・ハイドラグラム)【礼装】
    エルメロイ家の至上礼装。
    至上礼装とは、君主を輩出する十二家やそれに匹敵する名家の蔵する中でも、その家系を象徴するに足ると認められた特別な礼装である。月霊髄液の場合、いまだ二十代前半であった君主ケイネスがつくったというのだから、先代がいかに優秀だったかが窺いしれる。
    変幻自在、攻守に隙のない魔術礼装でありつつ、その本来の性能は隔絶した演算機であった。
    ライネスが受け継いだ際、エルメロイII世の助言を受けて、初歩的な人工知性を付与された使い魔に加工される。これはケイネスほどの優れた魔術回路は持たないものの、精密操作においては特筆すべき才能を持ったライネスに、ベストなアドバイスだった。
    ライネスの精密操作を人工知性に覚えさせれば、その通りに模倣してくれるためだ。新たにトリムマウと名付けられた月霊髄液が、さまざまな変形パターンを見せるのは、このアドバイスによるところが大きい。
    なお、その性質上、フラットの魔術ハッキングから(人工知性が)学ぶところも多い。余計な知恵や名言を大量に詰め込まれつつも、フラットとの行動をライネスが黙認しているのは、このメリットのためである。

  35. Fate/strange Fake Volume 5 - Interlude: "Mercenary, Assassin, ________"
  36. Fate/Zero Volume 2: The Mad Feast of Kings - Act 7 Part 1 -130:44:57
  37. Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 4: case. Mystic Eyes collection train (Upper) - Chapter 3 Part 3
  38. 38.0 38.1 Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 5: case. Mystic Eyes collection train (Lower) - Chapter 1 Part 4
  39. Fate/Grand Order - Brynhildr Interlude 2: Dear My Little Sister
    Ghost Liner. Belt of boundary record. Superior spirit status that is the Heroic Spirits, connected to the Human Order. Among the, say, Clock Tower classification of spiritualism magic or more commonly known as summoning art, even the technique that momentarily borrows a part of such a terrifying power is extraordinarily hard to do.
  40. Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 3: long day, long night - Tohsaka Rin (II)
  41. Fate/Grand Order - Lady Reines Case Files - Act 1

    Reines:
    I see, I understand your existence.
    So that makes you what we call Ghost Liners then, does it?

    Ritsuka:
    -Ghost Liner?
    -What's that?

    Reines:
    Well, in this case, Heroic Spirits carved into human history.

  42. [v] Fate/stay night [Heaven’s Feel] I. presage flower Animation Material - Kinoko and Takashi Q & A, p.22 [T]
    Q: The mages call Heroic Spirits “Boundary Recording Bands (Ghost Liners),” but is this the actual terminology? And what does it symbolize?

    Q: The mages call Heroic Spirits “Boundary Recording Bands (Ghost Liners),” but is this the actual terminology? And what does it symbolize? <Someone at the far end>

    Nasu: They are not minions created by the Mages themselves, but minions called forth from the history of humanity itself, so they use the term “Ghost Liners” with the nuance that they are “calling forth a phenomenon that was once recorded.” It’s a liner based on the perception that servants are not living creatures but something more like scrolls and documents.
    Takeuchi: Oh, I see. It is true that Heroic Spirits is the common name and doesn’t sound like a Magecraft concept.
    Nasu: It’s a term that’s been around from the beginning of the beginning of Fate, even before I wrote the scenarios. But when Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files was starting up, Mita asked me, “Is there an official term to address Heroic Spirits?” and I presented him with the term. To have it show up in the series world view after 15 years kinda ruins the mood.
    Takeuchi: Says the guy who’s been holding back a ton of settings for 20, even 30 years.

    ? <Someone at the far end>

    奈:
    武:
    奈:
    武:

Concepts
Bounded FieldConceptual WeaponMagic (Second MagicThird MagicFifth Magic) • Magical Spells (AstromancyGradation AirFlash AirTuning) • Marble PhantasmMystic CodeMystic Eyes (Mystic Eyes of Death Perception) • PsychicReality Marble
Creatures
BicornCentaurDaemonDead ApostleDemonDemon BoarDivine SpiritDollDragonD'yavol TronFairyFamiliarGazerGiantGolemHomunculusHumanHydraLamiaMagicianMagusMixed-BloodOniOuter GodPhantasmal SpeciesSoul EaterSphinxSpiritsVampireUltimate OneTenguTrue AncestorWitchWizardXianYaga
Holy Grail War
Anti-HeroCatalystCommand SpellBlackeningGreater Holy Grail of FuyukiLesser Holy Grail of FuyukiHeroic SpiritHoly GrailIncarnationMasterMirror WorldOverseerNoble PhantasmParameter RulesSaint GraphServant (Class CardDemi-ServantGrand ServantHigh-ServantPseudo-ServantServant Universe) • Servant classesSkill
Organizations
Holy Church (Burial Agency (Remake)) • Chaldea Security OrganizationDemon Hunter OrganizationMage's Association (Clock TowerAtlasWandering Sea) • Spiral ManorSummit CourtThe Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors (Remake)
Terms
AdvantageAkashaAuthorityAnti-Purge DefenseCounter ForceIncantationsImmortalityElementsWorldWorld of MagecraftMagic CircuitMagical EnergyMagic CrestMagical WorkshopMysterySoulSpiritronStarlogResurrectionTextureTime TravelTradition ProtectionParallel WorldQuantum Time-LockUnderworld
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