Ok, there's Loiosh... and Rocza.... And that's about it. Why don't we ever see any of the other Easterners in the books with familiars? Is witchcraft that uncommon? Or is Vlad a particularly skilled witch? Or did the whole thing fall out of practive with Easterners in general and Vlad just did it to annoy people? Or did he simply feel so isolated and lonely in dragaeren culture that he honestly felt that this would be his closest shot to finding a true friend he could trust with his life? I don't think that witchcraft is all that common, despite what we see in the books. I don't think Vlad is considered average, not by any means, but I don't think of him as an Uber Witch either. Heck, Noish pa gave him the anti vomit charm and Vlad never even thought of it. I believe that Morrolan might be a more powerful witch (warlock?), but then again Morrolon is one of those guys that does everything really well. I don't know. Theories anyone? Scott