Private Eastern Brisshal Light My Fire

[Brutus Dahlgren]

Brutus found himself sitting in the clearing of his small home in the woods. The Small woodcutters shack had been a bit of a fixer upper at first, but now, Fort Gundame as he'd taken to calling it, was truly a second home to him. Never mind the doorframe was too small for him to exit without stooping, or that rabbits were prone to invade his garden and eat all of the herbs for their buff potions, or that all of the apple trees in the nearby vicinity had been picked fucking clean by his greedy hands, it was a wonderful place to call home.

Today was going to be an interesting day, however, because he had a guest coming over. A rare sort of affair, given that they didn't really have a Den with a nice plasma screen TV to watch the game on, or an open style kitchen perfect for hosting cocktail parties, it was a shack, but he would host her out in the clearing where they were less likely to burn something the fuck down. He'd dug out a large fire pit, and had spent the morning gathering kindling and wood.

Finally with everything ready, all he was waiting on was @Harukami

 

[Harukami]

It was rare that Harukami had plans outside her real-life duties of schoolwork and tutoring local kids. And yet, that day, she found herself running- in the game, mind you- looking for a face she'd only met once before. She remembered that the man she was looking for was tall- monstrously tall at that. She also remembered his name. But his voice? His demeanor? She remembered he was a nice man, but she couldn't even remember his eye color.

"L-Let's see, I think he said to turn left here?"

Harukami wasn't known for her memory. It was her timidity most people remembered about her, but she was feeling confident today. Well, more than usual. After all, she was proud of her study abilities, and today was a learning venture. The man had offered to help her learn more about pyromancy!

Finally, she saw him. The towering mass of musculature that made her jealous as a lanky loser offline. She knew it was just a game, but she'd since learned the game's secret killing power. So, it was more than a game to her now. Still, she tried to act friendly, waving to the man in question.

"Brutus!!! S-Sorry I'm late!"

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

"Yo! Haruka!" The Giant would exclaim in greeting, motioning her over to join him. He'd lugged over two large rocks, one for him to sit on, and the other presumably for her to take a seat. "Mornin! Hope you found this place all right, it's not too far from the village, but it can still be kinda hard to find if you don't know where you're going."

He'd met the woman a while ago, alongside a boisterous man by the name of Schilva. It felt like ages ago, but really couldn't have been more than a week or so. She'd asked about pyromancy, so when he figured he'd learned enough to teach it, he'd reached back out to her to help her with the same skill.

"So for starters, let's figure out what you know and go from there eh?" He would place both hands on his knees and lean forward a bit. "Show me some of what you've got cooking with your skills."

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Haruka smiled softly and ran over to Brutus with minimal speed, tripping and falling on her way due to not looking at the ground below her. Laughing eagerly, she got up and dusted off her skirt, making her way to the large rock he'd set for her to sit on. Taking a seat, she tried to ignore her embarrassing entrance that morning.

"I found it okay," She told him. "I did get a little turned around, but... I-I just forgot which way you said to turn for a moment to find the clearing."

Squirming slightly, she answered, "I do cook with it sometimes, actually. Or I've tried to. One time a stove wouldn't light, so I tried to create a flame. I um, mostly know how to create and control small fireballs." She held up her finger and focused on her staff, taking a deep breath. After a few moments, a small flame appeared on top of her finger, just a bit above it so it wouldn't burn her. "I can make them to the size of a baseball...?"

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

"I see." Brutus replied, watching her intently. The flame danced about her finger ever so slightly, small in nature, but it was deceptive. Even a tiny spark of flame could be disastrous. "And when you summon your fire, what's going through your mind? Are you thinking of anything in particular? Any focuses or visualizations?" He needed to get a feel for how she went about working and controlling her fire. He'd heard a lot of people say different things on this sort of thing, so he needed to get a glimpse into her own head and sort out how they would approach mastering her own brand of pyromancy.

"For example, depending on what I'm doing I use different focuses and such, or have different mental states." He would scratch his head. "Like if I'm blasting someone away, I'm usually mad, so I take that anger, ball it up, and shoot it out my canon. Does that make sense?"

Knowing was going to be half the battle here, reaching an understanding of how the mind shaped the actions of the reality would be the key to making any progress.

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

What was going through her mind? She had to think of it for a moment. "I think of warmth. I imagine the warmth flooding over me... Like an ethereal blanket..." She looked away, blushing. "I really like to cook, so... Sometimes I imagine the stove lighting... and the flame heating the pan... D-Does that make sense?"

She listened carefully, trying to think of what emotion best described her when she was using her flame. Killing the fire atop her finger, Haruka explained, "I focus on my breathing... and my, um..." What was the word in English again? "P-Passhun? No, um... Pass...Passion! My passion!"

Nodding to what Brutus had explained, she mused, "I-I don't really get angry a lot... S-So that might be pretty hard... Do I have to think, um, about a time I was angry? I can't think of one right now, but... Is that what I need to do?"

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

He paused as he debated what she explained, mulling it over. He would crack his neck and tap his knee idly.
"So...everyone does things differently and they have different sources of their powers." He would tap his chin and think about it for a moment.

"When you tend to use your power, what are you usually looking to accomplish? Why do you try and wield the flame? Understanding why you want to use the flame will help shape the how you use the flame."

He would grab a small bundle of kindling and begin tightly weaving it into a small nest like structure. "To help with this, and with a training exercise, we're going to focus on some control. Your goal is simple, you're going to light a small spark in the center of this little bundle of grass and you're going to hold it there. You can't let it go out, but you have to keep it from spreading and lighting the entire thing up in your hands. Do you think you can muster that?"

This was a deceptively hard challenge, but would ultimately prove to be a useful first step.

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Harukami took a deep breath before responding, wanting to speak as crystal clear as she could. She failed, but she tried. "U-Usually, I use it for battle. I-I recently also used it to help build a wall. B-By using a flame, we h-heated the mortar so it set faster."

Putting her finger to her lips, she tried to think. She'd honestly taken pyromancy on a whim and because she was used to dealing with fire as someone who liked to cook. "I want... to use it for lots of things. I-I like to cook, so fire is an old f-friend to me. I-I know it can't heal, but it can be helpful in other ways, right?"

When he grabbed the bundle of kindling, she stared at him blankly- until he told her what he wanted her to do with the woven product. "H-Huh? H-How long do I need to hold it? I-I can probably do it for a little while, but..." She trailed off, wondering if, with her low self esteem, she could really do this. Shaking her head rapidly, she pumped her arms and said, "N-No, I'll do it! I have to try!"

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

He would give the woman a warm smile and nod along as she spoke. "It sounds like you want to use your fire to help people, so why don't we focus on the feeling that help gives you okay?" He would reach across and set a hand on her shoulder gently. "Remember to breathe, and calm down. We're in a safe space and you're not going to be judged on how you're doing in a negative way. We need to see where you are so we can figure out where to go." His normal rugged voice was now soft, soothing even. Strangely enough he figured this woman was more a Rabbit in spirit than the Lepus he tended to adventure with.

"Gentle, long, smooth breaths in and out. Focus on a small fire, and keep it there. Don't let it burn away the kindling, keep it under control. The first lesson of mastering Pyromancy is keeping it under control."

He would let go of his shoulder, leaning back to watch her work with keen interest.

(For shits and giggles, roll me a mastery check and we'll use that to determine your progress?)

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Haruka was relieved by his calm voice. Sometimes, she wished she had a rugged voice offline- her real voice was still fairly girlish, despite her body being that of a man. It didn't really matter when she was feeling feminine, but Haruka had days where she wanted to be more like a guy, too. Today was apparently one of those days... But she wasn't Haruka right now, so it didn't matter.

With long, gentle breaths, she began to light the kindling gently in the center, focusing all her attention on the warm feeling of making someone smile. She imagined her sister in particular, commending her for a delicious meal or for fixing her clothes. Slowly, she began to smile. It lasted quite a while- but eventually, her energy petered out.

"Um... D-Did I do okay...? M-Mister Brutus-sensei?"

Rolls

Mastery Check
1d100 (91) + 10 = 101
Pyromancy | Harukami | 782

Player Sheet

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

He would take the small nest egg of kindling from her and look it over. Her endurance could use a little work, she'd tired out fairly quickly. His eyes would narrow into slits as he eyes the dime sized scorch mark in the center. "This is a pretty good radius. You kept it tight, but it didn't go out till you petered out, meaning you had excellent control over this." He would nod along as he spoke, reaching into his inventory and passing her a small bottle roughly the size of a soda she would get out of a vending machine.

"Take a sip out of that, small swig though, otherwise you might waste mana replenishing. Fill your bar back up and we'll try again to see if we can sustain consistent results."

He wasn't accusing her of beginners luck per se, but he would need to make sure she could reach this level of control consistently before she moved on to her next step.

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

She was delighted by the praise, and drank a small swig of the liquid she was given. However, as much as she tried to light the kindling again, it didn't light. At least, not at first. For a few minutes, she concentrated on her breath and focused on putting a flame before her.

Finally, the flame came out- but far too strong. She jumped back, startled by just how big of a flare she created. With haste, she tried to put it out, blowing on it like a fool. She took a while trying to put it out with her power alone, but it was not enough.

"S-Sensei! I can't stop it!"

She'd gotten cocky, she realized. All too quickly, she thought she had it down. She'd succeeded when melting mortar, but this was different. This was about pure control- and apparently, she didn't have that down yet. "I-I'm so sorry, sensei!"

Rolls

Mastery Check
1d100 (15) + 10 = 25
Pyromancy | Harukami | 782

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

Brutus would extend a hand and clasp his hand tight. The flame would snuff out in an instant, leaving just a trace wisp of smoke billowing upwards. He would casually reach out, taking the now charred bundle of kindling and chuckling slightly. "Don't be sorry. This is why we're here." He waggle the charcoal before tossing it aside into the firepit. "So things like this happen here and not when you need it to work."

He would reach down and scoop up a fistful of dried grass and would quietly work on weaving another nest for her to work on. "The main takeaway for this is to focus. You need to keep yourself sharp and in control, but you cannot panic when things go sideways on you." He would finish weaving the little nest and hand it back to her.

"The main things you need to get a feel for are your emotions, your breathing, and the amount of power you're letting through. Balance these things, keep them in check, and if things go wrong you need to act quickly but NOT panic."

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

She felt lucky Brutus was so calm and kind. She didn't know many men like that- then again, she didn't know many men in general, in the real world. Sure, she went to school with some, but she didn't really know any of them. They were acquaintances. An acquaintance didn't teach you to wield fire magic as readily as Brutus was doing.

She took the little nest, a worried expression carved into her feminine features. "I-I think I need lessons on how not to p-panic," she said softly, timid voice squeaking slightly as she spoke. "I-I'm prone to panicking in general..."

Still, she tried her best. The fire stayed put this time- not as long as the first one, but it at least worked properly. She was trying to focus on her breathing, but she wasn't taking into account she was still nervous. She tried to focus on the ground under her feet for a moment, but it didn't seem to help the nerves the way she'd been told by her therapist it would.

"S-Should I try again?"

Rolls

Mastery Check
2d100 (Advantage) (47, 33) + 10 = 57
Pyromancy | Harukami | 782

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

"I think that we should probably focus on the nerves." Brutus would reply with a smile. "Pyromancy is a skill heavily attached to your emotions. If you cannot control them, you won't be able to properly control your flames." He would get up on his feet and stride over to the shack. He would rustle around before coming back with a few items to help with this conversation. He would set twin kittens on her lap, one with fur like charcoal and the other a tabby.

"Say hello to Crow and Tiger. They will be our emotional support animals today. Why don't you explain to them why you're feeling nervous? They won't judge you, but do be careful because Tiger can and will climb onto your shoulder to kiss your ears so be ready for that."

The two kittens would swish and flick their tails, looking up to Harukami curiously. Unbeknownst to the woman, the giant had hit them with a Primal Aura message asking them to befriend the woman, leaving them in a receptive state for affection.

@Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Haruka smiled softly as the two kittens were placed in her lap. They were adorable, and somehow reminded her of herself and her sister slightly. She could easily guess which kitten was which by the names, gently stroking their heads. When told to tell them why she was so nervous, she paled. Did she even know the answer to that?

"I... have a twin sister." She suddenly began to tell them. "I've always been... weak. So weak my brain has injuries from a long time ago. Because I get hurt easily, my sister... She's always had to protect me... I came to this world alone because... I wanted to give her freedom from me. I want to... Learn to protect myself..."

She was struggling as tears came into her eyes. "But... It's scary. People I don't know... I'm terrified of. Without my sister next to me, I... Just get swallowed up... By the fear. The fear that I'm just troublesome... The fear that my brain will... Make people hate me. I don't want to... cause trouble for people... I want to be... useful to them?"

Looking up at Brutus, she asked, "Am I... making sense so far, you think? I'm scared of... lots of things. But... Being a burden, that's the scariest thought of all..."

@Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

"Well..." Brutus would let this all stew for a moment. Clearly there was...a lot to unpack here. "I think the first thing for us to talk about is that it's okay to be scared. Being scared is natural, its a part of being alive, it's your body's natural response to danger, an attempt to keep you alive. I've never met anyone who wasn't scared of something, so you're not alone in that regard. I don't think anyone wants to be a burden, so you're not in the wrong there." He would chew his lip for a moment, he couldn't just tell her to get over it, things didn't work that way.

"Wanting to learn to be able to stand on your own two legs is an admirable goal. Wanting to be able to help others is also an admirable goal, and in order to do both of those things you need to keep your fear from stopping you. That's what being brave is, nobody can be brave without being afraid, that's just how it works." He would shrug.

"So lets talk about how we're going to take these steps, which you're doing a great job with. You want to be able to protect yourself, so you're learning to master your own Pyromancy, and here we are. In order to progress however, you're going to have to come to terms with that you're going to make mistakes, its a natural part of the learning process. You can't let yourself be afraid to make those mistakes, or it will just leave you paralyzed and in a position to make more mistakes, does that make sense?"

@Harukami