City of Brass

From Manuel of the Planes (3e):

The City of Brass is populated by powerful efreet, and is considered by many efreet to be their home and their capital. Efreet may be found elsewhere on the Elemental Plane of Fire, but even far-flung settlements owe fealty and allegiance to the grand sultan who rules the City of Brass from his burning palace. The grand sultan is said to be an efreeti of singular power and prowess, and is advised by all manner of maliks, beys, and emirs. His direct servants, both in the city and on the Material Plane, are six pashas of considerable power.

The city itself is cradled in a brass hemisphere forty miles across, floating above a plate of cracked obsidian at the heart of the Elemental Plane of Fire. Stairs of burning basalt and rivers of flame stream up from the surface below to the well-armed gates of the city. The city walls may be reached by flying creatures, but the efreet take a dim view of interlopers who refuse to present themselves at one of the city’s gates.

The City of Brass is the best known location on the Elemental Plane of Fire and is also the most likely to be visited by travelers from the Material Plane. Within the bounds of the city, vision is normal, and the painful nature of the plane is suppressed at the will of the grand sultan. Whether the suppression of the plane’s great heat comes from the grand sultan’s natural ability, an arrangement with another powerful force, or a magic artifact is unknown. At the grand sultan’s whim, this protection can be revoked, exposing the city to the natural trait of the plane.

The City of Brass also has the mildly evil-aligned trait. Good-aligned creatures within the City of Brass suffer a -2 penalty on all Charisma-based checks and skills. This is due in part to the nature of the efreet within the walls, but the city also has a number of freestanding gates leading to the Nine Hells of Baator. Devils are common within the walls of the City of Brass, either on missions for their infernal masters or bringing tribute and gifts to the grand sultan’s court.

At the center of the city are its tallest towers and greatest fountains of flame. Here is the Burning Palace of the Grand Sultan of All the Efreet, where he rules from the Charcoal Throne. It is said that within the great palace are wonders beyond belief and treasure beyond counting. But here also is found death for any uninvited guest who seeks to wrest even a single coin or bauble from the treasure rooms of the grand sultan.