Also known as Luminancy, Fire Weaving, Candelmancy, Hesiemancy (in the Realm), and any number of variations on the words fire and flame, Pyromancy is the magic of fire, light, and heat. The most basic of its spells (Candle Circle) allow the magician to conjure small volumes of heat, light, and fire and to control these on a small scale. More potent magicks (Conflagration Circle) allow the magician to conjure and control these energies on a larger scale, as well as fuel them for extended periods of time. The height of its power (Volcano Circle) allows powerful displays of pyrotechnics and the creation of large or nearly permanent sources of heat, flame, and light.
In many people's eyes, Pyromancers are the essence of magical power. As such, they are both feared and respected wherever they go, especially in the North, where a Pyromancer can be the deciding factor in the survival of a tribe. Some adherents to the Immaculate Philosophies, somewhat heretically, study this magic in order to imitate the Fire Dragon. The Immaculate Order is a little more wary of Pyromancers than of other elemental magicians because many Pyromancers are secretly adherents to heretical cults that worship the Unconquered Sun.
Stir the Coals
Cost: 4 motes
Prerequisite Spells: None
The magician conjures a small amount of fire, either as an orb within a foot of her hand in an area or in a one or more places within (Valor x 10) yards that is frequented by flame - such as a candle, torch, hearth, or a forge. The orb application lasts until the end of the scene - providing light as a torch - and allows the magician to ignite objects (including an enemy) she touches and wishes to light. Until the end of the scene, this flame can be wielded as a clumsy weapon that is supplemental with the magician's normal Brawl or Martial Arts. If the attack hits, the target bursts into flames on its next action, taking the magician's Valor in dice of lethal damage each turn thereafter that can be soaked normally. This flame lasts only a number of turns equal to the magician's Valor before going out, unless the target is especially susceptible to fire, in which case it might last longer. The ranged application can be used to ignite a campfire, restart the charcoal in a cold forge, or light one or more candles, torches, and lanterns within the range of the spell. These fires last until the end of the scene unless viable fuel is available, so the magician could light an empty lantern or wet wood, but these will go out in a little while unless the wood dries out, the magician adds oil to the lamp, and so forth.
Aura of Fire
Cost: 5 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Stir the Coals
This spell surrounds a target within (Compassion x 10) yards with a wreath of flame until the end of the scene. Arrows aimed at the target are automatically consumed by the fire. Those engaging the target in hand-to-hand combat suffer the magician's Valor in dice of lethal damage each turn, which is soaked normally.
Fiery Defender
Cost: 5 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Stir the Coals
Until the end of the scene, a target within (Compassion x 10) yards is more resistant to heat, fire, and cold. During any turn when he would normally take damage from an attack based on flame or temperature, the damage is reduced by the magician's Compassion after it is rolled, even if this would reduce the amount of damage to 0.
Conjure the Little Sun
Cost: 4 motes
Prerequisite Spells: None
The magician creates the stuff of raw illumination in one of three forms - a sourceless, immobile light source, a mobile orb in her hand, or an aura around herself.
The sourceless light illuminates a (Valor x 10) yard radius around the magician, though the light is thereafter immobile. This light is as bright as a grassy area under a full moon (clear 25 yards / murky 50 yards). It lasts until the end of the scene. This light permeates the very air, casting no shadows in the area of effect. Ghosts, demons, and other creatures of darkness find this light uncomfortable, suffering a 1 die penalty to all rolls when within its area of effect.
The mobile orb appears within a foot of the magician's hand, illuminating the surrounding area as brightly as a grassy area under a full moon (clear 25 yards / murky 50 yards). Unlike the immobile version of this spell, this light casts shadows as normal. The magician may pass this orb of light to a touched object or creature. The orb can be used offensively to supplement a Brawl or Martial Arts attack. On a successful hit, the light passes to this target who, if it has functional eyes, must make a Stamina + Resistance check against a difficulty of 1 or be partially blinded, losing 1 success on any attack roll and suffering a -1 die penalty on all other checks requiring clear vision until the end of the scene. This blindness is not cumulative with other forms of blindness, nor does a creature affected by this spell twice or more in the same suffer cumulative penalties. If this Resistance check succeeds, the target merely glows faintly until the end of the scene, which makes hiding difficult. If used against a ghost, demon, or other creature of darkness, it inflicts 1 die of unsoakable damage on a successful hit.
The aura application wreaths the magician in light, illuminating the surrounding area as brightly as a grassy area under a full moon. This aura can be made to look like the Anima banners of the Exalted, including caste marks and totemic images, or take any other appearance the magician desires. It brightens, fades, and winks out as the magician wishes until the end of the scene.
Trail of Incriminating Smoke
Cost: 6 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Stir the Coals
This spell affects a target within (Compassion x 10) yards. The target leaves behind a trail of smoke, small scorch marks, smouldering footprints, and other signs of her passage wherever she goes for a number of days equal to the magician's Compassion. Anyone who knows what he is looking for can follow this trail backward or forward with ease except under unusual circumstances, in which case the storyteller might call for a Perception + Investigation or Survival check. Other passers-by, including, in many cases, the target, will only notice these signs on a successful Perception + Awareness check at a difficulty equal to the magician's Compassion.
Breath of the South
Cost: 4 motes
Prerequisite Spells: None
This spell creates heat on a small scale either as an intense area of heat around the magician's hand or a warmth that affects a larger, immobile area. Until the end of the scene, he can instantly heat food and drinks (one plate, platter, or gallon per turn) and inflicts 2 dice of lethal damage on successful Brawl, Martial Arts, and Melee attacks. This damage is separate from the normal attack and without any extra successes added.
The immobile effect heats an area around the magician in a radius of up to (Compassion x 10) yards. Even the coldest night of the frozen North is rendered as mild as a spring day on the Blessed Isle. This spell's effects linger for 24 hours, possibly longer in enclosed spaces. This spell eliminates cold-related penalties for Endurance checks. While this spell is sufficient to heat even the coldest natural environments, it is not sufficient to heat extremely cold areas found near the Elemental Pole of Air or cold created by means of sorcery. The Frozen Fog, however, cannot enter its area of effect.
If this spell is used in an already warm area, it increases the local temperature to that of a steamy jungle or hot desert day. This is not sufficient to cause environmental damage except to creatures that are exceptionally vulnerable to heat, but long-term exposure or hard labor can result in dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even death (treat as a Hearth for purposes of environmental damage except with an interval of 1 hour). This use of Breath of the South is also useful for heating large volumes of liquid or even of cooking a significant portion of food.
Scald Harm's Hand
Cost: 5 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Breath of the South
A number of weapons, tools, or other hand-held metal implements within (Valor x 10) yards equal to the magician's Valor become extremely hot to the touch. Those holding the items on the turn when they grow hot must roll a reflexive Wits + Endurance check or instinctively drop them immediately. Those who continue to hold or cannot release these objects suffer 1 die of unsoakable bashing damage every (6 - magician's Valor) turns unless they are protected in some way from heat.
Skin of Flame Attunement
Cost: 12 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Aura of Fire, Fiery Defender
This spell counts as an elemental attunement spell. The flesh of one target within (Temperance x 10) yards becomes as insubstantial as flame until the end of the scene. The target cannot be harmed by physical attacks that do not inflict environmental or aggravated damage, but cold and water-based attacks inflict double damage. Contact with water or ice is agonizing to the target, inflicting environmental damage as a sandstorm. The target has no physical substance but if he makes direct physical contact with an opponent (requiring a regular Brawl or Martial Arts roll), the flame of which he is consumed inflicts 4 dice of lethal damage. Opponents attempting to engage the target in unarmed combat also suffer this damage. The target remains visible and casts light in a radius equal to the magician's Valor in yards. The target's running speed is doubled while this spell lasts. No creature may benefit from this spell more than once at a given time, and no creature may benefit from more than one elemental attunement spell at a time. Casting this spell on a creature already under the effects of another elemental attunement spell simply replaces the current elemental attunement spell with this one.
Tendrils of Running Flame
Cost: 10 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Aura of Fire, Trail of Incriminating Smoke
The magician sprouts a number of tentacles of fire equal to his Valor that may attack targets within (Valor x 10) yards, allowing them to move like serpents along any surface or snuffing them out with a thought. Each turn, if he takes no other actions, the magician may direct each of these tentacles against one target within range using his Wits + Valor pool. These attacks inflict a base lethal damage equal to the magician's Valor, plus successes. Each of these tentacles may also be used to crudely parry attacks directed against the magician, rolling dice equal to the magician's Wits to do so. The magician may take other actions during the same turn as the tentacles are directed to parry incoming attacks. The tentacles themselves neither dodge nor parry attacks directed against themselves, have a bashing and lethal soak equal to the magician's Compassion, and are destroyed if they take even a single health level of damage.
Explosive Sphere of Flame
Cost: 12 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Tendrils of Running Flame
An area a number of yards across equal to the magician's Valor within (Valor x 100) yards is briefly engulfed in explosive flame. This attack may be dodged on a successful Dexterity + Dodge at a difficulty equal to the magician's Valor, but not parried. All those who fail to escape the blast suffer dice of lethal damage equal to the magician's (Valor x 2). This damage may be soaked normally.
Shaft of the Noonday Sun
Cost: 8 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Conjure the Little Sun
A ray of dazzling light leaps from the magician's hand to strike a target within (Valor x 20) yards, using the magician's Valor + Archery or Thrown, whichever she prefers. If the attack is successful against a victim with sighted eyes facing the magician, the target must roll a Wits + Resistance check against a difficulty equal to the number of successes the magician scored after defense has been resolved or be blinded until the end of the scene. Any ghost, demon, or other unclean being struck by this light suffers dice of aggravated damage equal to the magician's Valor.
Halo of Blistering Heat
Cost: 10 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Scald Harm's Hand
The magician surrounds himself in an aura of intense heat that harms any who stand closer than his Valor in yards. Anyone within this range other than the magician suffers environmental damage each turn equal to the magician's Valor in lethal damage. Creatures who are normally able to soak lethal damage with Heroics, Edges, Charms, or their Exalted nature take half this damage (rounded down) on a successful Stamina + Resistance check at a difficulty of 3 and may soak the damage the same as any environmental damage.
Battle Song of the Garda Bird
Cost: 17 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Tendrils of Running Flame
At the culmination of this spell, waves of flame wash out from the magician to a distance in yards equal to the magician's Valor. These flames persist until the end of the scene. All those other than the magician within the affected area suffer environmental fire damage equal to that of a bonfire (difficulty 3; success 2L; failure 6L; interval 1 turn). As with any environmental damage, creatures who cannot soak lethal damage with their Stamina automatically take 6L each turn they remain within the area of effect. These flames are likely to ignite any combustibles in the area, as well.
Conjure Burning Servant
Cost: 20+ motes
Prerequisite Spells: Skin of Flame Attunement, Halo of Blistering Heat
This ritual requires four hours to complete, and casting it outside of a dedicated ritual space with some connection to the Element of Fire is impossible for a mortal magician. The magician calls up an Elemental of Fire with a maximum Essence equal to the magician's Heroism. If the magician chooses to bargain with the spirit in some way, such as by offering it sacrifices or prayers, she must make a Charisma + Performance at a difficulty equal to (6 - Resources value of the sacrifice) to properly honor it. This difficulty is increased by 1 if the magician is not a priest devoted to that Elemental. If this roll succeeds, the Elemental will accept the offering and might even enter into an agreement with the magician if the number of additional successes on the roll is equal to or greater than the Elemental's Essence. This does not provide the magician with direct control over the Elemental, but is more akin to a temporary alliance. If treated well, the Elemental will accompany the wizard for as long as one lunar month, though it will still behave according to its nature.
A magician may also attempt to bind the Elemental to its will using the same system as for the Terrestrial Circle Spell Summon Elemental, but a mortal's low Essence score makes such a contest of wills a dangerous prospect. Moreover, Elementals and the Celestial Heirarchy at large frown upon any such enslavement by mortal magicians. The Celestial Heirarchy is likely to be less lenient toward mortals than they are with Exalted Sorcerers, and Elementals enslaved by a mortal are more likely to seek vengeance once their term of service has ended.
Call Upon the Midnight Sun
Cost: 14 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Shaft of the Noonday Sun
This spell surrounds the magician in sourceless light in a (Valor x 20) yard radius. This light is immobile once the spell is cast. This light is as bright as a grassy area under the noonday sun, though local conditions prevail beyond its radius. It lasts until the end of the scene. This light permeates the very air, casting no shadows in the area of effect. Ghosts, demons, and other creatures of darkness find this light painful, suffering 1 die of unsoakable lethal damage each turn they remain in its area of effect. Particularly weak creatures of darkness (such as hungry ghosts) might actually be completely destroyed upon contact with this light.
Bottle the Star
Cost: 20 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Call Upon the Midnight Sun
This spell is identical to Call Upon the Midnight Sun except the light is emitted from a source of the magician's choosing within his Valor in yards and lasts until destroyed by the appropriate Countermagic.
Boil Away the Stones
Cost: 20 motes
Prerequisite Spells: Halo of Blistering Heat
The heat produced by this spell is truly incredible, capable of melting stone or boiling liquescent metal. It affects a volume no greater than twice the magician's Valor in cubic feet. Applied to a solid metal or stone object, it causes the object to melt into liquid (magma or molten metal) in a matter of minutes. If applied to magma, lava, or liquified metal, it actually boils these substances away into gaseous form, and this application can actually be used to aid in distilling gold in order to make orichalcum, though this is a complex and arduous process.
Employed against a living thing, targets whose Heroism is lower than the magician's are vaporized instantly unless they are able to soak environmental damage. Creatures whose Essence is greater than the magician's, who can soak environmental damage, or whose Heroism is equal to or higher than the magician's instead suffer a number of dice of lethal damage equal the magician's Valor + the number of successes the magician scores on a reflexive Willpower + Occult roll. This is applied at the rate of (the magician's Valor) damage per turn, and armor provides no defense against this harm, though Heroics and Charms may be used to resist this damage.