I know, I was just using it as an example of one way that... never mind. I am digressing.
The fact is, a familiar is *different* from an animal companion. I play characters that use both, and I interact with the two types of beasties in different ways. Even in single player. An animal companion, to me, is a "companion". Whereas a familiar will talk back to you and use terms like "yes, master". A familiar is a servant. And since it will do absolutely anything you tell it to do, up to and including commit suicide, I consider it a mind controllable slave. Quite a bit different than a companion.
This may conflict with what some tabletop DnD rule sets define as appropriate. But on POTM I am not playing tabletop DnD. I am playing NWN. And this is the way that Bioware designed NWN to operate. I am merely adjusting my RP to fit the game mechanics as they are written. Especially since the simplified scripting for familiars on this server does not really permit any interaction with the familiar.
It is different with an animal companion on POTM. You can pet it, play with it, scold it, etc. Just like normal. But a familiar only lets you give it simple combat commands, tell it to move close or hang back, or offer advice on how to take over its mind. To me, this is not a companion. This is a slave. Especially for a character that is slipping over into the darkness.