The Tower of the Eight

Written by EldritchEladrin

In the city of Westrock, on the south bank of the Edar River, stands a truly magnificent sight. An immense dome, wreathed in spines and polished to a high sheen, rising above the plain buildings of lumber and stone that surround it's outer wall.

Purpose / Function

Formerly a prison for wild magic sorcerers and warlocks. While sorcerery itself is no longer a crime, the tower maintains several holding cells for spellcasters who are judged to be a threat to order and society.
The tower is currently under the management of The Order of the Eight Staffs, who maintain the structure and surrounding grounds as an academy for those who wish to pursue the wizarding arts. The members of the order serve as the primary headmasters and professors of the academy (one from each school of magic).

Alterations

A stone watchtower and gatehouse has been added to the exterior of the dome in order to provide a vantage point from which the tower guard can observe the courtyard that surrounds the structure. Aside from this minor adjustment, the exterior of the tower remains largely unchanged.
The greatest alterations to the tower's design were made to the interior, in order to facilitate the transition from a prison to a wizards' academy. Anti-magic fields were stripped away, holding cells were re-purposed into living quarters, and former torture chambers provided ample space for conducting lessons and experiments.

Architecture

The tower is largely subterranean. On the surface, the tower appears as a large russet dome, constructed from the chitanous shell of a slain Tarrasque (the highly-armoured and magic resistant nature of the carapace were a distinct advantage when the tower served as a prison, and was constantly under attack from sorcerous "liberators"). The dome stands in the middle of a courtyard, surrounded by a sturdy brick and mortar wall.
The interior design of the tower varies from room to room, as each headmaster applies their own aesthetic to the areas operated and maintained by their particular school.

History

Constructed during the aftermath of the Tarrasque attack on Westrock; an underground prison called "The Well" was designed to hold the wild magic sorcerers and other chaotic spellcasters believed to be behind the incident.
The Well continued to function as a prison for problematic spellcasters, until reforms past by the emperor, Avaran I, lifted the strict punishment for the unstructured use of magic. Instead, a lighter touch was implemented, and The Well was converted into an academy where the magically gifted could learn to harness their abilities under the tutelage of the Order of the Eight Staffs, an order of powerful wizards, loyal to the principles of the empire.

Alternative Names

The Academy, The Well (former)

Type

College / Academy

Parent Location

Westrock

Owning Organization

Order of the Eight Staffs