Pyromancy - Volume 2

Pyromancy: Theory and Applications by Vintrinia Carnen (vol. 2) Foreword by Lilliana Be'letane

This is the second and final part of Vintrinia's paper on the theory of Pyromancy, applicable to all fields of Elementalism. This part concerns the more advanced techniques currently in use by it's practitioners - the methods of overdrawing and innate elemental transmutation.

Pyromancy: Theory and Applications by Vintrinia Carnen (volume 2)

Pyromancy's Effects

Thus far we have only considered the most obvious change that pyromancy has upon a student, i.e. the elemental changes. There are other more subtle effects that the study has upon mages that take it up, and these are summarized in this section.

Oftentimes when casting, pyromancers will attempt to "over-draw" from the Vortex, so as to put more energy into their spells and to allow the substitution to be more convincing. One effect of this is the most noticeable casting trait of pyromancers: a small pulse of flame that extends from the mage whenever they cast a spell that is inherently fire-based. This is a manifestation of the spell being altered just as the other elemental spells; instead of the element changing, however, the more fluid calling of the element and the extra energy manifests as the pulse of surrounding flame.

Furthermore, it is easily observed that the evocations and conjurations of pyromancers are often more effective than those of their peers; i.e., they are able to summon more magic missiles, their fires burn stronger and thicker, etc. This is a manifestation of the ability to just slightly bend the limits of all evocations when over-drawing, on account of the substitution vocalization training. All elements of a spell have some room to bend, as discussed before, and talented pyromancers are able to use their training to allow for changes in the energy demands of a spell.

Modern Pyromancy Research

The most exciting research in pyromancy today continues to focus on the ability of pyromancers to push the vocal limits of spells. My own work has included constructing several pyromancy powered devices, but inspired by the success of all pyromancers in pushing the limits of the structure of spells, I have recently focused on blending different schools of magic together. Today, I present findings on blending elements of transmutation into evocation and conjuration spells. The results have been incredibly promising, and I hope to present here a framework from which all pyromancers will be able to apply my work to their casting.

Transposing an entire transmutative command word from one spell to another is an entirely untenable path, as any spell would instantaneously fizzle under such a dramatic shift. More success is possible when considering transmutative word endings-- that is, the endings of the Magya words that provide for unequivocally transmutative effects. The change to the original evocation will then often consist of only a single vowel or a few consonants at most: these changes can be small enough that a trained pyromancer can potentially still make the spell resolve.

With this as a working theory, I began to attempt actually casting modified evocations. The process was mostly one of trial and error: a potential ending would be appended first to one word and the spell would fizzle, moved to the next word and it would fizzle again, before finally the 5th word was the location which allowed the spell to complete. The exact location where the ending is appended depends very strongly on the spell, and I feel that most mages will have to determine the optimal placement for themselves. The entire process allows for a very personal understanding of each word of each spell, and I strongly encourage all pyromancers to attempt this method.

The effects are stunning: an evocation is given the power to partly transform the caster into flame. The channelling of such a great amount of fire energy, then, has the effect one would expect upon a fire elemental. The caster is healed of any wounds very slightly for every fire spell cast, as the overflow of energy mentioned before rolls over the caster and interacts with their modified body. Similarly, the caster turning into flame means that those interacting with the caster (through touching, weaponry, etc.) will be burned. It is a wonderful effect to see properly executed, and moreover, an incredible feeling for the caster-- the unity with the element at such a moment is great indeed.

Conclusions:

The state of pyromancy is today approaching something of a plateau of knowledge, as most fundamental discoveries have been made and the underlying stucture is well understood. There is still much room to explore in terms of research, particularly in the realms of mixed school spells and pyromantically powered devices.

But while pyromancy as an applied theory is rather straightforward, the important question of why it works in the first place remains. What exactly about the structure of a spell allows it to be bent, and to be bent to the extent that we have discovered? Why not more, or less? Why can we not string arbitrary words and gestures together when creating a new spell, but instead are forced to sit and carefully trace the interaction of every part? These are the questions which pyromancy raises, and that all mages should be asking themselves. These are the issues that are at the heart of the mystery of the Art, and which we must tackle if we are to develop a true understanding of Andrinor's gift.

I hope this article will serve as a rallying point for all mages seeking to further their understanding of the form which allows one of the deepest perceptions of the workings of the Arcane.