February 23^rd, 912

As Ezekiel was so kind to report, we stayed the night in the city of Silverchar. Emberfall is not unlike Gravalt in that it is a place of drastic contrasts between its major cities and the rest of the nation. Around half of its native population live in small villages that stretch deep even into the mountains, usually along the ceaseless lava flows that stretch down from Mt Magma like rivers.

I always thought ‘Magma’ to be a silly name for a volcano, but I do concur with Ezekiel’s opinion on Emberfell names. The Emberfell are straightforward to a fault, but there is a certain charm to their naming schemes. Silverchar is another example; it is built atop a ridge of stone that shines a pristine, silvery white in the morning sun, yet it is charred by the lava river that cascades down the cliff like a slow-motion waterfall.

This straightforward nature can be found in both the large cities and the many small villages, and it is a large part of what makes the Emberfell such good trading partners for Gravalt. Its merchants are honest, earnest, and hardworking; most of them would rather die than sell something for a single coin more than its worth, and I’ve reason to believe that statement isn’t exaggeration. They go to great lengths to ensure all transactions are conducted fairly and properly.

Silverchar is the first major stop for goods flowing north from Erenley. The merchants travel in large caravans to brave the dangers of the Ciric Hills, though our group unfortunately did not have the leisure of waiting for one such caravan to form. From Silverchar, the capital city of Steamshore is but a two day’s march, and from there good are shipped all across the continent and beyond.

Yes, it is called ‘Steamshore’ because it is on the shore and fire people live there.

On that note, allow me to describe the denizens of Emberfall. In many ways, its population is quite similar in composition to Gravalt. There are quite a few Gargoyles and Minixes—some immigrants from Gravalt, others spawned naturally in the hills and mountains here—but they are much fewer in number than in Gravalt. Due to how much of Gravalt’s trade flows through Emberfall, it also has many immigrants from other nations for all the same reasons.

There are several native races. The most common are the Basan and Hellhounds. The former are a race of bird-like demihumans with heads resembling those of chickens. They have long, thin, crane-like legs and brilliantly colorful feathers, a rich mix of red, orange, and yellow hues. Unlike the Harpies I encountered previously, the Basan are blessed with hands; their wings are smaller and trail along the sides of their arms rather than completely replacing them. They can be unfolded to a greater size that does enveloped their hands, but even then they are too small to allow real flight; they are, however, quite impressive gliders.

Perhaps the most recognizable trait of the Basan, especially compared to other bird-like races, is their ghostly breath. From their beaks leak transparent, glassy flames that possess no heat. They linger around the Basan and follow their movements often forming rings. Most wear a scarf of their own flames, though those who have honed their magical abilities possess grater amounts of flame that wrap around much of their body.

Speaking of their abilities, the fiery raiment is the focus of the Basans’ powers. They can grasp the flames as though they were solid and wield them like a whip. By their will, the raiment can either burn or freeze anything it touches.

The Hellhounds are oft mistaken for beastfolk, but they are actually Fae. They are humanoids bearing the characteristics of wolves—grey or black ears, tails, and fur, pronounced fangs, and claws in place of fingers. Their fur is thick on their backs and the backs of their arms, but the rest of their body is subject to variation; some are completely covered in fur while others have bare skin.

Hellhounds have very unique and prominent eyes. The sclera is generally a dark, greyish color that blends in with their skin or fur, but their irises are almost always a striking orange. They gain a bright glow when they experience strong emotions or desires, and a Hellhound’s hair and the fur along their back may spontaneously combust when they are angry.

Hellhounds have a rather unique ability, when it comes to Fae. Most Fae tend to be composed of, or otherwise related to, a certain element and possess the ability to control it. Dryads like myself are a prime example—we are part plant and can thusly control nearby plants. Hellhounds are, in a way, composed of heat and flame, but they do not directly control it themselves. Instead, the wounds they inflict by claw or fang are “cursed” in a way; any blood they draw combusts, burning their foes. Similarly, a Hellhound’s own blood also erupts into violent flames and explosions, though Hellhounds themselves are immune to the harm this may cause.

The large cities of Silverchar and Steamshore do have a measure of both of these races, but they are minorities compared to the vast variety of immigrants who make up the merchant guilds and military. In the smaller villages, on the other hand, they make up the vast majority, alongside a handful of Gargoyles and Minixes.

The Basan lived among the hills and mountains long before this land became Emberfall, back when it was icy and frozen. When the Scorching of Kiyona threatened to force them from their home, the Leys blessed their race with dominion over flame and frost alike. The Hellhounds, on the other hand, are spawned from the lava of Mt Magma. A scant few were recorded living along the lava flows pre-Scorching, but it was only after that tragedy that they emerged from the volcano en masse.

We are currently stopped in a Basan village for a short break. We shall continue the trek and likely arrive at Steamshore midday tomorrow.

—Kirra

February 24^th, 912

While the Basan and Hellhounds are the most populous of Emberfall’s native races, they are not the only ones. There is another type of fire Fae that spawns from the lava flows—or, to be more precise, form things the lava sets alight. The Ifrit are entities formed entirely of flames.

Ifrit are an interesting case among the many races. When they were first encountered in very early history, many assumed them to be monsters—and to the credit of those early explorers, some Ifrit might as well be. It is unclear why such a stark difference exists, but some Ifrit are fully functional individuals while others are barely indistinguishable form mindless animals. This causes no shortage of issues for both the Ifrit and their neighbors.

We encountered an Ifrit today, one partnered with a Hellhound. Most civilized Ifrit pair up with members of other races, since their physiology—or complete lack thereof?—makes day-to-day life very difficult for them. The pair we encountered were standing guard over a bridge which crossed a lava flow. They were quite shocked to be in Ezekiel’s presence.

Ifrit are being comprised entirely of fire. Unlike Hellhounds, who are technically composed of magical flames but still possess physical bodies with normal functions, Ifrit are quite literally just flames with a mind. They can form the flames that compose them into specific shapes, usually taking on one that is rather vaguely humanoid, but their flames always act in the ways flames are wont to do. If they get too close to something flammable, they are likely to cause fires.

We encountered some monsters throughout the rest of the trip, but they were dispatched with ease. We have arrived now at Steamshore and are waiting to meet with the local leadership. I shall write again after the meeting commences.

—Kirra