Azar

Azar, or more commonly named the Elemental Plane of Fire, is an Inner or Elemental Plane in the Great Wheel of Cosmology. It's located between the Elemental Plane of Air and the Elemental Plane of Earth.
The heat in Azar can melt stone, and the air is so dry that breathing is close to impossible for outsiders. The atmosphere is so thin that flying not-native creatures will have a hard time maneuvering through the air. These conditions make it that the plane is not often visited by travelers. Luckily its native inhabitants have found ways to deal with the extreme heat.

Inhabitants

Azar is inhabited by three different groups of native creatures: Efreeti, Amarkeeri, and Dijaani.

Efreeti

The Efreeti, also known as fire genies, are the rulers of Azar. There is only one living family of Efreeti: The Sulaymann. The Sulaymann rule from the palace at the top of El Efreet. Their immeasurable wealth comes from their long and strict reign and their power fulfills their deepest desire by wishing it to come true.

Amarkeeri

The Amarkeeri, also known as fire genasi, are the result of mixing Efreeti with humanoids from the material plane. They were created as a strong race to serve the Efreeti. This made for a history of slavery in which the Amarkeeri fulfilled all of the Efreeti desires. Later, as the views on slavery changed, the Amarkeeri became workers. Though, as a symbol of their appreciation for the Efreeti, they still have to pay them a part of their income.

Dijaani

The Dijaani is an umbrella term used for the other creatures of Azar. Some of these creatures are the fire elementals, fire bats, harginn and azer. The more animal-like Dijaani are sometimes kept as pets by Efreeti and Amarkeeri.

Locations

There are different notable locations on Azar.

City of El Efreet

The City of El Efreet is the only city in Azar. It was built on the remains of an extinct volcano. Hundreds of years ago, before the creation of the Amarkeeri, the Efreeti carved the volcano into a large spiral. On top of it, at a height of 7586 feet, they started building their palace. This palace was once carved out of stone and decorated with pieces of brass. They later used the Amarkeeri, to rebuild this palace using gold and pieces of sillimanite. The new palace was decorated with millions of precious rubies, showing the wealth of the rulers. When you go down from the palace you walk through a maze made of sillimanite and dessert glass. Guards of The Sulaymann look out over the maze, making sure no enemies arrive at the palace.
The Amarkeeri live down from the maze in three different rings:

• The upper ring is where rich Amarkeeri spend their days. It’s filled with different restaurants, shops, and theaters, entertaining the wealthy citizens.
• The middle ring is inhabited by Amarkeeri and humanoid Dijaani. There are some smaller shops, taverns and a small inn. Even though life is less fancy out there, life is still comfortable.
• The lower ring is the slum of the city. A mix of Amarkeeri and Dijnani inhabit the place. Many people from this area opt for a life of slavery to survive.

The Ever-burning Forest

Surrounding the extinct volcano on which the City of El Efreet is built, there is a forest. The trees resemble normal pine trees that were set on fire. These trees are made of Unburnt Wood, a type of wood that catches fire but doesn’t burn. The reason these trees keep burning is because of the gas that’s pouring out some of the geysers. There are rivers made of lava running through the forest. These meandering streams are home to fire fishes. Lucky visitors might catch a glimpse of their flame-like bodies. The forest is also home to different types of Dijaani like fire snakes and magmin

The Glass Desert

Located at the border between the Plane of Fire and the Plane of Earth, the Glass Desert is exactly what the name describes: a desert fully made of glass. The high temperatures of Azer made the sand turn to desert glass. Shards of the glass fly through the air, maiming unfortunate travelers. In the center of the desert is a gigantic brass circle that can be used as a portal to the Material Plane. It connects to a similar circle in Agni, a small druid village located to the South-East of Korthia.

Culture

233 years ago slavery was mostly demolished, which turned the Amarkeeri into worker folk. This change came with a price, as the Amarkeeri are obliged to pay high taxes to The Sulaymann on a yearly basis.

One could say that the Azaari have an individualistic culture. Although, especially in the lower ring, the need for survival can create some very tight-knit communities. In Azar, appearance is everything. One has to show their wealth and power on themselves. Climbing higher on the ladder, or getting to live in a higher ring of the city, is something many Amarkeeri strive towards. To achieve this the Amarkeeri are raised to be hard working.

Every year, when the sun is at its highest point, the Azaari celebrate The Rebirth of Azahri. This is an enormous festival in which the Amarkeeri light gigantic colorful bonfires throughout the city. Even the Efreeti light the gigantic braziers in their temple.
Amarkeeri also pray to their rulers, The Sulaymann, for wealth, survival, and good fortune, as they are the beings they originated from. Because of their almost godlike status, The Sulaymann their name days are celebrated with large parades and other festivities.

The wealth of the Azaari is shown in their clothing. Amarkeeri from the lower ring wear very loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. If they have a bit more money their clothing gets brighter and more colorful. They wear metal and glass jewelry. The wealthier Amarkeeri sometimes wear more structured clothing that’s adorned with glass beads and gemstones, reflecting the bright light on their surroundings. Extremely wealthy Amarkeeri even wear pieces of gold to show their status and make them look similar to the Efreeti who are mostly dressed in woven gold.
Because of the heat, the Amarkeeri like to wear their hair in knots, ponytails, and braids. These may also be adorned with jewelry to show status.