Mt. Inferno
Sitting northeast of the Jungle of the Wise Serpent, Mt. Inferno looks at first blush to be nothing more than an ordinary extinct volcano. Make no mistake, though; it is one of the most dangerous places in all of Altairus, and not because of the abundance of Fire magic or the fearsome lava dragon that guards it.
No. Rather, it is because Mt. Inferno is home to the most notorious and dangerous criminals in all of Altairus. Thrown away and forgotten, these felons spend their days in hellish darkness, growing ever more deranged with each passing day. Merely stepping inside is an invitation for attack.
Geography
From the outside, Mt. Inferno looks like any other volcano, the top of it reddened from Fire magic. On occasion, one can see smoke billowing out of the side of it from its dragon warden, Grimhide.
Underneath the mountain is a labyrinthine prison consisting of uneven, narrow trails winding between enormous cells made from strong stalagmites. Day in and day out, the denizens of this prison bash themselves futilely against the bars, hoping to break free. Though the stones quake and crack, they never falter.
The ceiling is high enough under the mountain that one with the power of flight can skip over the maze entirely. Spoiler for Jack Thunder and the Fragments of Anima
History
Mt. Inferno has been used as a prison for many centuries. In the past, it was seen as an alternative to execution. Rulers all over Altairus imprisoned criminals in Mt. Inferno when their crimes would otherwise result in a beheading, but the ruler wanted to portray a "merciful" image to the public. Of course, Mt. Inferno is hardly a humane or merciful punishment; these royals were simply throwing these Altairians away and forgetting about them.
One of the most notorious prisoners held in Mt. Inferno's dungeons is Titania, former queen of the butterflies. After slaughtering and butchering a human visitor who fell asleep in her garden, her husband, King Oberon, couldn't bear to have her executed. Not knowing what else to do, he banished her to Mt. Inferno. It was soon after that he disappeared in his grief and the Kingdom of the Butterflies fell into decline, eventually being overthrown.
Since the end of The War of the Wendigoes, the lava dragon Grimhide has served as warden to Mt. Inferno. He lives in the antechamber to the dungeons, spending his days keeping a watchful eye on the entrance and sitting on a pile of the prisoners' confiscated wealth and magical artifacts. His two surviving whelps, Goliath and Gilgamesh, help him recapture escaped convicts and protect the surrounding lands from danger.
Fire, Darkness
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