The Spheres are mysterious places and haven’t always been as easy to reach as they currently are. Subjects of stories and legends to the people of Elandra there is little known and confirmed about them and their inhabitants and so the known information is varied. Discovering secrets of the Sphere and interacting with their inhabitants is designed to have an exploration element.
The most volatile of the Natural Planes the Fire Plane, Fȳrgaad, is unforgiving. At the heart of Fȳrgaad is the Great Volcano. A constantly burning, lava dripping mountain that houses The Eternal Flame. Also known as “the first spark”, The Eternal Flame is theorised to be the first thought of desire in creation – to want, to take, to devour, to fight for. But the Flame is also known as “the spark of hope”; the first dream of light and warmth, in overcoming adversity, and manifesting destiny.
The Volcano is home to the Flame Keepers – they tend the Flame but do not control it, they predict its whims and offer kindling or calm the flames through rituals, depending on need. They are humanoid Flame Kin, the dominant creatures in Fȳrgaad, and living manifestations of the Eternal Flames power.
Within the halls of the vault of the Eternal Flame is The Unburnt Library – a collection of obsidian carved tablets that contain knowledge and arts lost to the material plane in fires. Many mysteries and dangers have been harvested by the flames over the millenia, and all that has been consumed is kept here.
Many things claimed by fire on the material plane find their way to Fȳrgaad. Places that have been destroyed in fire on the material plane leave burnt husks of themselves here. Palaces of Monarchs, and barns owned by farmers – all are equal in Fȳrgaad. It is not impossible to traverse the Fire realm, but in order to do so you need unshaken resolve, or you will be incinerated. Your conviction is your armour. Travellers must carry with them a figurative ember of the Eternal Flame to pass safely. This is done by a volunteer member of the travelling party who will effectively take on the role of “Lantern”, lighting the way for the rest, who in turn will be responsible for their safety, lest everyone burn. This task can make the conduit individual emotionally volatile if it is not in the hands of a mage familiar with the Fire Sphere of Magic. The Lantern is not always the most powerful of the group, but rather the one who exhibits the greatest affinity to the Plane of Fire and its nuance.
Fȳrgaad is shaped like a series of rings around the central volcano. Most creatures live out of the direct fires of the Volcano, with a few exceptions.
Settlements are carved of volcanic stone that are levelled and rebuilt through cleansing fire. Constant change and movement is the way of Fȳrgaad. Only a few areas remain a regular spot on the map, as places are melted and disappear practically overnight.
Geography
Fornaxus Folly, a middle sized town is named after a mage who specialised in Fire Magic and visited a little too often. It has been used as a point of entry into Fȳrgaad by a number of historical adventuring groups, so it is well documented. The lava stone covered body of Fornaxus sits on a pillar in the middle of the town as a warning to those entering Fȳrgaad to not become complacent. The Flame Kin here are used to visitors, and can be quite talkative, often asking for strange gifts.
The Ember Gate is the settlement that guards the lava streams that lead to the Great Volcano. Prone to violent outbursts, the Flame Kin here can sometimes be convinced to aid in military matters.
The Basalt Towers is a city carved from pillars of hardened volcanic ash. The Flame Kin here enjoy passionate conversation, philosophy, art, dance, parties, and take joy in emotional outbursts of creativity. They can be traded with, and put on amazing performances, but are also scathing critics, and will run you out of town should you not bring your best work.
The further you are from the Volcano the cooler and more hospitable it is. At the very edges of Fȳrgaad you find The Smoke Lands and The Forest of Ash.
The Smoke Lands border with the plane of Air. Here it is easy to get lost and suffocate. Mysterious Flame Kin known as The Miasma make their home here. More flighty than their centrally located cousins. But where there is smoke, there is fire, and their quiet passions should not be taken lightly. They can be vindictive and manipulative.
The Forest of Ash borders with the plane of Earth. Unstable ground that suddenly sinks, it is easy to get trapped in the ash drifts and become buried. The Charred are the Flame Kin who make their home here. Dense charcoal like exteriors, they are hard to convince, and often only engage in conversation when first presented with a challenge. They pack a hard hit, and when ignited by passion, they can burn brighter and longer than any of their central cousins.
The general geography of Fȳrgaad is treacherous but beautiful in its unruliness. Sharp obsidian mountains; paper thin like stone knives at their peaks and edges, some spilling waterfalls of lava, carving and reshaping as they jut towards a super heated sky. Pumice encrusted lowlands with streams of liquid rock, where heated air rises like smoke from the ground. Black sands made of ground stone and ash reach towards the glass ocean, a perfectly still expanse of clear volcanic glass which covers a writhing boiling sea of magma miles below.
For the areas that are mostly molten, lava crust boats are used to navigate. But their life span is short as they slowly melt until the captain needs a new one. Lava tubes in the shape of trees drip flames like autumn leaves. Striking and eerie, this alien landscape is not purposefully hostile, but rather it is its nature, and travellers should prepare accordingly.
Speaking of nature, fire tornados and falling fire rain can land the unwary in a spot of bother should you find yourself trapped in the open. The spells cast by mages in the Material Plane are shadows of the natural occurrences here, their power beyond mortal control when in Fȳrgaad.
The Fire Plane is in a constant state of death and rebirth – the fires of creation and destruction do not sleep, and they are indiscriminate in their work.
Inhabitants
Flame Kin – There are as many types of Flame Kin as there are creatures on the Material Plane. Some are bestial in nature, taken by the passions of the flame they are made from. Others are more eloquent humanoids, prone to dancing, and fighting. They are born of the Eternal Flame itself. Their lives are tumultuous, cooling, heating, solidifying and melting – a constant change in shape and personality. Some are as old as the realm itself, others are but a flicker before they are remade.
They can be summoned to the Material Plane, and others seem to manifest at points in time or areas sacred to The Eternal Flame. Some are small and controlled, others large and wild. It is easy for a small spark to become an inferno if the summoner is not prepared.
The humanoid Flame Kin in Fȳrgaad are organised into settlements, some as large as cities. Each city, town, and outpost keeps a part of the Eternal Flame at its centre, keeping the wild uncontrolled fires of the plane at bay. Some cities of the plane have existed for millenia. Each piece of the Eternal Flame guides the Flame Kins actions and motivations as a people. Not a god entity, but rather a communal life force; if the Eternal Flame requires strength a Flame Kin will not think twice about casting themselves back to their source.
Humanoid Flame Kin can be conversed with, but it is not a guarantee that they will want to be kind. It is best to approach with gusto, a display of passionate emotion or a passionately prepared introduction speech helps. They will often trade but their desired items may be varied and confusing to those not from the Fire Plane. If you strike up a friendship with a Flame Kin they will often ask to be shown more of the Material Plane in order to seek kindling. It is not advised to bring them home with you.
The oldest of the Flame Kin are the Flame Keepers. These special few dwell within the Great Volcano, feeding the Flame, and serving its needs. They also help maintain the balance of the plane, ensuring nothing causes too much cooling, or too much destruction. The Flame Keepers have lived many lives and acquired much knowledge. They are also the guardians of the Unburnt Library.
Common Creatures
Beast Flame Kin – The animalistic Flame Kin have been known to attack on sight, but some adventuring mages claim that a strong or emotionally evocative performance, a song or a sonnet, can cause the beast to pause long enough for an escape. The easiest way to avoid animal Flame Kin is to carry a musical instrument with you. Their shapes mimic that of Material Plane animals and monsters. Some scholars have theorised that, just like the charred buildings and knowledge in the Obsidian Library, Beast Flame Kin are animals that have been killed in flame, and their shapes ”collected” by the Eternal Flame.
Lava Wyrms – These giant monstrous creatures take on a shape not dissimilar to serpents on the material plane. 15-20 Metres in length, with a large dragon like head, 2 protruding fangs, and a long spiny dorsal fin. These monsters make the lava flows of the Fire Plane their home. They are usually limited to the liquid magma areas of the plane, but have been known to venture onto the cooled crust during egg laying season. The female will find a cave or crevice with quick access to lava pools where she will sit on her eggs until they hatch.
The male, however, keeps a close eye on proceedings and is never too far away. Young Lava Wyrms travel in schools, and have been known to attack travellers seemingly for fun, similarly to how dolphins will often kill smaller porpoises for little reason.
These creatures can live for some time out of lava, but if they become too cold too quickly, they will become sluggish and enter a hibernation state where their outer scales harden and cocoon until they become warm again. When they are hardened they are harder to kill, but will remain dormant and not attack or retaliate.
There is a humorous tale of Monarch Theobold the Braison who was once gifted a statue of a Lava Wyrm by a mage he had bested in a game of cards. The Theobold was so taken with the statue he placed it in his bedroom by his hearth so he could admire it from his bed. When the servants awoke the following morning, the statue had changed position, now curled on the bed where the Monarch once slept, and his majesty nowhere to be found…
Phoenix – One of the few creatures able to travel freely between the Material Plane and the Fire Plane, these large birds appear similar to peacocks, but their feathers burn with an orange glow of pure flame. They are the messengers of the Eternal Flame and those who tend it. Much like Flame Kin, a phoenix is very familiar with life and death. In order to travel between the Fire Plane and the Material Plane it must “die” in a fiery blaze. They are often summoned by mages wishing to converse with the Flame Keepers.
Salamander – Amphibians that often appear in places of high magics, they are considered harbingers of destructive things to come. Able to spit fire and cause clouds of obscuring smoke, they have been used in wars to affect the battlefield and hamper the movements of enemy forces. They can be anywhere from a few centimetres to a few metres large and in some cases kept as pets. They can be quite useful around the house as they give off a constant temperature and enjoy resting in fires, helping to keep them lit.
Fire Elementals (The Corrupted) – Monstrously large, multi-limbed broiling humanoids, horned and spiked, bleeding fire and brimstone. Weapons growing straight from their bodies, arms and legs. They are an abomination of wild Wyrd and are uncontrollable. They are Anger and Rage unchecked and unyielding. They march across the world burning all in their wake, and when the ash has settled they leave nothing but scorched earth and burnt bones. Horrifying in their indiscriminate destruction they target large areas and spread like the wild fires they are made of.
Knowledge from the Fire Sphere
Below are things that have been known to be found or gained from the Fire Sphere. This is not an exhaustive list but provides some insight into what someone may look to get.
- Unburnt Library: Located within the Vault of the Eternal Flame, a collection of obsidian tablets containing knowledge and arts lost to fire on the Material Plane.
- Feed the flame: Bring Fȳrgaad something; a thought, a dream, a desire, a ridiculously powerful artefact for it to consume, and you can find great reward, or a deep burn.
- Creative sparks: Fire is not just destructive, it also keeps us warm, it lights our path in the dark, and it gives us hope. The fires of creativity give us song, poetry, and art. It inflames great theologists and philosophers, artisans, and academics. It gives us strength, and courage, but can also drive us mad.
Quick-reference Guide
- Volatile Landscape: Fȳrgaad is the most volatile of the Natural Planes, characterized by unforgiving, fiery environments.
- The Great Volcano: At the heart of Fȳrgaad is the Great Volcano, housing The Eternal Flame, symbolizing both desire/devouring and hope/destiny.
- Flame Keepers: Humanoid Flame Kin dwelling within the Great Volcano, tending to the Eternal Flame, predicting its whims, and maintaining balance.
- Unburnt Library: Located within the Vault of the Eternal Flame, a collection of obsidian tablets containing knowledge and arts lost to fire on the Material Plane.
- Burnt Remnants: Places destroyed by fire on the Material Plane leave burnt husks in Fȳrgaad, from palaces to barns.
- Conviction as Armor: Travellers need unshaken resolve to traverse Fȳrgaad, with a “Lantern” (a volunteer with affinity for the plane) guiding the way and others ensuring their safety.
- Ring-Shaped Geography: Fȳrgaad is shaped like rings around the central volcano, with settlements carved from volcanic stone, constantly changing and rebuilding.
- Notable Settlements: Fornaxus Folly (entry point), The Ember Gate (guards lava streams), and The Basalt Towers (city of passionate Flame Kin).
- The Smoke Lands & Forest of Ash: The edges of Fȳrgaad, bordering Air and Earth respectively, each with unique dangers and Flame Kin (The Miasma and The Charred).
- Treacherous Terrain: Obsidian mountains, lava waterfalls, pumice lowlands, black sands, and a glass ocean covering magma below.
- Natural Hazards: Fire tornados and fire rain are common occurrences, and Material Plane magic pales in comparison to Fȳrgaad’s natural forces.
- Flame Kin Diversity: There are diverse Flame Kin, from bestial to humanoid, born of the Eternal Flame, with tumultuous lifecycles.
- Beast Flame Kin: Anamalic Flame Kin that attack on sight unless appeased by strong and emotionally evocative performances. Scholars suggest they are souls of animals who have died by flame and been “collected”.
- Phoenix: able to travel between Material Plane and the Fire Plane, are messengers of The Eternal Flame and those who tend it.
- Other creatures: Lava Wyrms make the lava flows of the Fire Plane their home. Salamanders spit fire and cause clouds of obscuring smoke. Fire Elementals are abominations of Wyrd anger and rage.