Spinning Fire
During early Avechary, 405 years after the Coming of Estarra, a young dracnari maiden named Asaami stumbled into the City of Gaudiguch, seeking the assistance of the Pyromancers’s guild. Ashed Shahrizai, a member of the Circle of the Five Sacred Fires in the Pyromancers, was the first to come to her aid. She spoke of the Fire Spinners, an ancient sect of Pyromancers who performed in the Palace of Pleasure in the years before Gaudiguch was lost to time. Startled to hear from Seraku that none were left in the city, she realised that she and her Master were the last who kept this sacred act alive. As every Master takes on only a single apprentice, it was imperative that Asaami prove herself by performing the ceremonial Fire Spinner dance at sunset – but alas, Asaami had been blind from birth, and could not complete the ritual tasks required. Ashed, touched by her plight, offered to assist, and led her back to Master Zuzume, the dracnari who’d taught her, in Zoaka. There, Zuzume told Ashed what must be done.
Ashed was tasked in trials of cunning and wit, proving himself through riddles that led him to several sacred items required for Asaami’s ceremony. So too did Ashed face trials of bravery and strength, as well as those of subtle persuasion: each task bringing Asaami closer to her performance. Never once did he deter, even as the daylight waned and sunset drew near. Soon, he presented each of the seven sacred items to Master Zuzume on behalf of the young dracnari girl. Each item represented the skills of a true Fire Spinner, proving Ashed was truly worthy of fulfilling the ritual’s tasks in Asaami’s stead. Ashed watched on as the young Apprentice Asaami was transformed by her master into a true Fire Spinner, prepared to dance upon the first setting of the sun. Together they offered Ashed the honour of lighting the ceremonial staff with the firegem shard, thanking him for his efforts and encouraging him to invite any who wished to attend.
Bandeon of New Celest, Marcella and Arcanis of Magnagora, Athree of Glomdoring, and a tardy Xaldrin Somnius of Gaudiguch each attended Asaami’s first dance as a fully realized Fire Spinner, announced by Ashed’s sacred lighting of the ceremonial staff. There they beheld the wonder that is a Fire Spinner’s dance. To the surprise of all present, the ancient art drew the attentions of the mythic fire wyverns, who were so enraptured by the performance that they too engaged in dance, mating to bring about new hatchlings of sunset-coloured eggs. Delighted, Asaami offered to sell these beautiful eggs to those present. Legend has it that a fire wyvern’s eggs are so fragile that they can only last until the next sunset, but that a Fire Spinner’s dance can bring these beautiful creatures out of hiding once more.
