TwistedTower

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The Twisted Spire

History of the Twisted Spire

In the First Age, there was a powerful Solar General named Ashan Lo Fruah, exalted in the tumultous days after the defeat of the Primordials when the Exalted were establishing their presence in the Creation that they had inherited. Many were his deeds in these dark and lonely times, and in time he earned himself a position of responcibility and rulership over the city of Hollow in the River Province. He ruled over that city with the assistance of his wife and consort, the Half-Moon Caste Jentessa, and a number of Terrestrial Exalted who served under his flag. Yet, though Ashan did love and respect his wife, it did come to pass that he fell into an affair with his Circle-sister Malkuth. The two of them strained to be together and alone, for Ashan did hope to hide this forbidden union from his wife.

It was to this goal that the Golden Tower was originally constructed, to serve as a summer home for Ashan Lo Fruah when he saught to escape the routine of rulership and spend time in the comforting embrace of his lover. It was designed as a grand structure, yet a humble one, a hunting lodge in the midst of the Eastern Forests where Ashan could recline in comfort and engage in his favorite past-times -- riding, hunting, and relaxation amidst luxurious surroundings.

When the time of the Usurpation came, neither Ashan nor Malkuth were present at the Tower, and thus it was largely ignored by the Terrestrials. No Night Castes found it and took it up as their hide-away to continue their war against the Realm that had spurned them, but instead it lingered in the depths of the Eastern Forest and faded from memory. The Dragon-Blooded Shogunate never even realized that the Tower existed, for records of it were few and it was quite remote and difficult to find -- it is only with the fall of the First Age, and the coming of the Great Contagion and the countless hordes of the Fair Folk from outside of Creation that the tale of the Golden Tower reentered creation's history (unknown to most).

The slow passing of time had not been kind on the tower. It was built with the materials and knowledge of the first age, but little real exhaustive effort was put into the small hunting lodge. Relentless wind and the brushing of leaves slowly wore away at the coating of gold that covered the tower, rendering it a dull gray streaked with gold in places. Lightning scored the stone, and in places the material began to form long thin cracks as the ages of the world began to take their toll. It was in this condition that the Fair Folk Lord, Rising Rhapsody, initially came across the Tower during his entry into Creation with his honor guard at his side. He stopped, momentarily, for the Tower was unknown to him and he was curious as to it's presence here and if it might pose any danger. Yet, after a bit of investgation, he left on to Creation itself -- yet the memory of the tower stayed with him, remaining in his mind as he joined with his fellows and brought Chaos and Change to Creation.

When the Empress took up the Defenses of the Realm, and drove back the Countless Numbers of the Fae, Rising Rhapsody was pushed back with his fellows toward the edges of the East. He fumed, angry at being so casually pushed back, and dreamed of revenge against his thwarted hopes. It was then that the Tower he had passed during his entrance into Creation came to him, and it was to that location that he travelled. Most of his retainers and retinue had perished in the push on Creation, and what was left abandoned him to Creation -- fleeing back into the unnamed Chaos beyond the borders of the World. Yet, Rising Rhapsody stayed, taking up residence in the tower.

The Second Age began, years passing, and slowly the demense upon which the Golden Tower was built found itself taken and twisted. The Wyld strengthened and flowed around the tower, but not without direction -- for it was at the hand of Rising Rhapsody that the Wyld flowed, and he held absolute control over the changes and mutations that it brought to the landscape. First among them was upon the tower, once pointing up toward the sky straight and true, which he twisted and made serpentine. Gradually, his influence spread out over the surrounding lands as he left his mark upon them and shaped them more to his liking.

The Lord of the Twisted Spire began his rule alone, but in time others came. Some he gathered himself, such as his shining and glorious lady, who burned with rage and anger at Creation much as did he. Others came to him, pledging their featly and calling themselves his Knights; these he accepted, taking them into his Tower. Many he captured and brought to his lands, many among them commoners such as Chorda and Blissful Joy, servitors whose presence he required if his plans would hold true.

Slowly, the Wyld around the Tower grew infested, and any who wandered close enough to the Tower would hear the alien war-cries of the Hobgoblins ringing through the forest canopy.

Description of the Spire

The Twisted Tower has been changed, shaped by it's newest inhabitant. Largest at its base, where it seems to coil up into a rising serpentine spire, seeming to have grown out of alternating layers of gold and dark stone. Arrow slits and windows jut out here and there at odd angles, and the entire tower seems to almost writhe -- though though is merely a visual trick, caused by the almost flowing curves of the Spire. The very top of the tower seems to disappear into the greenery of the forests canopy, which the upper reaches of the tower pierces.

All in all, the tower now looks like some magnificent gold and gray snake.

The Lower Reaches
The lowest parts of the tower coil up against the forests floor, broader than the higher portions of the tower. Two entrances provide access to the tower itself, one from the stables and another opening up into the main hall. Also present in the lower reaches are a kitchen, a dining hall, a small armoury and a study with a small library.

The Great Hall is perhaps named a bit too grandly, for Ashan saw little need for a truely extensive hall. None the less, this chamber provides an impressive greeting place and is more than apt for entertaining guests. Doors lead off to the study, the armoury, and the dining hall, while a spiral staircase in the midst of the hall leads up to the tower itself. The main entrace to the Tower, double doors of resplendent green curtain with the strength and resiliency of diamond, resist all methods of intrusion. The Lord of the Twisted Tower holds his infrequent courts in this area, having grown a Golden Throne at the end of the hall. The gold in this room is still whole, shining with its own dim light; when Rising Rhapsody sits upon the Golden Throne, it also shines with such intensity that none can look directly upon his form but must avert their eyes. Two elite hobgoblins stay on guard here at all times.

The Study is a small room, with a few books Ashan collected about the East located in a single bookshelf. A few first age diversions rest here and there as well, some of which still work. The Muse of Never has added to this room, adding more bookshelves and filling the room with glamour-born wonders and objects of art. The commoner Blissful Joy spends most of her time here, even keeping a small sectioned-off sleeping area in the room, tending to the objects within the room and providing entertainment when it is requested.

The Armoury has, of all the buildings of the old tower, changed the most -- doubling in size, swallowing what used to be a garden. A dream-forge rests inside one of the walls, and racks of weapons forged by the expert hands of Chorda are located here. The materials used by the commoner smith are many and varied, from dreams of war to the raw stuff of the Wyld. A few of the old artifacts that were found in the Tower are also stored here, locked away behind potent illusions of permanent glamour created by Rising Rhapsody. The stables lay nearby as well, linked with the armoury by a heavy door of some unknown metal.

The Stables are small and humble, with stalls for only three or four mounts and a bit of space for the storage of riding gear and artifacts. The Lords Mount, a black charger called Fugue, occupies with stables together with the Muse of Never's unicorn and the personal horses of the Black Rider and the White Shield Maiden. Bralx, a commoner of the worker Caste, spends most of his time here tending to the mounts and seeing to it that they are prepared and fed for when their masters need them.

The Dining Hall, just off the Great Hall, is just as small and intimate as the rest of the tower. While the room itself is quite big, the table itself only seats two and seems designed for small romantic dinners. A secondary staircase ascends up into the tower from here, providing access to the private chambers above. The servitor automatons that once served the Solar General and his lover have long since been recycled by Chorda, but a pair of commoners (Glimph and Gliath) see to the needs of the Lord and Lady of the Twisted Spire. The two of them venture down into this room once every evening that both are present in the Spire, engaging in a long formal dinner that seems to serve to reinforce their bonds and oaths.

The Kitchen is the least used of any of the rooms; personal home to Glimph and Gliath, the two commoners dwell between the tables and shelves of the small kitchen. No food is stored here, and the various first age cooking artifacts have long since worn away to uselessness. The only real purpose of the room is to house the two commers, and though they keep the Kitchen clean they cannot quite keep away the sense of lonliness and abandonment.

The Spire Itself
The Tower itself rapidly constricts, the relatively broad base narrowing to the private levels and then gradually becoming little more than stairs circling up past infrequent observation decks and sitting rooms until you eventually reach the top of the tower. Thus, there is relatively little int his part of the tower. Most extensive is the suite of private rooms just one level up from the ground floor, where the Solar General and his Lover spent most of their time when they were present. Past that, the stairs are most definately the dominant feature, but a few small rooms lurk here and there about the tower.

The Stairs from the Great Hall rise up into a luxuriously appointed Foyer, filled with comfortable places to sit, where the Solars could greet any guests with a bit more of a personal touch. If anything, this area has grown even more extravagent since the Lord of the Twisted Tower has taken up residence, filled as it is with things of impossible beauty and comfort. A few First Age comforts remain, but with the arrival of the Muse of Never those grew even fewer and further between. Now the room is draped in flowing dreams, gossamer hanging from the ceiling and light-emitting plants adding a subtle ambiance to the room. Guests rest upon chairs padded from clouds, or heated couches cast from soft taffy like water. Brilliant butterflies flutter through the room, and a chorus of wyld-shaped insects provides musical distractions on demand. If needed, the Lord of the Twisting Tower has a hall to make even the Scarlet Empress jealous.

The Master Bedroom is as small and intimate as the dining room, and much of the original decoration remains here; Rising Rhapsody and his Lady have added a few personal touches, but mostly they care little for this room -- preferring to rest in the Foyer. Most impressive is the massive bed, with fine emerald-cloth sheets and pillows crafted from rosepetals, constructed in the First Age by a Twilight as a favor for Ashan. The glow-orbs in the room still function, adjusting the levels of light from the full glare of the sun to a dim ambient lighting. The Lord and Lady of the Tower, once their dinner is complete in the dining area below, proceed up to this area to complete their ritual bonding rites.

The Lounging Room, between the Foyer and the Master Bedroom, has mostly been forgotten by the couple -- who see few reasons to move between the Foyer and the Bedroom, unlike the previous inhabitants. It remains exactly as it was before, a simple private area where the two Solars could relax and enjoy each others company. In addition to a few soft couches, the room also contains a small First Age Bar, a intricate collection of glow orbs, and a few First Age toys in various states of disrepair.

The stairs in the Foyer continue up, and very little else remains of importance above the private suite. Various places along the stairwell, however, house sitting rooms where one can sit overlooking a spectactular view of the surrounding forest. With the coming of the Lord of the Twisted Tower, these have turned into defensive stations, the windows changing into arrow slits. Three hobgoblins typically inhabit each one, always keeping a firm eye out for any intruders.

The Extents
The tower rises up past the forests canopy, breaching the green expanse and flattening out into a Covered Balcony overlooking the impressive sight. Ashan and Malkuth would come up here quite often, to watch the Sunset in the East or listen to the haunting melodies of the birds and other creatures of the upper reaches of the Forest. The balcony is filled with a few wicker seats, a lounging chair and a small reclining area where two people can comfortably lay together and watch the sunset.

This balcony is also the focal point of the Manses energies congregate, and where the Hearthstone is formed on a small pedestal in the middle of the balcony. Merely a level two Wood Manse, Ashan gave the Hearthstone to Malkuth for her own keeping upon the completion of the Golden Towers construction. The Lord of the Twisting Tower has often desired to recover the inert stone, and destroy it, so he could see what changes to its magics his 'changes' to the Spire have wrought.

Two recessed areas lower down onto the canopy itself, allowing those trustful of their balance to walk upon the canopy itself -- which, this far East, is more than strong enough to support a human not carrying anything heavy in most places. An uncaring traveller could easily plummet quite some distance with a single misplaced step, however. Malkuth once knew all of the paths over the canopy for miles, using it as a shortcut to reach various locations near the Tower -- the secret has been lost since the Usurpation, however.

The Lord of the Twisted Tower seldom ventures this far up, finding little purpose to it. The Muse of Never comes up here on occasion, and can sometimes be found staring over the canopy.

The Spires Environs

The Demense of the Manse has been infested with the Wyld, which at first spilled out near the Tower itself at the bidding of Rising Rhapsody. Over the centuries since the beginning of the Second Age, however, the Wyld has gradually grown more and more expansive. The Spire itself, and it's immediate surroundings (out to about 800 yards) are in the Middle Marches, while the Bordermarches around the Spire expand to about four miles. Yet, this Wyld Zone is fairly stable and controlled, under the dominion of a Fae Lord such as it is -- no changes or shifts occur, unless Rising Rhapsody wills them so.

the Middlemarches
Nearest to the Spire itself, the control of the Fae Lord is complete. Will o' the Wisps float calmly around the Tower, visible even from the distance as glowing orbs of multicolored lights. Water is silvery and reflective, showing beautifully imagined images of the person reflected -- flaws removed, in new and vibrantly colored clothing, and such. The course of the day does not pass this close to the Tower, but instead stops at a perpetual twilights, the last few strands of sunlight apparently striking through the gaps in the canopy. Any but the Faerie who spend more than a few weeks within this area might find that a greatly different period of time has passed in the outside world.

The trees closest to the Spire have grown taller and thicker, supporting rich branches full of lush green leaves and long thorny vines. The trees are largely mundane, albiet more vibrant and alive than any other Tree in the East, but the Vines are vaguely sentient, and understand the guttural language of the Hobgoblins quite well. If a target comes too close (or they're ordered to by a Hobgoblin), they will quickly whip around the subject and catch them in their embrace -- lashing out with their razor sharp thorns and strangling with iron-vines. Some can be ordered to leave the disguise of their trees, sliding around the ground like snakes.

There are no weeds and bushes on the floor of the forest, but numerous colorful beds of flowers sprout out -- seeming to divide trails, leading toward the Spire or one of the other structures. Some of these flowers release fine amounts of pollen that has various effects on humans, from inducing sleep or hallucinations to acting as a stimulant or a depressent.

Fae Animals of various types roam the forest; Great Stags move through the wilder portions of the Wyld, providing sport for the Knights of the Tower on occasion. The occasional Wild Griffon lurks in the upper parts of the trees, waiting for something to wander within view. Other, even stranger beasts, lurk here as well.

In addition to the tower itself, a number of structures have been erected by various Fae Workers.

• the Barracks, a massive structure seemingly rising out of the ground itself, cloaked in flowers and sheltered by trees. While it seems quite make-shift, it is quite solid and just as fortified as any Castle in the Realm. Hobgoblins lurk along the flowered battlements, and patrols of Griffon and Warg-riders keep any but the most stealthy of intruders from approaching without being spotted long before they should arrive. Much of the Barracks is underground, located in shining crystal caves carved by Glamour. Workers and Warriors are the most common inhabitants of the five story structure (two above, three below), and there is easily enough room in the fortification for 2000 Fair Folk.
• Brias, a small Fae Town, is obviously devoted toward the military. It contains a whore-house filled with Entertainers, a number of Taverns where Hobgoblins who are off duty spend their free time, and a few other buildings that serve very little purpose except to make it look like an actual town. If an intruder makes it far enough into the Middle Marches to reach Brias, a strange glamour settles over the area -- making the entire place look like a, oddly placed but completely mundane, human village in the midst of the Eastern Forest. This Glamour extends to the Fae within; any Hobgoblins seem to be somewhat ugly and rough mercenaries, the few Commoners look like peasants, Entertainers remain beautiful and intoxicatingly alluring but gain a guise of normalcy. If any Nobles enter the city, they appear as startlingly attractive humans.
• the Aviary, home to the Griffons, is located far far up into the treeline, a circular weave of wood and leaves that seems to hang like a ornament from between two large oaks. Numerous exits look out, where Griffons and their riders can disembark on matters of war or patrol. All in all, the Aviary contains about 50 griffons and their riders. One of the nearby trees that supports the Aviary also contains the means by which one travels up and down from the high perch.
• The Kennels, home to the Wargs, is a deep menacing cave with room for two-hundred wargs and a number of Hobgoblins who are trained in riding them. The yipping and howls from the cave can be heard from some distance off, though the surrounding vegitation serves to swallow a good bit of the sound. The caves are fairly shallow, and filled with various structures and aides to dealing with the Beasts -- making their purpose apparent to anyone who spends a bit of time exploring, without getting killed by the Hobgoblins who infest the place (or their Wargs).
• Sentry Oaks ring the borders of the Middlemarches, massive trees whose branches support natural-formed platforms. Leaves as strong as iron provide cover, while the loft perch provides a fair amount of visibility. Typically manned by five Hobgoblins, the trees themselves are irregularly spaced throughout the border -- but seem to move, and are surprisingly hard to avoid considering how few of them their are.

the Bordermarches
In the dim reaches of the Spires touch, the Forest is still under the control of Rising Rhapsody but not as strongly. The Sun's passage through the sky is slowed, with Twilight seeming to last longer and the extremes of the day passing more quickly, but time does pass. The trees are brighter and more colorful, and fantastic creatures can be glimpsed, but the Forest is less alien and dangerous than it gets deeper into the Wyldland.

The first sign, for the careful traveller, that they've entered a place where reality is somewhat twisted is the chirping of the insects at night and the songs of the birds at night. Both seem to have a strange guidance or purpose to them, almost as if they were being conducted...

---

The Fae Lord, and his Retainers

The Lord and Lady
/RisingRhapsody :: the Lord of the Twisted Tower, a powerful Fae Noble.
/MuseOfNever :: the enigmatic Lady of the Twisted Tower.

The Knights of the Twisted Tower
/TheBlackRider :: the Greatest of the Knights of the Tower, and the Lords Champion.
/WhiteShieldMaiden :: the most Loyal and Dutiful Knight, and the Lords Shieldmaiden.
/Balasara :: the most Violent and Bloodythirsty of the Knights, and the Lords Warmistress
/Callais :: the Lowest of the Knights of the Tower, but the most ambitious.
/Min-Che :: the most alien of the Knights, Air Aligned. Tactician.

Notable Commoners
/Bonecrush :: the strongest and most ruthless Hobgoblin, and Commander of the Barracks.
/BlissfulJoy :: the Bard and Jester of the Court, a Commoner Entertainer.
/Chorda :: the Lords Smith and Craftsman.

/TowerHobgoblins :: The Various Fae Warriors that the Lord has gathered aroudn him.
/TowerFaeThings :: Fae Animals, Vine-snakes, Mounts, and assorted other things.