#firenewt

This should be a good one, they both had a 63.9% smash rate during the qualifiers!

On the left, the Firenewt! These are human-sized amphibious elementals who adore steam and hot water. So you find them in hotsprings and such, they need that hot water or they become super sluggish after a while. They can also breathe fire and tame giant elemental dino things called striders! Most are just normal people, but occasionally you'll find a militaristic cultist, so just avoid those.

This was my lovely assignment for the @ff7central fanworks exchange this year, for firenewt, which was only fair after they did that wonderful set of art for Playboys. It sort of took on a life of its own, but I’m pleased with how it came out. (And yes, this was the one that got me that “5K on day 2″ nyoom status when you guys were watching me do NaNo.)

The prompt was: I would like a story about these three (Rufus, Tseng and Cissnei) characters, that could include, for example, how they met, what their relationship is to and with each other, how they got through the events of Crisis Core and the OG/Remake, and what happened to their relationships as a result of all that. 

Consider this the “Before Crisis: Speedrun Edition” told through their eyes, lol. It’s posted in full on Ao3, and will be posted a little more stretched out on FFN.

Ao3 || FFN

Summary: If they’re lucky, their paths will cross again.

---

CH1: To New Friends

Summary: Rufus was not particularly good at sharing, but he could make an exception. 

Excerpt:

"Her name is Tian." Veld was behind him, then, catching him off guard. "She's technically a ward of ShinRa."

Rufus didn't take his eyes off this Tian. "Why is she here?"

"Why are you here?" Veld asked instead, question for question in that cryptic way Rufus hated.

Rufus narrowed his eyes at him, and pointedly ignored the question. "You said 'technically' a ward of ShinRa. How can she only technically be? You are or you're not."

"She's been placed under my care," Veld said.

"…to be a Turk?" Rufus said skeptically. "She's a baby!"

Image by Richard Sardinha, © Wizards of the Coast. Accessed at the Monsters of Faerun Art Gallery here

[The firenewts played a starring role in my high school prehistoric game, as the PCs spent levels 9-12 or so gallivanting around their volcanic island and investigating lost cities, fighting slaad cults and having other adventures. As such, I have a lot of fondness for these guys, which has rubbed off on the flavor text of some of my other reptilian humanoids, like lizalnargs and scritae.]

Firenewt CR 1 NE Monstrous Humanoid This reptilian humanoid has orange skin and a long tail. It wears a fine suit of mail, and heat seems to shimmer off of it.

Firenewts are cruel and militant reptilian humanoids native to volcanic peaks and caverns. They organize their society around a theocracy, typically worshiping infernal lords or elemental princes of fire. Different tribes may worship different gods, and often go to war over differences in doctrine or patron. Firenewts have little love for their fellows, and consider it the greatest military honor to completely exterminate a rival tribe. Such occasions are typically marked by cannibalistic rites, as firenewts believe that eating a body prevents its soul from going to the afterlife and empowering an enemy god.

As the name suggests, firenewts have as much in common with amphibians as reptiles—their skin is pebbly and soft, but exudes extremely high temperatures. They are skilled metalworkers and value metal armor—those of high standing typically wear heavy armor. Firenewt settlements are hewn from stone and often feature earthworks for defense. Wooden structures and weapons are rare among firenewts, as they are scorched and damaged by the firenewt’s very bodies. Firenewts are fond of domesticating animals, and their husbandry (augmented with divine magic) has resulted in strains of fire resistant livestock and beasts of burden. Their greatest success are the fire striders, which breed true and are sometimes found outside of firenewt enclaves.

Firenewts advance by character class. Fighter and cavalier are common, as they value skill at arms and mounted combat. Spellcasters are typically druids or clerics, and firenewt spellcasters without access to the Fire domain are unusual. Arcane spellcasting is uncommon among firenewts, but they do not bear a prejudice against it. Most firenewts stand between five and a half feet and six feet tall. They have lifespans slightly shorter than those of humans.