Where to learn more about familiars

[darni]

I'd like to know if you have any suggestions on reading about familiars. I'm interested in crunch, fluff, and also non-d&d media (novels, films, anywhere when I can dive deeper into the fluff involved).

The kind of stuff I'd like to know is: where do familiars come from? what happens to them if their master dies? are there always loyal? is a familiar willing to die for its master (always/sometimes/never)? would it take revenge after its master died? how does the familiar think/fell about itself? is there a way (mundane or magical) to tell between a familiar and its base animal if it's not using its abilities? is the magic given to the familiar by the caster, to the caster by the familiar, something different?

I'd also appreciate your brainstorming about this, even without source materials. It doesn't have to be backed by RAW or D&D material (although if it is, a book reference would be nice), but this of courso for use in my D&D games.

[Terumitsu]

There is a surprising lack of game information about familiars aside from what is presented in the PHB and a few feats plus that item familiar thing.

A familiar is a Magical Beast. So any ways to tell them from a normal animal apply. Knowledge skill usage here.

That said, a lot of the stuff you're asking about is up to the DM in question as to how a world is fleshed out. If a familiar dies with it's owner, that's fine. If it lives on, that's also fine.

Heck, I once ran a gestalt character (two characters functioning as one, mind) of a... 'Mentally Deficient' favored soul Warforged who had a wizard's familiar, a cat, who was more or less his caretaker/brains for the both of them. Was fun to play although I still have no idea why I decided to give the Warforged a taste for minestrone soup.

Edit: This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familiar_spirit)should be of some aid for information outside the game

[ahenobarbi]

where do familiars come from? is there a way (mundane or magical) to tell between a familiar and its base animal if it's not using its abilities? is the magic given to the familiar by the caster, to the caster by the familiar, something different?

Those 3 question are answerable with PhB only. First & third:

A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a sorcerer or wizard

Second:

It (...) is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type.

[gorfnab]

Dictum Mortuum's Familiar Handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/08/familiars-handbook.html)

[Arbane]

If you want to know the actual folklore behind familiars, start researching the medieval witch hunts.

[Fates]

Dictum Mortum's got a great guide on familiar optimization, but I'm afraid is has little to say on the fluff side. I would recommend reading some folklore, or even The Once and Future King.