Ignis Blister

**Ignis Blister** was a conflagrationeer, and one of the four Yankee Peddlers. He attempted to kidnap Liao Bluecrowne with the help of Foulk Trigemine.

## Biography

### *Bluecrowne*

Foulk Trigemine time-traveled into 1810 using his kairos mechanism. He met up with Ignis Blister, who lost no time in explaining his credentials, then talked to Trigemine about the kairos mechanism and how it worked. Trigemine explained his mission from Morvengarde: find a conflagrationeer (Blister, who was one himself, explained what a conflagrationeer was, to Trigemine's annoyance, because of course he already knew). The two set off for the Quayside Harbors in a horse-drawn carriage, Blister playing (bad) music on his banjo, in search of a place to stay.

After detecting Liao's firework, Blister declared that the conflagrationeer was indeed nearby. They went to the Quenching Press, where Trigemine met the Ironmonger. After the Ironmonger left, having discussed a bargain for the Albatross with a Jumper, and Trigemine agreed with Blister that Jumpers were to be hated. Blister later shared what he'd learned with Trigemine: the Jumper's name (Coffrett), and that the conflagrationeer was connected to a ship called the *Left-Handed Fate*.

Blister, seeing a girl and a boy in a boat, realized that the conflagrationeer was not the ship's gunner but the Chinese boy whose father captained the ship. Blister and Trigemine discussed what taking the boy (for they were now certain he was the conflagrationeer) would entail. Trigemine told Blister who the conflagrationeer was for: Jack Hellcoal. He recounted some stories of the man, some of which Blister was to participate in (Trigemine knew because he'd been there, using his kairos mechanism) and both wondered what would happen if they failed this terrifying customer.

Lucy and Liao, wandering around the Quayside Harbors, saw Trigemine and Blister. Blister had a fire in his hand, and after some coaxing, showed Liao how to do it too, and they talked for a long time about fireworks, and worked with them gleefully in Blister's wagon. Trigemine and Blister were, it was decided, to come to the Bluecrowne home, so Blister could teach Liao more about fireworks.

Blister and Trigemine spied on Lucy and Liao using tanglefire in a lamp, and when Liao's mother showed up, Blister identified the Lady Xiaoming as not human. They wondered how they were supposed to take Liao with this powerful, immortal being around, and discussed how Morvengarde would like it if they took her too. Blister declared that he had managed to get a rope that could bind Xiaoming, from Forgeron, and knew a place that they could use to confront the Bluecrownes. Liao, while on Lucy's boat, mentioned that Blister had hinted at him having an uncanny power over fire, and encouraged him to try things that didn't logically work.

Trigemine and Blister showed up at Bluecrowne House at the arranged time. They quickly enacted their plan to take Liao away, and Blister and Liao disappeared, exploding Liao's workshop behind them. Lucy and Xiaoming showed up at the house where Trigemine and Blister were, and found Liao, who was trapped in a pillar of fire, though he seemed unhurt. Blister and Xiaoming fought with fire while Lucy fought Trigemine off. Blister, despite being a conflagrationeer, was severely burnt, but managed to wrap Xiaoming, who had somehow turned into a bird, in Forgeron's rope. Lucy walked through the lyke-fire despite the incredible pain, to the peddlers' shock. From inside the fire prison, the elixir enabled Lucy to speak to the fire, and she was able to move with it. Lucy used the marlinespike given to her by the Ironmonger to take apart the rope holding Xiaoming. Xiaoming escaped, blinding the sutlers, and Lucy and Liao walked off as well.

Blister unbodied Xiaoming with belluine, which hurt him. Lucy loaded the sobbing Liao into the *Driven Star* and they set off. Blister tried to send fire at them, but soon collapsed. Lucy and Liao escaped, by destroying the boat. Seleucia Deacon showed up, and showed her disappointment and contempt for Blister, who tried to insist on his credentials and how they'd fought well, to no avail, and eventually collapsed on the pier from the pain. Jack Hellcoal then arrived, and after some conversation, killed Deacon and left. Blister and Trigemine were stunned.

### *The Raconteur's Commonplace Book*

Reever told a story about the creation of a trap. One day during market season, a peddler called Ignis Blister came into a town and set up a stall selling clocks. Three other peddlers, Alphonsus Lung (a clock seller), Cassiterides Bone (who worked with tin), and Drogam Nerve arrived. Lung, Bone, and Blister expressed contempt at the paper Nerve sold, but Nerve explained that they were catalogs, and many things could be ordered from them. The people of the town received word that invaders would arrive soon, and each peddler tried to sell their wares to help the town defend themselves. Nerve won out, suggesting a design that would turn the city into a trap, and components were bought from each peddler to finish the device. Blister also contributed weapons made from fire to combat the invaders. At the end, however, they realized they had no mainspring, and took Lung's suggestion to make it out of whalebone instead of steel, and used his timepieces to count down to when the trap would spring, but it never did.

### *Ghosts of Greenglass House*

Owen showed Milo one of Liao's letters. Liao wrote to Mr. Fulgor, and noted that he did not want anything sold by Ignis Blister, which they had discussed before.

## Physical appearance

Blister wears glasses that look much like scissors, that are revealed to help him use fire. He has salt-and-pepper hair and is short and compact. His fingers are stained with ash.

## Personality and traits

Blister can be quite pompous. He isn't very ruthless, though he can be violent. Blister is a first-rate conflagrationeer and has many talents.

## Gallery

**Take a look at our **gallery for Ignis Blister****.