The Furnacelands
The Furnacelands, located in the central continent, is a barren and rocky desert that is notorious for its scorching heat that can burn flesh and bone. It is one of the contributing factors to the continent's name, Scarred Lands. This area creates a barrier between a southern peninsula, which is inhabited by a nation of R'vathi, and separates two gnome nations that border the eastern and western edges. Some consider the massive volcano to the north as part of the Furnacelands, although it is a separate landmark.
Geography
The Furnacelands consist of a vast expanse of rocky desert, where the scorching heat is strong enough to leave stones glowing red hot. The landscape is dotted with numerous stone arches and flat-topped mountains, though much of this natural beauty is often overlooked due to the hostile climate. What most do not know is that there is a great aether font at the core of the Furnacelands, which channels magical energy directly from the sun. This aether font is the source of the region's intense heat and produces a rare form of red-orange aetherite that can enhance fire magic.
Fauna & Flora
There are no plants in the Furnacelands due to the extreme heat, and few creatures can survive in the region. The primary inhabitants are fire elementals and weirds, which are summoned from the Elemental Plane of Fire through the aether font. The region also attracts fire-attuned fiends who find the rest of the world too cold for their liking. Although some races such as the Incendari are heat-resistant, they cannot survive in the Furnacelands due to the lack of food sources.
Natural Resources
The luminescent stones found in the Furnacelands maintain their glowing temperature even when removed from the region. However, due to the harsh conditions of the area, only a small number of these stones have been retrieved. They are highly valued by skilled artisans, such as blacksmiths and glassworkers, for their ability to sustain perpetual furnaces, making them a sought-after commodity.
Tourism
Despite the extreme danger posed by the region, adventurers and scholars still attempt to cross or explore it, armed with magical fire resistance. However, none have ever succeeded. Even those who do manage to return often do so due to running out of provisions or losing them to the heat. Others simply do not return at all, their bodies consumed by the scorching temperatures of the Furnacelands.
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