Description
The River Inferno is a massive, rapid flow of molten lava over a mile wide at points, running from the southern to the northern shores of Foren. It is believed to be connected to both the Elemental Plane of Fire, by virtue of the elementals, Salamanders, and magma mephits that arise from it; and to Aeor's impact. The lava flow abruptly ends when it reaches the Frigid Depths, and while water becomes steam as one would expect upon hitting the surface, icebergs or fallen snow within the river do not melt in its intense heat, further emphasizing its unnatural origins.
The lava at times appears to cool slightly on the surface, but any crust that forms is broken apart quickly by the swift flow. At times gasses emerge from bursting bubbles of lava. While the ice on the river itself does not melt, the combination of the heat from the river and the surrounding terrain can produce heavy fog on the banks.
While most expeditions attempt to avoid the river, some take advantage of the speed of its currents and ride the ice floes northward to sites in that portion of the island.
Background
The Mighty Nein were aware of the existence of the river from their map of Eiselcross, and finally reached it after the Tombtakers caught up with them and the two parties began traveling together.
" Ice and Fire " (2x121)
The Mighty Nein and the Tombtakers reach the River Inferno and make camp by the banks. The Tombtakers, having crossed the river before, take advantage of its strange properties by having Cree read a spell scroll to conjure a snowstorm to provide a means of crossing.
The groups attempt to cross quietly over the snow, but a misstep from Zoran alerts the fire elementals, who attack. The Mighty Nein then try to cross the remainder of the river by polymorphing several party members into giant birds and flying, but Lucien initially dispells their polymorph, forcing them to fight the elementals. Thanks to a combination of running, repeated casting of Polymorph, and other methods of flight, all are able to reach the other side of the river.
" A Walk to Warmer Welcomes " (2x124)
After fleeing the Tomb Takers with their threshold crest, the Mighty Nein consider throwing the crest into the river but ultimately decide to teleport it away instead.
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
In the adventure hook Haughty Efreet, a pair of efreet emerge from the River Inferno. They ask the first intelligent creatures they find to tell them about the land they have entered, and they demand directions to the nearest settlement, where they plan to enslave the denizens and put them to work building an obsidian tower by the river's shore as a vacation home.
Behind the scenes
- While it is both repeatedly discussed and appears onstream, the River Inferno is never referred to by name in Campaign Two: The Mighty Nein.
