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A World on Fire: The Burnt Part 2


ILuvHats

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This is a sequel to a previous post I made about the Burnt, the magic users in a world I’m developing. If you haven’t seen it yet, it would probably be a good idea to check it out before reading the rest of this post. You can see it here.

If you’ve already read Part 1 but want a refresher, here’s a summary. Even if you don’t need a review, you might want to skim it because I’ve updated some terms.

Summary

Spoiler

Half a millennium ago, a cataclysm occurred during which enormous flaming geysers spontaneously erupted from the earth throughout the continent of Scolaris. This event became known as the Ravaging (renamed from Part 1). After the flames died down, the Cracks left behind acted as psychic beacons. Basically, anyone who came too close to one was inexorably drawn into it, kind of like a siren. Many who descended into the Cracks never returned, while the ones who came back were either insane, or one of the Burnt. There are three types of Burnt, each with different abilities and neurological conditions. In Part 1, I covered the Crepitus, which I’ve renamed the Consumed (the Latin thing wasn’t working out for me). Their name will make sense later when I go into how the Burnt viewed themselves. As do all the Burnt, the Consumed suffer from pyromania. Their unique neurological traits include uncontrollable bouts of rage as well as a compulsive need to commit vandalism. As for magic, they have the ability to Prime different materials, turning them into explosives. After being Primed, each material has a different trigger causing them to explode. They are:

-       Ceramics – triggered by fracturing

-       Biological materials – triggered by sunlight/UV radiation

-       Metals – triggered by electric currents

-       Polymers – triggered by contact with hydrophilic liquids

I’ve done a lot of work on this world, and I have a fleshed-out history up to the present day that I’m really excited to share. I even made a map, so I can show off my surprisingly dreadful cartography skills! But this post ended up being so long that I don’t want to make it twice as long by adding in the history. So, there will be a Part 3. Hope you enjoy what I did find the space to fit though.

There are three types of Burnt, each of which originally had equal populations since the chance of turning into any one of them was the same as the others. They are the Consumed, The Charred, and the Inflamed. The Inflamed don’t really have a magic system, and instead have passive abilities. On the other hand, they are very closely tied with the history of the world, and are responsible for the general hatred of the Burnt (because the devastation caused by the Consumed wasn’t enough). So, I’ll leave them for Part 3 when I talk about history, and spend this thread discussing the Charred and the genetics of magic.

The Charred

Spoiler

The Charred are my take on a shadow-based magic system. They can’t control actual shadows, but instead manipulate various shadow-like substances, which unlike real shadows are not merely a lack of light. These “shadows” can exist without a shaded light source, and physically interact with the world around them. They do, however, feel like the philosophical ideal that shadows are an anti-light, or an anti-energy. A Charred can create these Shadows (I’ll just capitalize to differentiate between them and normal shadows) by harvesting their own shadow and converting it into one of the types they can actually control. Their normal shadow then “grows” back over the course of a few hours (it can’t be reharvested until it’s fully grown). The conversion process simply involves touching their shadow with the intent of changing it, and it’ll gradually change over the course of a few minutes. However, the power source for Charred greatly complicates things. 

Their power source is internal heat energy. I chose heat energy as the power source to reflect the relationship between a fire and its shadow. We think of light and shadow as opposites, but shadows can’t exist without light, and they are connected in a way. I also wanted to explore a magic system that greatly lends itself to nighttime assassin skills, yet is reliant on heat, and thus light. Seems like it would make for an interesting relationship between balancing concealment and powering the magic. Back to the mechanics though. 

Both creating Shadows and manipulating them drains a Charred of heat energy. The difference lies in the fact that creating a Shadow in the first place requires MUCH more energy than simply controlling one that’s already been made. In fact, at room temperature, creating any Shadow drains so much heat from a Charred that the process will rapidly kill them if they don’t stop almost immediately. The only way for them to create Shadows, then, is to raise their internal temperature. Charred are able to withstand incredibly high temperatures as long as they use their abilities as an outlet for the energy. So, the most popular method for creating Shadows involves standing right on the edge of a bonfire so one’s shadow is projected outward, then siphoning their rising body temperature towards the conversion. Another advantage of using a large light source like a bonfire is that the Charred’s shadow is much larger than normal, so they can create more Shadow before needing to regenerate their normal shadow. 

In a way, this limitation on the Charred is an advantage as opposed to a weakness. After all, it allows them to withstand high temperatures, so they are immune to fire and can’t be burnt, right? How is this not OP, you might ask. Keep in mind that only creating Shadows allows enough heat drain for a Charred to withstand whole-body exposure to a fire. Manipulating Shadows has a much lower cap on how rapidly heat can be expelled, making it mainly useful for modulating internal temperature during hot seasons, or keeping a small section of the body from burning when exposed to a small flame. This last detail ties into how Charred often thrust one of their hands over a candle or match if they want to extend their ability to control Shadows. As for the creation process itself, remember that it can only be used for a few minutes every 6 or so hours since once the conversion is completed the energy sink is gone. Plus, the Charred’s shadow must be visible throughout the process. For example, if they stood from head to toe in a bonfire, their entire body is exposed to light and they don’t have a shadow to convert. These details make their ability to resist heat much less useful in combat than you’d initially think.

Now onto a few universal properties of all the types of Shadows. Exposure to visible light (not heat energy) causes them to decay and become less effective. So, they are mostly used during nighttime. When not in use, a Charred can store Shadows by moving them onto their skin. While the entire surface area of the Shadow is in contact with the Charred, it does not require heat energy to maintain and is immune to light. Now, in order to control Shadows, at least one part of the Shadow must always be in contact with the Charred. So, they can never separate entirely, and you can think of the Shadows as extending from the magic user to an available surface (floor, wall, whatever). If a Charred were to jump while they were controlling Shadows so no part of their body or clothes were touching the ground/walls/ceiling, their connection would be cut off and the Shadows would dissipate. 

Mental commands are used to manipulate Shadows, and they can be stretched and twisted about as the Charred chooses, though the they have an upper max on how quickly they can move based on the type. Also, Shadows of the same type can be fused to create one larger Shadow or divided into smaller ones. On a separate note, a single Shadow can be expanded or contracted without adding additional Shadows. Note that extending them beyond their original size makes them less dense and weaker, so the effect they have is less notable and they are more susceptible to light. Compressing a Shadow has the opposite effect, though there is an upper limit of a few times denser than a really dark normal shadow. In conclusion, based on how much Shadow a Charred has stored, their range is limited since at a certain point the Shadows become too diluted to be effective. However, the range can be extended based on the shape, so using thin tendrils is quite popular. 

And now, finally, let’s go into the different types of Shadows.

Dark Shadows

This type absorbs light in the visible spectrum. Note that it does NOT absorb light that doesn’t come in contact with it. In other words, light doesn’t bend towards it like it’s some sort of blackhole. No, it’s really just a really black amorphous shape. And this concept, that only wavelengths that strike the surface is absorbed, is true for both of the other types as well. 

Basically, Dark Shadows are what you’d think controlling shadows would look like; black shapes that the user can move. In combat, they can be used to conceal the Charred by covering their clothing and their entire body, or tendrils can be sent outward to cover their opponent’s eyes and blind them. When being manipulated, Dark Shadows can move about twice as fast as a human can run long distance, so maybe 20 mph (32 km per hour). Also, note that they are more resistant to light decay than any other type of Shadow, though it’s not completely immune. So if a Charred is going to use any type during the day, it’s going to be this one since it will actually be effective for a significant period of time.

White Shadows

This Shadow absorbs low frequency wave lengths such as microwaves and radio waves. They aren’t visible to normal humans, but Charred see them as a dimly glowing white (Charred can’t see radio waves though, just the Shadow that absorbs it). They are most useful when Charred fight each other, and I’ll take this opportunity to explain the interactions between Shadows. Shadows controlled by the same Charred don’t interact with each other, though they can’t occupy the same space. However, two Shadows with different controllers annihilate each other when they come into contact. Since White Shadows move the fastest, they are best used to defend oneself from other Charred in case of an assault. Such combat comes down to who can annihilate the other’s store of Shadow first. So there must be a balance between how much Shadow you want to commit. Larger, denser shadows can reach further and absorb more of their respective radiation, but one little White Shadow and boop, it’s all gone. 

Outside of Charred combat, White Shadows see little use. Hypothetically, though, they can be used to shield wireless communication, which I imagine would be very useful for assassins who want to keep victims/witnesses from contacting outside help. But sadly, wireless communication doesn’t exist in this world. 

Heat Shadows

Heat Shadows are the only type that can harm people by themselves. As the name implies, they absorb thermal radiation, which typically occurs in the range of wavelengths from infrared to UV. Visibly, they appear the same as Darks Shadows since both absorb the entire visible spectrum. However, Heat Shadows are also accompanied by frost, which gradually follows the length of the Shadow, growing to cover the surface. Enveloping a person in a Heat Shadow would kill them pretty quickly, as you might imagine. The disadvantage of Heat Shadows is that they move at a walking speed, significantly slower than the other two types. So, people can outrun them pretty easily. Oh yes, and Heat Shadows don’t absorb heat when they’re stored on their controller’s skin. That would be bad. They do absorb the visible range while stored as do Dark Shadows, so Charred can appear at least partially covered in a pitch black substance, depending on how much is stored. Naturally, if infiltration requires appearing like a normal human, they’ll wear enveloping cloaks and only keep stored Shadows beneath it.

Now that I’ve covered the magic system, I want to talk about how the Charred are neurologically changed once they become burnt. Like the Consumed, they are pyromaniacs since this trait is common to all of the Burnt. They also suffer from a compulsive need to lie or deceive. As you can imagine, this makes it difficult for Charred to function in normal society, though there are isolated groups living away from the rest of civilization that have developed methods of satisfying these urges while allowing for individuals to trust one another and for society to function. And I’m sure you see the connection between their powers and their condition. Shadows ---> conceal, lies ---> conceal. I know, I’m a genius. 

Genetics of the Burnt

Spoiler

The genetics of the Burnt is… interesting. It doesn’t necessarily follow the normal rules, and it differs between each variant. I’ll cover the Consumed first. 

Consumed Genetics

This one makes the most sense compared to actual genetics. As I’ve mentioned previously, first generation Consumed who’ve gone into the Cracks themselves instinctually understand the basics of their powers, enough to not kill themselves. Subsequent generation, on the other hand, do not. If not carefully taught about what their powers are, they may easily kill themselves when they stumble upon them. 

The powers themselves decay over multiple generations, even among families made up solely of Consumed. As such, the only reason the genetics doesn’t die out is because of new gene pools being introduced as people wander into the Crack over the years. The powers will fracture into subsets, though the amount of energy that can be drawn from materials remains mostly static. There is variance in the power that can be released from Primed materials, but it’s not genetic and the variation is minimal. But as I was saying, the powers fracture. The children whose parents are both Consumed rarely can access all four material groups. Three is most common, while two or one are rarer. Eventually, descendants of the Consumed may only be able to access certain subsets of a material group. For example, only being able to Prime certain types of metals. Pure bloodlines will die out completely after around 10 generations without new 1st generations being introduced. If the blood line isn’t pure, the Burnt genetics will die out much more quickly depending on how many Burnt genes are present in the bloodline.

Also note that the neurological conditions decay with the powers, so subsequent generations are typically less affected by the compulsions than their parents. Do realize though that there is no direct correlation between a Consumed’s power and the severity of their neuroses. A first generation Consumed may get lucky and get manageable neuroses, or they could very unlucky and spend the rest of their lives constantly trying to satisfy their compulsions. 

Charred Genetics

Charred genetics is bizarre. Unlike the Consumed, first generations don’t instinctually understand their powers or even realize they have powers. Furthermore, first generations are for the most part weak, often only able to access one of the 3 types of Shadows, with the benefit that their pyromania and compulsion to lie aren’t nearly as strong as the neuroses of a first generation Consumed. However, in pure bloodlines, the powers and neuroses actually increase in ability, topping with Charred able to access all three types, plus enhanced other factors, such as the maximum density of Shadows that they can create, or the regeneration rate of their shadow. Furthermore, the further down pure bloodlines you go, the greater a chance that someone will instinctually learn to access their powers as the instincts grow with the powers. And in diluted bloodlines, the abilities will decay, but at a much slower rate than the Consumed. Full Charred are exceedingly rare, though, due to the fact that the first generation didn’t realize what they were. 

Since none of the Charred who first came out of the Cracks knew they had powers, they assumed they were for the most part unaffected. Sure, they may have developed an odd compulsion to lie and deceive, but they weren’t Burnt like the Consumed or Inflamed, who were much more obviously no longer human. So, they returned to the human populace and were accepted as human. They did quickly realize that they were immune to the psychic calling of the Cracks, so they were proclaimed Immune, and became exceedingly important to the survival of humanity, greatly aiding in mapping out the Cracks. As they interbred mostly among normal humans, the Immunity was passed down for many generations due to the slow decay of Charred genetics. Bloodlines of Immune people (but actually Charred) still survive today thanks to the introduction of new Charred and the consolidation of Immune bloodlines. Of course, intermarriage of Immune people led to a few instances of Charred discovering their powers. In the cases that were discovered, they were deemed anomalies, and often killed.

Due to the intervention of the Inflamed, a number of first generation Charred were educated on their powers. These Charred went on to build several cities throughout the Ravages, the region of the continent filled with so many Cracks that it’s impossible for humans to survive there. Unlike the Consumed tribes living in the Ravages, who are typically nomadic due to their tendency to accidentally destroy permanent homes, these Charred tribes are stationary, and have built themselves a place among the former ruins of humanity. On the other hand, they are xenophobic and keep to themselves, refusing let humans become aware of their existence, let alone interact with them. They have the Inflamed to thank for this mindset. 

And finally, since I’ve introduced the concept of Burnt tribes/civilizations existing separate from the rest of humanity, here’s a summary of their philosophical views of themselves as the three aspects of fire.

Spoiler

Philosophy of the Burnt 

The Consumed: They are not the fire itself, but instead that which fuels the flame. They are the wood that blazes, the air that feeds the unbearable heat. They are the spark that begins a great conflagration, consuming all in its path. They can be explosive and volatile, but are quick to die down. And once they’re almost burned out, they become the hearth that wards off the cold of winter. 

The Charred: They are a dark reflection of the flame, seemingly its opposite, but without fire they cannot exist. They are the shadows that pass in the night, aethereal and flowing. Like the darkness, they can conceal the world behind them, and to be lost in the darkness is death. They are more than mere darkness, though; they are a mirror image of the blazing light. They live, they move, they dance. But they are also that which the fire leaves behind, the ashes left in the wake of the flame. And like ashes, they do not burn. 

The Inflamed: The flame itself. They are constant, inevitable, otherworldly. From afar they allow life to thrive, but get too close and you will be devoured, becoming one with the flame. No one can truly understand them, for the soul of fire is incomprehensible. They cannot be controlled or reasoned with; they are what they are and cannot be changed. Though mercurial at times, they are driven to move, to expand. And try though you might, you cannot quench them.

 

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