River of Flame

"You thought the heat couldn't get any worse. You thought you were getting used to it. The lava surrounding the ground here puts an end to that. You feel the heat of the ground through your boots. To your horror, you see a soul rise up from the lava, pleading for your help. Before you do anything, some unseen force jerks the soul below the surface. Bones are as much a part of this shattered landscape as the rubble."

- Area description

The River of Flame is located in the Burning Hells.

Lore
Located beneath the City of the Damned, the River of Flame is located in the Realm of Destruction. While much of Hell possesses high temperatures uncomfortable to mortals, the River of Flame is even more extreme in its heat. The titular river is one of magma, and its shattered landscape is comprised of both bone and rubble. Islands can be found in the river with stone bridges joining them. The Hellforge is located in this place.

The River appears to be located close to the Realm of Terror, as a row of statues marks the path from the river to the Chaos Sanctuary.

In-game
The River of Flame is a zone in of Diablo II. It can be reached by a staircase from the City of the Damned (the staircase is usually found near the City's waypoint).

The River of Flame is a winding path of rock within a vast sea of magma. It has a very unique and 'hellish' feel to it&mdash;it is arguably one of the more intense zones players will visit in the game.

The River of Flame has several points of interest. The Hellforge can be found at one end of the River. Somewhere at the other end of the River lies the Chaos Sanctuary - Diablo's lair. The waypoint can be found near the entrance to the Sanctuary. It is here the angel Hadriel stands guard, accompanied by rows of demonic statues depicting the Hell Knights from Diablo I.

The double row of statues between Hadriel and the waypoint are a nice Easter Egg; their heads turn to watch as one's character runs past on the way to the final battle with Diablo.

"'Between the River of Flame and the Archangel Hadriel stands a row of statues, guarding the way to the Chaos Sanctuary. As you pass each statue, take notice as they turn their head and follow you with their icy stares. What purpose could they serve? Perhaps they are the eyes of Diablo himself!' - Deckard Cain"

The River of Flame on Hell is also one of the treasure class level 85 areas, and the monsters there have better drop levels for this reason. If you have a powerful character, it can be a decent place to do Magic Find runs due to its large size and accessibility. Monsters there can be troublesome to kill, however, boasting various resistances (not to mention a Hephasto that can spawn with some particularly dangerous mods).