Phantasm

A phantasm is pure magic, a manifestation of magical force into the form of a creature from someone with magical ability. Anyone who can cast a spell can create a phantasm if given enough trauma, for sadly that is how these creatures are created; an event so traumatic that magical energy forms into something else.

Some are protectors, taking the form of something comforting to the caster; one who loved to cook might find themselves with a clanking, mechanical stove as their phantasm or an alchemist might have theirs take the form of their favorite animal accented by various herbs and other reagents.

Others are meant to be little more than a constant reminder of the trauma; a giant bear made of chains to remind an imprisoned person of their time being tortured, a merfolk to remind the drowning survivor of the suffocation and darkness that nearly killed them.

That creates a distinction not just between the types that exist but also how they are created; trauma is the key factor, but the protector sorts seem to be made when magic user is in danger and their magic lashes out in a desperate attempt to save their lives. The others are made when the magic user has been through something so traumatic that their magic simply explores outward and takes form for reasons that are not yet clearly understood.

This is a difficult magical phenomenon to study, however. Phantasms are invisible to all but those who have them, even to magics that can normally reveal hidden or invisible creatures. They can be felt, and they do have an effect on the physical world around them, but beyond that they may as well not exist at all. Adding to that difficulty is their apparent rarity, as not every magic user who meets the very basic criteria seems capable of creating a phantasm. What makes one member of a mercenary company able to manifest this power to save themselves when a dozen others capable of magic cannot as they face down the same threat? A ship sinks in the ocean and of the dozens if not hundreds of magic users aboard only one survives because of a phantasm, but no one seems to know why. There are too many questions and too few answers surrounding these magic users and their creations.....