Terra Ignis

Terra Ignis is the name of FlameBringer claimed territory. It occupies a large space in the northwest of The Hearth, along the eastern edge of the Crowned Mountains.

## The CinderBirth

The CinderBirth might very well be the largest city of it's time. Half-built into the Crowned Mountains, half sticking out of it like a great fortress, it is a sight to behold. It's permanent Sundome casts it in perpetual good weather, making sure the sun is always shining within the city even when the rain is pouring all around it. A necessary precaution to keep the local Roc population at bay.

The city is known specifically for it's craftsmen of all professions and species. If you need something unusual made, this place is your best bet. The inside of the mountain houses most of the forges which are kept burning day in and day out by the flowing magma. Meanwhile the outside houses a wild bazzar of various woodworkes and artisans. Amongst them you'll find a shop or two offering tattoo work or other cosmetic services.

### The Great Hall

At the heart of the city sits the Great Hall. At 30 meters tall it is by far the most imposing structure within an already quite imposing city. It's pristine marble walls are lined with intricate, geometrical designs, most of which are made from gold. Stepping through the gilded doors, always open to the public, leads into a courtyard with a clear view of the skies above. And as the sun casts it's rays on the ground and walls they shift and change color like a diamond, as the marble here is inlaid with swirls upon swirls of prism glass. In the center of the courtyard, on a small pedastol made of gold and adorned with images of the Everlight, stands a tall garnet, carved in the likeness of a blazing flame. It is the Anchor for the Sun Dome, being almost revered by the inhabitants for the safety it provides. Many small carvings or memorabila of the Everlight lay next to its podium, as offerings.

Beyond the garnet two sets of stairs spiral down into the basement, built around a large vacant area meant for air traffic between the lavels. The room below opens into a great amphitheater-like chamber, with a stage in the middle surrounded by many seats and perches. The council often hires preformers and artists of all walks of life, so they may put on shows and entertain the public.

A stairwell accessible from the eastern side of the Great Hall links with the tower set behind the building. Its exterior is littered with carvings, depicting many historical events and countless images of the Everlight, topped by a single bell at the summit. The Council uses the space within to hold their meetings, while tended to by the various guards that frequently use the tower to oversee the city below. The bell chimes every hour, keeping the busy occupants of the streets below aware of the time.

### The Plaza

Right before the gilded doors of the Great Hall extends a wide, circular area. It is the center piece of trade in the city as criers announce the newest decrees above the bustling sea of creatures trying to procure their daily groceries. For there are no permanent shops in the Plaza, only small, mobile stalls. The law dictates that it's a community space and should therefore never be under a single creature's influence. Due to this, you will not find the classic forges or metalsmiths here, it is instead meant for the more common necessities. Rare meats imported from outside Terra Ignis, homegrown wheat, or strange candy sold by a wandering StarSeeker, there is something to fit everyone's tastes. Besides food, the stalls are also dominated by fabrics of all colors, cheaper jewelery, and a whole slew of individuals offering their services for a day's pay.

But as the city grew the space soon became too small to accomodate everyone and expanded, not to the sides, but upwards. Multiple layers of platforms, a patchwork of wood and metal, bearing no roofs for heavy rain is not a worry within the Cinderbirth, tower over the bottom layer. Ladders, ropewalks, planks, and nets that are all strewn about in a seemingly haphazard manner assure that even the wingless folk can get everywhere and finish their daily business. To a first-time visitor the Plaza is more than just a little overwhelming, but for everyone accustomed to navigating the lopsided, improvised walkways it's really no different than taking a leisurely stroll though the park. And like a magic trick, the entire construct disappears once the sun sets, as the various stallowners turn in for the night-and their stalls do as well- leaving the entire plaza open and easy to clean for workers enlisted by the officials. And by the time the sun peaks over the horizon agian, the entire market is back in place, as if it had never left.

## The Settlements

Many smaller towns dot the landscape of Terra Ignis. Most of them focus on agriculture and are therefor surrounded by seas of wheat or maiz. A great portion of their crops are sold to the CinderBirth to sustain its evergrowing population. Windmills are often built in the plains as the hills and mountains trap powerful winds, where they can easily be harnessed by windmills and used to make flour.

And hidden within canyons and cliffs stand a multitude of smaller encampments, made for delving into caves and bringing up valuable materials and jewels. These encampments are often only temporary, with the mining crews rotating in and out frequently as to not risk alerting the Rocs that call the mountains their home.

Just below whats considered the threshold to Roc territory, some creatures have taken up shepherding. With livestock bred specifically to be bigger and hardier, these often comperatively desolate homes provide a great source of sustinence for the bigger settlements, be it through fleece, milk, cheeses or the like.

## The Wilderness

Between the settlements lays a wide expanse of forests, plains, and rolling hills, creating the perfect habitat for many different beasts. The forests contain both evergreen and decidious trees while many plains harbor a myriad of different plant species used for both food and medicine.

Marking the edge of the claimed territory, the Outposts are tall towers made of stone and wood. Scarcely manned in times of peace, their primary purpose now is to notify travelers when they set foot onto FlameBringer territory.

## The Wildlife

The lands of Ignis Terra and the sorrounding area are well known for their multitude of strange creatures. Equal parts fascinating and terrifying, the wilderness beyond any settlements is considered perilous, mainly because of predators like Hog Hounds, which will sometimes come down from the northern taiga to hunt, and the infamous Rocs.

On the other hand, species like the Greater Plainshen are frequently hunted for their delicious meat, with some even keeping small flocks of them for eggs and down.

Range Rams are the main livestock animal in Terra Ignis and as such are highly prized. Theyre kept in huge herds and left to roam the mountains by themselves as theyre all suprisingly intelligent and can easily find their way home before dusk. Areas where Range Rams are known to graze are generally considered safe from Rocs, as the Rams wouldnt be here if it wasnt. And even if one does show up, they will typically go for an easy Ram rather than a fiesty dragon.