Ignatan (ig-nah-TAHN)

The magic of fire and ice

Middengeard    Natural Laws    Elemental Magic      Ignatan

Ignatan is the technical term for those who possess the ability to control the temperature of matter. It is an Elemental form of magic. The term 'Ignatan' is generally only used in The Stiriphese. The rest of Favont knows those with this power as fire demons.

Field Notes

The Department of Standards originally asked me to look into different 'demon' types, which like anyone from Favont, I understood to mean different types of Ananan magic. Only when I arrived in Steffen, and asked to be introduced to a fire demon, did I first hear this term 'Ignatan' which was said with a great rolling of many eyes and disappointment that I did not know its proper name.

Meridian Faro

I was introduced to Corporal Meridian Faro, an Ananan, and Ignatan serving in the Nightguard. He was polite, very respectful, and had great command over his powers. I asked him to display the full range, which he did, without flourish or hesitation.

I gave my report to the D.O.S who rejected it due to the name being part of the Ananan language and that they did not consider it appropriate to use. They did, however, accept 'fire demon.'

For my own journal, I will continue to use the proper term.

Manifestation

We are taught that Ananans chant incantations to create magic, drawing on the dark forces from The Pit. I saw no evidence of this. We are also taught that Ananans stole their magic, but I also fail to see how that can be possible. Their skills are so impressive, that if to achieve them all you had to do was commit theft, there would be more Ananans!

Corporal Faro explained that the powers of Ignatan are a spectrum, ranging from the very hot, to the very cold.

Fit to work

All elementals, regardless of type, must be healthy to use their powers. Those who are sick can not access them, and many elementals only realise that they are sick when they see their magic fade. As soon as health is restored, the magic returns.

Meridian Faro Photographed by Lemi Louf (AI)

Hot

He began with fire, first with his hands, showing me how his skin took the appearance of coal beneath the flickering flames. He opened his mouth and breathed out fire, akin to a dragon. Finally, he changed his whole body, clothes and all, into flaming coal. When he changed back, it was as if he had never been on fire in the first place.

Faro explained that he can change more matter than just himself into fire. He can change anything he touches, from his clothes to the floor, and even to me, if he were to touch me before changing.

Fire, however, is his most extreme manifestation. He can also heat things simply by touching them. He demonstrated this with a cup of tea, placing a finger in the liquid until it boiled before my eyes. Apparently, he could have boiled the tea just by holding the cup, but he did not want to risk cracking the china.

He invited me to hold his hand. It was very hot to begin with, any hotter and I might have burnt myself. As I touched his skin, I felt him rapidly cool to a normal body temperature, and then beyond, until his skin felt clammy, and then colder than death.

Can change anything into fire, or simply warm it

Cold

Ice crystals began to form across his skin. Apparently, he can move from fire to ice in seconds, but for me, so that I could witness the full spectrum, he slowed the transition.

His skin became whiter and gradually more translucent. He touched the tea, and this time it froze over, sliding perfectly inside the cup. His clothes also lightened, first covered in frost, then turning translucent themselves, until he took on the appearance of a carved ice sculpture.

Refracted light filled the room. I could hear the creak and grind as the ice crystals of his body scoured against one another. He retained his full range of movement, but it was surprisingly noisy.

Then it seemed disaster had struck. Where Meridian Faro had once stood, there was now only a pile of ice crystals. I was horrified, convinced I had pushed him too far and that he had shattered under his own magic. The crystals wobbled and glittered, then rolled towards one another, and he rose up from them, chuckling at my distress.

The colour of his skin and clothes returned, and not a single trace of ice or frost remained in the room.

Can break entire body into ice crystals and reform

Meridian Faro Photographed by Lemi Louf (AI)

Uses

I was surprised to learn that although Faro is in the army, he has very little cause to use his magic directly in his work.

He is professionally trained to use fire and ice in self-defence, but only as a diversion or deterrent. “Death is neither imminent nor guaranteed,” as he put it. That was a very surreal conversation.

When I asked about uses away from the army, he admitted that, like most Ignatans, he uses it for small, everyday tasks. These are so embedded in his life that he barely considers them to be “magic”.

He listed the following, though he added there are probably more that he simply had not considered:

• Creating fires
• cooking or freezing food
• as a lighter/ light
• Keeping warm/ keeping cool
• Relieving muscle tightness
• Melting or creating snow or ice
• Creating steam
• Ironing clothes

As an Ignatan, he impervious to extreme temperatures, and can survive very comfortably in those environments. His internal body temperature always remains regulated, unless he becomes sick, then it goes 'haywire' and he jumps from fever to chill.

Cooking, cooling, and ironing are common uses

Training

When I asked how he developed his skill in using magic, he explained it simply.

There's no books, or courses, or qualifications. Instead your family, your school, and your community, teach you how to be decent, and to use you skills with decency.

I took this moment to ask about Terva and their arson attacks, and whether those involved had training to commit that crime, or knew their actions were wrong.

You don't have to be an Ignatan or even an Ananan to be an arsonist. Some people will always act selfishly and cause others injury.

There is no training, only experience

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Final Notes

Perhaps out of all the 'demon' types, Ignatan are the most visually terrifying. Their entire bodies can change into two states that we know, as pervious mortals, are both dangerous.

I asked him if other Ananans felt as scared of his kind as we did, to which Corporal Faro laughed, and that among Ananans, the Ignatans are referred to as cooks.

Ignatan

Manifestation

• Must be healthy to perform
• Ignatan is a spectrum of temperatures from ice to fire
• Anything that the ignatan touches can also be changed
• In states of change, they can break apart and reform

Uses

• Household tasks
• Creating light
• Not suitable as a weapon

Training

• No specific training given
• Learn through community support, family, and school
• Ethical use taught, but some people are naturally not ethical