History on the Rooftop: Stormwill Tower

This lecture is part of the History on the Rooftop Lecture Series.

Year of the Emerald Dolphin, 439 years since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer. It is the 17th day in the 3rd month of Lirisa, the Archer. It is currently spring. (8/28/2021)

Speaker

Lady of Elamiri Ayrell Evyntine-Vershir, Archmagess of Ilithi

You see Lady of Elamiri Ayrell Evyntine-Vershir, Archmagess of Ilithi, an Elf. Ayrell has elegant arched eyebrows, pointed ears and exquisite lashes accentuating lustrous sapphire eyes. Her deep blue-streaked raven hair is hip length and wavy, and is worn in an elegant upswept arrangement threaded with an ornate silversteel chain twined with pale mistglass Elamiri roses. She has fair skin and a svelte figure. She appears to be an adult. She has a tattoo of a white rose encircled by a blood-stained thorny vine on her ankle. She is in good shape.

She is wearing a pair of sparkling earrings cast as climbing Elven ivy with sapphire blossoms, an ornate choker of lilac moonsilver woven amidst a labyrinth of sapphires, a curved silver earcuff tipped with a phantom sapphire, an opulent gown of silvery windstorm gossamer with a latticed illusion neckline, a dainty lilac moonsilver bracelet linked to a sapphire ring by intricate chains, a spiraling lilac moonsilver engagement band crowned by a blue Elamiri sapphire, a gleaming silver signet ring bearing an intricate family seal, a lifesculpted moonsilver wedding band cradling a trillion-cut twilight sapphire, a twining ivy anklet of lucent lilac moonsilver with variegated sapphire blooms and some sparkly silver whisperlayne slippers affixed with translucent mistglass heels.

Location & Audience

Shoan a Sidelkuloa, Outdoor Stage

The simple stage consists of a raised platform of wood planks. Lanterns provide light for nighttime performances. You also see a door.

Also here: Underdog Tweedum, Protector of Gnomes Razilak who is shrouded in ghostly flames, Slum Lord Fiasko, Paladin Maxilot who is sitting, Mountain Lord Ezerak, Slo'Shh'oiyvh-ur Frulle, Woten who is sitting, Carnage Darling Dantia who is sitting, Archmage Xelten, Tempest Knight Saragos who has a fiery visage, Newswoman Navesi, Philomath Miskton, Seneschal Rileos, Elemental Aegis Tekhelet, Primal Scrapper Aetheline, Enchantress Angel who is sitting, Telo'Getha Tirost who is sitting, Fiery Doom Zalinyar, Storm Maiden Constantia, Nepenthe Kethrai who is sitting, Maelstrom Raikage and Field Medic Darkewolff.

Introduction

Ayrell says, "Well, I think it is safe for us to go ahead and begin."

Ayrell says, "I have a brief introduction before I get into the lecture, so hopefully that will cover enough time in case anyone else is on the way."

Ayrell says, "To start...."

Ayrell says, "Good evening, and welcome to the Shoan a Sidelkuloa."

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell says, "For those who do not know me, my name is Ayrell Evyntine-Vershir. For those who -do- know me, they will likely tell you that I have always been fond of history and am frequently found with my nose in a dusty volume at the back of a library, or on the frontlines, asking questions and seeking to better understanding the world around me."

Ayrell says, "This love of history is what inspired me to host this informative series I like to call 'History on the Rooftop.' Each lecture within the series will focus on a different landmark or different point in history about which I hope to share the knowledge I have obtained over the years and perhaps help inspire other future historians in their quest for answers."

Ayrell says, "Before we begin, I would like to start by asking a question. By show of hands, how many of you are familiar with Stormwill Tower?"

Ayrell smiles.

Ezerak raises his hand.

Tirost raises his hand.

Miskton raises his hand.

Navesi raises her hand.

Tekhelet raises his hand.

Darkewolff raises his hand.

Xelten nods.

Saragos raises his hand.

Dantia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Rileos raises his hand.

Dantia shakes her head.

Woten came through a door.

Aetheline beams at Dantia!

Ayrell asks, "That is wonderful. Now, by show of hands, how many of you have felt the jolt from a stray bolt of lightning or two while lingering outside the entrance?"

Tekhelet nods to Woten.

Xelten smirks.

Miskton chuckles.

Rileos raises his hand.

Navesi glances at Miskton.

Miskton raises his hand.

Aetheline casually observes the area.

Dantia gazes at you.

Ayrell laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement.

Tirost smiles at Woten.

Kethrai shakes his head.

Dantia quietly says, "This sounds awful."

Navesi says, "Miskton needs to raise twice."

Dantia chuckles.

Woten nods to Tirost.

Ayrell chuckles at Navesi.

Miskton chuckles.

Woten winks at Ayrell.

Ayrell says, "That is less wonderful, but if you were ever curious as to why the lightning never ceases, why the storm is ever present - that is among the questions I hope to answer for you this evening."

Ayrell smiles at Woten.

Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a

Ayrell says, "What many of you may not know is that Stormwill Tower was originally known by a different name. Back when Corik the Black Cloud first built the city of Shard with the aid of Queen Morganae and the Mountain Elves, they called upon the most talented of Stone Mages to mold the very earth into a tower unlike anything anyone had ever seen before."

Ayrell says, "It is said that when the evening sun shone upon the marble, an illusion was cast, causing the tower to resemble a spear of fire rising from the earth in defiance of the encroaching night. It was this sight which inspired the tower's name. A name that declared the pride and defiance of those who created it."

Ayrell says, "That name was Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a. Translated from Gerenshuge as 'Spear of Sun's Flame Descending.'."

Corik and the Dragon Priests

Ayrell says, "Now, this lecture is not one on the history of Shard. That being said, there are details in that history which must be touched upon in order to understand the significance of the Stormwill Tower's rise and fall."

Ayrell says, "History books tell of Corik's neutrality during what the people of Shard referred to as the War of the Dragon. The Council, known as the Three, advised him to be patient and uphold a peaceful nature. But this was not Corik's way. And when the Dragon Priests turned their attention upon Shard, Corik decided he could not remain peaceful any longer."

Ayrell says, "There were not many who were willing to follow Corik into battle, however. Some say it was pride, some say it was arrogance - though perhaps it was both - that drew the House of the Grey Storm, the mages of Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a, to march in the vanguard. Leaving the city behind to seek the Dragon Priests and wage war upon them."

Ayrell says, "Little did they know that, while they marched toward battle, the Dragon Priests they sought would never be found, for they had already outmaneuvered Corik. In the dead of night, the Dragon Priest's circled around Corik's army, sneaking into the city of Shard, and setting it aflame, slaughtering women and children in their beds while branding others as sacrifices to the World Dragon. The only building that did not burn, despite the flames that consumed it, was Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a. In fact, it is said that the tower's burning was what alerted Corik to the attack."

Ayrell says, "Filled with rage, Corik and his mages covered the distance of three days' march in a single night, but to no avail. Shard was already in ashes by the time they arrived, save for Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a. Though, while there is more to Corik's story from here, I will leave the tale of his final battle for another time. As this is, after all, the story of Stormwill Tower. And there remains much yet to tell."

Ayrell says, "For years after the destruction of Shard at the hands of the Dragon Priests, the mages of Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a lived in shame. Blamed by many for the lives lost that night. And they accepted it, in many ways. They knew that if they had not followed Corik, the city would not have been left undefended. And they knew it was their pride and arrogance which made them think themselves the stronger warriors. The smarter warriors. Led by a false belief that the Dragon Priests would never find a way to outwit them."

Ayrell says, "Even after this, the Dragon Priests continued to make raids on the lands surrounding what was left of Shard. The mages did what they could to defend their people, but they were so broken, so scattered, they were unable to save everyone. During this time, it is said that a hard lesson was learned by the mages. A lesson many other mages have yet to learn, to this day."

Ayrell says, "For it is said that it is not the duty of a Warrior Mage to wage war. It is their duty to prevent it. And if war cannot be prevented, it is their duty to fight and protect the innocents from being subjected to the horrors of it. And it was in these two duties the mages knew they had failed. By following Corik, they sought glory for themselves. And, by following Corik, they left the innocents of Shard defenseless, failing to protect those most in need of protection."

Ferdahl Alec

Ayrell says, "It wasn't until [[Alec arrived in Shard that the city began to rebuild, reform, revive. Following the fall of Dzree, Alec saw the Dragon Priest temple burned to the ground. And, in a show of faith, he asked the mages of Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a to aid in reconstructing the city. And reconstruct, they did. Though, with Alec's permission, they left their old home, Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a, to stand as it was. Charred and burned and barely habitable. Serving as a grim reminder of the mistakes that would haunt them forever. Evidence of the cost of pride and arrogance."

The Mage of Storms

Ayrell says, "Which brings us to the part of the story about which I think you all are most curious. The part that will explain the ceaseless storm that wages above Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a. The story of the Mage of Storms."

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell says, "Although the Mage of Storms is known in history as an enemy, he was not always so. In his youth, he was the son of a shepherd and a promising Warrior Mage, skilled in the art of magic, and progressing through the ranks quickly until, one day, he learned of the death of his family in what was described as a freak storm."

Ayrell says, "As you can imagine, the young mage was devastated. His once vibrant and cheerful personality twisted to somberness and melancholy, shutting himself away in his room within Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a in mourning. He refused to eat, never leaving his chambers, though some claim they could see strange lights dancing beneath his door in the middle of the night."

Ayrell says, "When he finally re-emerged from his confinement, the young mage was changed. Though he looked the same on the outside, he was not the same on the inside, his desire for knowledge shifting toward a desire to learn how to control the weather itself. It was no longer mere curiosity, but an obsession. One that appeared to stem from whatever trauma remained within his mind, warping him into something dangerous. A man willing to do anything for knowledge, including torturing and killing his fellow mages if he felt they were withholding information on the subject about which he sought so desperately to master."

Ayrell says, "For these crimes, the young mage was expelled from the guild and cast out of the city of Shard. It was believed that his expulsion might cause the young mage to repent, therefore, he was not stripped of his magic, as one might expect. For years, it was assumed this to be safe. Rumors passed through the lips of miners and shepherds, speaking of a mage capable of calling the lightning from the sky and turning entire villages to ash with a single firestorm. But no one truly believed it possible, nor did they believe the young mage could have grown so strong."

Ayrell says, "It wasn't until the day this young mage appeared outside the city gates that the people of Shard started to believe. In his derangement, he demanded Shard's full surrender, on threat that he would burn the city to the ground if they did not, same as the Dragon Priests had done so many years before. The guards laughed at him and barred him from the city. In retaliation, the young mage summoned forth lightning from the clear blue skies, leaving nothing but the smoking fragments of their bones to remember them by."

Ayrell says, "In the wake of his destruction at the gates, the young mage made his demands again before retreating to a tent that had been arranged for him in the hillside. Followed by a rumbling storm cloud overhead, the mage gave Shard one day to surrender before the entire city would suffer the same fate as the guards."

Ayrell says, "Since it was the guild's decision to leave the young mage's magic intact, Alec decreed it the guild's responsibility to handle the mage now. So the guild sent their strongest mages to face the young mage - all of whom were returned to the city as little more than ashen corpses. The guild was desperate, seeking anyone who might know how to defeat the Mage of Storms."

Ayrell says, "It came as a surprise that it was another young mage by the name of Kadriash who stepped forward. Kadriash was not only young, but new to the guild, which made the guildleader wary, but desperation disallowed from turning him away. The deadline was drawing near yet a solution had yet to be found."

Ayrell says, "So, young Kadriash slipped through the streets in the middle of the night, seeking the aid of an even younger mage, a friend of his from within the guild of Moon Mages. With her help, Kadriash accompanied her under a cloak of invisibility to the tent where the Mage of Storms slept. They were able to bypass the mage's minions, but the mage somehow knew they were coming."

Ayrell says, "No one knows what transpired that night, within the confines of the mage's tent. Neither Kadriash nor his friend ever spoke of it beyond the barest of details. What we know is that the young moon mage was able to stun the Storm Mage's mind, rendering him helpless to the magic Kadriash used against him. A victory, one would think, if not for the fact that the Storm Mage's loss of focus released his control over the storm cloud overhead."

Ayrell says, "Much of northern Shard was devastated by the destruction caused by the storm's fury, no longer contained by the Storm Mage's magic. With great effort Kadriash was able to eventually gain control of the storm, though not to the same extent as the Mage of Storms. But the control was enough to rein it in, allowing Kadriash and his friend to return to the city, storm cloud in tow."

Ayrell says, "In the days that followed, Kadriash found he was able to better control the storm when he was closer to it. For this reason, the guildleader ordered the Air Mages to create floating pathways from the mist of clouds to ring Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a and grant Kadriash access to the roof where access had otherwise been prevented due to the damage done to the stairways during the fires set by the Dragon Priests so many years before."

Ayrell says, "The Guildmaster bragged that, not only had their mages saved the city of Shard from the Mage of Storms, but that they now sacrificed having a roof over their heads to protect the people from the lingering evil. It was a bard who coined Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a's new name, somewhat sarcastic in his imitation of the Guildmaster's arrogance. The name most people in Shard now know the Tower as. The name of Stormwill."

Ayrell says, "Kadriash went on to become the next Guildmaster of Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a, succeeded by his daughter, Melear, who stands watch over the storm cloud from within the tower, ever vigilant, to this day, in ensuring the storm never finds a way to wreak havoc on the city again."

Conclusion

Ayrell says, "And that, is the story of Dertalriosh Endaertheal'a. The tower known as Stormwill, home of the Warrior Mage and Empath guilds in Shard, and the infinite storm that forever rages above it."

Ayrell smiles.

Ayrell curtsies gracefully.