Mount Magnus is one of the largest and most volatile volcanoes within the Fields of the Frenzied Flame, located just south of the Unknown and east of the Valley of Argath. Though second in size only to Unknown in the far north, no other peak in the region is as violent or as feared. Its eruptions do not follow the natural order—they are unpredictable, relentless, and unnaturally charged with malevolent energy. The ground around Magnus is perpetually cracked and scorched, and the skies above it are choked with an endless plume of ash and fire.
Legends persist that an eldritch horror slumbers beneath its molten heart, an ancient evil whose restless stirrings send waves of destruction across the region. Unknown, Fire Giant, and even the most brazen of Unknown dare not tread too close, for those who descend into Magnus’ deepest chasms never return—at least, not as themselves.
Geography & Volcanic Activity
Mount Magnus is an ever-churning cauldron of destruction, its slopes covered in rivers of lava, jagged obsidian spires, and deep rift-chasms that vent plumes of blackened flame.
- Unnatural Eruptions – Unlike most volcanoes, which follow cycles of pressure buildup and release, Magnus erupts seemingly at random. Some eruptions are small, little more than violent tremors and magma flows, while others shake the entire region, blackening the sky for weeks at a time.
- The Wailing Chasms – Deep cracks in the earth where molten rock churns beneath the surface. They are said to whisper in an ancient, forgotten tongue. Those who listen too closely go mad, walking willingly into the flames.
- The Ashen Spires – Towering, jagged pillars of obsidian and volcanic rock that stretch from the mountainside, forming a labyrinth of heat and shadow. Many claim they shift and move when unobserved, forming twisting pathways that lead ever downward.
- The Black Pyre – A perpetual inferno at the volcano’s peak, where flame burns in colors unnatural to this world—hues of violet, black, and deep crimson. Some claim it is a rift into the Elemental Plane of Fire, while others believe it is something far worse.
The Monster within Magnus
Ancient myths and fragmented texts suggest that Mount Magnus is not merely a volcano—it is a prison. Beneath its molten heart, something waits, something older than the Titans, older even than the gods.
- The Nameless One – A being of pure entropy, said to have been sealed away before time was measured. Its whispers seep through the cracks of reality, calling out to those who are weak-willed or desperate for power.
- The Keeper of the Pyre – Some fire giants, particularly the most zealous of the Unknown, believe that Magnus is home to a fragment of Surtur’s original flame, an entity of divine destruction that will one day be unleashed.
- The Riftborne Madness – Scholars from distant lands who have studied Magnus' eruptions have noted traces of Rift Energy within the ash and molten rock. This has led some to believe that the eldritch entity beneath Magnus may be tied to the great Khaos Rifts, or worse—that it is one itself, buried in slumber.
Legends & Myths
The denizens of the Fields of the Frenzied Flame tell countless tales of those who have vanished within the depths of Mount Magnus, only to return as something else.
- The Ashen-Woken – Warriors and travelers who disappeared into the mountain and later emerged as charred husks, their eyes burning with unnatural flame. Their bodies crumble to ash, but their souls remain bound to Magnus forever.
- The Burning Prophets – Some who have glimpsed Magnus’ heart claim to have seen visions of the end of the world—a great rift swallowing the sky, a god consumed by his own flames, and the earth turned to glass beneath an infernal sun.
- The Last Door – At the heart of the volcano, buried beneath miles of molten rock, there is said to be a door of black iron, older than the gods themselves. The legends state that if it were ever to open, Magnus would erupt for eternity, drowning the world in flame and madness.
Legacy
Mount Magnus remains one of the most dangerous places in the known world. Even the Flamebourne, who revel in fire and destruction, do not dare build their temples upon its slopes. Every year, foolish explorers, warlocks seeking eldritch knowledge, and fire-worshiping cults vanish into its depths—and every year, the mountain erupts in warning.
The question is not if Magnus will unleash its full fury, but when.