Publisher's blurb:
Lava bubbles over from the edges of this rift, lapping against the stairway leading down and causing the surrounding trees to burst into flame. The plane of fire is seeping into the material realm, growing larger by the minute.
Scorched rocks protrude from the sides of the rift, blackened by rising fumes from the magma below. Embers sparkle and dance as they escape, spreading and causing spot-fires in the surrounding areas.
Adventure Seed
While visiting a town celebrating one of it’s famous solstice festivals you feel the ground shake. A loud boom reverberates throughout the air and as you look over the surrounding market you see a pillar of lava and ash shoot above the treeline. ‘That looks like it’s in the direction of the portal!’ Says an old man beside you, dropping a melon in shock. He then hikes up his robe and runs toward the blast, sandals flapping against the cobblestones.
When you arrive at the portal you see a broken circle filling quickly with rising lava, charred stone outcrops jutting out of the earth with disturbed soil crumpling around their bases. The stones continue to grow slowly. Scattered throughout you spot scorched human limbs, as well as brass items. Flames rise from the magma, separating and roaming as various kinds of fire elementals. They set the trees and surrounding greenery ablaze wherever they touch.
‘Just as I feared,’ says the old man. ‘The portal was too old and has finally given way.’ Turning to you, he says ‘We need to close the rift. You look capable—help me get past the elementals and you’ll get any magic item you want. Just buy me time to shut down the magical stones holding the portal open.’
WHAT’S HAPPENING? The town—renowned throughout the kingdoms for its magical items—relies on this ancient portal. It can only be opened during the four seasonal solstices and during each of the seasons it points to a different plane of existence (earth, air, fire, water).
Every solstice a party of local adventurers would open the portal and bear gifts (today, brass) to the other side, braving the harsh realms and returning with resources. Those were then used by the artisans to craft the magic items. But ages of use had weakened the portal and today it finally reached breaking point.
When the adventurers activated it, the ring shattered, causing the portal to explode and kill them instantly. Now the plane of fire is pouring into the material realm through the growing rift and needs to be stopped. Instead of waiting for the elder to shut down the stones you could destroy them, which would be much faster—only, the portal will never open again...