Incendium

"Incendium" refers both to the art of fire magic and the users thereof. It is a term created by the esotericists at Simon Island Academy. An incendium wields flames that have been captured in bottles.

Bottles and Bottling

Any glass that can handle high temperatures can be used for incendium, but most incendium bottles (or just "fire bottles" commonly) are made of obsidian, soapstone, marble, borosilicate glass, tantalum carbide, or other alloys. Corks are always made of the same materials as the bottle, as that tricks the flame into believing there is no exit.

Incendium usually do not bottle their own flames, relying on buying or trading, but those that do use several special techniques to do so:

1. Absorption: placing the bottle in the middle of the flame and using a circle of power to contain it until the bottle simply absorbs the flame and heat. This is considered a less skilled way to capture flames.
2. Vacuum: placing dry ice in the bottle, keeping it sealed until near the fire, and then using esoteric gestures and the lure of the complete lack of heat of the bottle to draw the flame in.
3. Inhaling: literally drawing the entirety of the flames into one's own lungs, then breathing them into the bottle. This is an aetherial skill only beings of fire aether can learn. Or dragons.
4. Red Water: filling the bottle with water dyed red, placing the bottle in the target fire, and letting the water boil away while the fire is in a circle of power. Similar to absorption, but the red water allows for a more complete collection, as it draws the fire in by tricking it into believing it is already in the bottle.
5. Hot Lure: placing a piece of coal, firefly, or salamander in the bottle and letting them lure the fire in.

No, none of these have anything to do with actual science. It's fucking magic. It's symbolic and illogical.

Fire Control

When an incendium opens the bottle, there is no guarantee the fire wil come out. Many fires will flow out naturally, but some must be drawn out, usually with a piece of coal.

There are several ways to then control the fire once it is out of the bottle:

1. Firebreathing: literally breathing the fire in and spitting it out; firebreathing takes strong lungs. Once breathed out, the fire will be controllable for a short period of time by the firebreather. This is often used in performances, but skilled firebreathers can use it in battle or for other more practical reasons.
2. Fuelstream: some guide the flames by throwing coal dust or oil into the air. The released fire will follow the dust. It can then be controlled by breathing on it or fanning it.
3. Fanning: fanning the flames with a fan or using a bellows will nudge the flame rather than truly guide it, but sometimes that's all you need.
4. Gesture: there are some esoteric gestures that can control the flames once released; incendia trained at Simon Island Academy usually learn these skills.

Types of Flame

Just some types of flame. Note that any fire-patroned diversity or species will have flame of some kind to be used in a bottle as well. Not all are listed. Flames

Smoke

Smoke produced by any kind of fire can also be captured and used by incendia. The power and quality of smoke is determined by the flame and fuel.

Ash

Heat from ash can be captured in bottles as well, and it will imitate ash when released.

1. Ashfall: heat from volcanic ash that can cover a wide area and cause great destruction.
2. Hot Ash: the heat from burning ash is mostly used as an irritant or blinding tool by war-incendia.
3. Ash Wind: wind filled with hot ash, the heat therefrom can flow easily through the air

Lava

Lava and volcanic material can be bottled and captured, but only the most skilled incendia or incendia who can also wield island aether or earthpower aether can use it.

• Tephra: fragmented volcanic material of intense heat and power
• Pyroclast: airborne volcanic material of intense heat and power
• Magma: molten rock beneath the earth
• Lava: molten rock above the surface of the earth

Cultural Variations and Other Names

Incendium was invented by non-fire-aether-based beings in order to be able to imitate the natural powers of ka'ar. Ka'ar call the arts of incendium "taqlid" or "imitations". However, some ka'ar do take up the art in order to wield other kinds of flame. Other variations include

• Aisbae al-Naar: this is the term for those incendia who use their powers to commit arson, often extorting victims or working for organized crime.
• Burner: a charcoal burner who uses the arts of incendium to create their char. Their craft is sometimes exploied en masse by business folk.
• Cauterist: in some hospitals, clinics, or within some militaries, incendia are employed to address major wounds via cauterization by fire magic. These are usually found in places where major wounds and limb loss are not uncommon, and they usually have extensive medical traning.
• Dhayl al'Naar: incendia from northern Taggarus who raise and keep salamanders as pets, companions, and sources of fire.
• Eamuwd: from eastern Mahad, these incendia use their skills for performances of fire displays and abstract artistic expression.
• Firesinger: those incendia who learn to sing through their flame-breath, creating forms with the flames.
• Fireslinger: those incendia who practice capturing their flame-breath and flinging it with slings, usually as part of guerilla warfare or saboteur units in major militaries.
• Katib: those incendia who use their powers to write with fire, inscribing wood or stone as scribes. Usually poor incendia who need money from some source.
• Pyroculatpr: a fire-juggler in a circus who wields incendium. Often also a clown, tumbler, or magician.
• Pyrologer: an incendium who studies fire scientifically so as to better understand it and thus improve their magical arts.
• Sanidukhan: incendia who focus on smoke rather than fire, often controlling the smoke to share information and send messages.

Skills

Some skills include

• Pyrology/fire lore
• Fire safety
• Bottle making
• Cleaning
• Charcoal burning
• Lime burning
• Arson
• Demolitions/explosives

Persecution

Incendia are usually much sought after in every class society for their usefulness in war, demolitions, and so on, and thus, sometimes become major parts of upper class workers or even ruling class. Most cultures do regulate their powers for safety reasons. Only in some rare cultures are they outlawed, and these are usually directed at those who resist the ruling class.

Stats

The average incendium has these variations on the base stats of their nation/species:

PRO +1
ATH +2
STR /
AWA +3
WIL +2
STH +1
PRS /