Banefire

And as he spoke, an ill-green flame
came from his hand, and said his name:
"I am Garrad, and I was told
these people knew, and understood
the rules I made, but just tonight
these wretched fools now forfeit life
for their crimes: base burglery,
trespassing, dishonesty.
Pay attention, and heed my words:
You will obey or suffer burns."
The flame consumed all it touched;
it melted flesh and hair to dust,
ate their screams with cack'ling glee;
naught but bones for all to see.

-Excerpt 'Dark Mage Garrad'
--Lost Oral Histories

Banefire, as the commonfolk once liked to call it, appears as any other color than normal fire, often in neon or dull colors as opposed to simply 'bright', but always giving the impression of something terribly unnatural. There are old recorded incidents where banefire was shaped differently (radiating outwards rather than upwards) or moved differently (in slow motion or undulating, pulsing) than normal fire. Banefire was named as such as it simply ate away at anything living, and no amount of armor, unless one was completely covered, could save anyone from it.

Banefire is the result of the successful manipulation of the pure energy of Death emanating from the entombed and defeated Death Gods. Very early mages noted the possibility of another source of power in the world beyond mana and the elements. Most experiments yielded no results, but a handful either disfigured or outright killed the experimenters. Banefire was eventually discovered by dogged researchers, and the magic community present at the time gave mixed opinions on the results. Mages were not as common, and most exceptional mages ruled as lords over small areas from towers constructed either by magic or forced labor. Banefire was seen either as another means to intimidate the populace or as a mockery of proper magic and a horrific weapon.

Once the age of dark sorcerers ruling from their tall towers had passed, practice of creating banefire dwindled. There was only ever one discovered means of manifesting it, and any variation in appearance came from the slightly unique methods of each practicing mage. This meant that limiting knowledge of the spell became easy, and the increasingly good-hearted population of mages on Ara'niel eventually rendered the practice nonexistent save for well-guarded texts.

Other means of generating the same appearance of banefire were found, such as adding certain metals to wood-burning fires. Several small accounts of clever men using fake banefire to intimidate and turn away highwaymen exist, though there are more famous accounts of entertainment troupes using fake banefire to wow an audience.

Banefire is known to the Conclave, as most of the surviving texts about it are kept on the Conclave's island. Research on the subject is highly restricted and almost nonexistent (there have been a few failed experiments in the past), and a growing number of people within the magic community believe that banefire is either an elaborate hoax or is simply an age-old misunderstanding of some existing magic.


The true reason for banefire's appearance, other than the slight alterations in methods between mages, comes from a mixture of energies. Some other elements are pulled along with Death, and a large amount of mana is necessary to do so and to fully manifest it. The mixture of energies produces a strange color. The caster's palm is protected and the energies radiate outwards, usually upwards, like a flame.

Due to the amount of energy needed to create banefire, manifesting it was seen as a show of power, especially so if it was thrown about for less necessary reasons (such as executions). If any were to use it in the present day, and prove that it's not some illusion, they would be regarded with awe and fear (as well as immediately being hunted for capture by the Conclave).

Balefire RoKK style.

I was not aware that Balefire was a thing. I googled it, and different hits popped up. Are you talking about WoT balefire?

Indeed lol. But on a more productive note this would be a perfect explanation for the ultimate spell wielded by the head of the Black Court in the Impereich. I had already envisioned an long individual plot line for any mage character I deemed worthy to have Gaurfang teach them how to do the spell.

Now this sounds like a useful thing for monsters to do... I'm actually excited at the prospect of this Chaos, it's gonna be interesting, I think I feel another short story coming on.

Everyone fine with the article then so I can push it through?

It has my vote.