I really enjoy the magic system in Goodman Games’ Dungeon Crawl Classics game, especially the hazards of casting and the multiple ways it allows for each spell caster to customize each individual spell. Of the latter there is the manifestation, the way the spell affects the senses (more than just sight). Where I think the game dropped the ball using manifestations is with the spell Find Familiar. Instead of describing how the familiar appears, it just uses manifestation in what kind of familiar and what species the creature is. So here are some suggestions that can be used for DCC and other games with the spell (i.e. many OSR games, both editions of AD&D and 5^th edition) that could be useful for fleshing out patrons, schools, guilds and other sources or organizations:

-         A drop of sky jelly falls from the sky and transforms into the familiar.

-         The familiar appears in a puff of smoke.

-         A hole to Hell rips open in the ground and the familiar crawls out. The hole then closes.

-         A mundane animal that is dissimilar to the familiar transforms. So a squirrel may transform into a toad familiar.

-         The familiar phases in slowly from another plane or dimension.

-         A blister forms on the caster’s skin and pops with a tiny, and fast growing, version of the familiar.

-         A potion, scroll or charge from a wand or staff is consumed, the magic becoming the familiar.

-         A small segment of one of the caster’s fingers falls off and transforms into the familiar. For the first 5 castings this has no effect. After that, the ability to cast spells is impeded in some way.

-         A rainbow appears and the familiar slides down it to the ground.

-         The caster uses a mirror to watch the reflections of several animals. If they select the one whose reflection is off (Intelligence check or similar), then the familiar emerges from the mirror.

-         The caster must walk while casting the spell and one of their footprints explodes with hellfire. The familiar forms from the flames.

-         The caster sweats buckets and from the resulting puddle, the familiar emerges (probably unhappy if it is a bird or cat).

-         A swarm of insects or things flies around the caster and then fuses into the familiar.

-         A member of the caster’s race must be sacrificed and their brain or heart becomes the familiar (which then must be cut out before it suffocates).

-         Shadows congeal into the familiar. This version of the spell requires mirrors and crystals.

-         A fire is made and alchemically treated wood is added. The billowing smoke congeals into the familiar.

-         The caster must sleep at the end of the spell and the familiar emerges from their dreams or thoughts.

-         A chanting stone erupts from the ground and spits out the familiar.

-         An image of any creature rips its self off the surface it is one and transforms into the familiar.

-         A clockwork animal becomes flesh and takes the familiars form. So a metal toad may become a living raven.

-         A family antique transforms into the familiar. The spell may be difficult to cast for poor characters.

-         Elemental water is summoned and acts like taffy, slowly taking the familiar’s form.

-         A weapon or tool etched with runes transforms into the familiar.

-         A monster’s egg hatches with the familiar inside. More powerful monsters are needed for greater familiars.

- A coffer made by elf and dwarf smiths crumbles and the familiar crawls out of the pile of corroded metal.