Aysu's Heart is where it's said the god Aysu fell from the heavens. It's a small volcano along the planet's equator, making it one of the hottest climates on Safira, not to mention that the volcano is still active, pulsing a constant fever of lava around the foot of the peak. The area is littered with igneous rock, forming dense layers of dark Andesite that singes the feet of any traveler.
But very few Safirans ever travel far enough south to explore the volcanic island. Not only is the place considered to be a religious landmark, but Aysu's Heart also has the highest population density of Paffturies: an infamous creature known for their deathly-toxic magic. Because of this, not many visitors are able to ever make the journey back, and wither away to a radiation-like sickness: a fate miserable enough to keep even the bravest of souls away. More often than not, those who have "visited" Aysu's Heart were simply watching it from afar on the Southern Peninsula.
Despite this, there are many rumours of creatures inhabiting the volcano. But with such a harsh climate and deadly neighbors, that certainly must not be true! And yet, a handful of researchers have dedicated their lives to studying the Aysu's Heart volcano. The group's motives -- ranging from religious studies, to the thrill of scientific breakthroughs, to the simple desire to retrieve the remains of a lost adventurer -- all simmer together on the hopes of one day being able to leave their footprints upon the layers of molten stone.