Plane of Fire

“Imagine a realm of fire. Now imagine it is filled with even more fire, because it’s hard for someone who hasn’t been to the Plane of Fire to even conceive of it. It is a landscape of crimson consumed largely by a great sea of heaving conflagration, dotted by islands and continents of scorched rock burnt black. Ash and smoke fill the air, and though some semblence of a sun hangs in the sky, shadows and darkness permeat the landscape. It is a realm hostile to life, yet life thrives here. It’s just all on fire and wants to kill you.”

-Astromarchus the Sage

The Inner Planes are comprised of the universal building blocks of existence - earth, air, water, and fire. There is so much more to these planes of existence than just their dominant trait, and each holds a wealth of treasure, danger, and excitement just waiting to be discovered. And, for the unwary, death, which the Plane of Fire carries in abundance.

But it’s not all danger. For travelers who can find their way to this place great treasures and mysteries abound. The fabled City of Brass, home to the greedy efreet, offers shelter within its bazaars and marketplaces from the constant dangers of the land. However, foolish travelers are just as likely to end up with a knife in their back from some scheming merchant in the city’s streets as they are to burn to death in the scorching heat of the wilderness. Elemental monsters live and die in the scorched wilderness of the Plane of Fire, the most common of which are the elementals themselves. These living columns of flame are simple animals of the plane with low intelligence, though some of the larger ones do exhibit greater semblances of thought that propels them further towards sentient beings.

At the top of the elemental chain are the Elemental Lords of Fire. Massive, powerful, and ancient, there are only a handful of known lords but they each command legions and move with deliberate purpose and thought. Imix is the most well-known, largely for the cults that have spread across the multiverse worshipping the primal power of destruction, but the others are just as formidable. Though ever present, the threats are still not enough to stop the curious and brave from seeking the Eye of Murzak, the Crimson Shield of the Ashen Palm, or plundering the storied depths of the Obsidian Tower, the Everburning Forest, or the Treasure Vaults of the Fire Giant God.

The Powerful and Mighty

Though much of the Plane of Fire is uninhabited or uncontrolled, a few powerful creatures hold sway over some parts of the realm. Crossing these monstrously powerful leaders, including gods of fire and their ilk, can have dire consequences for a band of adventurers. However, though most of these powerful beings are evil, a few have more pragmatic views of their land, and some have keen interests in the Material Plane. A group of adventurers may find themselves unwittingly working for one or more of these entities as patrons, either inadvertently or as means to a greater good.

• Imix (evil fire creatures)
• Kossuth (elemental lord)
• Sultan Marrake (efreeti)

Amaimon, King of the Azer

Though he holds no true castle or home, Amaimon is regarded as the highest authority among the azers of the Plane of Fire and beyond. He is immeasurably old, and for an azer quite immense, standing just shy of fire giant size. He holds a handful of castles in the Fountains of Creation as his own personal lands, but rarely can he be found there. Instead, he travels the length and breadth of the volcanic mountain chain, staying with azer lords for weeks at a time.

Amaimon is strong and wise, and always gives fair counsel to his azer lords as long as they welcome him into their homes. He travels in a huge iron carriage drawn by an entourage of finned-back fire beasts, similar to oxen but much larger and much more powerful. He is attended by only a small number of azer, all of whom are his children by the forge. Amaimon is known to build a son or daughter once every ten years and send it out into the Plane of Fire for no less than fifty years, and any that survive he welcomes back into his traveling troupe.

To a non-azer, Amaimon can be confusing. He is unusually friendly in the company of other azer, boasting about great deeds and laughing about tall tales. He shows much more emotion than a typical azer, but when dealing with an outsider he grows quiet and contemplative. His travels throughout the Plane of Fire and beyond have given him great insight, and he counts many wondrous treasures in his personal storehouse. The iron coach he travels in is said to be enchanted similar to a bag of holding, though he allows only his children inside.

In the presence of an efreeti, Amaimon shows his boisterous nature can turn to a raging cauldron of fury. He has never forgiven the efreet for trying to enslave the azer after the construction of the City of Brass, and he views the genies as squabbling, petty insects not fit for life.

Elemental Lords of Fire

The Plane of Fire is dominated by the Elemental Lords of Fire. These are near-deity level entities that possess great power, though their exact nature and history are mysterious. Some planar scholars say that they are simply the most advanced form of the native elementals, simply having survived longer than others of their kind and thus attained greater power and sentience. Others sages persist that these Elemental Lords are guardians of the plane’s true nature and maintain stewardship over the fabric of fire and flame across the multiverse. The truth may even be unknown to the lords themselves.

There are at least four Elemental Lords of Fire – Imix, Luzzur, Zaraan, and Kra. These are the most active in the affairs of the plane, each with a large “kingdom” carved out for their own personal territory. Imix and Zaraan are the two most powerful and each see itself as the rightful ruler of Elemental Fire. Their castles are formidable structures of black and crimson where they hold court over hundreds of lesser creatures. They are each an embodiment of evil’s destructive nature and care very little for the lives of anyone but themselves.

Dealing with one of the Elemental Lords of Fire is a risky business but few would argue that they are the most knowledgeable and oldest beings on the plane. But they each have their own unique agendas towards reaching their goals; mortals should be very cautious when dealing with them.

Grand Sultan of the Efreet

In his Charcoal Palace within the bustling City of Brass, the lord and master of all efreet sits. His titles are long, and include Grand Sultan of All the Efreet, Lord of Flame, the Potentate Incandescent, the Tempering and Eternal Flame of Truth, the Most Puissant of Hunters, Marshall of the Order of the Fiery Heart, the Smoldering Dictator, and the Crimson Firebrand. Currently the efreeti Marrake al-Sidan al-Hariq ben Lazan stands as the Grand Sultan, though there are challengers among his court that would see him deposed.

The current Grand Sultan does not spend much time in his harem consisting of one hundred and one courtesans. Instead, he is a lover of gambling, especially on nightmare races. His stable of nightmares is a source of great pride, and he has gone to great lengths to procure the strongest, fastest, and most noble beasts to race in the great games. Under his rule, organized gaming in the City of Brass has dramatically increased, and rarely does the tenday go by without a fantastic nightmare race across the Obsidian Fields outside the city itself.

As far as the day to day ruling of the City of Brass, Grand Sultan Marrake leaves that to his viziers, opening him to treachery down the road. And some of those viziers have wildly different ideas for what’s good for the City of Brass, creating opportunities within the Charcoal Palace for a group of enterprising adventurers.

Shahbanu Shadhaa

If ever there was a power to threaten the Grand Sultan of the Efreet himself, it was his most favoured consort Shadhaa. A powerful efreeti with mastery over deep elemental magic, Shadhaa rose to prominence hundreds of years ago and found favor in the court of the Charcoal Palace. There, she curried favor with the Grand Sultan, who almost fell prey to her cunning trap meant to replace the Grand Sultan with a new Grand Sultana, but the wily old efreeti lord was able to escape. Mustering his most loyal guards, the Grand Sultan moved against Shadhaa and found that she had amassed quite a following of her own within the palace walls.

The fighting was intense and took a heavy toll on the palatial forces, but in the end Shadhaa and her followers were expelled from the City of Brass. She took a small fleet of brass ships out onto the Sea of Fire and vowed revenge. Eventually she settled on Ember Island and built her Lava Palace out of magic and sheer will. Taking the title of Shahbanu, Shadhaa has schemed and plotted against the Grand Sultan for many centuries.

The Lava Palace on Ember Island is protected by powerful sorcery, and some say it can only be found by those who have been there before. Shahbanu Shadhaa is a powerful sorceress and has expanded her magical repertoire since her exile from the City of Brass. Rumors of the books and knowledge held within her library have driven the most powerful wizards of the multiverse to seek her out, but few have had any luck. Shahbanu Shadhaa counts many spies among her allies across the Plane of Fire and beyond, and some whisper that her time of reckoning against the Grand Sultan is at hand.

Surtur, God of Fire Giants

The Plane of Fire is home to a few deities, and chief among them is Surtur, god of the fire giants. This fiery-tempered god has numerous castles around the planar landscape, though his favorite is Castle Ironfire on the slopes of a lone volcano in the Cinder Wastes. Surtur holds court in his surprisingly under furnished great hall, attended by powerful fire giant dukes and duchesses from across the planar realms. He likes to stay up to date on the progress of his people, specifically in their quest to conquer as much land as possible.

Surtur is powerful and counts among his brethren deities, but some greater command keeps him from meddling directly in the affairs of the Plane of Fire and beyond. He works through his subordinates and the clergy that offer him prayers. Military might and the rigid structure of law are the watchwords of Surtur and his followers, and if he could he would send a massive army of fire giants to lay claim to the lands of the efreet, azer, elemental lords, and everything else that wasn’t his already.

Creatures & Denizens

Even on a plane where the very environment is hostile dangerous creatures lurk. The Plane of Fire plays host to a great many denizens, some intelligent, and some not.

Cinderbones

Travelers and creatures who die on the Plane of Fire sometimes can return to stalk the land as undead abominations known as cinderbones. Suffused with hatred for the living and given strength from the plane itself, these monsters crave the souls of those who have not fallen to the fiery realm’s embrace. They are easily identified by their blackened bones, though some more intelligent variants have taken to luring living beings away under disguises, their true nature becoming evident only when it’s too late.

Genie, Efreeti

Few beings that live on the Plane of Fire command as much respect across the multiverse as the powerful efreet. They are native creatures of the plane, most towering above twelve feet tall, with black, purple, or crimson skin. They are skilled swordsman and accomplished arcane magic-users, though priests are virtually unheard of. The primary worship of an efreeti is power and the things that bring power, including treasure and dominion over other creatures. Slavery is not only accepted within efreet society it is highly valued – an efreeti lord’s social status is partially derived from how many slaves they possess. It is also derived from how far removed the efreeti is from the Grand Sultan, an immensely powerful and rich creature that dwells in the most magnificent Charcoal Palace within the City of Brass.

Efreet are often regarded as the most dangerous of the true geniekind (the others being the dao of the Plane of Earth, marid of the Plane of Water, and djinn of the Plane of Air). Male and female efreet exist, though all are muscular, and they typically dress in loose fitting, specially-treated silk clothing. They have an innate sense of superiority to all other creatures, though the djinn of Elemental Air are especially despised.

Title is Power. As a race, efreet have a rigid lawful society and most are evil. They delight in bureaucracy and are skilled at negotiating contracts that are notorious for being one-sided (weighted towards their side). In efreeti society titles are a form of power that they use over one another to gain prominence in the court of the Grand Sultan. In descending order the following are the notable ranks of the efreet: Grand Sultan (of which there is only one), sultan, grand vizier, vizier, nazir, bey, and khedive. Outside of the City of Brass, the title of shah is given to a leader instead of sultan. The higher ranking the efreeti is the more influence and power he wields. This power manifests as greater command over innate magic, which some planar scholars say is a manifestation of the plane’s natural energy.

Planar Astrology. A sect of efreet within the City of Brass have dedicated themselves to the mapping and charting of climatological activities within the Plane of Fire and beyond. They call this practice al-buraj, and the efreeti who divine its meanings are known as sahaars, and within the court of the Grand Sultan they command great respect. The movement of the sun on the Plane of Fire, its activity or lack thereof, and many other factors are all considered in this esoteric and ritual-based practice, but their results are credible. Across the plane, sahaars have established remote observatories that communicate back to the City of Brass, reporting on the events that happen across the realm, and there have even been reports of secret observatories established elsewhere in the planes. Are the sahaars using al-buraj to predict some great event?

Fire Fly

Not all of the bright lights in the air on the Plane of Fire are burning remnants falling to the scorched ground. Some of them are large beetle-like creatures called fire flies, barely identifiable by the sound of their wings beating together which resembles the sound of burning paper. They are each about a foot long, with six legs tucked in close for flight, dark red carapace that protects them, two large mandibles for grasping food, and a thorax that glows with the same black and orange light as flaming debris.

Voracious Swarms. Fire flies are voracious hunters and are drawn instinctively to burnt carcasses. After large battles on the Plane of Fire where the dead and wounded litter the ground, clouds of fire flies descend to pick clean the bodies of the fallen. It is common to see a swarm of fire flies near packs of wandering cinderbones.

Cycle of Life. A fire fly has an expected life span of one year. They emerge as large larva from white hot eggs buried in ash and within a week transform into their normal winged forms. Fire fly egg shells are thought to possess magical qualities when used as material components for some fire-based spells.

Fire Hound

Great packs of fire hounds roam the blasted landscape, posing a constant danger to the unprepared (or slow). These creatures resemble crimson mastiffs of larger than normal size with flames licking at their fur and tails and burning embers for eyes. Their teeth are capable of tearing flesh from bone, and once they’ve clamped down on a victim death is usually their only release.

Hunting Hounds. Fire hounds are often trained from birth to be hunting animals by both the efreet and azer. Many efreet lords keep kennels of the great beasts with the sole purpose of torturing slaves, and they delight in sending them out to track down escaped slaves. The Grand Sultan of the City of Brass is known to bet on fire hound races which have become a lucrative gambling sport in the city. Azer are known to train fire hounds as guardians of their underground lairs and generally treat them much better than the efreet.

Cinderjaws the Untamed. Rumors in the City of Brass have recently spread about a very large fire hound that has been stalking the wastes outside the city walls. Known as Cinderjaws, this great beast commands an independent pack of his kin and has been seen hunting down efreet that travel in small numbers from the City of Brass. Whispers in the halls of the Charcoal Palace say Cinderjaws was once a favored pet of the Grand Sultan that grew too violent for racing and was set free rather than destroyed.

Lava Zombie

Unfortunate souls who perish in the great flaming sea can occasionally find themselves transformed into undead monsters known as lava zombies. These creatures float and swim through the burning sea, seeking to consume the living to whet their appetite for vengeance. The skin of a lava zombie is black and cracked, oozing with flaming blood, and they can spew forth a vomit that burns even the most protected opponent.

Surprise! The Sea of Fire ebbs and flows against the many islands, and a large lava wave can deposit the corpses of victims far further into the Cinder Wastes than anticipated. Because of this, some lava zombies become animated underground, buried beneath layers of volcanic ash and dirt. Unfortunately for travelers, it’s not unheard of to have lava zombies burst up in a sudden lava geyser, creating a deadly situation.

Island of Corpses. Somewhere floating out in the Sea of Fire is said to be a ragged island unlike any other. It is known as the Island of Corpses and it is composed of hundreds of lava zombies, floating on the magma waves in a grotesque moving landmass. Entire ships have been lost to the grasping hands of this moving island, though many seasoned Sea of Fire don’t believe it exists at all.

Magma Ooze

Dwelling within the molten sea, magma oozes are not intelligent in the strictest sense. Much like the fire elementals they are more animalistic in nature, though few scholars of planar lore claim to understand what sustenance they draw. They can travel swiftly in the lava sea but slowly on land where they slither and burn all that they touch.

Well of Fiery Doom. One of the efreeti viziers that serves the Grand Sultan in the City of Brass has a favored torture technique. The vizier keeps a large well below his estate, at the bottom of which sits several hungry magma oozes. Even creatures immune to fire fear choking and dying, so the vizier is often able to extract the answers he seeks. Though sometimes the magma oozes are a bit more eager and don’t let the victims go willingly.

Salamander

Salamanders are an evil and cruel race native to the Plane of Fire. They are humanoid from the waist up, with arms, a torso, and a head, but from the waist down they are all snake. They are covered in red and black scales and can move quite quickly by slithering their lower bodies forward. Salamanders are intelligent and asexual, with size indicating greater intelligence and strength. Cities and villages dot the landscape and they abhor efreet, though they often find themselves enslaved by their more powerful foes. Salamanders are skilled metal smiths and know intricate ways to work steel and iron into incredibly strong weapons and armor.

Size Matters. The older a salamander gets the larger and more intelligent it becomes. The smallest and most common type (above a fire snake) is called a flamelicker, and these creatures range from 5 to 7 feet long. Salamanders that survive past adulthood grow into flamespitters and they can get up to 15 feet long. The largest and leaders of salamander colonies are the flamekeepers. Their impressive size can reach up to 40 feet long.

Fiery Foes. The enmity between salamanders and azer is well documented, and stretches back to when the efreet failed to dominate the azer as slaves after the construction of the City of Brass. The genies instead turned to the salamanders and took over entire communities, binding them using magical slave collars and forcing them to work in the City of Brass. Because of this, salamanders loathe every azer they find, and they do everything they can to destroy their most hated foe. The azer, in return, despise the salamanders for the many atrocities committed by the fire serpent people. The cycle of vengeance has no end in sight.

The Coiled Flame. The City of Brass is a massive place with many ways for criminals and other nefarious creatures to operate outside the structure of law. Of late, the Grand Sultan’s honor guards have been vexed by the machinations of a new criminal boss in the city known as the Coiled Flame. It is believed that the Coiled Flame is a salamander of great size and strength, perhaps older and more powerful than a flamekeeper, and its age has given it cunning and wisdom. Smuggling, assassination, thievery, and blackmail have been the tools of the Coiled Flame and its associates, who always seem one step ahead of the honor guards. What the Coiled Flame is after has yet to be revealed, however.

Hazards & Phenomena

Traveling on the Plane of Fire is a harrowing experience in and of itself. The realm is full of dangers that can cook unprepared visitors with barely a moment’s notice.

Ash Cloud

Great billowing black clouds of ash dot the ember-lit sky and they can suddenly bear down on a location without a moment’s notice, threatening everyone in a large area. Those caught inside an ash cloud must survive choking in near-blackout conditions that lasts 3d10 minutes. Magically produced wind can move an ash cloud out of (or into) an area.

Lava Geyser

This can either by an eruption from the cracked ground or a sudden uprising in the ocean of fire, but in either situation it can be deadly. Those caught in the blast suffer extreme fire damage (20d6) and are hurled away 1d6 x 10 feet from the blast. A lava geyser can last up to an hour, reaching heights of one hundred feet into the air. Rumors persist of some lava geysers reaching hundreds of feet across and thousands of feet into the air, though thankfully these are rare occurrences.

Inferno Wave

The great flaming sea hosts its own share of natural phenomena, and one of the most dangerous is an inferno wave. These rolling waves of lava can rise hundreds of feet in the air, cresting and falling with tremendous force and power onto unsuspecting vessels. Damage to anyone caught in an inferno wave is 10d6, which can encompass an area 1d10 x 100 feet wide.

Hot Zone

Pockets of hotter than normal temperature frequently appear all across the Plane of Fire. These hot zones produce more heat and damage than the normal air and can spread across miles of terrain. They are often the harbingers of a future lava geyser, but occasionally they can be the result of some titanic battle between native forces.

Rain of Fire

Ash clouds are not the only threat from the sky. Sometimes the sky rains fiery debris onto the ground, the result of a particularly large lava geyser or other natural occurrence. This rain of fire hurls flaming boulders and rocks which can crush the strongest of opponents, which have the effect of a 10d6 fireball. Victims gain saves for half damage (DC 14).

Blackout

Periods of deep black can stretch across the Plane of Fire, miles across, the result of the natural light dying out as would an ember in a fire pit. These blackouts normally do not last more than several hours, during which superstitious salamanders and other intelligent natives know to stay inside lest they risk the wrath of some unknown being. Legends say blackouts are caused by the elemental lords gathering power, sucking the energy out of the air.

Mysterious Sites & Treasures

Why would non-natives visit the Plane of Fire? To plunder its treasures and secrets of course! Countless millennia of inhabitants and civilizations have created many legends of lost magic to lure the greedy or foolish to an early grave.

City of Brass

Perhaps the most hospitable location on the plane, the City of Brass is the greatest of the efreet outposts and one of the oldest cities in all the planes. It is home to the Grand Sultan in the Charcoal Palace (see below) who is attended by numerous squabbling noble efreet of decreasing importance and power. The city itself sits on a great disc of molten brass roughly forty miles in diameter, on top of which squats towers and citadels to house the numerous efreet and their slaves. Great markets welcome merchants and travelers from numerous planes, with the exception of the djinn of the plane of elemental air – they are never welcome except bound by a brass slave collar, the traditional mark of an efreeti-owned slave.

The City of Brass is also protected from the extreme temperatures of the plane by ancient efreet magic so even those without elemental protection can visit and mingle with the residents. While ostensibly in charge, the Grand Sultan does little to actually control the city – there are no city guards, though only the foolish would be without bodyguard protection. Intrigue and murder go hand-in-hand in the back alleys of the City of Brass.

There are dozens upon dozens of ministers in the City of Brass, all efreet, who use bureaucracy, lies, and subterfuge to manipulate everyone they can. It’s a great game for most of them, with the ultimate prize being the position of Grand Sultan on the Charcoal Throne. Powerful grand viziers trade favors with nazirs who command beys to perform duties that are then contracted out with a third party. No one takes responsibility for anything, for the City of Brass is a city of lies and deceit within a complicated legal system.

The City of Brass has numerous neighborhoods, ranging from the opulent obsidian manor houses around the Charcoal Palace to the poorest slums and alleys where beggars and thieves ply their trade. All buildings are made of rock, such as granite or basalt, as nothing lesser could withstand the intense heat of the Plane of Fire, and the streets are unkempt stone cobblestones in the lowest sections and paved brass, copper, and iron in the wealthier districts. Canals of molten lava cut through some areas, flowing from the raging Sea of Fire through and around the mounds and spires that make up the city’s tallest structures.

Charcoal Palace

The home of the most powerful efreeti on the Plane of Fire is the fabled Charcoal Palace. It sits at the center of the City of Brass, an imposing edifice of gray and black marble. The Grand Sultan rules here, though rarely does he have to engage in any sort of day-to-day activity. He spends his time languishing with a harem of exotic slaves or attending to his spymasters. Below the Charcoal Palace it is rumored the Grand Sultan keeps his treasure chamber, which is said to contain the greatest wealth of any of the geniekind across the elemental planes. Golems, giants, and other magical creatures guard the palace and the life of the Grand Sultan.

Crimson Shield of the Ashen Palm

The Knights of the Ashen Palm were a large group of genie-descended humans dedicated to the faith of the Elemental Lords. Generations of living on the Plane of Fire had given these men and women red-tinged skin and a tolerance for heat along with a fanatic devotion to what they saw as the rightful rulers. They rarely if ever had any direct contact with the Elemental Lords who likely never noticed their adoration, but these knights were at one point a military power in certain regions of the plane.

Citadels and strongholds were built to house the knights as they went on crusades against those who would defy the will of the Elemental Lords, or at least the will as interpreted by the holy members of the order. They used an ash palm as their symbol and wielded shields made of a curious crimson metal forged somewhere in secret. These crimson shields became noteworthy for their defensive and offensive properties – scholars say that ordained Knights of the Ashen Palm could summon forth blasts of fire from the shields and create large domes of protection.

The knights eventually faded into obscurity, though few could say exactly why. Perhaps they got too devoted to the Elemental Lords and overstepped their boundaries, or perhaps they simply provoked a more powerful opponent. In markets across the plane, a Crimson Shield of the Ashen Palm still fetches a high price and is a sought-after item for warriors willing to carry a symbol of a dead order in exchange for great protection and power.

Everburning Forest

Trees and wood are not native to the Plane of Fire, and yet the Everburning Forest exists. It is a forest hundreds of miles across where the trees crackle and burn constantly and yet never become fully consumed. Upon closer examination travelers discover that the blaze produces no ash or waste and further investigation shows that the flames function as leaves on a normal tree. The bark of these trees is blackened and hard, and it is prized for its toughness in shields and other wooden materials.

Strange creatures dwell in the Everburning Forest, including dryads who are immune to the plane’s normal heat levels. The flames on the trees give off no heat but otherwise seem to function as regular fire, including reacting to water – the only way to fell one of the trees is to completely douse it in water of sufficient volume to not evaporate immediately on the plane. Only a handful of trees have been cut down so the bark is highly sought after.

Eye of Murzak

Murzak is a legendary figure among the native salamanders of the Plane of Fire. He was a great military leader who was originally enslaved by a powerful efreeti in the City of Brass. Forced to fight in the slave arenas, Murzak grew strong as he won battle after battle using his innate cunning and ferocity. His successes bought him a greater range of freedom though still he was bound by the brass collar of his master. Over the years this powerful salamander amassed a ring of informants and spies, and when the time was right he and his forces struck at the City of Brass. It was a fevered fight but it bought Murzak his freedom when he killed his efreeti master in single combat.

He fled with less than a tenth of his force from the city and into the burning wastelands. There he gathered the tribes of salamanders, proclaiming himself Murzak the Flameserpent, and promised to end the tyranny of the efreet over the Plane of Fire. Thousands upon thousands of salamanders converged on the City of Brass, but the Grand Sultan of the Charcoal Throne was not caught unprepared. The battle that was fought in the streets of the city is still remembered as the Flameserpent’s Uprising.

Murzak was defeated, however, and as punishment the Grand Sultan had the salamander beheaded and his two eyes cut from his head. Arcane magic was used to transform the eyes into shining yellow crystals, each the size of a large man’s fist, and with one or both of them the possessor could control nearly any creature on the Plane of Fire. One of these gems was known to be destroyed by the Grand Sultan, but the whereabouts of the other are currently unknown.

Fireheart’s Legion

While not actually a site or treasure, the mercenary company known as Fireheart’s Legion still deserves a special mention. They are known across many planes as an effective and ruthless military organization that sells its services to the highest bidder, though they never break contract first. They are led by an enigmatic and powerful efreeti named Fireheart. Evil to the core and ruthless as any of his kind, Fireheart is also a skilled negotiator and can be flamboyant at times – he’s known to dress in outlandish yet expensive clothing and has a fine appetite for splendid hats and rare cigars. The mercenary legion is made up of warriors from across the planes, though a fair number of efreet also count among their numbers. Utter devotion to Fireheart is all that is required to join, and this utter devotion comes with an iron contract that none so far have been able to get out of with their lives – and some have even had to stay in undeath!

Fountains of Creation

The greatest range of volcanoes and mountains on the Plane of Fire are the Fountains of Creation. These tall, craggy peaks are marked by constant eruptions and lava flows, with lakes of molten rock cooling and reheating constantly. Red dragons and fire giants dwell here in caves and labyrinths, but the greatest achievements belong to the azers. These fire-bearded dwarves are as industrious as their Material Plane-dwelling cousins, and work constantly at massive forges and bellows to produce the most exquisite works of art, architecture, weapons, and magic.

Traveling in the Fountains of Creation is deadly for anyone, however. Traversing the region by foot requires navigating the paths that wind around volatile volcanoes capable of spewing magma with a moment’s notice and avoiding the beasts and monsters that call the peaks their home. Flying is little better, as the lava geysers from the volcanoes can reach hundreds of feet into the soot-filled sky. Many a traveler on a winged beast or airship has been lost to a sudden blast of magma from what appeared to be a quiet volcano.

On the edge of the Fountains of Creation, the Plane of Fire is said to give way to the Plane of Magma, one of the paraelemental planes that border the Plane of Earth on the other side. Great azer outposts dot this region as many clans claim as much earth heritage as fire.

Lava Palace of Ember Island

Shahbanu Shabhaa is one of the most accomplished efreeti sorcerers in all the Plane of Fire, and when she was exiled from the City of Brass for a failed coup attempt against the Grand Sultan she took her followers and a small fleet of brass ships out into the Sea of Fire. But they did not go aimlessly - Shabhaa had planned for this contingency, and sought out Ember Island far across the molten sea. There, on that blasted island, she conjured up her Lava Palace using powerful sorcery unknown to any efreeti before her.

Shahbanu Shabhaa receives few visitors, and part of the enchantment on her home hides Ember Island from visitors who have not set foot in the Lava Palace previously. For those privileged enough to dock there, though, a marvelous sight awaits. The Lava Palace is a colossal palatial structure that takes up nearly the entire blackened island, with white- and red-hot glowing walls made from magma. Towers and chambers hold the shahbanu’s servants, slaves, and military powers along with a host of magical treasures and a library that some say rivals the one possessed by the Grand Sultan himself.

Obsidian Tower

Somewhere in the lonely blasted landscape stands a tall tower made of reflective black obsidian. Legends of this Obsidian Tower say that it has no doors or windows but that its insides hold the magical secrets of a sorcerer-king from some prime material world. Greedy treasure hunters and zealous explorers have searched for the site across the plane but few claim to have actually seen it. The mystery of its contents continues to drive fantastic stories. Does a phylactery of a powerful lich sit inside? Perhaps the arcane formulae to unlocking the Plane of Fire’s deepest and most powerful energies? Or maybe gold and jewels to make the Grand Sultan blush? No one knows for sure.

Sea of Fire

Much of the Plane of Fire is a rolling sea of molten rock and magma, constantly moving and crashing against the islands of rock that are created when a large enough wave slams down and cools. Foolish travelers can charter or purchase boats capable of sailing the Sea of Fire to travel to remote islands, though the journey is far more perilous than a typical sea voyage. Inferno waves are a constant threat as are a myriad of dangerous denizens – fire whales are mean-tempered and prone to striking out at anything they deem as food (i.e., anything smaller than they are!).

Because of their rare nature, if a vessel is lost at sea it becomes a valuable prize for any willing to take the risk of finding it. What lies at the bottom of the Sea of Fire is anyone’s guess. Perhaps simply nothing, or perhaps the molten core of the plane itself hides itself beneath the flowing lava.

The Titanforge

Among the azer, the tale of the Titanforge is one of sorrow, regret, and a keen lesson in not delving too deep. According to legends told by azer merchants and blacksmiths, a city was built beneath the Titan’s Kiss, one of the most violent volcanoes in the Fountains of Creation. In those tunnels dug into the volcano’s deepest roots, the azer built a forge capable of producing works of great strength and magic.

The heat provided by the Titan’s Kiss was said to come from a slumbering primordial god of ancient elemental fire, dormant in the rocks, and the rhythmic rise and fall of its breath is what gave the forge its great potential. The azer called this the Titanforge, and with it they built some of their most powerful relics. Many were specially commissioned by influential patrons, including the Grand Sultan of the Efreeti, who is said to possess today some colossal weapon created from the heart of the Titanforge.

And though the azer clan that ran the Titanforge were successful, they let their pride become their downfall. In order to create a suit of armor for Surtur, god of the fire giants, the azer worked the bellows of the Titanforge with such a fury that the volcano woke up. Some say that it was that ancient primordial who stirred, while others say they simply tapped into an unstable vein of magma beneath the volcano that created a powerful chain reaction. Truth and myth may never be separated, for whatever stirred there collapsed the Titan’s Kiss in a massive explosion that rocked the Fountains of Creation.

Many azer bands have gone in search of the Titanforge, while others believe it is a myth. Who knows what secrets might still be buried in the crushed remnants of the ancient volcano?

Treasure Vaults of the Fire Giant God

Fire giants roam the plane and often settle in the craggy peaks that dot the blackened landscape. Their chief god is an imposing and powerful creature called Surtur, but he does not dwell on the Plane of Fire – few deities do as the true powers are the Elemental Lords of Fire. He did at one point, however, and his castle was an impregnable stronghold of fire-hardened basalt high in the peaks of some unknown mountain range. Long ago, rumors say, Surtur waged war with the Elemental Lords, sending wave upon wave of fire giant legions to beat back the forces of Imix. Titanic battles were fought on the crimson plains, but in the end Surtur’s fire giants were defeated.

Harried by Imix, Surtur was forced to flee so quickly that he could not take the bulk of his accumulated wealth with him. The fire giant god had his castle demolished and his treasure buried beneath it in the mountains. Gold and magic of the highest caliber were said to rest in Surtur’s treasure vaults now lost to the ages. This fabled site has brought many adventurers into the Plane of Fire but so far none have returned with any of the treasure.

Volcano of the Destroyer

The impressively gigantic Volcano of the Destroyer is an imposing sight on the horizon for hundreds of miles in any direction. It sits in the center of a rugged mountain range where the lava flowing from its wide opening creates rivers and lakes in the surrounding valleys. Long ago this was the home of Imix, one of the most powerful of the Elemental Lords of Fire, and some scholars say it was where the great being was born (or created, depending on the philosophical viewpoint). The details of why Imix departed the site are unknown.

Titanic forces of a planar nature continually spew lava from the volcano’s top, making this a dangerous site for visitors. The heart of the Volcano of the Destroyer may be the hottest point on the Plane of Fire – the heat is capable of harming creatures who are normally immune to fire. It is rumored that only an Elemental Lord can withstand the dangerous temperatures, though special high-level magic may be of use for characters wishing to get to the center.