The Paraelemental Plane of Magma (TIP)

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Absolute Prohibition	Water
Wizard School 	Alterations
Air 	<
The Paraelemental Plane of Magma is a bubbling, churning mass of molten stone, volcanic rock, sulfurous fumes, and searing heat. It is not a place that most outsidersor even other inner-planar natives-would ever want to visit, but it does have a few defenders. The magmen, for instance, happily call it home. While not a member of their race, I know a good deal about them. My name is Flaasam ki'Alifir, and I am of the fire spirits. (He's a fire genasi.-the Editor) My heart lies within the Elemental Plane of Fire, but I have spent a good deal of time in our sister paraplane as well.
To understand what Magma is like, imagine a vast sea of boiling rock. Plumes of smoky fire rise from the glowing surface of the morass to create an atmosphere primarily composed of a thick fog of molten stone laced with deadly fumes. Here and there, islands of basalt or obsidian resist the naturally destructive nature of the realm, but most everything is consumed by the glorious heat and flames very quickly.
As one travels toward the Elemental Plane of Earth, the magma becomes thicker and flows more slowly. The rising plumes of fire become less frequent, although a haze of volcanic ash gradually begins to fill the air. The juncture of the two realms is an area of basalt cliffs and spires rising above rivers and lakes of molten lava. This region is known to most as the Scorched Wastes. Apart from the occasional fire elemental or hermetic salamander, practically nothing lives here.
Moving away from the center of Magma in the other direction eventually brings a traveler to the beautiful Elemental Plane of Fire. As his journey progresses, he sees the magma growing blissfully hotter and more fluid. The nearer he draws to the Blazing Sea, the more frequent the fiery eruptions that dot the paraplane. In the end, at the point where the two regions meet, the atmosphere is awash with a haze made wholly from searing droplets of molten stone. This deadly place is known as the Searing Mists, and it supports no more population than the Scorched Wastes.
A traveler heading in the direction of the Positive Energy Plane can move toward the quasiplanes of Mineral or Radiance. Both routes are marked by dangerous terrain.
In the former case, the surface of the lava gradually cools until it forms a smooth plain of hard obsidian. Spires of volcanic glass and geodelike crystal soon rise out of the wasteland to form what the sages call the Obsidian Forest. The place is infested by evil stone creatures who, for one reason or another, have fled from their wouldbe ruler, the archomental known as Ogremoch. They enjoy privacy-quite so, in fact. It would be my recommendation to avoid these displaced fugitives.
If a traveler opts to change course just a bit, he eventually reaches the quasi plane of Radiance. Before he does, however, he passes through one of the deadliest places in all the Inner Planes: the Glowing Dunes. This is a region of rolling hills at first made up of volcanic ash. Nearer the quasiplane of Radiance, the dust becomes more metallic and gradually begins to radiate light and energy. Whatever the nature of these magical emanations, they present a deadly threat to every living thing. Those who travel through the area must make a saving throw vs. death magic each day. Any poor creature who fails this roll becomes afflicted with a horrible disease or curse (no one knows which for sure). Before long, nausea sets in. This is followed by blistering skin, hair loss, bleeding gums, blindness, and countless other nasty symptoms before the victim dies in 3d20 painful days. All in all, a more unpleasant death would be difficult to imagine. No cure, not even a magical one, is known to help, though rumor has it that a loam found in the plane of Earth or a plant growing deep within the plane of Water may alleviate the condition before the victim dies.
In the other direction, toward the Negative Energy Plane, the structure of the magma gradually breaks up. Near the quasiplane of Dust, it slowly cools and forms a vast, desertlike expanse known as the Sands. Although this place is cooler than the rest of Magma, it wreaks havoc on metal items and mechanical devices. As one moves through the Sands toward Dust, the particles become more and more powdery. They creep into everything and tend to promote rust and other corrosion.
Traveling instead toward the quasiplane of Ash, a similar transformation occurs. At the point where Magma and Ash truly come together lies a vast collection of chalky islands with streams of magma running between them. This is a difficult place to explore, however, for the islands are deadly stretches of frigid ash (for details on the conditions of such places, refer to the chapter on the Quasielemental Plane of Ash), while the rivers are hot, blistering channels of magma. This produces a checkerboard effect where regions of extreme heat abut those of numbing cold. A traveler will be hard-pressed to protect himself against both hazards.