Hellcaster
Conflagration is an old form of conjuration stemming from a lesser-known golden age of magic innovation in the centuries after the Great Equilibrium. The School of Conflagration is known to be extravagant and theatrical in their arcane arts, their casters (Known as Conflagrationists or more commonly, Hellcasters) have a preference for flashy outfits with intense colours and fragrances. The fragrances are used to hide the smell of smoke. Hellcasters are an essential part of the magical tapestry of Pannotia, having played their parts as battlemages, adventurers, and various religious leaders. These Hellcasters are some of the most commonly found mages in the world, though few reach higher levels of mastery due to the dangerous lines of work they tend to find for themselves. The usefulness of their skills is not lost on the powerful people in the world, and they are the first to be taken advantage of in wars by the cruel desperate, or desperately cruel.
History and Culture
Beginning as all things modern do, the Great Equilibrium saw the veil between worlds grow thinner. Peering through to other dimensions and planes was a pre-Equilibrium phenomenon, gazing into places not made for their senses. These far-seeing masters of the arcane had long yearned for ways to make more use of their explorations, something the Great Equilibrium’s consequences would pave the way for. No longer could these mages not only look into the infinite dimensions, they could also interact with them. Portals were created and worlds were explored. An immeasurable treasure trove of knowledge was opened, so incredibly vast that it can never be fully explored.
Three great wizards, explorers of the endless realms, sought to record what they could but were at a particular mortal disadvantage when faced with infinity. A stranger from one of the great realms of brimstone deserts and basalt cities reached them with an offer to be their guide. The stranger gave them the gift of power from his realm. Over two decades they were taught how to manifest fire and fury wherever they went. As they explored their newfound abilities and the new universes they came to know a feature of the magic that the figure hadn’t told them.
The bodies of hellcasters burn hot when they conjure up their flames, at first leaving their extremities such as their fingers blackened, and eventually leaving burn marks along their arteries. At the final stage of their consumption, they no longer sweat, are impervious to common bacterial diseases such as the flu and the common cold, and require consistent cooling to avoid dying of their feverish heat.
The very nature of their magic and its bodily consequences has forged a strong culture among Hellcasters. As with most beliefs and traditions, their culture comprises of ways to praise and understand what they have. Chief among these ways are Everflames, sacred flames that are protected and tended to by either clerics of hellcaster temples or the hellcaster themselves. They are meant to burn as long as the hellcasters does, and when they meet their final end they are to be consumed by that very flame in a pyre before they let the fire go out with the remains of their body.
The heat of a Hellcaster lets them rarely rest, sowing the seeds for wild and passionate cultures to blossom wherever they may congregate. They are fond of loud music, athletic competitions, cold beverages, and food. A hellcaster invented ice cream as a cooling treatment for fledgling hellcasters and became a wealthy citizen of early Ironhurst as an unintended consequence. Tier two hellcasters also prefer to sleep in tubs of cold water, and will have buckets of ice for their guests to dip their hands into during quiet gatherings as a sign of compassion.
Love for Hellcasters is a thing taken very lightly. They rarely settle down for marriage and prefer to have multiple partners to keep things interesting. They are more likely to have a close friend as their ‘Spouse’, as their relationship isn’t built on the expectations of romance or intercourse, leaving them open to a shared vulnerability that is harder to separate than a Thalzar from their blade. However it isn’t unheard of that a Hellcaster finds a soulmate if they can keep up with them.
Notable People and Locations
- Svuolphthar - The Stranger in that forgotten world who gave Pannotia the knowledge of Conflagration. A figure that we know little of beyond his appearance being similar to infernals. His name would also become the name for brimstone in common Pannotian, Sulphur.
- Gherdrum, Brindel and Vardghal - The three human wizards who first received the knowledge of Conflagration in 341AE. His own flames consumed Brindel in 389 AE in a failed attempt to push the boundaries of magic. Gherdrum became a hallowed saint of an extinct religion in 375AE and left for Ellawren in resentment of the fact, his ultimate fate is unknown. Vardghal was said to have returned several times to meet with Svuolphthar to grow his powers. He would become a powerful warlord frequently battling the Thalzar and dwarven holds until his final demise at the hands of his own son in 571AE, the source of his longevity lost somewhere in Thalzar territory.
- Everflames - Altars of worship to the Conflagrationists are known as Everflames. These can range from candles at your bedside to great braziers in temples. The source of the fire is not important, as long as the fire does not go out. This has high spiritual importance to Hellcasters, but no real effect on the magic. The reasons for the importance vary greatly but always seem to represent something deeply personal in their lives.
Spells
| Name | Description | Cooldown/Cost | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring of Fire | The Hellcaster summons a 3x3 circle of fire centered on themselves that blocks non-magical Ranged Attacks, and deals 1d8 damage to anyone entering the area for the first time. This circle lasts for 2 turns, and halves the Hellcaster’s movement while active. | Twice per Combat | Action |
| Lightbringer | With a snap of their fingers, the Hellcaster summons a floating spark up to the size of a baseball, which may be shaped as they please. This spark can either be used to create a burst of light that dispels all darkness - natural or magical - within a 5x5 area centered on the caster and remove the Blinded status effect from those in the area, or launched at an enemy with a MYS attack roll to deal 1d5 damage. | No Cooldown | Action |
| Devil in the Details | Utilizing conjured hellfire, the Hellcaster may illuminate fingerprints, scratches from lockpicking, or words written on paper over a flat surface. The details will be illuminated in fiery script or shapes for five minutes, granting Advantage on SCR rolls relating to investigation. | No Cooldown | N/A |
| Name | Description | Cooldown/Cost | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire in the Hole | The Hellcaster lobs a concentrated fireball at an enemy, making a MYS attack roll to hit. This fireball burns much brighter than regular fire and doesn’t spread, but burns the victim for a few seconds, dealing 1d10 damage. | No Cooldown | Action |
| Smoking Earth | Flash-boiling the moisture inside the ground, the Hellcaster renders a 5x5 block zone extremely hazardous to anyone who tries to traverse it, the ground rumbling and cracking as the newly-formed steam forcibly escapes in shearing jets. Any character who either enters or starts their turn inside this zone suffers 1d8 damage. This zone lasts for 2 turns. | Once per Combat | Action |
| Fiery Forge | Infusing their ally, the Hellcaster enchants their attacks with unnatural flame much akin to that of Fire in the Hole. For the rest of combat, when the enchanted ally hits a target with an Attack action, they inflict an additional 1d6 damage. | Twice per Combat | Action |
| Name | Description | Cooldown/Cost | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Along the Watchtower | Raising a beacon of flame up high, the Hellcaster places all their Concentration into creating a pillar of fire that can be seen from afar, allowing a ping to be placed in the Looking for Roleplay Discord channel. This may instead be directed at an enemy, creating an unrelenting beam of arcane fire that deals 2d8 damage if it hits. This requires a MYS attack roll each turn, but can be repeated for as long as Concentration is upheld. | Once per Week | Action |
| Guiding Embers | A mage, utilizing a map, can summon embers to try and locate places. Note that the mage must have either been there before, be alongside someone who has been there before, or be able to pinpoint the location on the map clearly. Softly glowing embers will light the way in front of the caster without stopping until they reach the location specified by the mage. | No cooldown | N/A |
| Deal at the Crossroads | A mage can summon a demonic entity and ask for a bargain at a crossroads. You must create a ticket to access this ability as the entity is staff-played. The caster may bargain for anything, though can be denied if it's outside the entity's power or reason. The demonic entity may ask for something in exchange for services rendered. To utilize this Ability, create a ticket requesting the demonic presence. | Once per Month | N/A |
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