Overview

Fire returns with a reckoning in Kaelum, a volcanic archipelago known as the Ember Wastes. The ancient Fireborne Crown lies shattered, its embers smoldering beneath the world. A fanatical sect, the Cinderwrights, believes fire is the sole path to cleansing civilization and seeks to unleash Ifri, the Fire God imprisoned in the Obsidian Forge. The party is drawn into a crucible of ash and flame where diplomacy, courage, and cunning must prevail.

World and Settings

Kaelum features cliff-side villages above lava rivers, subterranean magma tubes, and glassy isles. Key locales: Emberwatch Citadel (obsidian stronghold), Ashfall Caverns (labyrinth of magma canals), Glassreef Isles (towers of molten glass), and the dormant volcano Cinderfall that guards the Forge.

The Main Quest

Recover the Four Ember Totems—Reflection (Glassreef), Boundaries (Ashfall Caverns), Courage (Volcanic Spine), Renewal (Cinderfall). Reforge the Ember Crown to reseal the Obsidian Forge and prevent Ifri’s eruption from darkening the world.

Side Quests and Investigations

• Free a Pyrewrights’ apprentice trapped in a magma factory and reconstruct their cooling artifact.


• Find a phoenix hatchling’s feather to win a flame-sent guide through the Forge.


• Unravel smugglers dealing in heat-resistant steel, exposing the Cinderwrights’ network and buying time for the main quest.

Central Events and Triggers

The Season of Searing brings ember comets and ash storms; a ritual at Emberwatch would unlock Ifri’s awakening. If the party neglects the totems, a violent alliance with a fire giant could tilt the balance toward catastrophe. The thresholds of the Ember Totems shift with the phases of volcanic activity, forcing quick decisions and perilous exploration.

Hooks, Challenges, and Rewards

Hooks include a dying town pleading for relief, a captured envoy, or a map carved into a dragon egg. Challenges span magma floods, fire elementals, political intrigue among elemental clans, and puzzles tied to heat and pressure. Rewards: Ember Totems granting fire-resilience and unique powers, the Ember Cleave weapon, flame-warden trinkets, renown among elemental factions, and bonds with Efreet or Salamanders.