A little more history

Often, the Graumen will depict their God as an old Graumen man, but many also depict him as a type of spirit.

Graumen believe that their God is what gave them life as well as their ability to practice fire magic.

Although many Graumen argue that they don't have any particular ability to practice fire magic, it is the inherent traits their bodies have that allow them to do so.

Their bodies secrete a type of filament that creates a protective barrier around their skin. This filament can be used in a way to protect their bodies from the heat that fire magic creates.

Although the Graumen are not particularly talented at fire magic but as they are the only race that can practice it, they are considered to be both fire-resistant and talented at it.

This is of course not true, as their filament does not provide them with complete protection from the flames.

The Graumen only views the filament as a slight protection against the heat and doesn't actively practice fire magic because of the inherent danger that comes with it.

Many Graumen will still experience intense pain, despite their protective filament, and are unable to resist the burns that come with it. 4th-degree burns are not uncommon, and the injuries can often be fatal.

The greatest danger of these burns is that they cannot be healed by any sort of magic, which deters many from even trying it.

Even then, those who practice fire magic will find that their filament is quickly depleted or destroyed. Graumen have to wait for their filament to come back or be secreted naturally before they are able to practice it again.

Some who experience fatal burns find that their body's secretion is damaged in some way and are no longer able to produce an effective amount or none at all, forcing them to quit practicing.

For this reason, it is only during times of war that fire magic practice is demanded.

Fire magicians will often conscript younglings who they consider to be talented or those who secrete a high amount of filament.

Because of the Graumens slight ability, their determination to study fire magic, and their devotion to raising capable fire users they have been able to firmly establish their kingdom within the world.

Their unity has allowed them to advance much further than the other species in both their technology and ideology which have enabled them to become much more powerful.

The Graumen are also the only species that is entirely united in one kingdom.

Both the Eskers and the Truks have separate kingdoms due to infighting.

The Eskers populate 3 separate kingdoms and the Truks populate 2.

Both of those kingdoms had once been under one rule, but after being in power for so long there were eventual fights among their royal families for rulership.

The size of their original kingdoms also led to a decentralization of rulership, making it easy for the country to split up.

The Graumen's sudden rise has caused much unrest to these kingdoms and have caused many to consider re-unification. Although, it seems that will never happen because of those in power wanting to stay in power. The royalty of each species will never want to give up what they seem to think as their natural right to rule.

The Graumen's sudden rise have caused many stories and legends to come with it, stories of their fire users in particular.

Their stories have caused fear and unrest to the world and the species currently living in it.

It is said that one Graumen is able to wipe out 100 Eskers with one spell or burn down an entire forest full of Truks.

It is said that every 100 years there is a Graumen who is considered supremely talented and they will be raised with the country's resources to be effective in battle. These Graumen are said to rival entire armies.

The stories of these Graumen become widespread, but they are also often exaggerated.

The Graumen may have the ability to practice fire magic, but it is not as great as the other species seem to think.

The Graumen knows their limitations and do not overestimate their capabilities. Years of hardship have made them realize how weak and strong they can be.

Their ability to practice fire magic is something they know isn't anywhere near as strong as it's portrayed, but if practiced diligently and perfected then it can be very valuable.

Their practice, which they've honed over the past 300 years, is known as the fyr.

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*Sigh*

"Guyer, are you making a mockery of the fyr?"

"..."

"I mean, seriously?" Samiah says, looking at the campfire his student, Guyer, has just made.

"Am I meant to fall in to fall into this somehow? Did I suddenly go blind and am unable to sense the fyr? How do you expect to do me any harm with this campfire? Were you hoping to throw this at me?"

"...What do you want me to say?"

"*Sigh*"

Today was supposed to be Guyer's test to show his combat effectiveness using the fyr. His teacher was going to grade him based on his improvement and creativity when using the art.

Guyer had apparently opted to showcase his talents, using firewood he took from the soldier's forge, by creating a small campfire.

"Guyer, I know you aren't talented, but this is just ridiculous. Did you think this would count toward creativity? Hmm? Did you?!"

"I don't know... Maybe."

"*Sigh* Guyer, well, why didn't you just do what I taught you?"

"Because what you taught me doesn't make any sense!"

"Okay, look again," Samiah says.

Guyer suddenly begins to feel the fyr all around him, his senses signaling danger.

"I already told you-!"

Guyer had no chance to respond as his fire teacher suddenly conjured miniature explosions to occur all around him.

Guyer attempts to dodge these explosions, but his teacher is relentless.

It didn't matter if Guyer leaped 1 meter or 5 meters, the explosions would follow his every move. It felt as if there was nowhere to go. He was constantly in danger of being engulfed by the flames.

"Hey, enough!" Guyer would shout as he took his sword from his scabbard and used the aer to slice through the fyr, making his way towards his teacher by taking a giant leap forwards.

As soon as Guyer's sword reached an inch from Samiah, the explosions stopped and Samiah began to speak once more.

"You're getting better at feeling the fyr, Guyer, but your senses still aren't enough. I could've seriously harmed, especially when you leaped towards me. You left yourself completely exposed. This is because you don't spend enough time practicing the fyr and you rely too much on your senses, and that damned sword of yours."

"That's because I can't, not that I don't want-"

"-I know you can't, but you need to do everything you can. Practice as much as possible, anytime that are you free. At least practice sensing it, more than you already are, otherwise someone better than I, at practicing the fyr, may cause you harm."

"Hmph, and who wishes to cause me harm? There is no one better than you at the fyr, and if there are they are all Graumen. Why would a Graumen wish to cause me harm?"

"Guyer... You put too much trust in people. Even if a Graumen does not wish to cause you harm, it doesn't mean it will always be that way. In the past, the Graumen were not always like this. We were once just like the Truks and the Eskers."

"Teacher, I know what you are trying to say, but we aren't like the Truks and the Eskers. The Graumen are all family and I am the crown prince, no fyr user would dare harm me. And as I said, there is no one in the kingdom, no, in the whole world better at you at using the fyr. You are a genius that comes every 100 years, remember?"

"Guyer. You can only say that because you haven't yet seen a genius, a true genius of the fyr. You have seen Rakkan, a genius of the sword, but not one of the fyr. Trust me, you have not seen them and I am not one of them." Samiah says, turning his back as he beings to exit the training grounds.

But, before he leaves, he turns back to say something to Guyer.

"And another thing, Guyer. Not all geniuses of the fyr are Graumen."