Flame Maidens

"One of the Terrestrial Spirits."Crackling pops, wavering heat mirage, persistent glow, radiating warmth. The presence of a flame elemental might be hidden through careful illusion magic, but any time spent next to a living embodiment of fire itself will inevitably reveal the inflammable nature of these personified spirits of magical ignition.

Legend
Will many other spirits appear to be operating within a structured metaphysical caste system that strives to ensure the ecological stability of the world itself, Flame Maidens take a very different position. While there is undoubtedly a very real need of the cleansing effects of a raging forest fire, most human legends speak instead of the capricious- or even hateful- nature of these maidens of flame, who stand unmoved within the hearts of the fiercest infernos. Much description within stories has gone in to the way they enjoy running their smoldering fingers along the timbers of houses that will shortly combust and burn down, taking with it anyone foolish enough to remain inside.

Despite this seemingly hostile portrayal, there is very little said for Flame Maidens actually being evil. Instead, it appears to be merely their nature to destroy that which they touch when given the chance, and it is even sometimes said to be a source of sadness for them. Several myths that include Ladies of Flame containing elements of them being heartbroken over being unable to touch the objects of their affections. In one story, a Flame Maiden even sacrificed her magic nature so as to become human and marry her beloved, though in the most common iteration he went on a quest to bring back her fire to her as he did not want her to give up who she was for his sake.

At the same time, there are stories of stranded, lost, and faltering travelers being found by a Living Fire and- while in some stories suffering burns from her touch- being dragged out of harsh weather and into a cave where a crackling fire kept disease at bay and warmed the bones enough to recover until being found by rescue parties. These tales are much more common in northern Uropa and Rossiya especially due to harsher winters and colder weather.

And finally there are a few mentions of wizards or magicians summoning or creating a Flame Maiden to serve as a companion to cure them of loneliness or help them in their arcane pursuits. This never ends well, often with them burning to death or their tower and research going up in flames, making this sort of story a cautionary tale warning against the dangers of romantic shortcuts or taking the easy route to knowledge and power.

Ember Form
Flame Maidens appear to be youthful but mature women of remarkably white skin, taking on an ashy, chalky paleness to their complexion for most of their bodies. This changes partway down their arms and legs, where ash gives way to burnt charcoal, dark and mottled at first and eventually pure black. This once more gives way to the inner light of yellow-orange inner fire, as their hands and feet glow with a perpetual illumination of internally-smoldering flame.

These fiery body parts are as hot as they appear, and can cause minor burns through touching others, although more practiced Flame Maidens can control the heat transferred via touch. On more than one occasion a Flame Maiden has demonstrated being able to touch raw meat and cause it to cook to a safe eating temperature merely through holding it, and the same is theorized to be possible by standing on it, though this has not been tested.

So as to avoid causing fear, most Flame Maidens take great care to wear fire-proof boots and gloves most times, only taking them off should the need arise. Although their bodies do not have the same sexual characteristics as human bodies, many wear clothing as well so as to more easily interact with human society, and these clothes are often also fire resistant to prevent unintentional conflagration due to elevated emotions.

Inferno Form
While a Flame Maiden's nature can be hidden Ember form through the use of makeup and obscuring clothing, the true form of the Flame Maiden cannot possibly be obscured. Upon reaching a level of emotional agitation or through intentional abandonment of the restraints that her usual form imbues, a Flame Maiden may 'unravel' her ashen body to reveal the raging inferno that hides beneath the surface of her normal form.

This inferno form takes on the appearance of an enormous pillar of fire which still bears the shape of her feminine torso, but nonetheless appears to be an image of her projected onto a ravaging holocaust of flame. The size of this form depends largely upon the individual strength of the Flame Maiden, with some being as much as fifty feet tall and capable of reaching temperatures of 900°C. Less powerful Flame Maidens might be able to achieve such sizes and temperatures but for far shorter time spans, as manifesting like this uses up an incredible amount of energy that most are incapable of sustaining for long.

Upon reverting to their normal form, a Flame Maiden might appear more chalky and pale than normal until they have recovered, and their glowing hands and feet will be dimmer and cooler for a time as well.

Capabilities
A Flame Maiden's greatest strength is of course her fire, capable of searing flesh and consuming flammable materials. In the usual form, a Flame Maiden can toss small projectiles made of fire as well as transfer great heat through touch of hand or foot, but when in her inferno form, the amount of fire is only limited by the size of her burning body. While magical in origin, it otherwise acts as natural fire, and once separated from the Flame Maiden herself is no longer sentient or capable of being manipulated by her. Flame Maidens can create fire, but they cannot inherently extinguish it.

Just as shooting a bullet into a campfire has little impact upon its ability to burn, so too are Flame Maidens scarcely bothered by projectiles or piercing weapons. Explosions present significantly more danger, as do large blunt weapons, but knives and guns can only do damage by eroding the structural integrity of their bodies one wound cavity at a time. This is amplified when in their inferno form, in that most physical attacks will fly through their fiery bodies without any impact whatsoever.

Weaknesses
While all living beings need oxygen, that is even moreso true of Flame Maidens. They burn through oxygen very swiftly, as being trapped in a small, airtight space would see the air become unbreathable ten times faster than it would for a human. Additionally, since they 'breathe' through their entire body and not just their mouths, gas masks are not effective and any inhalation vector hazards like smoke or poison gas act as contact vectors for a Flame Maiden.

As with any fire, Flame Maidens require fuel. Anything that burns can serve as a form of sustenance, though they prefer dried wood and paper over most other things. Flammable chemicals can make do in a pinch, but apparently they 'taste bad' and are only acceptable as a last ditch measure. Flame Maidens require the equivalent of one 12 inch-long fire log per four hours of activity, and one such log per full day of dormancy.

Also like a natural fire, the Flame Maiden's natural enemy is water. Rain stings like insect bites and a bucket of water might as well be a vial of acid. This is another reason why most Flame Maidens wear thick gloves and boots, as damage done by water is far worse when it hits their hands or feet. Needless to say, being submerged entirely in water is certain death. While water is less dangerous to a Flame Maiden's inferno form, it is still harmful and can hasten the return to her usual form.

The final difficulty that Flame Maidens must tackle is the direct correlation between their emotional stability and their control over their own burning nature. Mental composure allows a Flame Maiden to touch even the driest of kindling with their bare hands without so much as a wisp of smoldering smoke. And yet Flame Maidens are passionate beings whose temperament matches the capricious nature of the element they embody. Quick to anger and joy alike, they cannot limit the transfer of heat from their hands and feet when their emotions are in flux.