The Fire Crystals

By Martin Xavier (martinx@cosmos2.phy.tufts.edu)

Description

These fetishes are of very ancient design, coming back as far as prehistory. Like many ancient Talismans and Fetishes dealing with fire, the first model is attributed to Prometheus, the Titan who brought fire to men though it certainly predates the emergence of Greek civilisation. More probably, it is the creation of one of the first Dreamspeakers to master and use fire for his clan's need and who was after remembered as a demi-god under the generic name of Prometheus.

This fetish looks like a crystal with a flame-like impurity in its center which seems to flicker at the edge of perception. Some more powerful versions are made from bright fire opals. Both are imbued with a Fire Elemental.

System

When activated, the basic crystal version can be tapped as a source of fire (as the one created through Force 3, Prime 2). However, Force 2 is still necessary to tap the fire and control it. This fetish makes it easier to achieve very hot fires (such as in the infamous Fireball effect) since you only use Force 2.

The fire opal version is a level 5 fetish and can be tapped for Greater Fire with Forces 4 as well as Lower Fires. Tapping the fetish for Greater Fires requires the expenditure of 2 quintessence points however.

Both fetishes are particularly well attuned to Fire magick and using one of them as a focus gives a -1 difficulty (up to a total of -3 and cumulative with the bonus for unique or unnecessary focus). On the opposite there is an extra +1 difficulty to any cold magick focused through them.

Fire Crystals being well adapted to vulgar magic generate a lot of paradox and tend after some (GM's rule) time of paradox generating to "color" their paradox. For paradox flaws, at level 1 a small object near you catches fire, a level 2 you are unable to light fires yourself (your lighter, matches... do not work, making fire with magick is at +1), at level 3 you become more susceptible to fire (increase damage by fire by one) , at level 4 any flame within reach will systematically burn you "accidently" (though you can try to dodge if applicable and soak), at level 5 whatever Matter object touches your hands bursts into flames. The paradox spirit is an enraged fire elemental which takes possession of a fire, fuels it quickly to a raging uncontrollable fire and tries to destroy the offender (and the witnesses too if possible). Physical backlash always appears as severe burnings.