Editing Familiar (section)

===Origins===
According to ''[[Famulus]]'', the first examples of the Familiar ritual post-date the [[Seal of Solomon]], in a period where Others were viewed as lower than animals, who were below humans, who were below God.<ref name=":5">In old traditions, in the post-Solomon reformations, God was arranged 
above king, who was arranged above lord, above man, who ruled over animal, who were declared above Other.  We know this redefinition of the anno Domini provenance was in part an effort to redefine the realm of man and mark out borders on a cultural and linguistic front.  Put in simpler words, mankind, in order to both survive and thrive, declared a new order of things and placed Other at the lowest point.  The familiar relationship originated in an era where this was the common mindset among men both practitioner and innocent, and the traditions established then include the translation of Other to the nearest step in the chain, in what was often viewed as ‘raising them up’ to be animals, close but still subservient to man.  In this, the tradition of giving them mortality through animal forms was established early on. - Excerpt from [[Famulus]], quoted in Bonus Material: [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/10/29 Famulus Text]</ref> Others were seen as dangerous, and the first Familiar bargains were only struck with the least of them, who could be safely controlled.<ref name=":4" /> However an [[Miss|alternate perspective]] claims that Familiar bargains were first conceived of by Others as a way to have an equitable relationship with humans, possibly pre-Solomon, and were subverted by humans as a tool of domination.<ref>“To try to formalize deals.  To hitch their wagons to that of humanity, by striking deals that would establish them as Patrons.  They teach their secret knowledge and ways of manipulating the world, in exchange for servitude… until mankind begins sharing that knowledge in ways few Others can stay ahead of, on paper and in tomes.  Knowledge, instead of being taught from patron Other to Practitioner, becomes something kept in families.  Others try to formalize a kind of equality, such as the familiar bond, and to make firm agreements about oaths, lies, and declarations, out of fear of being tricked again.  But these things become their own weapon that humans wield.  Humans sprawl, they work with concerted effort, and they establish and mutate patterns.  [...] The Seal of Solomon, as it exists now, was essentially intended as one last concession.  Or it was meant to be the last.  A binding that would not be mutated further, that would be universal enough that it could be trusted by the Other, instead of having hooks and more traps attached to it.  And as part of it, there was a deal that practitioners would manage the affairs of Others but select, powerful Others would have some say over the movements and dealings of Practitioners.  Lords and judges.  Roles above all other things.” - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/10/24 Excerpt] from [[Back Away 5.d]]</ref>

Traditional Familiar bonds were domineering, with the Other firmly in the subordinate role to the Practitioner. However, they have grown much more varied over time.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />