Plain of Burning Coals

The Plain of Burning Coals is a vast, stony plain that serves as the agricultural center of the Plane of Fire. As the name implies, the ground is constantly smoldering, yet even so, many travelers to the plane find that this area presents somewhat fewer dangers and inconveniences than are found elsewhere on the plane, and the region is generally accepted as one of the least hostile to visitors from other planes. Though this region is still blisteringly hot, by human standards, it is much more stable than the roiling Sea of Lava or the erratic volcanoes found elsewhere on the plane, and this stability allows for a much more tranquil lifestyle, where numerous natives work and toil to feed the Efreeti empire in the Elemental Plane of Fire’s closest facsimile to idyllic, pastoral farmland. The dangerous environmental effects of the Plane of Fire are less severe here than elsewhere, and while it is still impossible for humans to live here comfortably without the aid of magic, a number of other races have flourished in this relatively comfortable region. Fire giants, dragons, demons and even some plant life find a home on this vast plain.

The Plain of Burning Coals is the major agrarian center of the Plane of Fire, and contains numerous farming communities, which are responsible for growing nearly all crops produced on the plane. Much of life here revolves around farming and the production and sale of food, from dietary staples such as firewheat to the more exotic magmelons, as well as various forms of livestock. In many ways, this region is the most similar to the material plane, as it is populated primarily by farmers, traders, and the small towns and communities that support them.

In general, life on the Plain of Burning Coals is more peaceful than elsewhere on the plane. The locals here are by and large concerned with their labors, religious devotions, and the problems of their day-to-day lives. The landscape is dominated by sprawling farms, connected by overused and poorly-maintained roads. Interspersed throughout the area are humble towns, ruled over by efreet nobles (who are typically anything but humble). Despite the copious amounts of land, these far-flung fiefdoms are not at all desirable among the efreet, who consider a position on the plains to be effective banishment from the social elite in the City of Brass.

Although the vast majority of the region is farmland, there are a few places of note to be found here. There are quite a few old azer fortresses scattered across the land, and though most are abandoned, rumors abound that the ruins hold great secrets for those intrepid enough to discover them. Besides these fortresses, and the various towns and villages, there are several landmarks that every traveler to the plane should be sure to visit: the Gilded Mosque, the Great Pyre, the Gate of Eternity, and the Everburning Forest. Of course, on the Plane of Fire, even humble farmsteads and simple trading villages can still hold great potential for adventure, especially under the watchful eye of Efreeti lords eager to exercise their authority.

--A Tourist’s Guide to: The Elemental Plane of Fire, Copyright 2013; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Rosa Gibbons