This week, I have a lore drop concerning the elementals of the world of Not One Scale to Waste. Soon, this will be contained in an interesting ‘field notes’ style aesthetic, but for now, I’ve been excited to start sharing the lore concerning the fire elementals in water-logged world of Melusine.

Before the fall of the firmament, the four varieties of elemental creatures on Melusine were wild and powerful. They were only able to be tamed and trained by elementalists with strong wills and hardy constitutions. 

After this great cataclysm, the face of the world was fundamentally changed, permanently flooded from horizon to horizon, with only the tiniest landmasses rising above the waves. Dangers untold lurk blow, from ancient technology to sea monsters, to the ghosts of the lost and the damned. Humans changed to suit their new world, but they were were still forced to take refuge on ships, and the threat of feral fire was not welcome aboard these vessels. To avoid extinction, it is said that the fire elementals, possessing some level of sapience, tempered themselves.

Now, an untold time later, these once fearsome creatures have made themselves docile, attractive, and practically harmless. It doesn’t take much to command them, and they rarely, if ever act out. If one has an affinity to fire elementals, it is not something one can brag about.

The most common variety of fire elemental is affectionately called the “ember pup”. These friendly creatures are found on ships the world over, seated under cooking fires and gathered up in braziers. 

Their cores look like smooth coal-black stones wreathed in a warm flame, and they are happiest when gathered together into a pile. Humans have taken to creating bodies for them out of various materials, from metal to fired clay, and by some magic, they are able to animate these vessels and wander their home ships, shedding light and warmth, or following their favorite humans. They can take on the forms of cats, dogs, birds, and sometimes larger creatures, like the rare cow or pig.

They are quite loyal, and naturally cautious of water and water elementals, but something of their ancient nature remains—they tend to burn the brightest in adversity and adventure. Many a human has claimed that their ember pup saw them through a truly deadly storm.

I’ve provided a few sketches that I’ve done of these throughout the years while developing Melusine and Not One Scale to Waste. The ember pups are a favorite of mine, featuring in a lot of the stories I’ve written—understandably, since they are a fundamental part of shipboard life—and I’m excited to show more, along with other varieties of elementals.

Until next week!