Arsonists

Arsonists are specialists in burning down buildings and other major structures.

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Drakignite

Arson is used by the Red Grith only as a last resort, and thus, only very trusted members are allowed to specialize in it. They are called drakignites by members of the Red Grith.

Arsonists among the Red Grith are known to wield dragonfire. While some who wield dragonfire do so by forming a magical bond with a dragon (or by being a dragon, but that's not available to PCs), the arsonists among the Red Grith gain the power by carrying a magical bracelet called a dracutrem . Their dracutrem is always a wristband, bracelet, bracer, or other armguard or jewelry that glows dark red when they draw from it. They draw from it by paying it tribute with every job they do. A little bit of ash mixed with their own blood must be smeared on the dracutrem after burning something down to make sure it does not lose power.

When they invoke the flames of their dracutrem, it ignites in the palm of the hand they wear it upon, and they can manipulate it with their hands and fingers, throwing it, rolling it, pressing it, shaping it, etc. Once it leaves their hand, they no longer have control of it. While it is in their hand, they may shape it such that it can be wielded as a dagger (+5/+5), wreathed over their arm as armor (+5/+5 for that arm, allowing them to parry with it), or to focus it or widen it to apply it to whatever they are holding. Its heat has a power of 11 base, but can be weakened to 5 (or any number in between) at will, or strengthened to 14 with a smaller sacrifice of blood or to 17 with a larger sacrifice of blood. They can maintain it for ten minutes, and then must either feed it blood every ten minutes or roll WIL against a difficulty of first 4, then 7, then 10, etc. to keep it going every subsequent ten minutes. If they feed it blood, after the second feeding, they will have a normal wound. After the fourth, a deep wound. After the sixth, a mortal wound. They can permanently raise the heat score of their flame by 3 by permanently sacrificing a point of WIL or STR. They may also feed the dracutrem magical items or currency to restore its power.

Arsonists of the Red Grith are trained in architecture and pyrology (i.e., knowing where to set a fire to make sure a building burns, what fuels to use, and how to keep it from spreading to where they don't want it), in stealth and analysis, in self-defense, and in local politics and events. Their dragonfire does not register as elemental, and therefore, it does not have bonuses against infernal powers. It does have bonuses against anything weak to fire, such as wooden or frozen targets. It ignores anti-fire defenses that are infernal, celestial, aetherial, or fey.

Drakignites are weak to anything that specifically harms dragons. If their dracutrem is submerged in water for more than five minutes, it will turn to ash.

PRO +1 ATH +1 STR +1 AWA +1 WIL +2 PRS -2 STH +2

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Hariq

Arsonists in the Green Grith use fire magic, drawing fire from magical bottles to use either as incendiary devices or to drink the flame to become one with it, wielding it by power of will, charm, and body. They are usually part of terrorist cells.

A hariq knows that fire acts alive. It consumes fuel (food) and replicares itself (reproduction). It dances with them. It moves. It breathes. And so it must be treated as a living thing, even if technically it is not. It must be fed and cared for. It must be tended. Hariqs gain their powers over fire by treating fire very well, seducing it, engaging with it, bonding with it.

First, they must gather some fire. Using a special bottle (usually made of high temperature glass), they lure the fire in by placing a piece of coal or wood within, or a firefly if they can catch one. They then place the bottle open, near a fire. Eventually, some of the fire will leap into the bottle, and if they stopper it (with a cork or stopper made of the same kind of glass) quickly enough, the fire will be caught. From there, they feed it regularly, treat it well, and even talk to it, keeping it safe and comfortable until it is time for them to release it.

Releasing it can be done in three ways: opening the bottle and pouring it out, smashing the bottle, or drinking the bottle. The first one is done if they intend to recapture the flame and reuse it later. The fire will be weaker after being used, however. Smashing it is done if the attack is intended to be wild and undirected. The third is done if the wielder wants complete control over the flame. They must be very careful doing this, because if the fire is displeased with them, it will burn them. Some flames get very angry at being imprisoned, after all. But hariqs are very knowledgeable about how to keep flames happy.

There are many kinds of flame in the world, but only some are available in Haenor:

Flame	Description	Effect	Power
Smoke	Any kind of smoke	Obscuring and suffocating	1+ (determined by quantity)
Ash/ember	Hot ash or embers	Mild burning, clinging	2
Spark	A small mote of flame	Quick minor burn, may catalyze a larger fire	2
Match flame	Flame from a lit match	Minor burn, may catalyze a larger fire	3
Candle flame	Flame from a lit candle	Minor burn, minor heat aura, clinging, may catalyze a larger fire	3
Incense flame	Flame from incense	Minor burn, potent aromas	3
Grease fire	Flame from burning grease	Minor burn, difficult to put out, clinging, heavy smoke, may catalyze a larger fire	5
Torch flame	Flame from a lit torch	Moderate burn, minor heat aura, moderate smoke, may catalyze a larger fire	7
Firefly light	The phosphorescence of a firefly	Minor burn, extensive lighting, subtle call	1+ (determined by quantity and age)
Burnt offering	Flame from an offering made in a religious context	Moderate burn, moderate heat aura, minor smoke, potential ambrosial effects	6+ (depending on offering)
Slow burn	Fire from brush clearing	Moderate burn, difficult to put out, moderate smoke, easily controlled	8
Fireworks	Fire from fireworks	Moderate to major burn, hard to control, explosive, moderate smoke, may catalyze a larger fire	4+ (determined by quantity of powder)
Gunflash	Fire from shooting a gun	Very quick moderate to major burn, hard to control, explosive, moderate smoke	5+ (determined by quantity of powder)
Camp fire	Fire used for warmth or cooking outdoors	Moderate burn, moderate smoke, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire	7
Bonfire	Large communal outdoor fire	Major burn, moderate smoke, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire	10
Votive flame	Fire used to sacrifice something to a higher power	Moderate burn, minor smoke, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire, may have aligned power	6+ (depending on votive offering)
Neatsfire	Fire produced by friction	Moderate burn, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire, minor smoke	9
Gas lamp flame	Flame from one of the city's gas lamps	Minor burn, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire, minor smoke, toxic fumes	9
Flare	An intense, brief flame often used in signaling	Moderate burn, bright light smoke, noisy, hard to control, may catalyze a larger fire	11
Hariq flame	Fire from another hariq's breath	Strong burn, easy to control, may catalyze a larger fire	12
Coalseam fire	Fire from a burning coal mine	Very strong burn, slow burn, hard to control, heavy smoke, rapid spread, unending	17
Blaze	A generic name for strong flames with no special origin	Strong burn, heavy smoke, hard to control, may catalyze a larger fire	15
House fire	Fire from a burning house	Strong burn, heavy smoke, hard to control, rapid spread, vengeful	15
Factory fire	Fire from a burning factory	Very strong burn, very heavy smoke, hard to control, rapid spread, explosive, toxic	18
Cannon flash	Fire from shooting a cannon	Strong burn, heavy smoke, explosive, hard to control, may catalyze a larger fire, concussive force	13
Pyromancer's flame	Flames used to scry	Moderate burn, easy to control, allows for scrying	12
Beltane	Flames from fires used at Beltane	Strong burn, moderate smoke, easy to control, dances, empowered by passion	16
Ka'ar flame	Flames from a ka'ar (elemental)	Strong burn, easy to contorl, light smoke, may catalyze a larger fire, can be shaped	14
Salamander	Flames from a salamander (animal / elemental)	Strong burn, easy to control, light smoke, may catalyze a larger fire, hides easily	13
Lightning-born flame	Flames caused by a lightning strike	Strong burn, hard to control, moderate smoke, may catalyze a larger fire	16
Wild fire	Disastrous, uncontrolled fire	Very strong burn, very heavy smoke, very difficult to control, rapid spread, insatiable	19
Bluecap	A living blue flame in mines, a type of fairy	Weak burn, no smoke, very difficult to control, no spread, sentient and probably angry at being trapped, guides through mines	16
Firewhirl	A tornado filled with flame	Very strong burn, moderate smoke, very difficult to control, rapid spread, insatiable, tornadic	20
Bomb flame	Flames from an exploded bomb	Very strong burn, heavy smoke, explosive, concussive force, rapid spread, hard to control	16
Megalifotia	Greek fire, only owned by the local military	Clinging, very strong burn, moderate smoke, rapid spread, easy to control	17
Hellfire	Infernal flame, very rare	Clinging, very strong burn, heavy smoke, rapid spread, hard to control, burns souls	16
Conflagration	Generic name for very powerful fire	Intense burn, heavy smoke, very hungry, hard to control, rapid spread	22
Viridianite flame	Elemental flame	Easy to control, very strong burn, heavy smoke, alive, intelligent, can bond with, elemental aligned, may catalyze larger fire	18
Sunfire	Flames from the sun, difficult to gather	Intense burn, very bright, may catalyze larger fire, very difficult to control, golden in color	19
Dragonflame	Flames from dragon breath, very rare	Intense burn, moderate smoke, rapid spread, hard to control, roaring, absorbs other energies	19
Argentflame	Flames of life, very rare	Moderate burn, heals elementals, harms infernals	15
Fulvousflame	Flames of liberation, very rare	Strong burn, melts chains and jails, doesn't harm the imprisoned or enslaved, hard to control	15
Kartadsin	Flames of judgment, very rare	Intense burn, harms only evil, impossible to control	16
Faeriefire	Dream flames, very rare	Minor burn, minor smoke, illusory, burns the mind, confusion, impossible to control	14
Firebird flame	Flames from a firebird, very rare	Intense burn, revives	16
Gas lamp flame	Fire from a gas lamp	Moderate burn, minor smoke, illuminating, toxic	8
Eternal flame	An undying flame	Strong burn, moderate smoke, does not go out, very difficult to control, may catalyze a larger fire	11
Fire of atrocity	Flames from a mass death event	Intense burn, very heavy smoke, impossible to control, kills the soul of the user, insatiable, rapid spread, infernal	17
War fire	Flames made during battle or war	Strong burn, very heavy smoke, hard to control, rapid spread, targets people and structures, very angry	17
Incendium	Pure elemental fire	Intense burn, moderate smoke, easy to control, may cataylze a larger fire	20
Smolder flame	Flames from the Smolder Pit in Haenor	Intense burn, very heavy smoke, does not go out, very difficult to control, toxic, calls people toward it, very angry	18
Funerary flame	Flames from a funeral pyre	Strong burn, very heavy smoke, very hungry, toxic, spreads grief	12
Bloodfire	Burning blood	Strong burn, clinging, burns only bodies	13
Phosphorous	Heat or flame from phosphorous	Intense burn, clinging, moderate smoke, difficult to put out, toxic, clinging	15
Furnace flame	Flame from a furnace or boiler	Strong burn, moderate smoke, hard to control, very hungry	15

Other kinds of fire may be available. Consult with the GM.

To control a flame after releasing it, the hariq must have been very good to it. They must feed it, make friends with it, talk to it, keep it happy. Many are hard to keep happy - fire is a very angry element - and thus, it takes a lot of work to be able to control it. They roll PRS with bonuses based on how well they cared for it to control it.

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

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Parasunog

Arsonists in the Violet Grith wield faeriefire, illusory fire that becomes real if you believe in it. They draw it out by speaking ancient rhymes and stories or by keeping it in special lanterns.

The parasunogs of the Violet Grith create faeriefire by finding and dancing in fairy rings with a candle. If they can dance three times around the fairy ring without snuffing out the candle every time there is a full moon for a thirteen months, they may gain the ability to sense it. To wield it, they must eat fey mushrooms or drink fey mushroom tea, sleep in the fairy ring, and succeed at the dream quest this gives them. Once they awaken, they will have the ability to draw the faeriefire at will, though they must restore it by dancing around the fairy ring with a candle three times every monht under at least one full moon.

Once they can wield it, they can draw it out with ancient rhymes. If they wish, they can store it in a feycrafted lantern (usually provided by the Violet Grith). Because the parasunogs believe in the faeriefire, they can use it to start fires while keeping the flames hidden from those who don't believe in faeriefire or are unaware it exists - up until they see it working, they won't feel the heat or smoke. If they wish to harm someone who doesn't believe in it, they must convince them it exists by showing it burn something, which is generally easy. However, those who know the trick can break the illusion by refusing to believe - and then it becomes a contest of wills.

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

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Yumtish

The few arsonists in the Blue Grith target large slaveholding institutions, prisons, and other sites of power. They wield magical fire which is fueled by outrage, resistance, and justice, and which only harms the unjust, the cruel, and the tyrannical.

The yumtish are those who learn to call upon fire that ignites with a higher judgment. Whether the wielder believes this comes from Heaven itself, from unseen powers, or from the hearts and will of the people, it answers the call of their outrage and sense of justice. The flame they call burns a hot, celestine blue, and is called kartadsin. These arts were brought over by slaves from oppressed nations in the south, spread to other enslaved people seeking freedom.

To call upon kartadsin, a yumtish must first face judgment. If they have committed any crimes against the people (not the ruling class), they must atone for it. If the crimes against the people are egregious - murder (not justified homicide), rape or sexual assault, domestic abuse, slaving or kidnapping (not liberating the abused or oppressed), oppression, exploitation, or other terrible things - they must face atone for it with significant work. Sometimes, this is impossible. Sometimes, it requires years of service, repayment, or penance. But most of the time, the people seeking to become a yumtish are not guilty of anything of that caliber. Instead, they have a long list of petty crimes, minor slights, or complicated relationships, and atonement is easier to achieve. Regardless, it is difficult to achieve, and there are few yumtish amongst the Blue Grith because of it.

Once achieved, they must then walk into the fire. Another yumtish may create the fire for them, or they may replicate it by walking into a thunderstorm with a metal rod or into a large mundane fire. They must then answer questions of the voice which will speak to them from their heart, questions about their intentions, and swear and oath to themselves, the people, or the higher powers to use the flames of judgment only against the iniquitous. If their oath is sincere and their soul atoned, the flames will be absorbed into them. If not, they burn.

From then on, they may draw the kartadsin from above with a loud shout and a raised hand (calling a massive fireball down from above), or they may draw it from themselves with an open palm and a soft whisper (calling a small fireball from their palm). Either way, the power comes to them fueled by their outrage, sense of justice, and acts of resistance to oppression. The heat of the flame is equal to the intensity of their outrage at an unjust world. If they ever lose this, they lose their powers. If they ever betray the people and serve oppression, they lose their powers. If they ever commit an egregious crime against the people, they burn. If they commit a lesser crime against the people, their flame weakens until they atone again.

The flames they call upon only harm the iniquitous and destroy structures controlled or owned by them. They serve the Blue Grith by targeting these structures.

Part of the Commitee for Warfare.

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