The belt of habitable land which encircles the equator of Bri`ahl III could aptly be described as an island in a sea of fire. The entire surface of the planet was once covered in turbulent molten flows and scientists believe that the cooling process that has enabled life to begin to be a relatively new development of the last fifty million years. Despite the beauty of its vast, rolling grasslands, Bri`ahl III has attracted few settlers over the years. For the most part, fear of the still common volcanic activity makes visitors reluctant to stay. However, that isolation has made Bri`ahl III an ideal place for the rich and famous who seek to retire from public life -- dozens of former tycoons and brilliant minds can be found in small, earthen hermitages around the planet.