Light Witches
Fintita are mythical Rul with magical powers, primarily the transmutation of materials.
Summary
Tales of magic users among the Rul date back to the early days, long before the Rilanga and the Ran-E-Zu. These so-called fintita are said to have the power of reshaping the world to their liking, defying the laws of nature and common sense. Most legends mention women with these powers, but men are not unheard of, either.
Fintita are commonly associated with bright light. One reason is that most legends about them take place in summer, while another reason is the colorful glow which often accompanies their magic.
Historical Basis
Some of the powers ascribed to the fintita, such as transmuting materials or melting into the ground, sound similar to the effects that the radiation from Larevok has on the surface of Mustik Kogli during the Heat Season. Rilsu scholars therefore believe that the legends were inspired by observations of these effects, probably by the population of the less-affected transition zone, Hazu Ropuru, during the summer. It is likely that these observations met the wishful thinking of people who saw potential applications for these effects.
Through the ages, Rul scientists have tried to harness Larevok's energy. While these efforts have led to various useful applications such as photovoltaic electricity generation, modern science agrees that redirecting the radiation to transform matter in a controlled way would require sophisticated equipment and considerable computational effort. So far, feats like those performed by the fintita have only been achieved on a notably smaller scale and under specific laboratory conditions. It is therefore most unlikely that any living person would have been able to wield such powers.
Spread
These legends have spread all over Ranul, especially since the Global Communication Network was established.
Variations & Mutation
Powers
The power which is mentioned most often is the ability to transform any material into any other. This often includes the body of the fintita, allowing them to merge with the ground, a rock wall or the water in a river and then re-emerge in a different place. Besides that, there are also legends which describe how they control the weather, conjuring storms or pushing aside the clouds. Some accounts describe them as breathing under water or flying without wings, and a few variants have them read or manipulate people's minds.Morality
Accounts differ greatly on the moral alignment of the fintita. Some paint them in a positive light, as wise mentors who use their powers for good. For instance, there are tales of fintita who transformed rocks into fruit to feed people in need, closed wounds, or dissolved poison that was coursing in someone's blood. Other tales report less benevolent uses of this power, such as reducing an opponent to sand, setting acres on fire with their mind, or turning a walking cane into a venomous snake that would bite the person holding it. In between these extremes, there are variants which depict them as mischievous spirits, playful but not necessarily hostile. Those would, for example, turn a chair into water below the person sitting on it, or merge somebody's shoes with the ground.Cultural Reception
In ancient times, tales of the fintita were often used to scare children, and sometimes adults as well. Fintita appeared in many cautionary tales, either punishing people for behaving badly, or taking advantage of the careless.
Modern society, in contrast, tends to see them as an embodiment of those wonders of nature that are not fully explained by science.
In Literature
The mythology surrounding the fintita inspired many fantasy novels and movies before and after the Final War. Nowadays, there are also popular virtual reality adventures which simulate what it would be like to have these kinds of powers.
In Art
Fintita are a popular subject in fantasy imagery. They are often depicted in long, flowing robes and surrounded by colorful sparks which are reminiscent of Larevok burning in the sky.
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