The Burning Ring

The ring of volcanoes to the North East of the world is known as The Burning Ring. This hellscape of fire and lava should be uninhabitable, but is actually teaming with some of the most resistant and stubborn creatures one can encounter. Dragons, kobolds, boars, goblins, orcs, and ogres spend their time toiling away to make the finest weaponry any could home to wield. The most skilled blacksmiths flock here to what is essentially a massive furnace. Those outsiders eager to learn the trade risk death to learn from the masters of the craft by braving the constantly active volcanoes.

Governance in The Burning Ring can vary depending on the species. Ogres have a ‘might is right’ philosophy, where the strongest among them rules. One ogre may take charge simply by knocking out the current leader. Boars hold the best blacksmiths among them in high regard, seeing them as the backbone to The Burning Ring’s success. Dragons are typically selfish creatures, preferring to live in solitude, but sometimes have a following of kobolds. Goblins and orcs tend to be the most bazaar among the groups, with their leader being decided by a series of tests and trials, mostly unrelated to one's ability to rule. The current goblin queen rules due to her ability to win a trial that required the participants to capture a mate deemed to be the most impressive, when she managed to knock out a rune tapper with a rock and drag him back to be used as her throne.

It is only because of The Burning Ring’s ruler, Hilda the Cerberus Queen, that trade is made possible with the outside world, as those she rules over have proven to be incompetent at running a kingdom. All pay tribute to the guardian and the rulers of the various races meet frequently with Hilda in her massive fortress built into the stone of the largest volcano at the heart of The Burning Ring.

The tough and the stubborn call this hellscape home, as well as those who thrive in the organized chaos that has allowed The Burning Ring to rise to the powerhouse it has been known to be, often breeding powerful warriors due out of the necessity of what it takes to survive. Lava flowing into one’s hut overnight is a common occurrence and the only belongings worth keeping are the ones that can take the heat. The same is often true for those who live there.