Akigwe's Tower

From Elanthipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Akigwe's Tower once stood as a bastion of research into lores both magical and mundane. The Elemental mage had sought a place to share his knowledge and to encourage others to push for great discoveries, but some took advantage of the opportunity to further darker pursuits. Lives were lost, lines were crossed, and Akigwe and all under him were ousted, leaving the tower quiet and abandoned for decades.

Akigwe's Tower is the site of the Akigwe's Legacy: Secrets of the Tower Quest.

History

Centuries ago, the vast caverns of Inner Hibarnhvidar were coaxed from the surrounding stone. Dwarven architecture is as strong as the rock it's cut from, built to withstand the passage of time as readily as its stalwart makers. But what visitors see today hasn't always been.

Nestled within one particular cavern is a series of terraces, and at its base rests a tower. None living can recall when it was built, but records of its history and evolution have survived the ages. In its infancy, it was a simple, single-storied structure that housed honored guests of the Dwarven people who traveled far to visit the kingdom.

In time, as fashions and tastes changed, other structures were built to fulfill such a purpose, and the humble hovel changed hands time and time again from one institution to another, each leaving their mark with an expansion to the grounds or the addition of rooms to serve its new purpose.

Within the earlier parts of the past century, a mage who dedicated most of his life to furthering the studies of magic, alchemy and similar endeavors gained considerable respect, wealth and influence among his peers. He sought a place to share his knowledge and to encourage and inspire the same drive to further the great works in others. As it happened, the lonely abode stood abandoned at the time and was eventually his chosen residence.

As quickly as his power had grown, the structure was likewise lifted up, restored and expanded to greater prowess than it had ever known before. Those respected in many fields of study from many walks of life traveled to apply for a position within the tower, each hoping to access the vast resources available to those within to push their studies to new and greater levels.

Noble though their intentions were, such a pooling of power slowly, but inevitably, lead to decisions being made that should not have been. In the name of furthering research, certain rules were bent or broken entirely. Most of the time, it indeed lead to greater discoveries, and none but those involved were the wiser. But there were also incidents that escaped the tower and caused harm to the ignorant citizenry. Those were harder to explain away.

The carefully built power began to crumble. The leadership's grip on those below was weakened as others sought the freedom to bend the rules, and more mistakes were made. To protect the citizens from further harm, the guards of Inner Hibarnhvidar were mobilized to forcefully evict those still within the tower who hadn't already fled from their peers' dangerous works. Much of the tower was damaged in the struggle, but in the end the guards were successful is closing it down.

When contact was recently re-established with the other provinces, a flood of visitors brought a renewed interest to the languishing cavern. The Estate Holder Council in particular was quick to establish housing and to stake a claim to the tower within. Considerable resources were expended to begin repairs and renovations, but finding survivors from the lost fleet in Fang Cove has diverted those resources and attention.

See Also

The tower is referenced in a number of the rooms in the Midhik Haalm housing area. The Tower Base housing area is set at the base of the tower.